THE INDEX: 84 78 · week of Aug 24permits quiet, openings quiet, deal ledger running hot

The Philadelphia Index

Neighborhood File · The Public Record

Sheriff-sale activity

Philadelphia

Old Kensington

Old Kensington: 262 permits, $94.27M in deals, 6 sheriff-sale flags in the last 12 months.

Owed to the city $1,337,698 across 151 delinquent parcels

The numbers · last 12 months

Permits
262
New units
18
New licenses
12
Median sale
$525K
Deal $ volume
$94.27M
Violations
201
Tax-delinquent
151

Permit & deal figures cover the last 12 months; violations and tax delinquencies are the current standing. Same definitions the metro map shades by.

Notable transfers

12 entries

The biggest recorded deeds on the public record here, largest first.

  1. Recorded Oct 26, 2024

    $71.7M

    1203 Germantown Ave Unit 1

    to 220 LAKE DRIVE ASSOCIATES LLC;LIBERTY SQUARE 2 LLC · 6 parcels

  2. Recorded Mar 20, 2026

    $49.2M

    1635 N 5th St

    to Phadc Avenue V Llc

  3. Recorded Jan 6, 2025

    $21.59M

    1222 N 2nd St

    to 1222 Associates Llc

  4. Recorded Apr 29, 2026

    $4.5M

    1612 N Hancock St

    to Kfh 175 Oxford Llc

  5. Recorded Mar 5, 2026

    $1.8M

    1500-06 N 5th St

    to MADIS WS LLC

  6. Recorded Jun 4, 2025

    $1.3M

    1508-14 N 5th St

    to BILLY PENN STUDIOS LP

  7. Recorded Jan 5, 2026

    $1.2M

    1201 N 3rd St

    to J&W REALTY INC

  8. Recorded Jan 8, 2025

    $1.03M

    1601 N 2nd St

    to PITHIA AKSHAY;PARIKH RADHIKA

  9. Recorded Jul 25, 2024

    $991K

    175 W Oxford St Unit C5

    to RESSLER CHAD;RESSLER MELISSA JOYCE

  10. Recorded May 8, 2025

    $986K

    423 W Girard Ave

    to SCARLETS LC LLC

  11. Recorded Oct 8, 2024

    $986K

    175 W Oxford St Unit C1

    to KRAMER LOGAN

  12. Recorded Nov 10, 2025

    $977K

    1432 Hope St

    to PERKINS JAMES JACKSON;TEIXEIRA ROSEMARIE ATHENA

Recent permits

12 entries

Newest building permits — new construction, additions and alterations.

  1. Issued Aug 28, 2026

    1 units

    301-21 W Girard Ave

    Addition and/or Alteration · FOR ROOF REPLACEMENT AS PER APPROVED PLANS.

  2. Issued Aug 27, 2026

    1 units

    1639 N Hancock St

    Addition and/or Alteration · FOR EXTERIOR ALTERATIONS AND LEVEL II INTERIOR ALTERATIONS WITH A PARTIAL CHANGE IN USE AND OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION TO NON-SEPARATED GROUP M RETAIL SALES OF WEARING APPAREL & ACCESSORIES AND GROUP B PREPARED FOOD SHOP IN SPACE #102. EXISTING BUILDING IS NOT SPRINKLERED. ALL WORK TO BE DONE PER APPROVED PLANS AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH 2021 IEBC. SEPARATE PERMITS REQUIRED FOR MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL, AND PLUMBING WORK.

  3. Issued Aug 27, 2026

    1345 N Howard St

    New construction, addition, GFA change · New third floor rear addition to a single-family dwelling over existing structure with roof deck and roof access structure as per approved plan. NTE 38' in height

  4. Issued Aug 26, 2026

    1420 N 2nd St

    EZ Roof Covering Replacement · EZ PERMIT RE-ROOFING- For the Installation of New Roof Coverings on Exiting Roofs as per attached standard. Deviations from these standards require submission of construction and site plans. Streets Department Permit is required for any sidewalk and street closures. SHEATHING MUST COMPLY WITH STANDARD AND NOT EXCEED ALLOWABLE AMOUNT OR NEED A NEW PERMIT WITH PLANS.

  5. Issued Aug 23, 2026

    1500-04 Germantown Ave

    Addition and/or Alteration · Electrical alterations for tenant fit-out. Install new receptacles, branch circuit wiring, and associated electrical work for coffee shop equipment and office convenience outlets

  6. Issued Aug 20, 2026

    1639 Germantown Ave

    New Construction · FOR THE INSTALLATION OF AN AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER SYSTEM THROUGHOUT A THREE (3) STORY MULTI-FAMILY DWELLING TO INCLUDE A TWO (2) INCH FIRE SERVICE LINE AND A TWO (2) INCH BACKFLOW PREVENTER. ALL WORK TO BE DONE PER APPROVED PLANS AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH NFPA 13R BY A FIRE SUPPRESSION CONTRACTOR LICENSED BY THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA. SEE CP-2025-005418 FOR ASSOCIATED BUILDING PERMIT.

  7. Issued Aug 19, 2026

    1353 Mascher St

    Change of Use · Limited Lodging

  8. Issued Aug 19, 2026

    161 W Girard Ave

    New Construction or Additions · New 1,100 SF eating and drinking establishment to occupy the second floor of an existing three-story building. Plumbing work includes installation of a mop sink, hand sink, prep sink, three-compartment sink, dishwasher, grease interceptor, floor sinks, and floor drains. Connect new plumbing fixtures to existing sanitary lines, concealed in walls. All piping must be metallic

  9. Issued Aug 18, 2026

    1626-50 N American St

    Change of Use · Eating and Drinking Establishments - Sit-Down Restaurant; Commissaries and Catering Services

  10. Issued Aug 17, 2026

    1639 Germantown Ave

    New Construction · Install new 600-amp service 8 gang. Install new wire and devices including arc fault breakers and 120 V smoke alarms throughout . Install new fire alarm system . ALL WORK IS TO BE DONE ACCORDING TO APPROVED DRAWINGS-2017 NEC,2016 NFPA-72.

  11. Issued Aug 16, 2026

    1630 N 3rd St

    Addition and/or Alteration · Residential Service Equipment not exceeding a rating of 200 amps WITH AN INCREASE IN SERVICE SIZE FROM 100 AMP TO 200 AMP as per Residential Service Equipment EZ Standard Wiring throughout lights,outlets and smoke detectors as per 2020 NEC

  12. Issued Aug 13, 2026

    1630 N 3rd St

    Alterations · Approved plumbing work associated with an (Addition or Alteration) per EZ Permit Standard for Plumbing.

New business licenses

12 entries

The newest businesses licensed to operate on this ground.

  1. Issued Jul 9, 2026

    David Kunz

    Limited Lodging Operator · 210 W Stiles St

  2. Issued Jun 16, 2026

    Aaron Zacharia

    Limited Lodging Operator · 1512 Palethorp St

  3. Issued May 27, 2026

    Dwell at American Street LLC

    Dumpster License - Private Property · 1389 N American St

  4. Issued May 26, 2026

    Boku Proper LLC (1-900-Ice-Cream)

    Food Preparing and Serving · 1244 N Front St

  5. Issued May 7, 2026

    Natalie Stawasz

    Limited Lodging Operator · 1243 N 2nd St

  6. Issued Apr 23, 2026

    Federal National Mortgage Association

    Vacant Residential Property / Lot · 1420 N 2nd St

  7. Issued Apr 22, 2026

    City Coffee (City Coffee)

    Food Preparing and Serving · 1308 N Front St

  8. Issued Apr 15, 2026

    Gabriel Sanchez

    Limited Lodging Operator · 1337 N 2nd St

  9. Issued Apr 2, 2026

    Alexandra Athanasiadis

    Vacant Residential Property / Lot · 1257 Mascher St

  10. Issued Mar 25, 2026

    Wissahickon Brewing Company, LLC (Wissahickon Brewing Company)

    Sidewalk Cafe · 1526-32 N American St

  11. Issued Nov 19, 2025

    Pennymac Loan Services

    Vacant Residential Property / Lot · 1528 N 4th St

  12. Issued Oct 14, 2025

    Carlos Rivera

    Limited Lodging Operator · 124 Master St

On the record — distress

The signals that matter for diligence — back taxes, sheriff-sale filings, and open code violations tied to parcels in Old Kensington.

Tax-delinquent parcels

$1,337,698 owed

  1. Sheriff sale5 yrs owed

    431 W Girard Ave

    $26,221

  2. Sheriff sale4 yrs owed

    1507 N Orkney St

    $11,873

  3. Sheriff sale2 yrs owed

    00127 Jefferson St

    $9,687

  4. Sheriff sale3 yrs owed

    1202 N 5th St

    $6,207

  5. Sheriff sale2 yrs owed

    1445 N 5th St

    $5,806

  6. Sheriff sale3 yrs owed

    178 Master St

    $3,426

  7. $52,669

  8. 24 yrs owed

    411 Master St

    $51,356

  9. $49,920

  10. 11 yrs owed

    1302 N 5th St

    $49,178

  11. $36,367

  12. 18 yrs owed

    121 Jefferson St

    $33,422

Code violations & unsafe structures

  1. Unsafe Jan 12, 2026ACTIVE

    1248 N Howard St

    Unsafe structure designation

  2. Unsafe Jul 25, 2025ACTIVE

    411 Master St

    Unsafe structure designation

  3. Unsafe Apr 30, 2025ACTIVE

    149 W Girard Ave

    Unsafe structure designation

  4. Unsafe Apr 16, 2025ACTIVE

    1327-31 N 5th St

    Unsafe structure designation

  5. Unsafe Nov 10, 2024ACTIVE

    117 Jefferson St

    Unsafe structure designation

  6. Unsafe May 8, 2024ACTIVE

    1500 N 4th St

    Unsafe structure designation

  7. Violation Aug 26, 2026OPEN

    1446 Germantown Ave

    NEW USE

  8. Violation Aug 26, 2026OPEN

    1616 N Bodine St

    RUBBISH & GARBAGE

  9. Violation Aug 26, 2026OPEN

    1648 N Bodine St

    RUBBISH & GARBAGE

  10. Violation Aug 26, 2026OPEN

    1616 N Bodine St

    EXTERIOR AREA WEEDS

  11. Violation Aug 26, 2026OPEN

    1648 N Bodine St

    EXTERIOR AREA WEEDS

  12. Violation Aug 17, 2026OPEN

    141 Jefferson St

    VACANT STRUCTURE LICENSE

Get the weekly pulse for Old Kensington

Every deal, permit, and filing on this ground — one email a week, before the neighbors know.

Sources: Phila. Dept. of Records (deeds), L&I (permits, licenses & violations), Dept. of Revenue (tax delinquencies), tagged to neighborhoods by point-in-polygon in our weekly ingest. Neighborhood boundaries from the Azavea / OpenDataPhilly Philadelphia neighborhoods dataset. Verify independently before relying on any figure.
Last generated September 18, 2026.