Firefighters working near 52nd and Pine streets on Saturday morning. (Photo by West Philly Local)

Firefighters responded to two serious fires in West Philadelphia that occurred overnight within half a mile distance from one another.

One fire was reported around 3 a.m. in a building located near 52nd and Delancey. No injuries were reported.

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Mayor Cherelle Parker has declared a snow emergency in the city beginning Saturday, Jan. 24 at 9 p.m., due to the upcoming winter storm. This means that all vehicles parked on Snow Emergency Routes should be relocated before the snow emergency begins. Any remaining vehicles will be ticketed and relocated.

Snow Emergency Routes are marked with signs posted along the route. You can also find the Snow Emergency route map and list here.

All Philadelphia School District schools will be closed on Monday, Jan. 25 due to the storm.

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Soapbox artists at work (Instagram photo)

Here are some more details on The Soapbox’s moving plans announced in December. The West Philly-based community print-making studio and zine library has announced that it’s moving this spring from 47th and Kingsessing to 4542 Baltimore Ave.

After operating at 47th and Kingsessing Avenue for the past seven years, The Soapbox is moving into a larger and more accessible location at 4542 Baltimore Ave, according to a recent announcement. The Soapbox will be able to “more than double” the number of independent artist studios it offers and expand its programming in the new space. It will also be able to create more studio space for letterpress, screen print, risograph, and other book and paper arts.

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A test trolley exiting the tunnel near 40th and Woodland on Sunday, Jan. 4.

UPDATE (1/10/2026): SEPTA’s Trolley Tunnel (“T Trolley Tunnel”), which has been closed since mid-November, is set to reopen on Monday, Jan. 12 for regular daytime service, according to SEPTA. The tunnel will still be closed indefinitely from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night to accommodate additional inspections and maintenance. All trolleys will be diverted to 40th and Market during these hours. The tunnel will also be closed for additional repairs during the following periods:

• From 10 p.m. on Jan. 23 to 5 a.m. on Jan. 26
• From 10 p.m. on Jan. 30 to 5 a.m. on Feb. 2
• From 5 a.m. on Feb. 15 to 10 p.m. on Feb. 22

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A rendering of the upgraded Walnut Hill Community Playground (Image courtesy UCD).

Here’s some great news on the Walnut Hill Community Playground renovation project, which broke ground last spring at 47th and Sansom.

The University City District (UCD), which is leading the project along with community partners, has received additional funding which will help move the project forward. The McClean Contributionship recently provided a $25,000 grant which will help UCD’s landscaping enterprise, Green City Works, install a new poured rubber play surface (see rendering image above). The new surface ensures play safety by reducing current tripping hazards and possible injuries.

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The Spruce Hill community lost a champion of civic engagement recently with the death of Barry Grossbach, a longtime resident and community advocate, who passed away December 18 at the age of 86.

Barry lived in the neighborhood for over 50 years and was actively involved in the community for decades. He participated in and supported several local organizations, including the Spruce Hill Community Association, where he was a board member and served as the zoning committee chair for many years. He was also a founding board member of the University City District (UCD) and co-founder of the Friends of Clark Park.

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