The little building at 4610 Cedar is coming down. (Photo by West Philly Local)

The small building that sits on the west side of the triangular parking lot at 4610 Cedar Ave. (near Baltimore) is finally coming down and it looks like a three-story building will take its place.

Fencing has been erected around the building, which most recently was a temporary branch of the Philadelphia Federal Credit Union, and the work should be completed by the end of the month, according to signs. A permit issued in November 2013 allows for the demolition of the current structure and the construction of a three-story building. The property is zoned for commercial and residential uses and is owned by the Bay Lay Song Family Trust, which is headed by members of the Lai family (who own the Vietnam Café at 816 S. 47th St., among other properties).

The building has been many things over the years (A West Coast Video, cheesesteak place, dollar store, gas station) and two businesses – Domino’s Pizza and Philly Flavors ice cream –  expressed interest in the property over the last couple of years. Both plans fell through.

The Philadelphia SPCA is now offering monthly low-cost veterinary clinics at Drexel University’s Dornsife Center (3509 Spring Garden). The first clinic is on Monday, May 11, from 2 – 6 p.m. See the flier below for more information.

Rendering of The Porch 2.0 (courtesy of UCD).

The Porch, the public space by the 30th Street Station, will soon get some new features and upgrades, including new landscaping design, custom-made swings, and a permanent food and beverage concept, University City District (UCD) announced this week. Rendering for The Porch 2.0 has also been released and suggests that the space, which replaced a large 30th St Station parking lot in 2011, will become greener.

UCD is collaborating with urban landscaping firm Groundswell Design Group on space redesign. The new design features include a series of tiered wooden platforms, intermingled with planters and vine canopies that “offer a variety of comfortable and intimate spaces for people to sit and enjoy each other’s company, savor the food and drink, or simply lounge and linger.”

San Francisco-based Gehl Studio will create several custom-made, brightly-painted wooden swings designed exclusively for the Porch. The swings are expected to add to user enjoyment of the space.

Finally, chef-restaurateur Michael Schulson has been invited to develop a permanent food and beverage concept for The Porch, which includes a parked food truck with a specifically designed and newly installed rotisserie. Rotisserie at The Porch will serve lunch seven days a week, and there will be a beverage trailer that will offer beer and liquor options Wednesdays-Saturdays from 4-9 p.m. By the way, revenue from the Rotisserie will benefit UCD’s West Philadelphia Skills Initiative (WPSI) program.

The new features are expected to be unveiled this spring.

Clarkville restaurant and bar is expected to open at former Best House Pizza space at 43rd and Baltimore in Fall 2015.

Here’s an update on Clarkville, the bar and restaurant planned for Baltimore Avenue across from Clark Park, from co-owner Leigh Maida. The lease for the former Best House Pizzeria space at 43rd and Baltimore was signed in November, and the building owner is still working on renovation and repairs, according to Maida. The renovation work is now expected to be completed early next month, after which Maida and her partners will take possession of the space and start setting up their restaurant.

If everything goes according to plans the restaurant should be open in very early fall, says Maida.

In the meantime, Maida and her partners, Brendan Kelly and Brendan Hartranft, who also own Local 44, are busy working on the menu and getting as much of the details “buttoned up” in advance of taking over the space as possible. By the way, the name of the new restaurant is just Clarkville without “Beer” after it as was reported earlier. “We’ll have a pretty nice draft wine list at Clarkville, as well as a very steady flag-ship centric craft beer list,” Maida says.

The restaurant also inherits a giant pizza oven and dough mixer that came with the space. “Those items will be put to use immediately in the preparation of a pizza-like offerings,” Maida said in an earlier statement.

Finally, check out Clarkville’s storefront rendering below.

Here’s a roundup of some of the latest news and events in the area.

First Lay Principal for West Catholic Preparatory High School

James P. Gallagher

The Office of Catholic Education of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia (OCE) has recently announced the appointment of Mr. James P. Gallagher as Principal of West Catholic Preparatory High School in West Philadelphia effective July 1st. He is the first lay principal in the 98-year-old history of the school. Mr. Gallagher’s appointment follows the January 2015 announcement that Sister Mary Bur, IHM, will retire at the end of the 2014-2015 academic year after 21 years as principal and 27 total years of service to the school.

Mr. Gallagher holds his Masters of Education Degree in Curriculum, Instruction, Technology, and Education from Temple University. He has taught for several years at Lingelbach Elementary School for the School District of Philadelphia and most recently has worked as an Instructor of Teaching Social Studies in the Elementary Classroom at Saint Joseph’s University.  Continue Reading

Café Renata owners Kate Steenstra and Yasser Aiq (archived photo).

Great news for Café Renata regulars and everyone who appreciates good coffee, enjoys food with Mediterranean flavors and supports local businesses: Nearly two months after the devastating fire that shut down the popular café’s storefront at 43rd and Locust, owners Kate Steenstra and Yasser Aiq are sharing the news that they are reopening their business at a new location – the former Subway restaurant space at 4533 Baltimore Avenue. Last month we reported that the space that had been vacant since December was available for rent.

The new lease was already signed, and Katie and Yasser’s plans are under way at full speed to get up and running again. They have started moving their equipment to the new location and upgrading the space.

Morning after fire at Café Renata at 43rd and Locust.

It wasn’t an easy decision for Renata owners to give up Locust St that worked great for them. However, after considering the pre-existing structural issues with the building that were exposed by the fire, the amount of time they had left on their lease and the timeline projections on rebuilding that space that their previous landlord gave to them, they decided that the best option for them and their customers was to give Renata a new long term home.

After the fire a lot of support poured in for Renata owners from the community members and local businesses. A fundraiser for Renata took place in March at The Bar(n) on Baltimore.

“The easy part for us was deciding that there was no way we were going to quit all together. And that 100% came from all the support and encouragement that our customers and neighbors showed us after the fire. We couldn’t have asked to be in a better neighborhood. We’d like to thank everyone for all their continued support, it means so much to us to be a part of this great community!” Katie wrote in an e-mail.

We’ll keep you posted on an opening date, which is expected this summer.

Café Renata is relocating to the former Subway restaurant space at 4533 Baltimore Avenue.