Former Apple Storage facility at 780 S. 52nd St (Google Street View image).

The real estate development firm Post Brothers has bought the long vacant Apple Storage facility on South 52nd Street and plans to build a 153-unit residential building.

Philly.com reported that the Post Brothers, which has acquired several buildings in recent years including The Netherlands at 4300 Chestnut, Hamilton Court at 3800 Chestnut, and Garden Court Plaza, paid $2.4 million for the hulking shell at 780 S. 52nd St., a couple blocks south of Baltimore Avenue. That price reflects the fact that the zoning approval had already been granted in 2012 for “Apple Lofts,” a residential housing proposal that drew mostly praise but prompted discussions about gentrification.

A zoning permit approved last week expanded the proposed project from 112 to 153 units and commercial space. The original zoning permit also includes 92 “accessory” parking spaces.  Continue Reading

Mayor Jim Kenney talks to small business owner Mayathan Joan Fletcher during his 52nd Street Commercial Corridor visit on Small Business Saturday (Nov. 25, 2017). (Photo by Mike Lyons/West Philly Local)

Today is Small Business Saturday, and Philly mayor Jim Kenney visited several businesses along the 52nd Street Commercial Corridor to support local business owners and to encourage folks to shop small today. The mayor began his visit shortly after 10 a.m. at the corner of 52nd and Chestnut by chatting with Mayathan Joan Fletcher, a sidewalk vendor, and buying a Jamaica hat. Kenney was also planning to visit NV My Eyewear at 137 S. 52nd St., African Cultural Art Forum at 221 S. 52nd St., Urban Art Gallery at 262 S. 52nd St., and more.  Continue Reading

Here’s some useful information on public transportation, parking, trash/recycling collection and hours/closings at local businesses during the holiday weekend. Happy Thanksgiving!

Parking

The Philadelphia Parking Authority is not enforcing meters, kiosks or residential parking time limits on Thanksgiving Day (Thu, Nov. 23).

SEPTA Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend Service

Thanksgiving Day – Thursday, November 23:
• Regional Rail, buses, trolleys and the Norristown High Speed Line will operate on a Sunday/Holiday Schedule.
• Detours will be in effect from 3 a.m. to 2 p.m. on and around the Benjamin Franklin Parkway on routes 2, 7, 17, 27, 31, 32, 33, 38, 43, 44, 48, 124 and 125 due to the Thanksgiving Day Parade.  Continue Reading

Photo via The Food Trust’s Facebook page.

This is Thanksgiving week, so if you’re planning to do last-minute shopping for your feast please note that the mid-week Clark Park Farmers’ Market, which usually takes place on Thursdays, will be set up on Wednesday, Nov. 22 this week. The market, which is located at 43rd and Baltimore, will have special pre-Thanksgiving hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. After tomorrow, the mid-week Farmers’ Market will close until next summer. The Saturday market is open all year round, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Both markets are run by The Food Trust. For more information on the vendors, go here.

To print this graphic, go to www.greenphillyblog.com

The holidays can be wasteful and on the day after it can be difficult to sort through what’s trash, what’s recycling, and what shouldn’t be thrown away at all. With this in mind, we’ve been reading the helpful work done by our colleagues at the Green Philly blog, where they compiled a simple infographic explaining what can and can’t be recycled.

Here are some of the most important lessons we’ve learned from them and elsewhere:

These are things you cannot recycle:

• Plastic bags
• Straws
• Light bulbs
• Greasy boxes/paper
• Takeout containers
• Styrofoam
• Napkins, tissue paper
• Broken glass

Not only are these items non-recyclable, they can potentially be dangerous for workers, whose job is among the more deadly in the nation.

Julie Hancher, editor of the Green Philly blog, said the website created the guide to simplify sustainability, which she said often confuses her readers.  Continue Reading

Several West Philly businesses, including Siddiq’s Water Ice, Dynamite Pest Control, Royal Mane Boutique and others, have partnered this Thanksgiving holiday to serve a special “Giving Thanks” community dinner on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 23. The dinner will be served at Siddiq’s Water Ice location at 264 S. 60th Street (in a heated tent between Locust and Spruce) from noon to 3 p.m. The food is catered by Ol’ Boys Soul Food.

Siddiq Moore has been serving real fruit water ice, ice cream and frozen yogurt near 60th and Irving since July 8, 2017 when he opened his first brick-and-mortar location, but he has been in the business since mid-90’s when he started running a water ice cart at Temple University. After opening in July, Siddiq’s Water Ice (Facebook page) received its own street marker, “Siddiq’s Water Ice Way”, from the city, recognizing Moore’s efforts to revitalize 60th Street Corridor.