Vacant Land A Major Problem and/or Opportunity in Philly

Since I work with a lot of real estate investors in Philadelphia I'm frequently asked about the vacant land parcels you see scattered about the city. Even in some of the nicest neighborhoods of Philadelphia you can find large chunks or single plots of vacant land that have been sitting for years without any change. Anyone who's lived near a vacant lot in the city knows the trouble they attract, and any developer who's ever tried to acquire land in Philly knows what a pain that can be. I found two articles from PlanPhilly.com (see below) that are do a great job of explaining why there's so much vacant land in Philly, why it's so hard to get your hands on if you want to build on it, and what the future of the city looks like in terms of dealing with this issue. Take a look at the articles and let me know your thoughts.

Vacancy Victories are Rare, but City Says Reform is Coming

Vacant Land, Focused Plans