Photo by Hidden City Philadelphia

South Kensington is a neighborhood on the edge. Surrounded by gentrification on three sides, the decaying industrial corridor struggles to build a bridge between the past and the future. We dug into what’s at stake in a three-part series for Hidden City Philadelphia:

Weighing Directions as South Kensington Evolves: Should the neighborhood strive to preserve its industrial past, or will developers succeed in bringing hundreds of new residents to the area?

Future of American Street Hinges on Soko Lofts Parcel: How did Soko Lofts grow from 160 units to 320 to possibly 600? And what will happen to the parcel now that the developer has put it for sale?

On American Street, a Growing Manufacturer Holds On: In the center of the debate over the future of American Street is a deli meat company, Emil’s Gourmet. Will the company be swallowed up by coming residential development, or will the street, to the dismay of some residents, remain industrial?