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Philly Homebrew Outlet closes West Philly shop

March 15, 2024

Philly Homebrew Outlet has closed their shop at 47th and Woodland after eight years of operation. The West Philly location was Philly Homebrew’s final store.

“We are sad to say today, March 11th, is the day we have finally decided to close the doors permanently and shut down Philly Homebrew as a business,” reads an email newsletter message by Philly Homebrew co-owners, Jimmy McMillan and Nick Less, sent out on Monday. “Our final store in West Philly is locked up [and] will be no more.”

Philly Homebrew Outlet was launched in 2011 when McMillan and Less purchased Barry’s Homebrew and moved it from South Philadelphia to Kensington. The business opened its second, West Philly location in 2016 and later expanded to three stores.

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What is West? public art project kicks off March 20 at Malcolm X Park with free photography workshops

March 15, 2024

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Community members are invited to participate in a new socially-engaged photography and archival project which kicks off at Malcolm X Park on Wednesday, March 20. The project, titled What is West?, includes a series of free community workshops and a public art installation at the park.

The goal of the project, sponsored by The Pew Center for Arts and Heritage and The Arts League, is to “give the authority and tools to define West Philadelphia as it exists for its community.”

“Recognizing lived experience as expertise while utilizing public art as a means of exploration, this project will allow our neighbors to move towards collective healing and justice,” reads the project description on the Arts League website.

Another project objective is to document West Philadelphia, a large area comprised of many different neighborhoods, as a place known for its “neighborly warmth, diversity, and collective optimism.” Historically, it has been documented for its issues.

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The Woodlands closes for one day for sitewide tree work

March 12, 2024

The historic Woodlands cemetery is home to dozens of trees of various species, some of which are very old dating back to the early 20th century. This Thursday, March 14, The Woodlands gates will be closed to the public to accommodate some necessary sitewide tree work.

The work will be conducted by Arader Tree Service. Because the tree work is taking place in several high-traffic areas, the site will be closed to the public to ensure visitor and worker safety. The gates will reopen for visitors in the late afternoon (around 4 p.m.).

The Woodlands visitors are invited to learn more about the trees growing on the site by using The Woodlands Tree Finder. There are also tree-focused digital tours of the grounds. Click here for more details. Finally, if you would like to support The Woodlands’ work of growing and nurturing their tree and shrub collection, consider donating to The Woodlands Tree Fund. In spring of 2022, contributions to The Woodlands Tree Fund helped set up a mobile water tank so that maintenance workers can water more trees in less time.

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West Philadelphia Skills Initiative receives $4 million gift

March 11, 2024

Great news for the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative (WPSI), University City District’s program that helps unemployed West Philly residents obtain necessary job skills and connect with local employers. The organization has recently been awarded a $4 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott to help accelerate WPSI’s goals of providing opportunities for job seekers, program alumni, and incumbent workers to secure meaningful employment that will help break the cycle of poverty. In the past few years, WPSI, which was founded in 2009, has expanded from West Philadelphia to other city neighborhoods.

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Trolley track renewal project to begin on Spruce Street March 18

March 11, 2024

A two-block portion of Spruce Street will be closed or restricted to vehicular traffic beginning Monday, March 18 to accommodate trolley track renewal work, according to an announcement by SEPTA. The project includes the excavation and renewal of the existing corroded and broken rail on Spruce Street between 40th Street and 42nd Street. The intersections at 40th and Spruce and 42nd and Spruce will not be impacted by this work.

Posted traffic detours will be erected and maintained around the work area in progress.

Normal construction hours will be Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. or sometimes later. Occasional weekend work may also be needed to maintain the project’s timeline.

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Multiple cars, Abyssinia storefront damaged after crash

March 6, 2024

The Ethiopian restaurant Abyssinia, located at 45th and Locust, has sustained heavy damage to its front entrance after a car crash. The accident happened on Tuesday around 5 p.m., according to reports, when a 2012 Dodge truck, going at a high speed, ran past a stop sign and eventually crashed into the front entrance of Abyssinia at the corner of 45th and Locust. Before crashing into the restaurant, the truck hit a 2022 Tesla, which then hit another car that went on to hit two parked cars, according to police. A passenger who was inside the Tesla sustained minor injuries in the accident. No other injuries were reported.

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Penn to build six-story performing arts center near 33rd and Chestnut + to redesign Annenberg Center

March 5, 2024

The University of Pennsylvania has cleared the way to build a brand new performing arts center near 33rd and Chestnut, according to reports. Zoning permits were recently issued for construction of the six-story building, which will include a 300-seat theater, rehearsal space and other facilities.

The new modern performance center will be built on the green space at the intersection of 33rd St. and Woodlands Walk. Construction is expected to be completed in 2027. More details and rendering images are available on the Naked Philly website.

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Milkcrate Cafe vandalized but still open

March 1, 2024

Milkcrate Café, the vinyl record boutique and café that opened at 45th and Baltimore less than six months ago, was vandalized early Thursday morning. Several windows were smashed “sometime around 3:30 a.m.,” according to an Instagram post by Milkcrate owner Adam Porter (see below), and there is no information as of today on who did it and why.

Despite the vandalism, the shop will stay open for business. “Unfortunately, there will be boards up for 2-3 weeks until the new windows are in,” reads the post. Adam also thanked everyone who have supported his business these past two days in the aftermath:

“As disheartening and sad as it may seem…I found joy and comfort from all of our neighbors coming by and showing support… It’s a wonderful vibey shop and I’m super proud of it. West Philadelphia is an amazing vibrant, unique, super rad neighborhood that’s unlike anywhere else in the city. To say I’m proud to be here & part of this community is an understatement.”

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Fran Byers, community organizer and Friends of Clark Park founding member, passes away

March 1, 2024

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Fran Byers at a Clark Park re-opening event in 2012 (Archive Photo – West Philly Local).

We are sad to report that long-term Spruce Hill resident and community organizer, Fran Byers, 83, passed away this week. During almost all of her life in Spruce Hill, Fran was involved with local community organizations and neighborhood groups. She was a founding member of Friends of Clark Park.

“Fran… lived one block away from the park, and was an active member in many neighborhood groups, but her dedication to Clark Park knew no bounds,” reads a post dedicated to Fran’s passing on the Friends of Clark Park website.

“Fran had served as president many times and was still active at the time of her death. A threat to remove the internationally famous Dickens statue from removal triggered the original drive by Fran and fellow activists to create Friends of Clark Park; decades later, she still proudly served the cake at Dickens Birthday Party.”

For years, Fran headed many activities at Clark Park, like Bark in the Park, the Veterans Day celebration and Christmas caroling. She was also involved with St. Francis De Sales Church and the Calvary Center.

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Philadelphia’s Cultural Treasures awards grants to many West Philly artists, organizations

February 28, 2024

Over $1 million worth of grants has been recently awarded to Greater Philadelphia’s BIPOC creative community through Philadelphia’s Cultural Treasures Program. Ten of the 39 grants are going to West Philly based artists and art organizations: Arts Without Boundaries, jaamil olawale kosoko, Linda Fernandez, One Art Community Center, Selina Morales, Sherman Fleming, Tania Isaac, Theatre in the X, Val Gay, and Xenia Matthews.

Philadelphia’s Cultural Treasures grants are administered in flat amounts of $10,000, $25,000, and $50,000 and will fund new performances, exhibitions, films, community-engaged public art, and help strengthen long-term organizational success. Here are some of the projects that these grants will support.

Arts Without Boundaries will utilize their grant to create a community theater program in West Philadelphia for children ages 6 to 13.

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Our Closet in Your Neighborhood distributes free food and clothing at weekly pop-up events

February 27, 2024

Our Closet in Your Neighborhood (OCIYN) is a mobile basic needs program providing food and clothing at weekly pop-up events across the city of Philadelphia. Every month, the program partners with the Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral (19 S. 38th St.) to host a pop-up event where they distribute food, clothing as well as an opportunity to speak to a qualified social worker about possible services or benefits.

The next event is scheduled for this Thursday, Feb. 29, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Check out the flyer below for more details. More information about the program is available here. To download OCIYN’s events flyer for March 2024, click here.

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Philadelphia Historical Commission to consider Spruce Hill for historic district designation, to hold public meetings

February 22, 2024

Proposed Historic District designation area in Spruce Hill (image courtesy of SHCA).

The Philadelphia Historical Commission, the City’s preservation agency, is calling for public meetings to consider the proposal to designate a part of the Spruce Hill neighborhood as a historic district. The agency will hold two public meetings, on April 17 and May 10, when property owners and other interested parties are invited to comment on the proposed district. Both meetings will be on Zoom.

The proposed historic district consists of 572 properties and the boundaries are shown on the map above. The map also shows parts of Spruce Hill already designated as Historic Districts and properties included in the Registrar of Historic Places.

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New rail cars coming to Market-Frankford Line thanks to federal grant

February 19, 2024

SEPTA is expected to receive $317,160,000 in infrastructure funding to purchase approximately 200 new rail cars on the Market-Frankford Line, according to a recent joint announcement by U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA), U.S. Representatives Brendan Boyle (D-PA-2), Dwight Evans (D-PA-3), and Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-5), and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker.

The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Rail Vehicle Replacement Program, created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The Pennsylvania delegation in Congress has consistently fought for federal funding for SEPTA to improve accessibility, promote sustainability and reduce emissions. This investment is thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act.

“A few weeks ago, I led a letter to the Department of Transportation on the urgent need to support SEPTA. Today, I am thrilled to join with my colleagues and announce DOT’s $317 million investment to support new cars on the Market-Frankford Line,” Fetterman said.

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St. Joe’s selling former USciences campus; the conversation begins (updated)

February 14, 2024

A community-based committee tasked with brainstorming ideas for the Saint Joseph’s University (formerly USciences) campus near the south end of Clark Park and other buildings scattered nearby presented initial ideas to the Spruce Hill Community Association last night.

St. Joe’s hopes to sell the entire campus, including stand-alone residential buildings dotting the nearby neighborhood, to a single developer in a process that will likely take years to complete. For nearby residents, that process began last fall, when the university agreed to fund a “community advisory committee” made up of representatives of local community groups – including Friends of Clark Park, neighborhood associations and residents from the West Shore neighborhood.

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