October 21, 2019
A 3-alarm fire broke out on Monday morning at a large auto body shop located at 59th and Irving, according to multiple reports. The fire broke out shortly after 10 a.m. and soon the whole building was engulfed in flames:
The heavy smoke from the fire was seen from many blocks away: Continue Reading
October 21, 2019
A monthly Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA) Zoning Committee meeting will take place tonight (Monday, Oct. 21) at the Spruce Hill Center (257 S. 45th St).
One of the items on the agenda of the meeting is a “by right” development for construction of a new 7-story mixed use building at 4240 Chestnut Street. The building will include 102 residential units on floors 3-7 with a garage for 40 underground parking slots, 34 bicycle spaces and trash rooms. The first two floors will house new space for Intercultural Family Services, currently located at 4225 Chestnut St., with a separate entrance, elevators and services.
A “by right” development means that the developer doesn’t need to apply for a zoning permit to proceed with construction. However, some developers still want to present their projects to the community for informational purposes. A community RCO (Recognized Community Organization), such as SHCA, has no legal sway over a “by right” project, but it can make suggestions and recommendations that a project’s development team can consider and potentially implement. Continue Reading
October 18, 2019
The neighborhood group fighting a proposed apartment building on a piece of land tucked away down a narrow alley near 51st and Spruce will hold a public meeting on Monday, Oct. 21 that will include City Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, who is sponsoring legislation to rezone the parcel.
Developers Callahan Ward want to build a 33-unit building with ground floor commercial at 303 S. 51st St., where a defunct auto body shop sits in the middle of the block, surrounded by the backyards of several adjacent properties. The only access to the property is via a small alley. Callahan Ward can build the building “by right,” meaning they don’t need community approval. Continue Reading
October 16, 2019
The Enterprise Center in West Philadelphia is forming a new Neighborhood Advisory Subcommittee (NAS) and inviting residents in their designated area (see map) to participate in its work.
The Enterprise Center is looking for community members who are interested in bettering their communities and working across neighborhoods, and specifically interested in: Continue Reading
October 14, 2019
The West Park Apartments towers (Photo by West Philly Local).
The city is selling two public housing towers in the West Park Apartments complex near the 46th Street El stop, renovating a third and building new low-income homes on the site.
The Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) will use proceeds from the sale of two towers and an undisclosed amount of “increasingly valuable land” to fund the renovation of the third tower and build more modern homes (low-rise apartments and townhomes) for low-income residents, according to a statement. Continue Reading
October 11, 2019
A Tangle Movement Arts performance at West Craft Fest at The Woodlands (Archived photo).
Tangle Movement Arts, the aerial dance theater company that has been a fixture at West Philly events like the West Craft Fest for 10 years, is moving into its own digs and it needs a little help.
The move requires rigging the new space for aerial performance. That means working with a structural engineer and a rigging specialist to safely design and hang their trapezes and other circus arts equipment, along with purchasing the gear itself. Continue Reading
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