• The building that houses the bar Watusi II at 45th and Locust is for sale and it looks like it will be the end of an establishment that has had sometimes tumultuous relations with its neighbors over the past 20 years. According to the Philadelphia Revenue Department, $67,472 in back taxes is owed on the building at 232 S. 45th St. The four-story, 4,600-square-foot building, which includes upstairs apartments, was listed for sale three weeks ago for $635,000. The building is a former boarding house and the sale includes the Watusi II’s liquor license and long u-shaped bar. Serious renovation would be required on the upstairs floors.

The Watusi II reportedly closed several weeks ago after a neighbor complained of code and zoning violations. The building is owned by Noel Karasanyi, who also owns the Watusi I at 46th and Walnut and the New Third World Lounge at 49th and Catherine. Back taxes are owed on all three properties, according to City records. Karasanyi, who fled Uganda in 1973 and whose home address is in Yeadon, also faces several lawsuits from the City. Complaints about excessive noise and trash have been made by many living near all three places for many years.

• Further north on 45th Street, a small pharmacy is opening in the small strip of shops on the 100 block of S. 45th. We don’t know much about this one yet, but it appears that it will be opening soon.

• Many of you will be delighted to know that Guacamole, the Mexican restaurant many have waited a long time for, opened today at 4612 Woodland Ave. The restaurant is a welcome addition to the cluster of shops on that block of Woodland, which includes Four Worlds Bakery and the Whispering Leaves tea shop. The restaurant has about 18 seats and will feature a cooking style from central Mexico. Our trusty reviewer is chomping at the bit to get to this place so look for a story later this week.

• Finally, talk about the Subway opening at the old Pickles and Pies (and many things before that) location at 4533 Baltimore Ave. has heated up in recent days as the Spruce Hill Community Association Zoning Committee prepares its decision for the City zoning authorities (a decision which in the end is not binding). During this discussion, a rumor surfaced that another chain restaurant, Domino’s Pizza, was interested in the old Philadelphia Federal Credit Union Building and small parking lot, which is on the triangular strip of land hemmed in by Baltimore Avenue, Cedar Avenue and 46th Street. We have confirmed that report. Domino’s was interested, but has so far failed to get the required zoning variances.

Former Pickles & Pies storefront. (Photo West Philly Local)

A deal is in the works to bring a Subway franchise to 4533 Baltimore Ave., the former site of Pickles and Pies. Franchise representatives reportedly shared plans with members of the Spruce Hill Community Association last night.

No zoning variance is required for the location, but there is a Zoning Board of Adjustment hearing scheduled for December.

Barry Grossbach, who handles zoning issues for the Spruce Hill Community Association,  said that the Subway franchise has applied for a takeout certificate, which is required of any restaurant. The Subway will likely have limited seating.

“Our zoning committee is still discussing the application for a take out certificate,” said Grossbach by e-mail. “[A zoning hearing] is scheduled for December 21st. We expect to have a decision before then.”

The zoning hearing will likely be at the regular ZBA spot – 1515 Arch St., 18th Fl.

 
Developers unveiled plans to community members last night to transform the squatters’ paradise at 49th and Locust, the Croydon Building, into a 127-unit apartment building.

The Croydon has been an eyesore rising to the west of the West Philadelphia High School football field for years and was the site of 2007 murder. Extensive renovation work on the building, budgeted at about $10 million, could begin as early as late winter. The developers, the West Philly based Orens Brothers, still must get zoning approval, which is expected in January. Orens Brothers bought the building in July.

About a dozen community members perused plans last night during a public meeting at the Community College of Philadelphia’s West Regional Center at 48th and Chestnut. The renovation will include street lighting around the building, which will help light up the section of Locust Street on the building’s north side. Orens Brothers is interested in renovating the small blighted playground adjacent to the Croydon at the corner of 49th and Spruce, possibly turning it into a community garden. The School District of Philadelphia currently owns that piece of land.

“If we’re going to make the Croydon look like this,” said Scott Orens, pointing to an artistic rendering of the renovated building. “We don’t want something next to it looking like that.”

The renovated building will include one-, two- and three bedroom apartments and the market-rate rents will range from about $600 for a small one-bedroom to $1,300 for a three-bedroom. Amenities will include a 24-hour door person.

Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell has supported the Orens Brothers’ efforts to acquire the building, which should help facilitate the zoning process.

“I really don’t think we could have asked for a better organization to do this,” she said.

One resident, who lives on St. Bernard Street, voiced some concern about Orens Brothers’ plans to acquire the city-owned parking lot on the south side of Spruce Street to use for Croydon parking. She is worried that the cars parked in the lot during services at nearby churches will be forced to park on St. Bernard, which she says won’t be able to handle the additional traffic.

Orens Brothers sought to acquire the lot after community members during a meeting over the summer said they were concerned about the possible influx of cars that might accompany the renovation of the Croydon.

The Croydon has a checkered history. Known by squatters as “Paradise City,” the building’s rooftop was the site of a murder in 2007 after a squabble between two squatters. The school district was also briefly interested in acquiring the building as a site for the new West Philadelphia High School, but instead built on a nearby site at 49th and Chestnut.

Design consultants and city officials unveiled plans last night for long-term bike and pedestrian improvements that could include upgrades to the intersection of 50th and Baltimore and more bike lanes on West Philly streets.

The preliminary plan, which is the second phase of an overall evaluation and improvement of Philadelphia’s bike and pedestrian infrastructure, recommends bike lanes for Chestnut Street from 34th Street to the Cobbs Creek Parkway, a separated bike lane on Belmont Avenue and the conversion of Pine Street to a “bike friendly” street from 39th to 57th.

Some recommendations are minor and include the painting of streets, while other are very ambitious, including the possibility of installing “cycletracks” – a bike-only lane sandwiched between the sidewalk and the street on major thoroughfares like Walnut Street.

“One of the downsides is that it would take more of the parking off the streets,” said Dan Goodman, a senior planner at Toole Design Group, the firm assembling the plan.

The plan’s recommendations are based on field research conducted over the past year on streets throughout West Philadelphia. Data collectors examined pedestrian and bike traffic from Greys Ferry to City Avenue and from the Schuylkill River to Cobbs Creek Parkway. Their tentative plans, including maps, will soon be available here.

Last night’s meeting was the second in West Philadelphia this week. Both are part of the community input phase of the project. Later this fall and winter, Toole Design Group will review community recommendations and come up with a final plan to submit to the city. Phase one of the plan, conducted in 2009 and 2010, saw vast improvements to bike and pedestrian facilities in Center City, including 200 miles of new bike lanes and “bike friendly” streets.

But just because recommendations are in the plan does not mean they will be carried out. As with most improvements in Philadelphia, politics will play a big role – at least for the major improvements such as new bike lanes that could affect traffic flows and parking.

Small improvements, though, are usually included in the city’s paving plans. Steve Buckley, the city’s deputy commissioner of transportation, was at last night’s meeting to answer questions about whether many of the proposed improvements will ever see the light of day.

“Do we think every single piece will be implemented? We can’t guarantee that,” he said. “Right now we are looking for low-cost improvements that can be done with paint.”

One problem is that the city has far less paving projects scheduled than it has in the recent past because those funds have been designated for other projects like installing accessibility ramps at street corners to meet federal guidelines.

One low-cost recommendation at the meeting was repainting some of the existing bike lane borders to make clear to drivers that they are for cyclists. Buckley agreed.

“We have not committed enough money to those kinds of refreshers,” he said.

He recommended reporting fading lines to the Streets Department.

Possible improvements to the block of Baltimore Avenue include a mid-block crosswalk for pedestrian traffic crossing over to Cedar Park.

Toole Design is still accepting comments from residents for a couple of more weeks. Contact them here.
 

West Philly bicyclists and everyone else who cares about biking in our area are invited to make their voice heard at two public meetings/open houses organized by the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. The first meeting is tomorrow, Oct. 11, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Myers Recreation Center (5803 Kingsessing Ave.); the second one is Wednesday, Oct. 12., from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Penn’s Fisher Fine Arts Library (220 S. 34th Street, 4th floor).

At the meetings, there will be an opportunity to learn about the City’s plans for biking and walking in West Philly. Also, it’s a good chance to let the City know what residents think about the plan, to ask questions and share your concerns. Click on the flyer for more details.

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Philadelphia office will move from its Center City location at 16th and Callowhill to West Philly by the end of 2012.

The new office will be located in 2.0 University Place, a new University Place Associates LLC’s five-story building at 30 N. 41st St. where it will occupy the first three floors (53,000 of the 97,000 square-foot space). The 15-year, $26 million lease was negotiated by building leasing and the US General Services Administration reps. The building is currently under construction.

University Place Associates founder Tom Leonard told The Philadelphia Inquirer, “they looked at what was available in Center City, didn’t like it, and broadened their (search) to West Philadelphia.”

“This will be a much nicer facility,” he added.

Located at the foot of the University City Science Center, the building will feature an extensive green roof with a 20,000-sf rooftop park, high-efficiency HVAC systems, open floor plans with 90 percent natural daylight, ‘gray water’ recycling systems that utilize rainwater to operate restrooms, onsite bicycle racks, changing rooms, and car sharing facilities among other things.