We’d like to share some awesome news that came from the Pew organization. A whole bunch of West Philly-based artists, organizations and projects have recently been awarded prestigious and substantial Pew grants.

Here they are:

University City District’s West Philadelphia Skills Initiative

The University City District (UCD) has been awarded an $180,000 grant from Pew Charitable Trusts for continued support of the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative, a program that connects local employers seeking talent to talented West Philadelphians seeking opportunity. The University City District was one of 45 Philadelphia-area organizations to receive money from the Pew Fund for Health and Human Services, the primary vehicle through which The Pew Charitable Trusts supports the efforts of health and social service organizations in the Philadelphia region. The money will allow the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative to continue and improve its service of providing training and employment to low-income individuals in the district.

This is the second grant the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative has received from Pew. The first was awarded in 2011 and helped launch the program.

The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage (the Center) recently announced its 2014 grants in support of Philadelphia’s arts and cultural community. They include 12 new Pew Fellowships of $60,000 each, 35 Project Grants in amounts up to $300,000, and two Advancement Grants of $500,000 each, according to Nicole Steinberg, Center Communications Specialist.

Pew Fellow Ted Passon

The Center recognized the accomplishments and work of filmmaker and Emmy-nominated director Ted Passon, who lives in the West Philadelphia area. Passon’s recent documentary films unpack complicated social and political issues, while reflecting the underlying human emotions at play.

Here are also some funded projects in the area:

Liberian Women’s Chorus for Change: Fatu Gayflor, Marie Nyenabo, Zaye Tete, and Tokay Tomah. (Photo by Anna Mulé, courtesy of the Philadelphia Folklore Project)

Philadelphia Folklore Project: Liberian Women’s Chorus for Change

Led by 2014 Pew Fellow Fatu Gayflor, the Liberian Women’s Chorus for Change addresses urgent issues of violence against women in the Liberian community, fostering conversation and generating action through song. The Philadelphia Folklore Project will present the Chorus in local Liberian neighborhoods as well as in concerts at World Café Live and other venues.

Iquail Shaheed: Pushers

Pushers will examine issues of addiction in Shaheed’s neighborhood, the underserved area of Mantua in West Philadelphia. Shaheed will conduct exploratory workshops with youth participants in Mantua, and he will collaborate with outside artists on the script and music for the performances, including playwright and MacArthur Fellow Tarell Alvin McCraney. Shaheed is a first-time Center grantee.

WXPN: Zydeco Crossroads

This yearlong project will examine the evolution of zydeco, a musical form that blends Cajun music, blues, and R&B. Multiple concert performances will showcase celebrated zydeco musicians and explore the genre’s intersections with hip-hop, soul, and rock. Music documentarian Robert Mugge will also create a new film on zydeco, to be screened at a culminating weekend festival in fall 2015.

Check out some of the latest news, upcoming events and other happenings around the neighborhoods.

• Around 700 homes in Kingsessing were still without gas service on Tuesday night due to a water main break near 56th St and Woodland Ave on Saturday, according to NBC10. The water main break caused a disruption to the natural gas line. Initially 60 homes in the area were affected but during the repair work, hundreds more homes were disconnected from natural gas service as far east as 52nd Street, according to reports.

• Good news for Marigold Kitchen fans! The highly-acclaimed Spruce Hill restaurant, whose owner Robert Halpern is moving on (and moving out of the state), is not closing after all, as was initially reported. Well, at least not for good. Halpern sold his business to his own chefs de cuisine, Tim Lanza and Andrew Kochan, both 26, The Insider reports. Halpern’s executive chef, Keith Krajewski, will also continue his work at this location, according to The Insider. The restaurant will serve its last dinner under Halpern’s ownership on Saturday, June 28. After that, it will close for some kitchen refurbishment work and will reopen in early September.

The English elms at The Woodlands (Photo courtesy The Woodlands)

• The Woodlands Cemetery and Mansion is asking the community to help them save seven English elm trees (they’re called “The 7 Giants”), some of the most significant historic trees on the grounds thanks to their size and age (they date back to the late 18th century). The trees are suffering from Dutch Elm Disease, which may kill them if left untreated. Treatment and monitoring of the disease is costly, so the Woodlands has started a fundraising campaign to help cover the costs. The initial goal is $20,000. For more information and to donate, click here.

• Little Baby’s Ice Cream has created a new flavor called the Works, now available at LBIC’s Cedar Park location (49th and Catharine). Proceeds from the sale benefit Neighborhood Bike Works, a non-profit that offers youth bike education programs and bike repair classes for adults.

• West Philly based art rock band The Chairman Dances will present their new album, The Death of Samuel Miller (out 6/27 via Grizzly Records), on Friday, June 27 at The Rotunda (40th and Walnut). Spelling Reform (Facebook page) and Vita and the Woolf (Facebook page) will also take part in the album release show, which begins at 8 p.m. ($10). The Chairman Dances’ song “Prophetess” was No. 2 in WXPN‘s list of the 5 best Philly songs of 2013. The music video for the new record’s single, “Dance to the Neighbor’s Stereo,” is streaming on Vimeo.

Redcap’s Corner’s second home as of next month (Photo by Annamarya Scaccia / West Philly Local)

Hear-ye, Hear-ye, Baltimore Avenue gamers! Come early next month, West Philly’s gaming hub, Redcap’s Corner, will open its second shop in the area – at 4812 Baltimore Avenue in the storefront space of HOW Properties’ new apartment building on the corridor.

According to co-owner Benn Roe, who runs Redcap’s with Adam Friedman, the new shop will differ from its Drexel University-area flagship at 3617 Lancaster Avenue by becoming more family-oriented. While the Baltimore Avenue location will carry a very similar gaming product line, there will be a strong emphasis on Pokémon rather than Magic the Gathering, Roe said. Additionally, the calendar of events for Redcap’s 2 will differ drastically from the original shop—instead of tournaments and competitive game-play that attracts serious gamers and college students, the new place (which seats only 30) will focus on learn-to-play demos, family board game nights, casual and after-school leagues, and open-play nights.

“We’ll run tournaments here and there, but our focus will be on less competitive fun and giving kids somewhere safe to hang out after school,” Roe told West Philly Local. “Pokémon is popular with kids, and we’ve been getting increasing interest in Pathfinder from young role-players, so it’s a safe bet that those games will make it onto the calendar.”

While opening dates are not set in stone since construction is still happening at the new location, Roe did assure they will throw a grand opening party once Redcap’s 2 opens its doors in early July. West Philly Local had a chance to chat with Roe more about Redcap’s second shop, why they chose Baltimore Avenue, and why they chose to focus more on families this time around.

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The former Transition To Independent Living Center building at the corner of S. 46th and Spruce streets. (photo West Philly Local)

Since being gutted in a fire three years ago, the former Transition to Independent Living Center at 4534-36 Spruce Street has become an eyesore for the community. Despite local street artists turning it into an open canvas, no signs of demolition or renovation have occurred at the derelict corner building—at least, not until recently.

According to neighbor reports, the owners of 4534-36 Spruce Street recently replaced the building’s windows after the city slapped them with a blight violation. One West Philly Local reader even reported that workers she spoke with at the site confirmed they were installing new windows because “the owner had been collecting fines from the city as a result of the boarded-up windows” and that they are planning to renovate the building—although no one knows why or for what.

The north facing wall of the building is covered with street art.

“The property is now a blight on the neighborhood, collecting graffiti and a truly amazing collection of discarded chewing gum,” the reader, known as Mary, wrote in a comment on our site. “It’s been years since the fire and they have had sufficient time to settle any insurance issues and make a decision about the building’s future.”

As West Philly Local reported late last year, a search of the Department of Licenses and Inspection database shows that the owners were issued with both window and license violations on October 3, 2013, and were ordered to secure windows with “windows that have frames and glazing.” (The original violation, which was sent to court, was updated on January 16, 2014 to reflect the owners compliance with property license requirements). On May 29, the owners were cited with another two blight violations, one for the vacant property and one for the windows it recently replaced—that case remains open.

West Philly Local reached out to the owners, but they did not return our request for comment. We’ll keep you updated when we receive new information.

–Annamarya Scaccia

Here is a summary of some of the latest local news, upcoming events, and fundraising campaigns.

• Parents of West Philadelphia area school children are going to City Hall from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 12 to rally for funding for the public schools, according to an announcement by the Spruce Hill Community Association. A group is meeting outside the main entrance of Penn Alexander School (43rd & Locust) at 8:45 a.m. to travel by trolley together. The goal is to ask City Hall and Governor Corbett for much needed financial support for the school year 2014-15 and beyond. Children and community members are welcome to join the group.

Here’s the schedule:

10 – 10:15 a.m.: Press Conference Council 4th floor outside of Council chambers
10:20 – 10:40 a.m.: Make rounds and speak with other Council members
10:50 a.m.: Walk to Governor’s office at Broad and Walnut
11 a.m.: Press conference at Governor’s office
12 p.m.: Meeting with Governor’s staff and delivering letter to Governor’s office

• Curio Theatre is creating a ground breaking play about the Rev. Frank Schaefer who was defrocked in Lebanon PA for officiating his son’s gay wedding. The Frank Schaefer Project is Curio’s most ambitious production to date and needs help. The goal is $10,000 and there are 25 days to go. For more info and to donate, go here.

Magic Circle at PIC. (Photo from parentinfantcenter.org)

• The Parent Infant Center (PIC) is in the process of transforming their main play space into a nature-based outdoor classroom and playground for children, both at PIC and in the community, according to PIC’s Communication Manager Rachel Isaacson. The new space, called Magic Circle, will host a Make Music Philly event on Saturday, June 21 (more on this later). This will be a chance for PIC to not only celebrate music, but welcome their neighbors to the Magic Circle. Read more on the PIC News blog.

• If you’re looking to support a local cause this summer, try Ben & Jerry’s limited time “For the Birds” milkshake. $1.00 from each shake sold will benefit the Spruce Hill Bird Sanctuary. The shake features strawberry and vanilla ice cream blended together with chocolate sprinkles, with some Oreo’s on bottom, and topped off with fresh whipped cream and peanuts. From June 14th to June 28th at the 40th Street Ben & Jerry’s location (between Locust and Walnut).

• Local independent publisher The Head & The Hand Press will be hosting an opening at Milk & Honey Market (45th & Baltimore) on Thursday, June 12 at 6-7:30 p.m. to celebrate the new placement of their chapbook vending machine (a first one in West Philly!). The vending machine features $2 chapbooks from up-and-coming writers, many of which are Philadelphia area residents. The event will feature author readings from the Press’ newer chapbooks, including West Philly resident Patrick McNeil, Joey Sweeney (of local entertainment blog Philebrity), and Simone Zelitch (author of forthcoming novel, Waveland). The event is free and open to the public and light refreshments will be provided. No RSVP is required, but attendees are welcome to visit the event’s Facebook page.

Our #chapbook #vendingmachine is at @milkandhoneymkt! celebrate its new home w/ readings & refreshments this thurs! pic.twitter.com/4y82SV8YjR

— The Head & The Hand (@HeadandHand) June 8, 2014

The interior of the Furness-designed church at 47th and Kingsessing, which is scheduled for demolition (Photo by Brendan Skwire.)

The 114-year-old church at 47th and Kingsessing is set for demolition, perhaps the last chapter in a long story of decay at the Frank Furness-designed building.

A note from nearby neighbors. (Click to enlarge.)

The city’s Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) recently ordered the building’s demolition. A fence was recently placed around it and, according to a sign nailed to one of the boarded-up doors, L&I has “cleaned and sealed” the building, which since 1979 has been St. Peter’s Church of Christ. The small congregation no longer meets in the church’s main building, which was constructed in 1900 and has fallen into a state of disrepair over the past several years. Famed architect Frank Furness’ firm Furness, Evans and Company designed the building (and a bunch of other cool buildings in the city).

The City Paper‘s Ryan Briggs reported late last week that L&I officials said demolition would begin Monday. So far, it’s still standing. Neighbors, some of whom live within a few feet of the building, are concerned about the demolition, especially with recent botched demolitions of Elena’s Soul in late 2012, last week’s Hoops deli demolition and the tragedy at 22nd and Market last year. They have posted signs near site asking people to keep an eye on the demolition as they pass by the building.

The church was built in 1900 for the Church of the Atonement congregation, which formed in 1847.

Hidden City reported last year that the church was served with a “30-day repair or demolish order” by L&I and has code violations dating from at least six years ago.

A few rumors are floating around that a buyer may come in to save the building, though the St. Peter’s congregation, which meets next door at the even older parish house, is reluctant to open up the building to a Calvary Center style arrangement to save it.

A few years ago the congregation agreed to allow Sprint to place cell antennas on top of the building to earn a little money. Those were removed late last week, according to City Paper.

It appears that this time demolition is imminent. We’ll keep you posted. Please drop us a line if you see the demolition starting.

– Mike Lyons

The exterior of the church. Here are some more pictures of the interior from Hidden City.