Burlington Center Mall Redevelopment; Delays in Obtaining Notarial Deeds at Philadelphia Sheriff's Office

Hundreds of homes are being built on land where a disused shopping centre once stood.

A $125 million, 500-unit apartment complex is planned for the former Burlington Center mall site in Burlington Township.

Moorestown Mall and other centers in the area are adding apartments and other nontraditional elements, but here's what makes the Burlington Center redevelopment unusual.

Keep scrolling for that story and to find out why Philadelphia homeowners are stuck in limbo, learn what you need to know about self-storage, and take a look at an 1800s farmhouse in Elkins Park.

Today’s tour features a property with a stable out back that the owner has converted into a woodworking shop. If you had the space for an extra barn, what would you do with it? For a chance to be featured in my newsletter, email me.

— Michaëlle Bond

If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

Growing up, the Burlington Center Mall was where I met my classmates for elementary school fundraisers at Burger King, ate Auntie Anne's pretzels while shopping, and smiled at the random statue of a boy riding an elephant in a fountain.

I went to the Cold Stone Creamery in the mall many times, long after many other stores had closed for good and the mall had started to get sad. (I realize now that a lot of my memories of the mall are related to the food.)

One of my best friends worked at Bath & Body Works in the mall, and my first job, other than babysitting, as a teenager was at a Chuck E. Cheese across the street from it.

The mall and Chuck E. Cheese are gone today, and in their place are warehouses and fast food restaurants.

Coming soon: apartments, some of which will be available at below-market rents.

Read on for the story of how a southern New Jersey town lost the shopping center that put it on the map and is now transforming 270 acres into a mixed-use development.

Imagine you bought a house seven months ago, but you still can't get into it or make necessary repairs because you're still not officially the owner.

Some Philadelphia homeowners have found themselves stuck in this bind. They bought properties through auctions — in some cases last year — but they are not yet the official owners because their deeds have not been recorded.

In the past, people who bought homes in Philadelphia through auctions typically got their deeds recorded six to eight weeks after the auction. But the deed recording process can now take seven months or more.

As part of an investigation by the Inquirer, my colleagues examined municipal records and spoke with bidders, attorneys and real estate agents. When they reviewed more than 130 sheriff's sale deeds recorded over a six-month period, they found that homeowners had to wait an average of about 200 days for their deeds to be transferred.

Read on to see what the sheriff's office has to say and to find out what else The Inquirer's investigation uncovered.

Latest news to pay attention to

When I was a kid, my family had a storage unit where we kept our stuff while we waited for our new house to be built. I'm sure it was full, but the only treasure I remember is a giant stuffed Gumby. (And I was little, so who knows how big he really was.)

Self-storage has become an industry that generates more than 44 billion A Year in the United States Because even though the average size of the country's home has more than doubled since 1950, Americans still find themselves with too much stuff for their spaces.

We have some tips to help you navigate self-storage, which can be quite expensive.

A tip? Shop around. Some undercover shoppers have visited some local businesses and found that the same size space costs between $1,561 and $6,183.

Here's what you need to know before moving your belongings into a storage unit.

When Colin Browne came across the 1800s farm he now owns, he “had to sell it to everybody,” including his bank, he said. The Elkins Park property needed a lot of work.

The house had structural problems and the plaster was crumbling. A particularly strong wind could probably have knocked over the stable at the back.

The Delco native hadn't even planned to return to the area, but living in New England became too expensive. Browne's wife, Karolye, (who, fun fact, designed sweater designs that were regularly featured on The Cosby Show) found a job in Philadelphia. Browne, a carpenter, needed a workspace and saw potential in the farm's barn. And the house was priced right.

The 3,500-square-foot, four-bedroom home still has part of the metal roof that was installed in 1860 during one of two additions. Another nod to history is the speakeasy in the basement.

The owners spent over 10 years renovating their home. Check out the work they did, including the wooden pieces made by Browne, and take a look.

Quiz time

The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, the nation's oldest art museum and school, made headlines when it announced it would be shedding its graduate programs. Starting Monday, PAFA will close its historic building to the public.

Question: How long will the building be closed?

A) one year

B) permanently

C) two years

D) three months

This story has the answer.

Photo quiz

Do you know the place shown in this photo?

If you think this is the case, please email me.

Last week’s photo showed a pile of construction sand at the intersection of Eighth and Ellsworth Streets, near Passyunk Avenue, in South Philadelphia. Many thanks to Lisa G., Alejandro F., and Lars W. for pointing that out. I hope this isn’t the only “beach” you see this summer.

Enjoy the rest of your week.

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