Here’s another chance for residents to weigh in on what restaurant they would like to see at 4303 Baltimore Avenue. A proposal to convert the first floor of the row home adjacent to Clarkville into a small restaurant was first considered at the Spruce Hill Zoning Committee meeting on Oct. 14.
The next meeting will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 7, at 7 p.m. at the Spruce Hill Center (257 S. 45th St), and this proposal will be on the agenda again among other zoning proposals. The proposal for 4303 Baltimore includes an 1,100-square-foot restaurant on the first floor and renovated, high-end apartments on the second and third floors.
Read more about the proposal here.
December 6th, 2016 at 8:30 pm
A latino restaurant!! Mexican, Cuban, Peruvian, etc…
December 6th, 2016 at 9:29 pm
I know this might be a radical idea for some of you hipsters out there, but what about not having a restaurant there. Keep it as housing on all floors. 4300 block of Baltimore is a fairly unusual block in that it is largely intact, pretty much as it was built.
I see no reason to start adding commercial uses to the block.
December 7th, 2016 at 12:04 am
A sliding scale restaurant that is free for poor people and compensates with high prices for those of us who can afford it, with events focused on how to stop the disempowering aspects of gentrification and increase decision-making power in the community for people who have been here for a generation and are at risk of being priced out.
December 7th, 2016 at 6:49 am
What about a nice little Italian restaurant that is BYOB? I’d like to see somewhere that one could bring a date or even out of town visiting relatives.
December 7th, 2016 at 10:05 am
Comfort food with a twist. Each entree offers a vegan alternative such as Chicken Nuggets with fries or Seitan nuggets with sunflower oil pan fried local cauliflower. I like April’s idea of a sliding scale. I am willing to absorb an inflated bill so that others way enjoy healthy, organic and free range/earthcentric meals for free. I think a good affordable meal among neighbors and friends is a powerful tool for getting the conversation started about empowerment issues for gender, race, post gentrification professionals, families, students, the retired and elderly and the working poor. I think this neighborhood may benefit from a social center where everyone is equal and their voice is expressed freely over a well crafted and thoughtful meal.
December 7th, 2016 at 10:23 am
Chick-Fil-A Chick-Fil-A Chick-Fil-A Chick-Fil-A
December 7th, 2016 at 10:49 am
Phil, I hate to sound disagreeable but Chick-Fil-A supports homophobia/transphobia. Their corporate model only serves specific people. They are not environmentally friendly and do not support animal rights or free range farming. Also, I don’t think most residents want a fast food chain in their backyard.
December 7th, 2016 at 11:31 am
What about Don Cheadle?
December 7th, 2016 at 1:15 pm
Anything that isn’t relentlessly mediocre. With just a handful of exceptions, West Philly food is unjustifiably bad. So many needlessly shitty restaurants like Clarkville (how you gonna open a pizza restaurant and not know how to make even halfway decent pizza–Jesus, get a part-time job at Beddia or Nomad’s before you open up). Plenty of young people, young families, and older people to support the kinds of non-shitty options that exist in spades in other parts of the city. And rent in much of West Philly (as long as you’re not too close to the universities) isn’t bad. There’s just no reason for the glut of shitty food.
So whatever you open, just make sure it doesn’t suck (and that anti-gentrification restaurant would most definitely suck).
December 7th, 2016 at 1:50 pm
These comments are solid gold, don’t ever change WPL commenters
December 7th, 2016 at 2:22 pm
@Michael – agree on Italian BYOB
@Warmcocoamittens Support for traditional marriage should not be equated with homophobia. They serve and hire without discrimination. They do kill chickens for food so I guess they are not supporting their rights. Space probably too small anyway.
December 7th, 2016 at 2:30 pm
Space probably too small minded anyway.
December 7th, 2016 at 2:49 pm
would love an italian BYO or a BYO along the lines of Pumpkin
agree with the Madame that the food at Clarkville/Local 44 sucks. The slow/subpar service and the quality of the food at Renata doesn’t warrant me spending money there.
There’s already a pay what you can restaurant at 38th and Lancaster.
December 7th, 2016 at 3:32 pm
How many of you are actually planning on attending the meeting?
December 7th, 2016 at 4:07 pm
Will they at least have dietetic snacks? I will have to go before dinner after getting my daughter (hypoglycemic) and I’m not sure how long the meeting will last. I have some input as a new neighbor but I am not exactly sure if I can juggle everything that quickly.
December 7th, 2016 at 4:59 pm
There are multiple restaurants within a block or two from the meeting. Additionally there is a CVS and a grocery store nearby.
December 8th, 2016 at 9:05 am
Warmcocoamittens: Almost all restaurants are shitty when it comes to the environment. And the question was what do you want to see, not what do most of you want to see. I am a resident and I’d be fine with a consistently, quickly produced at a reasonably priced food in “my back yard.” You’re not disagreeable but you are really snobby.
December 8th, 2016 at 12:38 pm
I agree with Italian, comfort food with a twist, and Hello!’s comment.
December 8th, 2016 at 2:39 pm
I think they should make it a small storefront with tiny little rooms with bath tubs in them. That way all of us apartment dweller with small bathrooms could pop in and take a nice long bath. Rent it by the hour. Someone make this happen, I’m too stoned to go outside.
December 8th, 2016 at 3:35 pm
A bath or a soak? A soak usually infers a purpose of leisure and is more akin to the Roman or Turkish baths. They are now typically referred to as saunas. A bath is a bit more utilitarian. It sounds like you would like something more relaxing like a soak. Therefore, I suggest a sauna with Jaccuzzi or other top brand products. (No ‘Bathfitters’ please!) That would really neat and I think fairly unique to this neighborhood.
December 9th, 2016 at 8:39 am
You’re absolutely right. A nice midday soak.
December 9th, 2016 at 9:54 am
Actual Japanese food (Not a Korean restaurant that has some sushi).
December 9th, 2016 at 11:12 am
OMG, Tapas! A little tapas bar with wine parings and cocktails but more of a European style than other local eateries. I mean like authentic Spanish. Small portions but long sit times, not the super quick on the go yuppie turnover of places like Clarkville, but more of a celebration of food and family.
December 9th, 2016 at 11:32 am
hows about el bar west!
December 9th, 2016 at 11:35 am
No liquor license as stated earlier. Rent is $2500/month so whoever it is will need some serious turnover to stay above water.
December 15th, 2016 at 4:58 pm
I vote to make the first floor into an apartment. No need to have another restaurant there. Thank you very much for your support.