The long-vacant industrial building at 1807 Huntingdon St. in East Kensington is moving toward redevelopment after seven years of setbacks. New Jersey-based Ellavoz Impact Capital recently announced that it was acquiring the building in partnership with Smith & Roller, allowing the developers to move forward with their plans near SEPTA’s Huntingdon stop on the Market-Frankford line. Developers Tayyib Smith and Jacob Roller see the project as a catalyst for change around the elevated train station, which is haunted by the opioid crisis. “The block has been challenged for a long time,” said John Theobald, president of the East Kensington Neighbors Association. “It’s really where a lot of the Kensington Avenue activity impacts the neighborhood, so hopefully more people living there and less vacancy will help.” The developers plan to break ground on the project in about six months. The current version of the project includes 109 residential units and 8,600 square feet of commercial space. Sixty percent of the units will be set aside for households earning 80% of area median income, or almost $67,000 for one person. The project is in a Keystone Opportunity Zone (KOZ), which provides state tax breaks.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 2/17/2026