Photo by Annamarya Scaccia / West Philly Local

Earlier this month, a reader reached out to West Philly Local inquiring about the vacant lot on 46th and Sansom Streets. According to the reader, it seems a sprinkler-type system has been installed and dampening one of the lot’s holes, which were excavated earlier this year. “What is the story on that lot?” the reader asked us.

So we stopped by the fenced-in lot to find out exactly what’s happening on the site. Unlike our reader, we didn’t notice a sprinkler-type system on the grounds, but did see that the land is clearly undergoing redevelopment work. And our research confirmed this—according to a March Naked Philly post, the lot’s owner, Sansom Street Development LP, is in the process of constructing several rental units in the area.

In 2002, several run-down buildings on the parcel, encompassing 128-138 South 46^th Street, were demolished as part of the Philadelphia City Planning Commission’s 45th and Sansom Redevelopment Plan established that year. According to the plan, 128-38 South 46th Street, along with 4611-21 Sansom Street and 4610-20 Sansom Street, were to be torn down to make way for new or “interim open space and possible future residential development.” Over the last decade, Philadelphia Licenses and Inspections has issued a number of violations for the vacant 128-138 parcel, mostly for the lack of lot maintenance (in spite of the plan’s intention, which stated the open space should be “well maintained, preferably under the stewardship of a local community-based organization”).

Minutes from a May 8, 2012 Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority meeting revealed that the PRA Board approved a resolution authorizing Sansom Street Development as the redeveloper of 128-138 S. 46th Street, in addition to other properties along the 4500 block of Sansom Street — all located in the 45th and Sansom Street Urban Renewal Area. As noted by Naked City, the minutes show Sansom Street Development plans to build on the 46th Street lot six units containing four two-bedroom, market rate rental apartments. They will be known as the Sansom Street Flats, according to the redeveloper’s economic opportunity plan, West Philly Local has found.

According to public records, Sansom Street Development current property licenses for the 128-138 S. 46^th Street site expire at the end of February 2015.

In 2011, Sansom Street also completed construction of a multi-family home at 4534 Sansom Street under the business name Sansom Street Development SSD1, LP. It was one of two plots conveyed to the company by The Partnership CDC, done so without PRA’s consent (PRA approved a redevelopment agreement with the Partnership for 4530 and 4534 Sansom Streets in 2004). During a August 14, 2013 meeting, the PRA approved Sansom Street Development 1 as assignee of the redevelopment agreement for those properties.

–Annamarya Scaccia

(Photo by Annamarya Scaccia / West Philly Local)

Ten years later, and it seems repair work has finally started on the neglected roof where the notorious looming steeple of Christ Memorial Reformed Episcopal Church (4233 Chestnut Street) once stood.

Much like Naked Philly, a reader tipped West Philly Local off about the work last month after they noticed scaffolding erected around the base of the former 170-foot-high steeple, which collapsed in 2004 during an intense storm. According to a permit pulled from Philadelphia Licenses & Inspections, that section is undergoing partial roof demolition and extensive roof repairs, including installations and replacements.

As shown in the photo above, the steeple area of the church on the corner of 43rd and Chestnut Streets is fenced in, with a rubble pile atop the steps, and construction equipment left around on the 43rd Street side. A letter from the City of Philadelphia regarding a permit for equipment placement for building demolition, dated for 11/16/2013 – 1/16/2014, was tacked to the fence.

Currently, the former Christ Memorial Church houses the Media Mobilizing Project, a grassroots community and media-organizing group, and Christ the King Prayer Chapel, which runs a Sunday school and Sunday worship service. The 127-year-old church building was sold to Guy Laren, a local private developer, nearly a decade ago after its former congregation faced legal issues with its insurance company.

-Annamarya Scaccia

Click to enlarge.

As West Philly Local has reported before, coworking is picking up steam in Philadelphia, providing freelancers, remote workers, and independent contractors an opportunity to trade in the four walls of their home for interaction with like-minded professionals.

Well, it seems The Enterprise Center (4548 Market Street) is tapping into the trend by launching its own coworking and entrepreneurial development platform, the Venture Acceleration Center. The program, opening next month in Enterprise’s Market Street headquarters, will offer business coaching, resource learning sessions, and peer-support meetings, as well as make available a coworking space fitted with free wifi, workstations, conference and event space, and video conferencing.

“The Venture Acceleration Center will offer a totally unique experience for member-businesses that is both structured and flexible,” Iola Harper, The Enterprise Center’s senior director, said in a press release. “We want businesses to grow and create jobs in the community and we are here to provide the all of the support needed.”

To introduce the Venture Acceleration Center to the community, the Enterprise Center is holding an information session at its Market Street office next Saturday, April 26th from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The event, titled “Start-Up Stampede” is open to all Philadelphia entrepreneurs looking for guidance and support in accelerating their business growth. Light refreshments will be served.

While Start-up Stampede is open to all business professionals, membership into the Venture Acceleration Center is only open to early-stage businesses in operation for six months and in the construction, beauty, hair, fashion and food industries.

Readers can register for the information session here. It is a $5.00 fee through today, and $10.00 fee thereafter.

-Annamarya Scaccia

Rendering of 4619 Woodland Avenue, courtesy of HOW Properties.

More apartment buildings are in the works on Woodland Avenue. West Philly Local already wrote about the plans to rehab the vacant Wilson Elementary school building at 46th and Woodland and turn it into a residential complex. There is another construction going on a little further west on Woodland, near 47th Street (thanks to readers who alerted us about it). So here’s what we found out about that project.

HOW Properties, a locally owned and operated real estate management firm, is constructing a three-story, 16-unit building at 4619 Woodland Avenue that will primarily serve the living needs of University of the Sciences’ (USP) students, HOW property manager Ashley George told West Philly Local. The 20,000 square foot complex will have a mix of two-, three-, four-, and five-bedrooms, with only one studio (and no one-bedrooms) available that range from $800 to $3,200 a month, although those prices may alter next year.

According to George, the company did not include one bedrooms in the Woodland Avenue complex based on feedback it received while conducting research prior to starting the project, which launched in February. Students, she said, expressed a want for units with multiple bedrooms.

“Our vision for building in the University City area is to bring a higher quality of housing to neighborhoods, which may be in need of additional housing options,” George told West Philly Local. “There is not an abundance of student housing in the University of the Sciences West Philadelphia corridor.”

There is also one commercial retail space available on the ground floor. HOW Properties currently does not have a tenant marked for the space, but they are hoping to work with USP to “find a beneficial tenant for the area and the residents of the building.” ” We would also like to contribute great retail/commercial space to the areas and create opportunities for small businesses to succeed,” George told West Philly Local.

The project was originally slated to finish this August, but HOW decided to delay completion until next summer after hearing student feedback during an information session on USP’s campus last week. According to George, while the feedback was “responsive and excited,” many students also noted that they already signed leases for the 2014-2015 school year. HOW realized there was potential for not leasing apartments to students in time for August 2014, George said.

HOW Properties are also constructing other buildings in the University City area:  complexes at 3862 Lancaster Avenue, to be complete in August 2014, as well as 3221 Spring Garden Avenue and 4812 Baltimore Avenue, which will both be complete beginning of next month.

–Annamarya Scaccia

Do you visit The Woodlands whether it is for jogging, dog walking, nature or leisurely walks or other activities? Now you can be part of the Woodlands planning and have an impact on the future of this beautiful historical site.

The people involved with preservation and development of the Woodlands cemetery and mansion would like to hear from you. They have prepared a community survey asking about your use of The Woodlands as well as about your favorite places there. The information gathered will help make improvements to the site “that align with how our community enjoys the space.”

To fill out the survey, click here.

This summer, on June 5, The Woodlands is hosting the 3rd Annual Benefit, with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, music and more. The benefit guests will get a chance to kick off the fully-funded $1 million project to preserve the Cryptoporticus (a covered gallery) and North Terrace, and peek into the basement servant’s quarters. For more information, visit The Woodlands website.

Here’s another chance for young residents to speak out about the future of Philadelphia and how it can better meet their lifestyle needs. The West Philadelphia Financial Services Institution (WPFSI) is inviting people ages 20-34 to the next round of the Roundtable Discussion: Philly, Your Voices, Our City. This is the third round table for Millennials organized by WPFSI. The discussion will focus on amenities and services in the city as well as housing needs of young Philadelphians.

The discussion will take place next Saturday, April 19, at Overbrook Arts Center, 6134 Lancaster Avenue. Lunch will be served! Check the flyer below for more info.

To register for this event, please call 215-452-0100 or email: juliana@wpfsi.com