Newtown, Oldtown, In-Betweentown

 

Apologies for another unannounced prolonged absence... I thought I'd have more time to work on this over my internship than I actually do. Also Blogger's been running kinda funky for me lately further delaying this, but at last here we are. 

Grant's/Eckerd/Rite Aid/Michael's, Newtown Square, PA

Given its smaller size- I'd reckon about 30k square feet- I was shocked to learn this was once a WT Grant's. It opened with the center in 1960. It was split between a True Value Hardware and an Eckerd after they closed. Eckerd later became Rite Aid, which moved across the street to a freestanding location in 2014. True Value closed not long after, and Michael's took over the old Grant's in 2019. Not long after, the shopping center underwent a massive remodel, mostly disguising both the Grant's box and Eckerd entryway.

McDonald's, Newtown Square, PA

Mickey D's closed this location around 2015. While it was still vacant at the time, its façade was completely redone with the rest of the center in 2019. As of earlier this year, it has become a Nifty Fifty's diner. Nifty's has really been on an expansion kick lately- in 2018 they were down to just three locations. This brings them up to 6.

Wawa, Broomall, PA

At store #8, this is the second oldest surviving location in the chain. Store #4 in Primos was replaced earlier this summer (with the "Mare of Easttown" Wawa), making #7 in Linwood the oldest. This remodeled in 2015, which I used to think meant they weren't planning on replacing it, but seeing how some remodeled ones have already been replaced or rebuilt I don't hold much stock in it.

Townsend, Rittenhouse Square

It's a fascinating building but I really don't know too much about its history. For several years it was home to an art dealer, before becoming high-end French bistro Townsend in 2018. They unfortunately fell victim to the lockdowns last year and closed (though the good news is they have reopened elsewhere in the neighborhood this year). The building still sits vacant but hopefully it will turn over before too much longer.

The Laurel, Rittenhouse Square

Though out of character with the area, this large lot sat empty and fenced off for nearly 25 years right across the street from the Rittenhouse Square park. It was once home to several buildings, most notably a midcentury-modern theater, which were destroyed by fire in 1994. After the fire, the city's parking authority seized the lot and announced they would be building a parking garage here. The neighborhood had a fit over that and shot down the plan, but as the government sucks at land management they held onto it for several years preventing anything from being done with it. Finally, it was sold to the Southern Land Company, who announced plans for a huge new apartment building. After a few battles with the historical commission regarding abandoned buildings they wanted to knock down in back (eventually they got the go-ahead to fully demolish one, save the façade for another, and restore the third- which you can see in back) work began in 2018. The building topped out a few weeks ago at 599 feet, making it the 10th tallest in the city, at least until the new 600+ foot tower at 19th and Sansom gets off the ground. That one already has permits, so work should start soon.

Creswell Iron Works, Logan Square

If you look at the manhole covers while walking around Philly, you'll notice many of them- particularly in older neighborhoods- are stamped with "Samuel J Creswell Iron Works- 23rd and Cherry Phila PA." Creswell operated out of this Logan Square complex from 1835 through 1969, when they relocated to the northeast part of town. They went under in 1985. Over the years, most of the complex had been demolished. As of 2018, this was the last surviving full building. A parking lot across Cherry still has the walls from a warehouse that used to occupy the site on 2 sides. This one was listed on the local historic register protecting it from demolition- at least until the owners filed a "financial hardship" claim (i.e. that restoring the building would be a burden). I was here just by coincidence a few weeks before permits were filed; I had read an article on some of the city's hidden gems and was checking a few of them out. The building came down in mid-2018 and has since been replaced by 16 rowhomes.

Interestingly, there were plans to convert the existing building into loft apartments in the 2000's, but those plans were killed by the recession. In the years since then, it had been rented out to a variety of things including a mechanic's shop, a gym, and some absolutely disgusting tenements- all at the same time.

It could have used some cleaning up, but all things considered wasn't a bad-looking building. I was particularly fond of the ivy covering up most of the exterior. It's a shame they didn't want to save it.

GNC, Rittenhouse Square

The front side of this store had been updated and maintained pretty well, but heading around the alley behind it, there appears to have once been a rear entrance- complete with the old logo and full name! This location sadly closed during one of their massive downsizing rounds last year. It's less than a block away from their much newer Liberty Place location.

Rite Aid, Rittenhouse Square

This building was once home to a bank and their offices. I don't recall seeing the Provident Trust Co name around on anything remotely recent, so I am assuming someone bought them out long ago. It wasn't until the 90's though that the building was converted. The upper floor offices became a hotel, the second floor conference room became a fancy restaurant, and the bank branch itself became Rite Aid. They kept most of the bank's design intact on the inside, which pairs surprisingly well with their Wellness décor. It was given the new logo recently, which actually matches the building quite a bit better than this one did.

Quaker City Savings/Wawa, Rittenhouse Square

You might recognize this building from my coverage of Wawa's opening in early 2020. I forgot I had this picture from before it was redone. The original 50's design was kept almost perfectly intact up until then.

Pomerantz Building, Rittenhouse Square

This was built in 1916 for the A. Pomerantz Office Supply store. Its claim to fame is that it was one of the first reinforced concrete buildings in the city. The company is still in business as a distributor, but left the retail scene in 1988. This has been vacant (but maintained) ever since. Pomerantz's sign was still up until 2015, when the street level façade was redone to attract a new tenant. The scar is still visible.

Modell's, Rittenhouse Square

This is another building I wish I knew more about. It's façade has a very old looking frame, but the inside of it must have been totally rebuilt. It looks kinda 70's to me, which is when I would assume Modell's opened here. This location began its liquidation during the first round of bankruptcy closures last year, which was put on pause by the lockdown and never finished since the inside was ravaged by looters during the George Floyd riots. I mean that's one way to clear out inventory.

Foot Locker, Rittenhouse Square

The Kids Foot Locker in the distance was originally a regular Foot Locker. After they took over the former Finish Line in the foreground (which I wrote about a few posts back), the old one was rebranded to a Kids'. They even kept the old signage, adding the Kids' sign next to it. It closed for remodeling in late 2019 and reopened a few weeks later... I literally cannot tell the difference between before and after so I'm not sure what that was about. Maybe mechanical systems upgrades?

Lane Bryant/Beneficial, East Market

Lane Bryant opened in 1942 alongside Snellenburg's in their garage expansion. This location closed in the 90's, and Beneficial, whose 1920's flagship branch was diagonally across the intersection, relocated here. As demolition plans were underway here, they did not rebrand to WSFS after the company was sold. Instead, WSFS opened a new branch across the street and closed this one the same day they rebranded the rest of the Beneficial's.

Airs Appliances, further down the same building, was originally part of Snellenburg's. This space became a Horn & Hardart Automat in the 60's. The vertical sign is left over from them. Airs relocated to a warehouse in South Philly in preparation for this to be demolished.

Future Banks, Midtown Village

When I first saw the fences go up around these two skeevy-looking buildings on a rapidly gentrifying block, I was expecting demolition to follow. I was apparently wrong! The taller Armand's Records building was converted to a new PCFU branch, with offices above. The shorter Sprint building became a new WSFS to replace the Beneficial a few photos back. PCFU restored the existing limestone façade on their building, while WSFS did a complete re-skinning.

Snellenburg's Garage, Market East

Glancing back across the street at the old garage building. This was definitely the most attractive parking structure in the city. Sad as it was to lose, the new buildings will be a welcome addition.

Glancing around back, the part sticking out is the spiral ramp up the garage. The stairway nest to it used to have a bridge going across to Snellenburg's Annex/Mens' Store (seen on the right). The bridge was cut out following the Annex's renovation in 2016.

Grant's/Woolworth/CVS, East Market

I noticed the original rear entryway is still around on the back of this store, albeit blacked out. I would assume it hasn't been used since the Woolworth days. Speaking of Woolworth, if you look closely behind and to the left of CVS's signage, you can make out their labelscar a little bit.

Fairmount Park Welcome Center, Logan Square

This flying saucer opened alongside Love Park (then known as JFK Plaza) in 1964. Following a leakage from the park's aging iconic fountain into the subterranean parking garage, plans were made to completely rebuild the park. Originally they called for demolishing the welcome center, but got some serious backlash. It sat vacant while the park was redone in 2016, but finally started to see some new life in 2018 when work began converting it into a restaurant. It's practically a rebuild, but is staying true to its original design. Work has moved slowly, most likely due to the planned restaurant changing a few times. As of 2021, the exterior is complete but the inside still needs to be fitted out.

Station Square, Paoli, PA

At this point it's been about a year since my last photos of this were taken. The office complex still has a few tenants left, but demolition work is nonetheless getting started as evidenced by the traffic barrels. By summer 2018 it will be in full swing.

Paoli Station, Paoli, PA

The new ADA-accessible elevator structure is getting framed up next door. It was operational by the end of 2018, and the very much un-ADA-accessible (and on icy days inaccessible by anyone) 140 year old staircase it replaced was demolished. The next phase is supposed to begin by the end of this year. It entails demolishing the old stores on the opposite end of the station, and rerouting the road I got these pictures from there. The old station building itself will remain standing until the third phase of the project, when it will be replaced with a modern building and structured parking.

McDomino's, Overbrook, Philadelphia

Although they tried to disguise the roof, this is still very much recognizable as a 70's McDonald's. It closed most likely in the 90's (The Overbrook neighborhood is the nicest in West Philly [ok maybe you could make an argument for Powelton but I stand by this] but even there the southern end of it is not great... this happens to be on that end). It served as a barbecue place for a while afterwards, and mostly became a Domino's around 2010. They remodeled and updated their logo in 2018, ditching the box sign. No clue what's going on with the sliver they aren't using.

Shell? Cathedral Park

I initially thought this was an old 7-Eleven because of the roof, but just realized it doesn't have their entryway. It looks like it was actually a gas station, and since they used a similar roof to 7-Eleven in the 70's, I suspect it was a Shell. It's been home to a beer distributor for probably 30 years at least.

PLCB, Cathedral Park

This location might date back to the 70's, and that sign is likely from when they first adopted the Wine & Spirits name in the 80's. They relocated to a new-ish build store last Fall (I say -ish because it was half built for an independent pharmacy, abandoned, then finished as a small strip mall last year). This space has since gotten a gut remodel and new façade, and become home to Got The Look, a very uhh... ethnic looking fashion store just in the past few weeks. PLCB rebranded their retail operation once again to "Fine Wine & Good Spirits" in 2010, but was not very aggressive with the signage replacement. Only in the past year or so would I say the old name has become rare.

Quickie Radiators, Mill Creek

This place has one of my favorite signs. It's been here since at least the 50's or more likely earlier, making it one of the oldest businesses in the neighborhood. 

Murry's, Belmont

This Murry's location opened around 2000 in a new-build store, and closed around the same time as most of their Philly-area ones in the early 2010's. After finally selling in 2019, the new owners tried to get zoning approval to demolish it for a new 3-story apartment building. When they wouldn't get approved, they tried again with a 2-story addition above the existing structure. That somehow worked, even though the end result was basically the same. Enough has to be replaced to accommodate the new structure that it's basically a new building aside from the roof-turned-floor trusses.

Baltimore Markets/Rite Aid/Family Dollar, Millcreek

Rite Aid opened here in 1992. The wood paneling on the building looks a bit older, not to mention the store itself is a bit large for a Rite Aid of that era, making me suspect it was another store beforehand. It's supermarket sized, so maybe ACME or A&P?  Rite Aid closed in 2002. It's a bad neighborhood, and not very hospitable to chain stores, so it was surprising to see Family Dollar open in 2014. UPDATE: Was actually a Baltimore markets originally. They were a local chain that there isn't too much information about. They peaked in the 50's and were known for unusual modern designs. Thanks Keith from Cape Kennedy Retail!

Stern & Co Building, East Market

Honestly the more I look into this building the more confused I get... it was built either in 1904 or 1911 (we're off to a great start) and was home to a "Stern & Co", which I believe was a local department store and not to be confused with New York-based Stern's. I have also found a listing for a Holmes-Whitely Store here. Either way it finished out the century with the upper floors offices and ground floor split between two stores. As of 2021, the building has mostly been filled with federal offices including the ground floor as part of a government effort to consolidate offices closer to the federal courthouse a block over.

The right side of the ground floor had been gutted out already, it was last an Independence Hall/Liberty Bell tourist trap gift shop.

The part on the left hasn't been torn apart quite as much yet. It was last a wheelchair dealer. I didn't even know those existed until I found this.

I'm not usually a nightclub kind of guy but my roommate convinced me to visit a "punk" one with him recently. He was expecting Ramones-type punk. It was not. It was the decidedly less-cool 80's British stuff. Everything sounded like The Cure. It's not bad but it's the kind of stuff that gets stuck in your head for the next week.

Anyways, here's INXS-