New Hamilton Court streetscape rendering.

In August 2016, the Post Brothers, the real estate company that has acquired a number of residential properties in University City in the past year, revealed their plans and renderings for the renovation of the historic Hamilton Court apartment complex at 39th and Chestnut Streets. Currently, the company is in the process of making upgrades to Hamilton Court, which was one of Philadelphia’s first apartment buildings when it was built in 1901. The renovations include the conversion of vacant ground-floor space into modern commercial retail spaces, which will be occupied by five dining establishments.

On Wednesday, the developers revealed the restaurants that signed leases for those spaces. Here they are:

• Steve’s Prince of Steaks, one of Philadelphia’s most famous cheesesteak restaurant chains, has signed a lease for 2,277 square feet.  Continue Reading

Forty-six people were injured this afternoon when two trolleys collided near 38th and Lancaster in Powelton, according to SEPTA and media reports. Two Route 10 trolleys were traveling in the same direction when one rear-ended the other, according to a report by Metro. The incident was reported at around 1:30 p.m.

Fortunately, none of the injuries is life-threatening, according to SEPTA spokesman Andrew Busch. Some of the injured were taken to local hospitals for treatment. The trolleys were traveling at low speeds when they collided. Among those injured were the two trolley drivers.

One of the trolleys sustained damage in the collision, Metro reports.

Scribe Video Center, the West Philly-based non-profit organization with a nearly 35-year-old history, is moving from 42nd and Chestnut to a new location this month. Beginning Jan. 17, Scribe will be located at 4035 Walnut St., according to information posted on the organization’s website and social media pages.

Here are some other exciting news and happenings at Scribe, which offers film screenings and educational opportunities to individuals and communities who want to learn media making and explore the use of video.

Last month, Scribe received a $25,000 Art Works grant for 2017 from the National Endowment for the Arts. The grant will go towards a collaborative project, curated by Patricia R. Zimmermann, to highlight community-produced media work from across the country. The goal of the project is to collect works of artistic and historical value and then go on tour with the exhibits.  Continue Reading

Click to enlarge

The holiday season is almost over, and the City and some local organizations are again offering opportunities to get rid of your Christmas tree in an environmentally-friendly way.

The University City District and UC Green will again be accepting Christmas trees for recycling at Clark Park. Bring your tree to the park on Saturday, Jan. 7, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., along with a $10-$20 donation, and watch it turned into wood chip mulch (it will be used around neighborhood trees during the upcoming MLK Day of Service). Your donation will go to support UC Green programs.

Residents who will bring their trees are welcome to enjoy free roasted marshmallows and hot chocolate. Note: this year, there will be no electronics recycling at this event. Instead, you can bring your used or unwanted electronics to the nearest sanitation convenience center located at 5100 Grays Avenue, open Monday – Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.  Continue Reading

Happy New Year everyone! This is a short reminder that there will be no trash or recycling pick-up on Monday, Jan. 2 . Collections will be one day behind for the rest of the week.

Trash and recycling collections were delayed last week as well due to heavier volume of materials from holiday season, and municipal crews worked through the weekend to catch up.

Stay tuned for more information on how to recycle your Christmas tree.

If you’re not sure what to do for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, check out some happenings below. For more events, go here. Happy New Year!

New Year’s Eve Fireworks on the Waterfront

There will be not one but two New Year’s Eve fireworks on the Delaware River waterfront. The first one is scheduled for 6 p.m. (good time for kids), and the other one will be at midnight. This is a free event. Here you can find best spots where you can watch the fireworks.

New Year’s Eve Parties/Concerts

• J.S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio at Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral (38th and Chestnut), 4 – 8 p.m.

Choral Arts Philadelphia and the Bach Festival of Philadelphia, led by Artistic Director Matthew Glandorf, will offer a rare performance of J.S. Bach’s complete Christmas Oratorio BWV 248. The concert will include an extended intermission, food and drink concessions. For more information and tickets ($15-$45), click here.  Continue Reading