Manton Street Park split into park and housing

Little Manton Street Park will stay a park, in part at least.

Last year US Construction purchased Manton Street Park at a city auction in October, unaware that it was a park. Neighbors who spent the summer reclaiming the park from weeds and trash had no idea the park site was for sale.

But good news: Last month, the Friends of Manton Street Park struck a deal with the developer to keep half of the parcel as a pocket park, the Daily News reported this week.

Neighbors got permission from former Councilman Frank DiCicco’s office and the Department of Parks and Recreation to work on the park. So how did the city think it was a park and sell it off a the same time? Evidently the confusion was caused by a dated database used by Parks & Recreation and unclear property records, a South Philly Review article explained back in December.

After closing on the lots in December, and coming to terms with neighbors on the park issue, US Construction has started to build two houses at 409-411 Manton Street. A slimmer version of Manton Street Park will be at 405-407 Manton Street, and connect to the community garden at the corner of 4th.