A rendering of Village Square at 36th and Haverford.

Redevelopment of a long-vacant site in the Mantua neighborhood, near 36th and Haverford, has received a green light from the city.

On Wednesday, Dec. 18, at 1 p.m., community members are invited to a celebration kicking off the redevelopment of the site. Mayor Jim Kenney, along with representatives from Lomax Real Estate, Mantua Civic Association, and Mt. Vernon Manor CDC, are also expected to recognize Councilwoman Blackwell’s service at the event, which will take place at West Philadelphia Community Center, 3535 Haverford Ave.

City Council passed legislation at its year-end meeting last week clearing the way for the project that put the finishing touches on the sale of the city land for a reported $1 million to a consortium of developers headed by Philadelphian Charles Lomax. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2020. Continue Reading

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

The City Council on Thursday passed a bill banning “single-use” plastic bags in the city.

The ban means that places like supermarkets, convenience stores, gas stations, take-out restaurants, farmer’s markets and even food trucks will have to either switch to paper bags or offer their customers an option to buy a reusable bag. A similar ban already exists in other cities, like New York.

If signed into law by Mayor Jim Kenney, the ban would go into effect on July 2, 2020.  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

The funeral of Monsignor Joseph J. Anderlonis, pastor of St. Francis de Sales Church, who passed away on Friday, Dec. 6 after a short illness, will be held on Saturday, Dec. 14. A viewing will take place in the church, at 47th and Springfield Ave., from 9-11 a.m., followed by a Mass at 11 a.m., with a reception to follow in the parish hall. All are welcome.

Anderlonis, 75, was appointed to his position as pastor of St. Francis de Sales in June 2016. Prior to that, he served for many years (from 1982 to 2016) as Pastor at St. George in Philadelphia.  Continue Reading