City Council voted this week to change the 10-year tax abatement that has helped spur development in West Philly and elsewhere.

The abatement, which has been in place since 2000, exempted property improvements from taxes for 10 years, making property value increases on big improvements, like ground-up rehab or construction, virtually tax free.

Under the bill passed on Thursday, the tax abatement on residential properties would start at 100 percent and decrease 10 percent per year. The modified abatement will go into effect on Dec. 31, 2020.  Continue Reading

City Council passed legislation on Thursday changing the zoning on West Catholic High School’s parking lot at 46th and Chestnut, clearing the way for a seven-story apartment building.

Proposed by outgoing Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, the bill passed after extensive negotiations between a group of West Catholic alumni and supporters of the school and the Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA). West Catholic wants to lease the land to a property developer to help fund renovations and provide scholarships for students. To make the deal financially attractive, the zoning had to be changed from CMX-2 to CMX-3 so that a developer can build a much bigger structure than is currently allowed.  Continue Reading

Thursday’s year-end City Council meeting has wide-ranging implications for several parts of West Philly.

The council will consider several bills from Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell that will change zoning in several neighborhoods, including a controversial measure in Garden Court. The bills would rezone swathes of properties during Blackwell’s last meeting as representative of the 3rd District.  Continue Reading

A TV camera sets up ahead of today’s official groundbreaking ceremony near 36th and Filbert. (Photo by West Philly Local).

Drexel University and the School District of Philadelphia officials broke ground today on a new facility that will house two public schools. The School District will lease the building from Drexel and the facility will house the Powel Elementary School (K-4), currently at 36th Street and Powelton Avenue, and the Science Leadership Academy Middle School (SLAMS), which opened in 2016 at Drexel’s Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships and recently moved into space at 3600 Market Street.  Continue Reading

Councilwoman-elect Jamie Gauthier speaking at the “State of University City” event on Wednesday (Photo courtesy of University City District).

City Councilwoman-elect Jamie Gauthier told University City District supporters, staff and board during a speech at the organization’s annual “State of University City” event that she hopes the economic success in the area around the University of Pennsylvania, Children’s Hospital and Drexel University reaches into struggling neighborhoods as well.

“As more cranes go up in this area,” she said to the crowd of developers, donors and supporters of the University City District. “I hope our residents farther out can participate in that growth.”  Continue Reading

Lobbyist, longtime Philadelphia politico and West Catholic alum Eleanor Dezzi, seated left, discusses the proposal to change the zoning on West Catholic High School’s parking lot at 46th and Chestnut to allow the construction of a large apartment building. Attorney Ron Patterson (also a West Catholic alum), standing, and real estate developer Jim Paterno are also part of the West Catholic group. Drawings of a possible design are in the background (Photo by West Philly Local).

The Spruce Hill Community Association zoning committee is considering a deal with West Catholic High School that would change the zoning on the school’s parking lot at 46th and Chestnut to make way for what could be a seven-story, 260-unit apartment building with ground floor commercial space.

The parcel is currently zoned CMX-2, which limits the height of the building. If West Catholic can secure a change to CMX-3, which allows for a much larger building, the parcel will become far more valuable to a potential developer.  Continue Reading