Two Spruce Hill zoning meetings focusing on a couple of interesting development projects in the area are scheduled for this month. As always, community participation is encouraged.

Former Transition to Independent Living Center building at 46th and Spruce (archived photo).

The first meeting will take place on Monday, March 7 at the Spruce Hill Center (257 S. 45th St.) to discuss the development of the 4534-36 Spruce Street site (formerly the Transition to Independent Living). All interested parties are invited to attend the meeting to hear the proposed plans for development of the site, and to ask questions and offer comments. The meeting starts at 7 p.m.

The new owner for the site was revealed at the previous zoning meeting in August, 2015. Developer Ricky Liss told the attendees of the August meeting that he wanted to build a four-story mixed-use retail, commercial and residential housing project on the site.

The second meeting, scheduled for March 15, will address the zoning application for the Trolley Portal project at 40th and Baltimore/Woodland. Everyone is invited to participate in the discussion on the landscaping design for the trolley portal and on the design for the adjacent trolley diner, as part of the University City District’s plan to transform the Portal into a vibrant and social space.

Th 40th Street Trolley Portal was created more than 60 years ago as a transit hub, and the property has always had a Residential zoning. In order to proceed with the Portal redesign process, UCD is seeking a zoning variance for mixed-use from the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA).

The March 15 meeting will also be held at the Spruce Hill Center and will begin at 6:30 p.m.

UPDATE (3/2/2016): A report about Wednesday’s rally can be found here.

West Philadelphia activists, parents and students will hold a rally on Wednesday morning to call for improvements to safety in and around the property of Andrew Hamilton Elementary School.

According to a report by ACTION United’s West Philadelphia chapter, neighbors in the vicinity of the school, located at 57th and Spruce Streets, have complained about litter, trespassers and drug activity in the schoolyard during nights and weekends. They are calling for more street lights and a lot light to be installed around the property, for a more consistent security presence and for better fencing to be constructed along the Frazier Street side of the property.

“Hamilton and the other public schools are important, valued institutions in our community,” says Chinara Bilaal, an ACTION United member. “School district and city officials need to ensure they are safe places for children to learn and play.”  Continue Reading

                      Photo Fringearts.com

FringeArts has big plans for our area this year. The organization, which hosts the Fringe Festival, a celebration of creativity and innovation in contemporary performance every September, wants to create a vibrant festival feel in multiple neighborhoods across the city and this year they’re focusing on West Philadelphia.

FringeArts hopes to be able to use he festival to leverage the power and skills that artists have in activating a neighborhood.

As Fringe Festival coordinator Jarrod Markman put it, “we would love to have an explosion of art in West Philly this year.” So FringeArts is seeking new artists and venues in the area.

“I know there are a ton of artists out in West Philly and we would love to have them use our platform to gain exposure and connect with the larger arts community,” Markman wrote in an email. “We are looking for artists of all sizes and mediums. Artists that perform for friends in their backyard to artists that put on larger events at venues. We are looking for painters, event curators, DJ’s, dancers, digital artists, etc!”

An open call for artists is launching today, March 1. Interested artists can find more information here.

FringeArts also would love to add more West Philly venues to their list – big and small. More information can be found here.

This Thursday, FringeArts representatives will hold a brainstorming session with leaders and artists from West Philadelphia at The Rotunda, from 11 a.m – 12 p.m. If you’re interested to participate, please contact Jarrod Markman at jarrod@fringearts.com

The 2016 Fringe Festival will be held September 9th – 24th. For more information about FringeArts, visit their website: fringearts.com.

Photo from Phillywatersheds.org

Neighborhood residents are invited to learn more about the Philadelphia Water Department’s Rain Check program at Garden Court Community Association‘s general meeting, which will take place this Wednesday (March 2) at Mosaic Community Church (51st and Sansom).

Rain Check is a program that helps residents manage stormwater at their homes. All participants will receive a free rain barrel and can also sign up to have a downspout planter, rain garden or porous paving installed at a reduced price. Rain Check supports Philadelphia’s Green City, Clean Waters program which is working in neighborhoods across the city, adding green features to keep excess stormwater out of sewers.

Other perks of the meeting include dinner (provided by GCCA) and the opportunity to connect with neighbors.

Dinner with neighbors starts at 6:15 p.m., and program presentation is at 7 p.m.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are planning to attend the event please register at this link.

Photo from Unitedbyblue.com

Each year, United by Blue, a Philadelphia-based urban-outdoor apparel and home goods brand, organizes cleanups of and around various waterways. To date, they have cleaned over a quarter million pounds of trash across 23 states and 2 countries.

On Tuesday, March 1, the company, which recently opened a store at 3421 Walnut Street, is hosting its annual Schuylkill River cleanup at Bartram’s Garden, where volunteers from local universities, businesses, environmental groups and neighbors of Bartram’s Garden will get together to remove a winter’s worth of trash.

Volunteers will be supplied with water, gloves, bags, and compete for prizes. All participants are invited to City Tap House-University City immediately following the cleanup for free pizza and drink specials.

The cleanup will take place from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., and volunteers will meet near the parking lot at the top of Bartrams Garden (5400 Lindbergh Blvd.), to the left of the Welcome Center.

For more information and to sign up for Tuesday’s cleanup, go here.

We’re in the middle of the tax season, and this year income-eligible individuals and families can get free tax preparation services at more locations.

Just like in the previous years, United Way and Campaign for Working Families (CWF) are hosting free community tax sites around the city, including West Philadelphia. The sites are offering free tax preparation and e-filing services to families who earned less than $54,000 in 2015 and to individuals with an income under $20,000.

The following CWF sites will be open through April 18, 2016 and will serve qualified individuals on a first-come first-served basis:

ACHIEVEability
59 N 60th St.
Tues. & Thurs. – 9am-7pm
Sat. – 9am-1pm

Drexel University Dornsife Center
3509 Spring Garden St.
Mon., Weds. & Fri. – 9:30am-3:30pm
Sat. – 9:30am-1:30pm

WPEZ Tax Site (Parkwest Town Ctr – old Anna’s Linens)
1575 N 52nd St. #701
Tues. & Thurs. – 10am-7pm
Sat. – 9am-3pm

Mount Pisgah A.M.E. Church
428 N 41st St.
Mon. – 2pm-7:30pm
Fri. – 10am-2pm
Sat. – 9am-3pm  Continue Reading