One of the signs posted near the alley accessing 303 S. 51st Street (Photo by West Philly Local).

About 60 people packed into a meeting room at a church at 51st and Spruce on Monday for the first public meeting of Neighbors for Healthy Community Development (NHCD), a group of residents organizing to bring attention to a planned residential development on an oddly located piece of land near Malcolm X. Park.  Continue Reading

Street Movies!, Scribe Video Center’s traveling film series that features a range of shorts – from internationally recognized award-winning fiction, documentary, and animation films – will be held next month at nine locations throughout the Greater Philadelphia Area and Camden, NJ. There will be a screening in West Philly as well – on Friday, August 30 at the Lucien Blackwell Community Center (47th and Aspen St).

This year, Street Movies! is coordinated and programmed by Nehad Khader, a filmmaker, curator, editor and the Program Director at Philadelphia’s BlackStar Film Festival. Marquee films include T.E.M.P.L.E.- Tell ‘Em My People Leave Enriched (USA, 2019), directed by Lamont Nathaniel Gibson, and They Charge for the Sun (USA, 2016, 16 min), directed by Terence Nance.  Continue Reading

Many neighbors are organizing to fight a proposed luxury development near 51st and Spruce.

Developer Callahan Ward is planning to build a three-story, 30-unit mixed-use building at 303 S. 51st Street on the site of a former auto repair shop, which is surrounded by the backyards of residential homes. A zoning permit for the building, which also includes three commercial tenant spaces and 21 bicycle parking spaces, was issued on April 26, according to the Licenses and Inspections website. The 16,655 square-foot-lot was purchased in 2018, according to Realtor.com. The lot is zoned CMX2, which allows construction of 33 units by right, and no public hearings were required for the developer to proceed with their plans.  Continue Reading

Tom McCusker behind the counter at his shop on S. 44th Street (Archived photo).

It’s an end of an era for neighborhood taco and burrito lovers. After nearly eight years of operation as Honest Tom’s Taco Shop near 44th and Spruce (and a few more years as a food truck prior to that), well-known local restaurateur Tom McCusker is closing his business at the end of this month. But here’s some good news: Honest Tom’s kitchen staff are planning to take over the space and reopen as a new Mexican restaurant next month, according to a report by Foobooz.  Continue Reading

Shakespeare in Clark Park is returning this week. For five nights (July 24-28), the popular outdoor theater company will present the classic tragedy “King Lear” in the park’s “Bowl” at 43rd and Chester.

Shakespeare in Clark Park brings to life this classic tale of power and madness with a company of Philly’s favorite actors including Brian Anthony Wilson and Charlotte Northeast, transforming Clark Park thanks to scenic design by Sebastienne Mundheim.  Continue Reading

Photo courtesy of The Enterprise Center.

Since its opening in 2012 the Dorrance H. Hamilton Center for Culinary Enterprises has helped many local food entrepreneurs launch their businesses: restaurants, catering services and more. Now those interested in learning the ins and outs of operating a food truck have a chance to try their hand at this business while bringing fresh, healthy food options to West Philadelphia.

The Culinary Center, located at 310 S. 48th St., launched their first food truck incubator last month. The program is based on the Beefsteak food truck concept (patented by James Beard award-winning chef and humanitarian Jose Andres’ Think Food Group).  Continue Reading