Battle of real estate titans in Camden | Real Estate Newsletter

I’ll always root for Camden, the city where I was born.

It’s faced its challenges and stops and starts of revitalization through the years. Now, real estate deals considered signs of Camden’s comeback that involved some of the biggest names in real estate in our region are at the center of a state and federal investigation involving a South Jersey power broker.

Investigators are looking into whether George Norcross and his brother Philip used their political influence to muscle out rival developers and acquire properties along the Delaware River waterfront.

Read on for that story and to find out why a Philly neighborhood may have a shot at historic status four decades after neighbors first requested it, peek inside a $2 million home for sale off Rittenhouse Square, judge your fellow readers’ opinions on dining rooms, and discover whether you’re making common gardening mistakes.

📮 Which would you prefer on your property: fruit trees or flowering trees? Why? For a chance to be featured in my newsletter, email me.

— Michaelle Bond

On and off over the last two decades, state and federal authorities have scrutinized George Norcross, including tapping his phones and having an informant record his conversations. But he hasn’t faced criminal charges.

Now, the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office and the FBI have issued subpoenas and interviewed witnesses in a new investigation into his real estate deals in Camden.

Big real estate names wrapped up in the investigation include:

My colleagues wrote about how the man who built up the South Jersey Democratic machine now finds his legacy as a fueler of Camden’s comeback under threat as investigators look into whether the city’s redevelopment boom was tainted by corruption.

Spruce Hill in West Philadelphia is one of the most intact Victorian neighborhoods in the country.

When historic districts became a thing in Philly in the ‘80s, it was one of the first neighborhoods to ask to be one. But in almost 40 years, nothing’s happened.

Neighborhood activists are now trying — for a third time — to get historic recognition for Spruce Hill. Under the latest vision, the historic district would cover 1,984 buildings. Some of the same opponents from 40 years ago are still trying to prevent the district.

The goal of preserving neighborhood character is up against homeowners’ rights and the need for growth.

Read on to see why past attempts in Spruce Hill failed and why the neighborhood could now have a shot at becoming a historic district.

All the rain we’ve been having has been pretty annoying, but at least the plants are loving it, even if my outdoor plans are not.

Let’s get some advice from a garden designer, who shared eight common mistakes gardeners — especially new ones — make and how to avoid them.

A big one is not knowing what kind of soil you have. You’ve got to get your hands dirty to figure it out.

Amateur gardeners also plant in the wrong places, buy too few or too many plants, and don’t water new plants enough.

Read on for these and other common gardening mistakes and how to avoid them.

We’re taking a break from our usual home tour this week, so I thought I’d highlight something new that we’re experimenting with — featuring multimillion-dollar properties for sale in our region. It’s a less down-to-earth version of our “house of the week.”

Most of us can’t afford this listing, but let’s take a look at what millions of dollars will buy in our area. (Unrelated, but related: Did you know MTV is airing new episodes of Cribs? I just found out.)

This week’s featured luxury listing is a $2 million house off Rittenhouse Square recently owned by two generations of architects. The 6,000-square-foot home includes 10-foot-high ceilings, an elevator, and a 15-by-10-foot dressing room. (About the size of my bedroom.)

Peek inside Maria Romanach’s crib and find out what piece of Eagles history her father, renowned Cuban architect Mario Romanach, discovered years ago in the home’s basement.

During the pandemic, people who worked remotely were more likely than any other worker to move to a new city. Expensive metropolitan areas lost more of these residents than they gained.

Question: Which of these cities lost the fewest remote workers?

A) Chicago

B) Seattle

C) Washington

D) Philadelphia

This story has the answer.

Do you know where this Center City plaza is located?

📮 If you think you do, email me back. You and your memories of visiting this spot might be featured in the newsletter.

No one responded with a correct answer to last week’s photo quiz asking which neighborhood has Philadelphia’s first Juneteenth mural. The 1,100-square-foot mural is in Germantown.

Last week, we asked whether having a formal dining room in your home is important to you. Here are some excerpts of the responses we got.

Laura C. says: “I LOVE having a distinct dining room separate from the kitchen. It makes any meal there, whether it is a holiday or a weekend special. I also don’t have to view the pots and pans that I used to prepare the meal.”

Karen C. in Bensalem says: “For us Baby Boomers who are downsizing, I say scratch the formal dining room & living room. Especially for seniors living alone, we need less square footage to care for but desire comfortable & enjoyable living space. I say use available space for eat-in kitchens, expanded family rooms & spacious bathrooms and forgo the fancy formal areas.”

Jessica W. in Chesterbrook says: “My husband, who has lived his whole life (except the first 2 years) in the Philly area is a great fan of the formal dining room. I personally think it’s a complete waste of space. In our current townhouse, we have what can best be described as a hybrid dining room — it’s ‘separate’ from the kitchen because it is one step down, but there is no wall.”

I grew up with a dining room that my family has been using more often these days, but I don’t need one in my home. Maybe that’s because I don’t cook.

Enjoy the rest of your week.