Centennial Village, the mixed-use rental project that the city hopes will replace blight and help revitalize a section of West Parkside, has broken ground. Mayor Michael Nutter joined community members and neighborhood organizations at the Centennial Village groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday. The project will transform 52nd Street between Columbia and Parkside Avenues, and some areas nearby.

When completed, Centennial Village will have 52 units of affordable housing available for seniors and people with disabilities. The project also includes an apartment building with 30 new units. It will also rehabilitate eight single-family homes and one duplex. The project also includes 7,633 square feet of commercial space.

“Centennial Village is a key project for the revitalization of Parkside,” Nutter said at the groundbreaking ceremony. “The project eliminates blight and improves quality of life for residents. This impacts levels of crime, property values, and community pride.”  Continue Reading

SEPTA is presenting an open information meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 1, on improvements planned for 40th and Market St. Station. This is a great chance to learn more about the project, which will address ADA and some other improvements at the station. The 40th St Station ADA Accessibility Project is expected to begin this winter and will take more than a year to complete – through Spring 2017, according to SEPTA. The project broke ground earlier this month.

The scope of the project includes the following work at the station and in the adjacent area:

• Installation of a machine roomless elevator on the NW & SE corners of 40th & Market Streets
• Installation of new headhouse covering to all four stairs accessing the station
• Installation of new restrooms in the subway level
• Reconstruction of new city sidewalks within work area
• Installation of new informational signage
• Installation of new doors, gates and architectural enhancements

The meeting will take place at Oshiver Hall, 3901 Market St., beginning at 6 p.m.

Five firefighters were injured Sunday morning when their ladder truck crashed along the 5400 block of Baltimore Avenue.

The crew was responding to a call in the area when the driver lost control of the truck, which slammed into parked cars, according to CBS Philly.

The firemen were taken to Penn Presbyterian Hospital with minor injuries.

Local photographer Ra Hall was on her way to a photo shoot and was nearby when the accident happened. Some of her photos are below.

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Snapdragon Flowers & Gifts will soon be the newest business to join the Baltimore Ave shopping area in West Philly.

Owner Tolani Lightfoot resides in the Cedar Park neighborhood, where she settled and bought a house when she relocated from Portland, Oregon eight years ago. “I feel like West Philly is one of those wonderful neighborhoods where you have to live there and understand the neighborhood before opening a business,” she said.

Tolani, who has worked in the industry for 10 years, says she realized that there was a need for a florist shop with her creative vision after she was told that “she was too creative” at her former workplace at a traditional florist shop. The shop will offer a wide range of botanically inspired products, including ready-made floral arrangements. Snapdragon Flowers & Gifts will offer arrangements both for people and events. Some niche market arrangements will include small-scale urban gardens, living arrangements for the home, vertical gardens, Victorian inspired indoor gardens and terrariums along with drought-resistant plants.  Continue Reading

As was reported earlier this year, one of Philadelphia’s more successful charter schools, Independence Charter School, will be opening a new elementary school (ICS West) in Southwest Philadelphia in September 2016. The school will be primarily serving families in Southwest and West Philadelphia, as well as Overbrook.

To learn more about the school and its enrollment process, families are invited to one of the open information sessions held at area libraries. Two next information sessions are scheduled at the Cobbs Creek library. Updated information on community meetings can be found on the school website.

Currently, the following meetings are scheduled for prospective families:

Monday, Dec. 7, 10-11 a.m.
Friday, Dec. 11, 10-11 a.m.
Blanche A. Nixon/Cobbs Creek library branch
5800 Cobbs Creek Parkway (59th/Baltimore Ave.)

The school will initially be a K-3 for September 2016. A grade will be added each year, ultimately becoming a K-8 school, according to ICS West board member Dyana Reid.

The school is focused on global citizenship and language acquisition, and instruction will be about half Spanish/half English. “Students and families are not expected to already speak Spanish, though it’s fine if they do,” says ICS West board member Dyana Reid.  Continue Reading

Locust Moon comic shop is closing at the end of 2015 (Archived photo/West Philly Local)

We’re sad to report that West Philly’s only comic shop, Locust Moon Comics, will close at the end of the year, after just a few years of operation on 40th Street near Chestnut. The store started on Locust street in the old Urban Outfitters building in 2009 and moved to 40th and Chestnut in 2012.

Locust Moon is not just a comic shop, but also a small press, and owners Josh O’Neil and Chris Stevens want to focus on publishing after shutting down the store. Here’s what they posted on Facebook:

“Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for six wonderful years. We plan to redouble our focus on making and publishing comics. We’ve loved being a part of this neighborhood, and have cherished the chance to serve up piping hot comics to a smart and hungry readership.

Thank you for your passion, your superlative taste, your support, and all the love you’ve showered on our cats. We never would have made it this far without you.“