Factory

WHEN IT comes to large vacant buildings, developer Tony Rufo knows how to spot potential. More than a year ago, Rufo transformed the shuttered Nathaniel Hawthorne School into the Hawthorne Lofts: 53 units of luxury loft-style condominiums. The development offers floor-to-ceiling windows, a roof deck with a stunning view of Center City and ultra-low taxes thanks to a 10-year tax break from the city. According to Rufo's website, every unit has sold. But 2 miles south, just around the corner from South Philadelphia High School, sits a very different kind of Rufo property.

When Esperanza Spalding bested Justin Bieber for Best New Artist at the 2011 Grammy Awards, the upset was greeted by outraged tweets from Bieber's preteen constituency, shocked fanfare from the jaded jazz community, and confused stares from almost everyone else. If the crowd that gathered at the Electric Factory on Sunday night was any indication, far fewer people are asking, "Who is Esperanza Spalding?" these days. That's due in part to a series of very high-profile gigs.

An Atlantic City property linked to Yechiel Lichtenstein, an owner of the abandoned Kensington factory that burned down in April, killing two firefighters, is causing problems for neighbors and government officials in the Shore resort. The seawall on the property at Barrett and Massachusetts Avenues along Snug Harbor is crumbling, flooding the street and causing it to buckle. "This has been a major headache for us," said Bob Chapman, who lives in the neighborhood. Atlantic City property records list Massachusetts on the Water L.L.C.

Music The Campus Consciousness Tour starring J. Cole and Big K.R.I.T. Though one can't be completely certain as to how conscious of university status, matriculation, or curriculum vitae either rapper is, don't doubt the entertainment factor of having J. Cole and Big K.R.I.T. together. The sturdy Def Jam rapper K.R.I.T., a highly regarded producer as well as a fierce-flowing MC, dropped both his major-label album Live From the Underground and his new mix tape, 4Eva N a Day, within the last year, and the mouth from Mississippi thrills throughout both Southern-fried recordings.

The owners of the broken-down, vacant former hosiery mill that collapsed and killed two firefighters during a blaze in Kensington Monday remained hunkered down Wednesday, their attorneys mute as the city and neighbors sought answers about the alleged neglect of their property and unpaid tax bills across the city. The Lichtenstein family and their attorneys declined comment Wednesday. Only Ruth Lichtenstein, a prominent author and publisher on Orthodox Jewish life and the Holocaust, appeared briefly in front of her Brooklyn, N.Y., home and referred a CBS3 reporter to her attorneys.

A year and a half ago, Evan Prochniak was sweet-talked into buying the company that had been crafting Zitner's Easter eggs for nearly a century. The chocolatier was on the market, and a deal to sell the building - without the business - had broken down. There was a chance Zitner's might be sold to another candy company, and its North Philadelphia factory vacated. The broker representing the owners, Thomas S. Bond, convinced Prochniak that Zitner's was fabulous, a beloved mom-and-pop with room to grow.

Even if you love your iPhone, and are eagerly awaiting this week's expected announcement of the iPad 3, maybe you've also been noticing a stream of stories describing some discomfiting aspects of the empire that Steve Jobs built. Apple's state-of-the-art engineering, and the elegant designs that Jobs advanced with his legendary single-mindedness, are largely products of the United States. But the products themselves are now almost entirely manufactured in Asia, with final assembly by contractors such as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. Ltd. - a Taiwanese company, better known as Foxconn, that operates more than a dozen factories in China.

Looking for a Dream Factory you can call your own, where your craftiest visions and niftiest notions could be realized? Check out these shared working spaces/support groups in or coming soon to Philadelphia. They offer tools, talent, cozy atmosphere and camaraderie. Hive 76: www.hive76.org . Indy Hall: indyhall.org. NextFab Studio: nextfabstudio.com. Philly CAM: phillycam.org. Philadelphia Game Lab: philadelphiagamelab.org. Philadelphia Sculpture Gym: philadelphiasculpturegym.com.

WASHINGTON - U.S. factories boosted output last month, and December ended up being their best month of growth in five years. Strong auto sales and growing business investment in machinery and other equipment are keeping factories busy and helping the economy grow. The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that manufacturing production increased 0.7 percent in January. And in December, output soared 1.5 percent, according to an upward revision. That's the biggest one-month gain since December 2006.

NEW YORK - Apple said Monday that an independent group, the Fair Labor Association, had started inspecting working conditions in the Chinese factories where its iPads and iPhones are assembled. Amid growing criticism over labor and environmental practices - especially in China - Apple last month for the first time disclosed a list of suppliers for its gadgets. The Fair Labor team began the inspections Monday at Foxconn City in Shenzhen, China, Apple said. The complex employs and houses hundreds of thousands of workers.