Effects of Light and Perception - Frankford El Train - Shopping Districts K and A, FKD and Orthodox

1400 Front Street - Bent 136 - Front Street - July 14, 1916

It was the remark somewhere by somebody that the shopping districts along Frankford Avenue in the old days, the golden days of inner city shopping in the 1950s and 1960s,  before shopping malls in the sterile burb culture areas, that the Frankford shopping district on the old Main Street in the old town of Frankford was a bit classier than that of the shopping area around K and A, Kensington and Allegheny, both in the shadows of the Frankford Elevated Trains overhead.

I think that the single pillar system of support of the El trains passed Church street is a factor in making more sunlight available to the street below as opposed to the double pillar support system of metal bents design all along Front street from downtown and along Kensington avenue passed the turn off from Front street.  More sidewalk space too to people watch and for window shopping. 

This where two streets Kensington at Allegheny and Frankford at Church with a street and or property to property line of a 70' width at both points per the Sanborn Insurance Maps.

Construction of the double pillar system came to an end in December 1916 near Ontario street in Harrowgate for financial reasons. The war came along in April 1917 and construction ceased until the end of the conflict btw. 

The single column system of support of the elevated line starts at Church street in Frankford. 

Public Ledger 18 Dec 1916

.