As always, we here at West Philly Local aim to keep neighbors abreast of community news and inform you of updates to that news. For today’s installment of updates, we’ve rounded up news about three big projects we’ve featured in the last three months that verge from the exciting (tacos!) to the conflicting (another expensive development!). And, of course, if there are other updates you’d love to know, we’d love to hear them in the comments.

Groundbreaking for Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral’s $110 Million Development

Photo by West Philly Local.

Tomorrow, Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral and Radnor Property Group (RPG) will hold a groundbreaking for 38Chestnut—the $110 million mixed-used development at 38^th and Chestnut Streets that will see the razing of two historic brownstones (pictured) formerly used as the Cathedral’s parish house. The demolition will make way for a three-prong 326,000 square-foot project (owned by 3737 Chestnut, LP and developed by RPG) to be completed in 2015, and will include the construction of an allegedly “state-of-the-art” 25-story apartment building targeting professionals and grad students, as well as the Episcopal Cathedral Center that features a three-story office building with ground floor retail, a community center, and an early-learning childcare center. Additionally, as part of a settlement with the Preservation Alliance, the development will also see the renovation and maintenance of the cathedral itself. The groundbreaking starts at 2 p.m. at the Cathedral, located at 13-19 South 38th Street.

As we reported in November, the demolition to the two 19th-century brownstones has been nothing but contentious since it made news last summer. In an 8-2 vote, the Philadelphia Historical Commission approved the Cathedral’s hardship application to bulldoze the two historically-sanctioned houses, which were on the list of Philadelphia Register of Historic Places. The Preservation Alliance appealed this decision almost immediately, but came to an agreement with the Commission in March, in which a 50-year preservation and restoration plan is implemented and maintained by the Cathedral, with project funds set aside for immediate work on the house of worship.  Continue Reading

There are some spots still open for this great free event, where you can learn how to make your home more cozy for the winter. Many of the materials demonstrated are given away to participants in tonight’s Weatherization workshop (see details below) free of charge. The workshop is presented by the West Philly Tool Library in partnership with the Energy Coordinating Agency, who will teach you how to weatherize your home and save money on your energy bills. Participants will also receive kits to take home to weatherize their own homes.

What: Weatherization Workshop
When: Wednesday, Dec. 4, 6:30 p.m.
Where: West Philadelphia YMCA, 5120 Chestnut Street

To sign up, click here.

This sweet little black cat (possibly female) with a white marking on her neck has been hanging around 47th and Locust for days, according to West Philly Local reader Sarah. Last night the cat was camped out on Sarah’s doormat when she got home.

Sarah was afraid that the cat wouldn’t survive the cold, so she brought her in and she’s now living in her basement. If this is your cat or if you have any information about her, please contact Sarah at: soupsquash@yahoo.com.

After Black Friday and Cyber Monday a national day of giving, #GivingTuesday, is being celebrated today. It’s a chance for thousands of people and businesses to participate in charitable activities. You can show support for your local non-profit organizations who work hard daily helping many children, adults and pets and keeping our neighborhoods safe, green and clean.

West Philadelphia is home to many great non-profits and it’s hard for us to pick out any particular ones, so we encourage you to visit our “Civic Life” page for the list of such organizations and support them with your donation. But we’d like to mention a few organizations who reached out to us to tell us about their participation in the #GivingTuesday campaign and the importance of their work. Here they are: Bartram’s Garden, University City District, ACHIEVEability, Red Cross Philadelphia, Rock to the Future.

The University of Pennsylvania’s community outreach office is hosting a community meeting on Thursday morning, Dec. 5, to discuss public school initiatives, including its program at the Henry C. Lea School (47th and Locust).

The meeting will run from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the Walnut Street West Library (40th and Walnut). Representatives of Penn’s Graduate School of Education, Lea School University Partnership and Netter Center for Community Partnerships will be there to talk about their programs.

Thursday’s meeting is part of the regular First Thursday Community Meeting series that Penn routinely hosts.

Click to enlarge.

Here’s a chance to recycle your old computers, TVs, CD and DVD players, maybe even a VCR – basically anything with a plug (except for large appliances). Bring them to Saunders Park (39th and Powelton) on Thursday, Dec. 5 from 9 a.m. to Noon.

The recycling service is free to everyone in the community, including businesses. The recyclers (eForce Compliance) say they will wipe clean or destroy all data.

The People’s Emergency Center and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center are sponsoring the event.