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Important meeting Saturday on sale of West Philadelphia High School

Posted on 08 November 2012 by Mike Lyons

The old West Philadelphia High School on Walnut between 47th and 48th.

The School District of Philadelphia will be asking for input on the sale of the old West Philadelphia High School (47th and Walnut) during a public meeting Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. at the new West Philadelphia High School (4901 Chestnut St.).

The District has received bids from private contractors interested in converting the building to apartments on the upper floors and mixed uses, including commercial operations on the ground floor, according to a recent report in the Philadelphia Public School Notebook.

District officials will not talk about bid specifics, but an official told The Notebook that several of the dozen recently shuttered District properties have received competitive bids. The bids have come from private developers and charter schools interested in the properties. The District has placed a $6.5 million price tag on the old West Philadelphia High School.

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Final Bartram’s Mile public input session is this Saturday

Posted on 08 November 2012 by WPL

The very last public input session for the Bartram’s Mile planning process will take place this Saturday (Nov. 10) at the Garden’s Coach House. Everyone is welcome to come to an engaging design workshop and help brainstorm design and programming concepts for the park and trail space. Each group will be facilitated by Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, PennPraxis, or Andropogon Associates.

Bartram’s Mile is an exciting project to convert one mile of currently vacant riverfront property into public green space and public input is essential to its success. To read more about the project, click here.

Bartram’s Mile Design Workshop
Saturday, November 10
12:00pm-3:00pm
Bartram’s Garden Coach House, 54th and Lindbergh Boulevard

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New art studios and office space in the works in Cedar Park

Posted on 16 October 2012 by WPL

A conceptual drawing of what The Cedar Works will look like when finished.

 

The Cedar Works, an empty warehouse at 4919 Pentridge Street, just south of Baltimore Avenue, is undergoing a major overhaul. The 15,000 square foot property, which dates back to 1910, is being converted into community-oriented work and meeting space. One of the property owners and project managers, Andy Peifer, is a long-time Cedar Park resident who lives just around the corner from the building. The project is planned to be completed by the end of this year.

Here’s what The Cedar Works looks like now.

The building has an interesting history, from being a home to a garage to a roller skating rink to an electrical equipment manufacturer. Peifer was told that at one point it was a Studebaker automobile dealership. Iron Men, Inc., a metalworking shop, was the last occupant.

When finished, the main area of The Cedar Works will include 15 to 20 artist workspaces and professional offices, ranging from 300 to 1600 sq. feet. The building will also have a community meeting space, a multi-use room for meetings, workshops, and other activities. The common area of the building will be fitted with couches, a full kitchen and bathrooms and will have access to a landscaped outdoor garden patio.

Studios cost $1/sq. foot per month and the lease allows for up to two primary users who have full access to the building. Any additional primary users will cost an additional $50/month.

To get acquainted with this project, Andy and his partner Linford Martin are inviting neighbors and friends for a Mid-Construction Preview Party on Saturday, Oct. 20, from 4 to 8 p.m. (or later). If you are interested in becoming a future tenant at The Cedar Works, you are welcome to submit an online application. For more information about The Cedar Works visit their website.

The interior space of The Cedar Works, a former warehouse, is currently undergoing renovation.

 

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After all the drama, Apple Storage building back on the market

Posted on 12 October 2012 by Mike Lyons

building

An “Available” sign now hangs on the Apple Storage building, again bringing into question the building’s future. (Photo by Mike Lyons)

Months of neighborhood drama accompanied the sale and re-zoning of the Apple Storage building to a developer who pledged to turn the hulking shell near 52nd and Baltimore into apartments. Now, six months after the plan won zoning approval, the building is back on the market.

Real estate developer Iron Stone proposed to convert the seven-story warehouse into 112 studio, one- and two bedroom apartments and retail space. The neighborhood group Cedar Park Neighbors, many business owners along Baltimore Avenue and Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell supported the project. Meetings were held with neighbors who live near the building and feared their property taxes would increase as a result of the development. Iron Stone successfully navigated the often tricky zoning process.

Now the project appears to be on hold indefinitely. Continue Reading

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Woodland Avenue Plaza opening celebration on Wednesday

Posted on 18 September 2012 by WPL

Mayor Michael Nutter is frequently spotted here in West Philly. Last week he cut the ribbon on the Dorrance Hamilton Center for Culinary Enterprises at 48th and Spruce and tomorrow he’s coming to inaugurate the Woodland Avenue Pedestrian Plaza at 42nd and Woodland. The Woodland Avenue plaza is a formerly neglected traffic triangle that has been transformed into a green area with bistro tables and umbrellas thanks to a partnership between University City District, the Mayor’s Office of Transportation, and the Philadelphia Streets Department.

All are welcome to join the Mayor and other stakeholders at the dedication of the plaza, from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. Complimentary treats will be served by Little Baby’s Ice Cream and Four Worlds Bakery.

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West Philly news roundup

Posted on 30 August 2012 by WPL

Here are a few stories from around West Philadelphia in the past week or so. Thanks to all the contributors who sent us information.

  • Child Sexually Assaulted in Belmont. Police are searching for two men who sexually assaulted an 11-year-old girl on Saturday night (Aug. 25, 8:34 p.m.) in the Belmont area of West Philly. The men accosted the girl when she was reportedly walking home from a nearby block party, took her to the rear of an abandoned building near Cambridge and 41st Street and raped. The men are described between 20 and 30 years old. Read more about the ongoing investigation here. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Special Victims Unit at 215-685-3251.
  • Mantua Community Group Suing Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell. A local community group, Mantua Community Planners, is suing Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell and the City of Philadelphia for kicking them out of the recreation center at 34th and Haverford. The suit claims that Blackwell locked the group out of the building that they had occupied for 45 years, removed their desks and office equipment and destroyed historical records of MCP’s work within the community. In addition to that, Blackwell allegedly struck a supporter of the group with her car’s side-view mirror and drove away. Blackwell denies both claims. Blackwell, the group alleges, is “selling out the community to the highest bidder and her political supporters.” To read more about the lawsuit, click here.
  • First Round Capital Moves to West Philadelphia. First Round Capital, one of the nation’s top early-stage venture capital firms, is planning to move its headquarters to West Philly. The company, with current headquarters in West Conshohocken, has set sights on the building at 4040 Locust Street, the former Urban Outfitters store location. It is planned to initially employ about 10 people in the West Philly office and also to host five startup companies including Technically Philly, Uber Philadelphia, and Curalate, according to an article in the Area Development magazine. In addition, 24 entrepreneurs will be invited to develop their concepts and there will be space to host educational and community events.

 

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