Jake Blumgart
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Covering commercial real estate for the @PhillyInquirer. Formerly of @Governing, @NewStatesman, @WHYY and @PlanPhilly.
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Articles by Jake Blumgart
PHA is partnering with Mission First Housing on a North Philly senior apartment building
Posted on October 20, 2026 by Josh Cotterell By: Jake Blumgart The Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) is partnering with Mission First Housing Group to bring a 50-unit senior housing project to 1300-50 N. 10th St. in North Philadelphia. The proposed senior building would be four stories, well under the legal height limit on the property. It would include 43 one-bedroom apartments and seven two-bedroom units. No parking would be offered.
Former Franklin Mills is no longer for sale. What comes next for the Northeast Philly mall?
Less than a year after Northeast Philadelphia’s sprawling Franklin Mall was put on the market, the court-appointed receiver of the distressed propertysaid this week that it is no longer for sale. In April, local real estate magnate Dean Adler made headlines with his bid to purchase the property formerly known as Franklin Mills for over $60 million, with plans to redevelop it as a mixed-use site with housing, athletic fields, a hotel, and a water park.
Germantown YWCA endured two failed redevelopment efforts. The same builder is trying again.
Germantown’s historic YWCA is slated to be redeveloped into affordable senior housing by Councilmember Cindy Bass’s handpicked developer, 12 years after she shut down a similar plan by a different group. This latest twist in the saga over the preservation and reuse of this city-owned building comes amid soaring interest rates and construction costs, ensuring the project is substantially more expensive than it would have been in 2015. The YWCA at 5820-24 Germantown Ave.
In 2020, he killed a man in self-defense after soliciting prostitution. Last week, he said he got a job in City Council.
In 2021, DeVonté Douglass was fired from his role in the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office and pleaded guilty to a prostitution-related misdemeanor after fatally shooting a sex worker in self-defense. Last week, Douglass posted on LinkedIn that he got a new job in Philadelphia’s halls of power, working as a staffer for City Councilmember Jeffery Young Jr. The post was still visible as of Tuesday afternoon, but had been deleted from Douglass’ account by Wednesday afternoon.
Meet Me at the Eagle: Developers reveal options for Wanamaker building’s interior
The developers who are remaking Philadelphia’s Wanamaker building revealed new possibilities for the Grand Court on Wednesday before the city’s Zoning Board of Adjustment approved their plans for additional restaurant space. A conceptual rendering shown during the hearing depicted a bar around the totemic Wanamaker Eagle in the Grand Court, along with romantically lit dining tables arrayed around it.
Two Council members opt out of Parker’s plan to add apartments in commercial areas
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s latest effort to boost housing production in Philadelphia advanced at a City Council hearing Tuesday, part of her larger push to add 30,000 homes to the city over her tenure. The bill allows properties with zoning that mostly applies to corner stores — known as CMX-1 — to allow additional apartments, depending on a building’s size.
Housing prices are out of control. How much will building more homes help?
As the housing shortage in the United States has become more acute, a political movement called Yes In My Backyard (YIMBY) has sought to promote policy solutions and advocate for more construction. That idea cuts against the sense that many city residents have of how gentrification works. New buildings are often understood as driving nearby housing costs up.
Aramark HQ building is aiming for $240 million sale, as other office buildings go for far less
The building that contains Aramark’s headquarters at 2400 Market St. is on the market with a target price several orders of magnitude larger than almost any recent office building sale in Philadelphia. Two industry sources familiar with the situation say that Lubert-Adler Real Estate Funds, which owns the building, is seeking at least $240 million for the almost 600,000-square-foot building on the east bank of the Schuylkill.
After selling a building to Burlington Stores, Brandywine plans $200 million more in sales for 2027
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, office owner Brandywine Realty Trust has been shedding some of its lower performing buildings — culminating in this year’s blockbuster $240 million sale of 3151 Market St. to Burlington Stores for that company’s new headquarters. On Thursday, Brandywine CEO Jerry Sweeney announced that his company would target even more sales in 2027.
A 68-unit apartment building is planned for the South Broad Street surface parking lot flanked by Mario Lanza mural
A 68-unit apartment building is being proposed for 1328-36 S. Broad St., a surface parking lot utilized by the Baldi Funeral Home for decades. The owners are partnering with Philadelphia-based Trove Capital to build a five-story building, although the plans are still in preliminary stages. The project would include amenity space on every floor, including a spa, roof deck, and courtyard.
PHA is partnering with Mission First Housing on a North Philly senior apartment building
The Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) is partnering with Mission First Housing Group to bring a 50-unit senior housing project to 1300-50 N. 10th St. in North Philadelphia. The proposed senior building would be four stories, well under the legal height limit on the property. It would include 43 one-bedroom apartments and seven two-bedroom units. No parking would be offered.
Philadelphia looks to dramatically restrict where stores can sell tobacco and vapes | Council roundup
Philadelphia City Council wants to dramatically restrict where new stores that sell tobacco or vaping products can be located in the city, the latest attempt by the legislative body to rein in smoke shops. Democratic Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson on Thursday introduced legislation that would adjust the city's zoning code to prohibit any businesses selling tobacco from opening in much of the city.
Philadelphia looks to dramatically restrict where stores can sell tobacco and vapes | Council roundup
Philadelphia City Council wants to dramatically restrict where new stores that sell tobacco or vaping products can be located in the city, the latest attempt by the legislative body to rein in smoke shops. Democratic Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson on Thursday introduced legislation that would adjust the city’s zoning code to prohibit any business selling tobacco from opening in much of the city.
An office-to-apartment conversion is underway in Logan Square. Here’s why it works.
The residential conversion of the former office building at 2100 Arch St. is underway, with completion expected in late 2027 or early 2028. Philadelphia-based MM Partners paid $12 million for the eight-story buildingin March 2023, with plans for 116 apartments in the Logan Square neighborhood. It was formerly the Jewish Community Services Building.
Penn’s $520 million renovation of David Rittenhouse Lab is one of Philly’s largest construction projects
As real estate development in Philadelphia slows, the most expensive project on the horizon is a state-of-the-art laboratory and classroom building set to replace a mid-century structure that lacks central air-conditioning. The $520 million redevelopment of the David Rittenhouse Laboratory at 209 S. 33rd St. will raze two-thirds of the existing structure. A seven-story, 325,000-square-foot replacement, dubbed the Penn Discovery Commons, will be built in its place.
Mayor Parker wants Council to back a tax break for redeveloping derelict buildings. Council says it’s waiting on her.
Last November, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker announced with great fanfare that Philadelphia could create a property tax break to spur the conversion of derelict buildings, such as empty Center City office towers and vacant school facilities, into apartments. She had worked with legislators in Harrisburg to change state law to allow Philadelphia to pursue the legislation, which would create a 20-year property tax abatement for conversions of “deteriorated” properties.
Drexel wants to sell the Academy of Natural Sciences museum. A Council bill could restrict its redevelopment.
A new zoning bill by City Councilmember Jeffery Young Jr. would restrict the redevelopment potential of the Academy of Natural Sciences museum after Drexel University this month announced plans to shutter the centuries-old institution. Young, whose 5th District includes the museum property on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, introduced the ordinance at Thursday’s Council session.
A 122-unit duplex development is planned just to the west of Girard Estates
A new housing proposal would bring 122 units in 61 duplexes to 2225-27 Shunk St., a vacant lot next to South Philadelphia’s Girard Estates neighborhood. The property is one of the few large developable parcels in the area, which has seen little new housing construction even as neighborhoods to the north boomed in recent years due to its scarcity of empty lots.
A gated community of 140 townhouses is proposed near Packer Park
A former Philadelphia Housing Authority warehouse site at 3100 Penrose Ferry Rd. is set to be transformed into a gated community with 140 townhouses, just to the northwest of FDR Park. The proposal comes from Philadelphia-based Trove Capital, which bought the site from the housing authority in June for $8.5 million. The townhomes will be built in 28 clusters of three to seven units across the site, with each home coming with two parking spaces.
Philly laws conflate drag shows with strip clubs. City Council wants to change that.
A line in Philadelphia’s zoning code conflates drag performances with strip clubs, topless bars, and other adult cabaret venues. It’s a definition that City Council hopes to change.
Philly laws conflate drag shows with strip clubs. City Council wants to change that
PHILADELPHIA — A line in Philadelphia’s zoning code conflates drag performances with strip clubs, topless bars, and other adult cabaret venues. It’s a definition that City Council hopes to change.
Mixed income apartment project in Center City gets its final approval after almost 11 years
Construction was supposed to have started on a 14-story apartment building at 2012 Chestnut St., a collaboration between the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) and Alterra Property Group. In late 2025, after years of delays, the partners said construction would begin in early 2026. Instead, the 121-apartment project has stalled for another nine months in the face of hang-ups at the federal level.
A 43-unit apartment building that preserves historic features is proposed in Old City
A corner of Old City long considered for apartment development is now slated for a new 43-unit, seven-story building — an update from a smaller plan approved by the Philadelphia Historical Commission. The property at 148 N. Second St. contains several buildings that are regulated by local historic regulations. Two of the buildings have been approved for demolition — at 152 and 156 N. Second St. — while two are being preserved and incorporated into the project at 148 and 150 N.
Philly City Council returns with dueling plans for the city’s trash | Council roundup
Philadelphia City Council members are considering dueling proposals over how the city eliminates its garbage, with one lawmaker leading an effort to immediately block the city from shipping its garbage to a trash incinerator and another taking a longer-term approach. Councilmember Mark Squilla on Thursday introduced legislation authorizing Mayor Cherelle L.
A 43-unit apartment building that preserves historic features is proposed in Old City
A corner of Old City long considered for apartment development is now slated for a new 43-unit, seven-story building — an update from a smaller plan approved by the Philadelphia Historical Commission. The property at 148 N. Second St. contains several buildings that are regulated by local historic regulations. Two of the buildings have been approved for demolition — at 152 and 156 N. Second St. — while two are being preserved and incorporated into the project at 148 and 150th N.
Developers are attracted to East Germantown by low cost, vacant land and greenery
A four-story, 35-unit apartment project is slated for 846 E. Woodlawn St., part of a wave of development proposals in East Germantown after decades of divestment. Although the neighborhood contains many apartment buildings that date to the early to mid-20th century, development collapsed following the 1950s in the era of white flight and neglect of majority Black areas by financial institutions.
Mayor Parker has ordered a task force to study data centers in Philly and report back by June
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker on Wednesday ordered a task force composed of members of her administration to explore whether the city should place new regulations on the construction of data centers — and to present her with its findings in about eight months.
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker has ordered a task force to study data centers in Philly and report back by June
PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker on Wednesday ordered a task force composed of members of her administration to explore whether the city should place new regulations on the construction of data centers — and to present her with its findings in about eight months.
PHS Beer Garden in Manayunk to close permanently on Oct. 5
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) announced Wednesday that its popular pop-up beer garden in Manayunk will close permanently Oct. 5. The property at 106 Jamestown Ave. is slated to become a six-story, 73-unit apartment building from local developer Dan Greenberg, although it faces community and political pushback. Its hearing before the city’s Zoning Board of Adjustment was postponed last month.
Landmark Ritz Five movie theater is open again
The smell of buttered popcorn is wafting down Dock Street again, as the Landmark Ritz Five movie theater opened for business again Friday afternoon. Business was slow at, first, with just 14 customers entering between 5 and 6:30 p.m. That didn't count concerned fans who stopped by to check in on the somewhat faded arthouse movie theater.
Landmark Ritz Five movie theater is open again
The smell of buttered popcorn is wafting down Dock Street again, as the Landmark Ritz Five movie theater opened for business again Friday afternoon. Business was slow at, first, with just 14 customers entering between 5 and 6:30 p.m. That didn’t count concerned fans who stopped by to check in on the somewhat faded arthouse movie theater.
3,000 Philly residents are at risk of their losing affordable housing. Can City Hall help?
Skip to content Published Sept. 4, 2026 ER I produce video series in partnership with desks across our newsroom that answer key questions about Philadelphia and the region. There are many ways to tell a story — I’m all about finding the one that enhances your daily scroll. I cover the changing fortunes of the office, housing, and retail sector in Philadelphia. I focus on new development, and I'm also interested in how public policy affects the real estate industry.
A 118-unit apartment tower is proposed for 23rd and Walnut Streets, replacing a Rite Aid
An 118-unit apartment building at 2301-11 Walnut St. received a warm welcome from a city-designated panel of architects and planners at Tuesday’s meeting of the Civic Design Review committee. The eight-story proposal is slated for land that once housed a suburban-style Rite Aid and its surface parking lot. The new building would include 46 underground parking spaces, 2,750 square feet of retail on Walnut Street, and 5,675 square feet of amenity space facing an interior courtyard.
Controversial apartments slated for Manayunk's PHS beer garden site have been delayed
Listen to article -0:00 min The developer of a controversial apartment project at 106 Jamestown Ave. in Manayunk requested that the Zoning Board of Adjustment delay its Wednesday hearing. The six-story, 73-unit building would replace the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society's pop-up beer garden that currently leases the space. Neighborhood backlash against the project from developer Dan Greenberg has been intense.
Controversial apartments slated for Manayunk’s PHS beer garden site have been delayed
The developer of a controversial apartment project at 106 Jamestown Ave. in Manayunk requested that the Zoning Board of Adjustment delay its Wednesdayhearing. The six-story, 73-unit building would replace the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s pop-up beer garden that currently leases the space. Neighborhood backlash against the project from developer Dan Greenberg has been intense.
West Philly parking wars heat up amid plans for a 400-unit apartment complex on Lancaster Ave.
Haverford Square Properties wants to transform an industrial stretch of Lancaster Avenue into a residential and small business hub, with 415-apartments and over 30,000 square feet of commercial space across three projects. The ambitious plan would unfold between 50th and 52nd Street, with the 215-unit Cathedral Yards at 5140 Lancaster Ave. to the northwest and the 160-unit Lancaster Yards to the southeast at 5022-32 Lancaster Ave.
Rehab of historic Walnut Street buildings will not include salvaged materials
After three historic buildings on the 1700 block of Walnut Street were gutted by arson during citywide unrest in 2020, the owners were asked to save some building materials for future construction.
A new high-rise built by PMC Property Group would overlook the Schuylkill from Walnut Street
Philadelphia's largest apartment owner, PMC Property Group, wants to build a 31-story high-rise at 24th and Walnut Streets. The 372-unit apartment building at 200-10 S. 24th St. would also include 118 parking spaces and a swimming pool. The proposed 358-foot-tall tower would be the real estate company's latest apartment development on the Schuylkill. PMC built the two Riverwalk Towers a half mile to the north, in Center City's Logan Square neighborhood, and the 287-unit building at 2301 John F.
New high-rise built by PMC Property Group would overlook the Schuylkill from Walnut Street
Philadelphia’s largest apartment owner, PMC Property Group, wants to build a 31-story high-rise at 24th and Walnut Streets. The 372-unit apartment building at 200-10 S. 24th St. would also include 118 parking spaces and a swimming pool. The proposed 358-foot-tall tower would be the real estate company’s latest apartment development on the Schuylkill. PMC built the two Riverwalk Towers a half mile to the north, in Center City’s Logan Square neighborhood, and the 287-unit building at 2301 John F.
Market East retail pop-ups extended at 76ers and Comcast properties
A row of East Market Street storefronts owned by Comcast and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE) will continue hosting small local businesses until at least the end of 2026. The experimental initiative, dubbed Meantime on Market, is meant to activate the once-barren stretch of the 900 block of East Market Street. When announced earlier this year, it was planned to only last through the end of July.
Site of the Walnut Street Beer Garden will become a two-story retail building, not an apartment tower
A two-story, 33,000-square-foot retail building is being proposed for 1706-10 Walnut St., the current site of a beer garden and formerly where three historic buildings were demolished after being damaged by fires during unrest in 2020. The property is owned by the Gridmark Group, which was founded by Ari Weber, a Brooklyn-based real estate investor. The building is being designed by Philadelphia-based JKRP Architects.
New York developer proposes 129 affordable apartments near Temple University
A 129-unit affordable apartment building is slated for 11th and Berks Streets in North Philadelphia, just east of Temple University’s campus. The six-story structure will be built on land owned by the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) but will be developed by New York City-based Jonathan Rose Cos., which has built two other affordable apartment complexes in the area.
Manayunk is embarking on another new era after decades of evolution
On the last Thursday of July, during Manayunk’s summertime Stroll After Hours event, throngs of young families pushing strollers and couples walking dogs roamed the business corridor. Some stopped at art vendors with frames sprawled across the sidewalk, while others meandered down Grape Street to grab a bite from a food truck or claim a seat at the outdoor screening of Toy Story. On such an evening, Main Street Manayunk’s evolution is on full display.
Manayunk is embarking on another new era after decades of evolution
On the last Thursday of July, during Manayunk's summertime Stroll After Hours event , throngs of young families pushing strollers and couples walking dogs roamed the business corridor. Some stopped at art vendors with frames sprawled across the sidewalk, while others meandered down Grape Street to grab a bite from a food truck or claim a seat at the outdoor screening of Toy Story On such an evening, Main Street Manayunk's evolution is on full display.
45 affordable apartments for artists on Broad Street will be partly funded by Knight Foundation
Affordable artist apartments will be coming to South Broad Street next year after the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation awarded a $2.5 million grant to the development company that promises to turn former University of the Arts dorms into low-priced housing.
Shift Capital is selling many of its Kensington holdings
Shift Capital made its name in Kensington. The company has long styled itself as a socially conscious real estate developer , rebuilding long-vacant buildings into thriving mixed-use properties in a neighborhood challenged by poverty and addiction. Now 14 years after the company's formation, it is seeking to sell its cornerstone developments in the neighborhood.
As developers clash over the future of the Bourse, their lender wants to force a sale of the building
A New York City-based commercial real estate lender has asked a federal judge to force a sale of the Bourse building on Independence Mall after work ground to a halt on a hotel development amid the dissolution of the a partnership between real estate magnate Dean Adler and Keystone Development + Investment. As the two former partners fought a battle for control of the Bourse in Delaware Chancery Court, the property has racked up millions in liens and missed at least one mortgage payment.
PHA plans an 85-unit mix of rental and ownership homes in Strawberry Mansion
The Philadelphia Housing Authority is planning an 85-unit mix of affordable rental and homeownership units in Strawberry Mansion, around 28th and York Streets. The proposal is part of a burst of PHA activity in this North Philadelphia neighborhood in recent years, as the agency has sought to use vacant land to add affordable housing to the area.
Shift Capital is selling many of its Kensington holdings
Shift Capital made its name in Kensington. The companyhas long styled itself as a socially conscious real estate developer, rebuilding long-vacant buildings into thriving mixed-use properties in a neighborhood challenged by poverty and addiction. Now 14 years after the company’s formation, it is seeking to sell its cornerstone developments in the neighborhood.
Biggest project yet planned for Manayunk's Venice Island with more than 800 homes
A developer is planning to build 807 housing units on 30 acres of Manayunk's Venice Island, bringing an end to years of questions by residents about what would become of the land. Manayunk Renaissance LLC told members of local neighborhood groups about the plan during an informal meeting Wednesday. Councilmember Curtis Jones Jr., who represents Manayunk, also attended. The company confirmed the plans to The Inquirer on Thursday.
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