Former Transition To Independent Living Center building at 4534 Spruce St.

Following up on Monday’s post about Mission First Housing Group’s decision to withdraw their application for zoning variance at 4534-36 Spruce St, which would allow them to build a four-story 24-unit affordable housing structure, we have some more information from Mission First and Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA).

Mission First had to withdraw their application because the “project was not allocated funding in the 2015 round,” according to Mission First’s spokesperson Becky Lang Staffieri. The project was contingent on state funding. Staffieri could not provide more details about the future of the property, but said that Mission First still owns it and are weighing their options on next steps.

According to SHCA Zoning Chair Barry Grossbach, opposition from at least one immediate neighbor may have contributed to the decision to withdraw the application. Mission First “sensed that the immediate neighbor was prepared to challenge any positive ruling by the zoning board in court, and they were not willing to withstand a protracted process that could stretch for months or longer,” Grossbach said.  Continue Reading

On Saturday, July 4, SEPTA Transit Service including bus, trolley and subway service will operate on a Sunday schedule. Regional Rail will operate on a Saturday schedule on Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4. On Saturday, additional service will be added on many lines to accommodate travelers heading to and from events in Center City. Planned service changes by mode include:

Market Frankford and Broad Street Lines

Additional trains will be added on each line beginning at 4:00 p.m. Saturday, providing service every 5 to 7 minutes through 1:00 a.m. on Sunday. Regular weekend “Night Owl” rail service will be in effect throughout the holiday weekend, providing trains every 20 minutes until 5:00 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. 15th Street Station on the Market-Frankford Line and City Hall and Race-Vine Stations on the Broad Street Line provide easy walking access to and from the Parkway.

Trolley

Additional trips on Routes 10, 11, 13, 34 and 36 will be added on Saturday evening headed to Center City before the concert and fireworks show on the Parkway, with additional trolleys departing Center City on each line after Parkway events end.  Continue Reading

Over the past 42 years, The People’s Emergency Center has served the West Powelton, Mantua, Belmont, Mill Creek and Saunders Park neighborhoods to provide comprehensive support services to homeless women and their children with temporary and permanent housing and services. The non-profit organization has invested over $57 million in quality-of-life improvements for West Philadelphia residents.

Kathy Desmond

The PEC board of directors appointed Kathy Desmond as the new president of the organization effective July 1. Desmond has been with People’s Emergency Center for two years but has previously served families in the area as CEO of BestNest for 14 years. She holds a Master of Social Work from Temple University. Desmond’s first order of business will include an analysis of where the organization stands and refining PEC’s strategic plan, to better serve the neighborhoods in the area.

We had the opportunity to speak with Desmond who shed light on what she intends to do in her new role.

– Do you have any ties to the areas that PEC serves?

I have worked for PEC for two years in several capacities in the social services department, focusing on serving mothers and children experiencing homelessness. In my previous role as CEO of Best Nest, a foster care support services agency, I did work with families in the neighborhoods served by PEC. I am excited to be in this new capacity at PEC, where I can impact all of PEC’s programs so that we can continue to nurture families, strengthen neighborhoods and drive change.

– How do you plan to improve services to the communities you serve?

PEC’s role in the community is to be an amplifier to the strengths and voices already present in Belmont, Mantua, Mill Creek, Saunders Park and West Powelton. PEC’s activities are currently guided by the resident-driven “Make Your Mark” neighborhood plan. We are particularly pleased that the planning process engaged and brought together the very diverse communities we serve, which we couldn’t have achieved with the leadership of the civic groups and residents in each of our neighborhoods, the creative implementation from Interface Studios, and financial support from Wells Fargo Regional Community Foundation.

Going forward, we are pledged to continue to work with our neighbors to build on the community’s assets and to amplify their voices to the institutions, agencies and market forces that impact where they live. As we develop PEC’s next strategic plan, our community development work will continue to respond to the issues raised in the “Make Your Mark” neighborhood plan, such as quality of life, education and increasing affordable housing stock. PEC’s work in these areas so far include the Bigham Leatherberry Wise Place development, the LISC-supported Financial Opportunities Center, and working with the Philadelphia Promise Zone collaborative.

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Photo from The Nesting House’s Facebook page.

The Nesting House, a local boutique that offers a mix of gently used kids clothes and items (ages newborn to 8), as well as new parenting items, baby registry and toys, will be opening a location soon at 4501 Baltimore Ave.

The first Nesting House store opened its doors five years ago in  Mt. Airy and there was a need to accommodate its growing customer base. West Philly has been in the running since the first expansion of the store (a second location opened in Collingswood, NJ two years ago after a spirited vote online as to where the next location should be), and the owners didn’t need another vote to make their decision.

“With Clark Park, Penn Alexander School, Milk and Honey, and Mariposa co-op nearby, the area boasts one of the ingredients for the store’s success – a neighborhood that creates a one stop shopping experience for busy families looking to support local businesses,” owners Jen and Chris Kinka said.  Continue Reading

Tonight’s 40th Street Summer Series performance by BalletX and drum group Kyo Daiko has been postponed because of the rainy weather, University City District (UCD) has announced. UCD is working with The Rotunda and the artists to attempt to reschedule the event. We’ll let you know if there is a new date.

How is everyone doing after the summer’s first severe thunderstorm? Reports are coming in of power outages in some parts of the city and outside of it, but so far no such reports in our area. SEPTA suspended service on all regional rails because of downed wires and tree limbs. The Route 10 Trolley was temporarily suspended due to a downed tree that blocked the rails.

This huge tree fell on the 4600 block of Osage Avenue within five minutes after the storm started, according to West Philly Local reader reports. The tree narrowly missed houses and parked cars, and luckily no one was hurt. A reader named Lisa, who took the photo, says there is some damage to her garden.