Update: City Paper is reporting that no one was injured in the collapse. The University of the Sciences owned the vacant building. Shafer Properties LLC is developing the parcel next door to build two six-bedroom residences, according to City Paper, and the Hoops building reportedly collapsed while work was being done on those properties. USP has reportedly been trying to sell the building and land, which will now likely be tied up in legal proceedings.
West Philly Local readers alerted us that a section of Hoops Deli and Market located at the corner of S. 42nd St and Chester Ave. was reportedly accidentally demolished during the construction being carried out next door. The incident happened on Sunday morning, according to readers. The city’s department of License and Inspection was on site Sunday afternoon after which the rest of the building started being torn down. This is what the building looked like on Monday evening.
Photo by Mike Lyons / West Philly Local.
We’re trying to get more information on what exactly went wrong. In December 2012 two business storefronts near 49th and Baltimore were heavily damaged during a poor demolition job of Elena’s Soul Lounge. One of the affected businesses, Cedar Park Cafe, reopened last summer and the other one, Gary’s Nails, is still working on its reopening.
June 3rd, 2014 at 1:11 pm
There’s a simple explanation: incompetence.
June 3rd, 2014 at 4:22 pm
I am thankful no one was injured, and certainly concerned about the state of demolitions in this town. That said, Hoops was an ugly building.
June 3rd, 2014 at 9:09 pm
Hoops was a serious blight and won’t be missed. That being said, I’m glad no one was injured by this display of negligence. Someone is getting sued big time.
June 3rd, 2014 at 10:00 pm
How are they going to fit two six bedroom residences on that lot?
June 3rd, 2014 at 11:02 pm
the plans for this project were suppose to have been approved by the City, including the new basements. But for some reason when the basements were dug they were at least 4′ deeper then the buildings on either side. Normally this would involve a lot of careful under pinning and lateral bracing. At this job all that was done was the two adjoining foundations had a trench dug under them which was filled with concrete, without a footer amount other issues. So on one hand you have some really poor and dangerous construction going on, the work took at least a week if not longer, but where was L&I while this was going on?
This sounds like it was a whole lot of failures, which is surprising because after the Salvation Army collapse last year L&I was suppose to clean up its act. I guess that didn’t happen!
I’m just glad that the occupied house to the east didn’t fall into the hole. This whole mess will probably end up in court for a long time to come.
June 4th, 2014 at 1:29 pm
L + I has a fancy new logo though – http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/Philly_Licenses_and_Inspections_underwent_50K_makeover_with_little_fanfare.html
June 4th, 2014 at 2:01 pm
They were fitting two six family homes onto the lot by consolidating what was the space for three houses into two buildings.
http://lti.planphilly.com/documents/p-514556
June 5th, 2014 at 2:30 pm
forget the buildings HOW DO THESE INCOMPETENT UNDER BIDDERS KEEP GETTING WORK. this is a serious situation. how many of these accidental failures are going to happen before somebody gets hurt or killed. oh wait that did happen……in center city.
L&I HIRED THE LOWEST BIDDER who then hired somebody even cheaper so they can skim off the top. those guys were seen drinking on the job and sober or not should not have been behind heavy machinery.(thats at least how baltimore avenue went down) this is a disgusting example of pure greed. thats costs lives,jobs, and peoples livelihoods.
June 5th, 2014 at 9:42 pm
It’s the American way. Profits uber alles.
June 6th, 2014 at 5:31 pm
The church on the southwest corner of 47th and Kingsessing is to be demolished, perhaps as soon as Monday. The Sprint people were here today to remove their equipment from the tower.
According to the city, we (the next door neighbors) will be informed at least a day in advance.
Of course, yesterday was the anniversary of the faulty demolition job that collapsed the Salvation Army thrift store in Center City. The old Hoops deli on Chester and 42nd seems to have suffered a similar fate. And we all know what happened after the Elena Soul Lounge fire.
When I hear definite word of the date of demolition, I will send out an alert on this list, if anyone wants to come by and help me take pictures to record the process.
The first picture below is the view from our third story hall window.
Ross Bender
http://rossbender.org
Crossposted from UCNeighbors Google Groups
June 9th, 2014 at 11:50 pm
i *knew* they weren’t doing that job right. they were digging way down right next to the foundations of both neighboring buildings with no sort of bracing. now there is bracing for the house to the east. (i would be so nervous if i lived there.) i am glad it was the vacant store & not the house that they damaged.
and regarding that church at 47th & Kingsessing: it is a Frank Furness, or at least his office. clearly not one of his most distinctive works, judging by the outside. a late work. the parish house next door is earlier (i think) & more distinctive.
June 10th, 2014 at 12:45 am
wish i had said something.