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Haddington

    West Park Apartments from the west
    Diverse Stories: Public Housing in West Philadelphia

    For three quarters of the past century, public housing has controversially served low-income residents of several West Philadelphia neighborhoods.

     

    Haddington's Vintage Rowhouses
    Haddington Homes: “Row Housing as Public Housing”

    In the late 1950s, the Philadelphia Housing Authority, as an alternative to building elevator towers, experimented with “conserving” (i.e., renovating) used housing as public housing in Haddington, a working-class neighborhood in racial transition.

    From Haddington to Center City

    Looking east from the 56th St. station of the Market Street Elevated. Market St. is the boundary between the Haddington and Cobbs Creek neighborhoods. The station is nearly four miles from Center City’s towers, visible in the background.

    53rd St. between Vine and Race
    Public Housing’s Neighborhood: From Vine to Race on 53rd St.

    Haddington row houses on 53rd St. between Vine and Race.

    101 Block of Vodges St. near Race
    Public Housing’s Neighborhood: Vodges south of Race

    Looking south: 101 block Vodges near intersection with Race.

    5500 Block of Spring St.
    Public Housing’s Neighborhood: Spring St. north of Race

    Looking north, Haddington rowhouses on Spring St., near intersection with Race.

    Rowhouses on 56th St. between Market and Arch
    Public Housing’s Neighborhood: North of Market

    Rowhouses on 56th St. between Market and Arch, just north of the Market Street Elevated.

    Haddington Homes Courtyard
    Haddington Homes Courtyard

    The image is a courtyard in Haddington Homes, on the south side of the 5500 block of Vine St.

    Arch Homes viewed from 56th St.
    Arch Homes on 56th St.

    On 56th St., a rear wall of rowhouses in the Arch Homes complex.

    Entrance to Arch Homes
    Arch Homes Entrance

    This photo shows the entrance to the Housing Authority’s Arch Homes project at 56th and Arch St. Post-Millennial row housing built as public housing.

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