Philly Homeowner who "Foreclosed" on Wells Fargo gets High Level Meeting

I very much enjoyed stumbling upon this article as I went through my morning ritual of google news and cereal.  The Consumerist today published a guide of sorts to how Philly resident, All Patrick, initiated a Sheriff's sale of a local Well's Fargo Branch.  I won't give away too much because you really should read the full story, but basically after months of unreturned calls to Wells Fargo about unfair charges on his mortgage account, Patrick used the RESPA law to take Wells Fargo to court.  He won a small judgement in small claims court, but was still not able to get Wells Fargo to speak to him.  At that point, he started the legal proceedings that eventually resulted in Sheriff's Sale proceedings.  Today, at 12:00 p.m. a Wells Fargo Representative will meet with Patrick.  I am eagerly awaiting word on what happens.


Photo: The Consumerist

City of Philadelphia to Sell Two Vacant Lots Used as Northern Liberties Community Spaces

The Inquirer reported this morning on the anger and frustration of Northern Liberties neighbors who have cared for and utilized two vacant lots in their neighborhood.  The lots at the center of attention are 1114 N. 4th and 1015 N. Leithgow.  According to the article, the neighbors have used these lots for Halloween festivities, Easter celebrations, birthday parties, etc.  One neighbor also said the property owner adjacent to the lot pictured above, has tried for ten years to purchase the lot.  The neighbors met last night to discuss the matter and may scramble to put together the money to bid on the lots themselves.  The frustration over the process of purchasing vacant city lots has often been in the headlines.  In a previous post I discussed the Blighted Property Conservation Act which developed out of a court case in which a non profit was awarded conservatorship over vacant lots they were trying to improve.  Since the Northern Liberties lots are scheduled to be auctioned, it is probably too late for the neighborhood association to take this route.  You have to wonder if the city gave the neighborhood enough notice to consider options such as this.

Philadelphia School Buildings Reborn

Photo: Plan Philly

Plan Philly in collaboration with the Philadelphia Public School Notebook recently produced a piece on abandoned school conversions.  The following locations/building projects were featured in the article.

The picture above is of Tony Rufo's project at 12th and Fitzwater.  The old Nathaniel Hawthorne School Building (1909) was converted into 56 lofts.  The building is the most dramatic development in Rufo's Hawthorne portfolio that includes multiple rehabs and new construction.

According to the article, A school at 8th and Lehigh has gone under contract for $600,000 and there are plans for a grocery store and senior housing.

A West Philadelphia school building at 51st and Race was converted into a large Church.

The article also highlighted the battle that took place between Independence Charter School and a condo developer for the old school at 16th and Lombard.  It seems community activism won that battle, but not before the hefty price tag of 6 million was forked over.

The article was written in the wake of the school district's recent announcement that there are 70,000 empty seats this year.  With other urban districts like Kansas City and Detroit shuttering nearly half the schools, it seems developers and community organizations in Philadelphia may soon have a lot more inventory to choose from.