Once home to the Philly Diner, which closed two years ago after 10 years of fueling college students, the lot at 3901 Walnut Street may soon be the site of an office building, The Daily Pennsylvanian recently reported.

3901 Walnut Street, former site of the Philly Diner / Photo by Annamarya Scaccia (West Philly Local)

The University of Pennsylvania, which owns the plot, plans to erect a six-story office building that will house some of the institution’s administrative offices displaced by the recent construction of the Ronald O. Perelman Center for Political Science and Economics off 36^th and Walnut Streets.

According to Penn’s Division of Facilities and Real Estate Services, the project is currently in the proposal stage, with its design and purpose yet to be green lit (funding was already approved, however). The fate of the building currently rests with Penn’s Facilities and Campus Planning Committee of the Trustees, which will meet November 7 to decide.

The Philly Diner closed in October, 2011 and the building was demolished last year. (Archive photo / West Philly Local)

A zoning permit posted at the site, though, does detail Penn’s application to build a six-story office building featuring a green roof, roof top structures, and three bicycle spaces. The zoning permit was approved on September 17. Penn’s Facilities and Real Estate Services plans to release official information and plans on the project after the November meeting. We will update our readers once we hear from the office.

In 2009, the Philly Diner went from a 24-hour joint to enacting 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. closing times after a late-night shooting occurred outside the university-owned building in February of that year. The owner decided not to renew the lease in 2011, forever closing the doors of a popular—yet troubled—local favorite.

–Annamarya Scaccia

University City is a global city—at least, that was the theme of this year’s The State of University City address hosted by the University City District and the University of Pennsylvania.

The 2013/2014 program, held Monday afternoon at the International House Philadelphia on 37^th and Chestnut Streets, focused on University City’s global reach. University of Pennsylvania Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli and Dr. Ezekiel J. Emanuel, Vice Provost of UPenn’s Global Initiatives, both discussed how their institution, as well as Drexel University and University of the Sciences, fosters an international neighborhood connection through its diverse student body and international academic, cultural and social partnerships.

In regards to the larger University City community, University City District Executive Director Matt Bergheiser pointed to recent real estate and commercial developments, cultural and community events, and the neighborhood’s shifting demographics as factors in creating “a global University City.” Each speaker, however, stressed that, while University City does impact the global community at large, people living and working in the neighborhood must continue to promote and support initiatives that are global in practice.

While the panel itself presented numbers relative to this year’s theme, attendees were also given a packet detailing more statistics about University City. In numbers:

• 23 percent of University City households speak a language other than English at home.
• 17 percent of University City’s residents is foreign-born, five percent more than Philadelphia’s overall population.
• According to Dr. Emanuel, the University of Pennsylvania has over 7,000 foreign-born students a year. Combined with Drexel University, that’s about 9,000 foreign-born students. (Dr. Emanuel noted that UPenn doesn’t do its best at integrating University City’s foreign-born residents, which he expects to change with the construction of the university’s Perry World House.)
• Nearly $3.5 billion of new or recently completed real estate projects.
• University City has over 72,000 jobs, with a 93 percent office occupancy rate and 89% retail occupancy rate.
• About 16 academic, commercial, medical/biomedical, or residential/mixed-use properties being constructed within the next three years.
• Average property values have tripled since 2000, from over $100,000 to over $300,000 in 2012.
• Cost of living in University City is 28 percent lower than Center City.
• The number of 20- to 34-year-olds living in University City has increased by 21 percent between 2000 and 2010, with 20- to 24-year-olds making up the highest number of residents.
• Racially, the population breaks down as follows: 25 percent Black or African-American, 20 percent Asian, and 50 percent White.
• In 2012, rate of serious crimes in University City was down 50 percent since 1998, compared to just under 25 percent for the city overall.
• Between 1998 and 2012, University City experienced a -44 percent change in rate of violent crime per 1,000 residents, compared to a -16 percent change in the City of Philadelphia.  Continue Reading

The Sedgley Apartments. Photo by Mike Lyons/West Philly Local.

UPDATE 9/27/13, 2:30 P.M. We heard back from David Hess this afternoon, who let us know that the owners of Dunkin’ Donuts plan to open to shop in late October, pending there are no delays in construction.

West Philly Local wrote about many real estate developments taking place in the neighborhood–some of which are welcomed, some of which are criticized. In an effort to keep you up-to-date on a few of these projects, we’ve complied Part I of a list of building updates. Part II is coming soon.

• In April, we reported that Renaissance Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center at 4712 Chester Avenue will undergo some renovations, including the demolition of two vacant, dilapidated houses adjacent to the property. When we stopped by the site this week, we saw that the buildings have been mostly torn down, with the foundation of the structures still standing three-quarters of the way. Two people were also scavenging the mountains of bricks and debris that littered the fenced-in lot. Nursing Home Administrator Camella Kane, who spoke with us originally, said the center had “nothing to report at this time,” even when pressed for further information.
• In June, we let you know that Dunkin’ Donuts is coming to 41^st Street and Chester Avenue, opening up shop in the group floor of the multi-tenant building at 4100 Chester Avenue this fall. Well, observation makes it seem as if everything is still on track, with a sign for the fast-food coffee joint having gone up late this summer. As for the interior, wall beams have been erected and construction seems on the steady. We couldn’t get a confirmation of progress from David Hess, owner and manager of the multi-unit property, by the time of publication.
• As for the Sedgley Apartments, the historic building undergoing renovations, renovation work should be finished in a few months, said Noah Ostroff, principal at 400 S. 45^th Street LLC, which owns the Sedgley. According to Ostroff, the team is making “good progress” and the apartments—which he said will be affordable and competitively priced—should be available for rent come early January. “We believe [the Sedgley] is going to be one of the more luxurious rental buildings in the area,” Ostroff told West Philly Local.

–Annamarya Scaccia

After six years of uncertainty and false starts, it seems that the 40th Street Methodist Episcopal Church will finally undergo demolition to make way for 7,000-square-feet of retail space—or so the Daily Pennsylvanian reports.

Photo by Annamarya Scaccia/West Philly Local.

According to the DP, construction on the former house of worship, which stood at 125 S. 40th Street for 136 years, is expected to be complete by April 2014, but the developers, P&A Associates, have yet to release a specific work timeline. A search on Philadelphia License & Inspections site, though, does return multiple hits for the church address, one being a new construction permit that was issued in June to architectural firm Albert Taus & Associates and contractor Joe Freidman Construction Corp. If finished by next spring, the humble Romanesque-style two-story church—a gaping shell of its prior appeal—will become home to Dunkin Donuts, Whirled Peace Frozen Yogurt, Zesto Pizza and a fourth yet-to-be-identified commercial space.

Designed by leading mid-nineteenth century architects Samuel Sloan and Addison Hutton, the 40th Street Methodist Episcopal Church was home to three congregations before it was sold to P&A for $2 million in 2007. The previous owners, St. Joseph’s Baptist Congregation, worshipped in the village sanctuary for 50 years until it moved to a larger space six years ago, according to Hidden City Philadelphia. Prior to St. Joseph’s, it served First Church of the Covenanters from 1908 to 1954, which took over the church from Centennial Methodist Episcopal—the budding congregation that originally purchased the land in 1860 and erected Methodist Episcopal in 1871. Continue Reading

Fast and loose: that’s how the Sloppy Film Fest wants your flicks, West Philly artists.

Organized by Project Arts Executive Director Rich Wexler, Val Sowell, and Jessica Marcus, the 2013 Sloppy Film Fest is currently accepting short film submissions until October 27. The “quick and dirty” homemade flicks can be about any subject, a new or old project, and should be experimental. The suggestion length for the flicks is five minutes and should not surpass 10 minutes (although longer shorts may be reconsidered). “The idea is to promote DIY filmmaking,” Wexler said of Sloppy Film Fest, which has been held on and off for the last 15 years.

Since kids are welcomed at the Project Arts-sponsored DIY movie carnival, artists should be able to rate their films appropriately using PG, PG 13 and XXX ratings, so organizers can show the legitimately dirty films towards the end. Films in DVD, VHS, and online formats will be accepted.

All submissions sent before the October 27 deadline will be reviewed, with those selected notified via email if they’re to show during the free 2013 Sloppy Film Festival taking place November 8 from 10:30 p.m. to 12 a.m. at Dahlak Paradise, 4706 Baltimore Avenue. Compensation, however, is not being offered for submissions, and some registered films may not be shown during the event.

In the meantime, make sure to stop by The Rotunda, 4014 Walnut Street, on Friday, October 4 for a special double screening of Alan Menkin’s Little Shop of Horrors (Director’s Cut) to benefit Project Arts’ upcoming production of “Avenue Q School Edition”. Sponsored by The Rotunda and Touch Me Philly, the screenings will take place at 7 p.m., featuring a talk by local puppeteer Steve Abrams, who worked on Little Shop; and 9:30 p.m., with special guests Cadavera and Stabigall of Touch Me Philly Productions LLC leading the sing-a-long and interactive portions of the screening, and featuring music by Suggestical Musical Improv. The suggestion donation is $5 to $20 to attend.

To submit your sloppy film, visit this page. For questions, email: sloppyfilmfest@gmail.com.

–Annamarya Scaccia

Renderings of Hub II by Platt Associate Architecure

After five years of sitting on the shelf, Philadelphia-based developers Teres Holdings, LLC have resurrected plans to construct Hub II, the Hub’s sister building at 3939-41 Chestnut Street. The long-awaited project, originally approved in 2008 under the old zoning code, will cost $11.5 million to construct, and will see the demolition of Thai Singha House’s old home at 3939 Chestnut Street.

According to the blog Philadelphia Real Estate, Teres Holdings was granted zoning “relief” to proceed with Hub II by the Zoning Board of Adjustment on July 31. Since construction of the project is happening under Philadelphia’s new zoning code, which passed last year, landowners University of Pennsylvania, the developers, and Hub II architects, Platt Associates Architecture, have altered the plans, removing one floor and 14,600 square-feet from original building design. Hub II is now 40,100 square feet with seven floors—the first two floors are held for commercial use, including cafes, salons, health clubs, and office space, with the remaining stories housing 65 residential units, reported the blog. Projected date of completion is unknown.

Platt Associates, the New England-based company behind the original Hub’s design, claim on its website that the new Hub II will help “define a new urban node at the corner of 40th and Chestnut Streets”, with the adorning space between the hubs suggesting “an intimate, winding medieval passage with angling walls and a variety of materials punctuated by narrow tower forms.”

The current plans are relatively similar to original blueprints Spruce Hill Community Association approved back in 2008 (but are an improvement to the overall design), so the community organization decided not to impede on the project’s new zoning process, said SHCA Zoning Committee Chair Barry Grossbach. SHCA did, however, raise issue with the materials to be used for the building’s facade, and since the group and the developers could not come to an agreement before the ZBA hearing occurred, SHCA issued a letter of understanding stating that, if zoning is approved, Teres Holdings and Platt must meet with SHCA in a period of 60 days. That meeting takes place on Monday, Sept. 23, Grossbach told West Philly Local.

As for Thai Singha House, Hub II’s plans called for the restaurant’s relocation and the demolition of its former home from the beginning, Grossbach said. In July, we reported that Thai Singha House is relocating to 3900 Chestnut Street and plans to reopen in September—its website, however, now states that it’ll open at the new location “sometime in late October.” There are also talks of erecting a third “hub”, said Grossbach, to complete a three-building center at 40th and Chestnut Streets, but nothing has been brought to the drawing board for that project yet.

Teres Holdings could not be reached for comment.

–Annamarya Scaccia