Renovating Frankford

Longtime Frankford resident Walter Holt has seen the evolution of the massive home dubbed “The Jewel of Frankford” in his 25 years living right across the street from the mansion on Griscom Street.

“It’s a beautiful home inside,” says Holt.

Built in 1890, Realtor Michael Caven says the eight-bedroom house is Frankford’s original estate. The house, an earshot’s distance from the Frankford Transportation Center,  stands out as a unique symbol for a once bustling Philadelphia neighborhood.

“There are no comparables in the area,” says Caven, of Keller Williams Realty, which has listed the completely renovated house for $369,000. “It’s a labor of love for my seller. When he purchased it about six years ago it was falling apart. He’s really put his heart into it.”

Caven says he thinks old  neighborhoods like Frankford, which  are portraits of urban decay, but have many huge homes at bottom market prices, need more ambitious owners willing to fix them up.

“If there were more owners with this vision, it would  make such a difference,” he says.

“Hopefully, this will spur interest.”