Saint Joseph’s University (SJU) is selling multiple properties on and near its University City campus (formerly University of the Sciences), after an unsuccessful bid to find a single buyer for the entire campus, according to reports.

Earlier this month, SJU put up for sale five properties, including the off-campus student housing building, Osol Hall, located at 510 S. 42nd Street. It has now added seven more campus buildings to this list, according to Philadelphia Business Journal, including the Athletic Recreation Center, the main parking lot and green area (the Quad), the Wilson Student Center, the Joseph England Library, Goodman, Hall and Alumni Hall. These properties have a combined assessed value of $58.45 million, according to Philadelphia tax records.

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SEPTA is planning to rename a popular West Philadelphia bus route. Beginning February 2025, the “G” bus will become Bus 63. The other lettered buses (H, J, L, R, and XH) will also change into numbers. Riders will get a chance to get used to the new name as SEPTA is planning to use both new numbers and old letters for a period of time.

SEPTA is planning these changes because it wants to use letters only for its Metro network – trains and some trolley routes: “L” for Market-Frankford Line, “B” for the Broadstreet Line, and “G” for Trolley Route 15. As for the other trolley routes, they are now numbered from 1 to 5 with “T” in front: T1 (Route 10), T2 (Route 34), T3 (Route 13), T4 (Route 11), and T5 (Route 36). These changes were introduced last year as part of SEPTA’s efforts to simplify its naming system, which is a part of the SEPTA Forward plan.

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Walnut Street bike lane near 44th St. (November, 2024). (Photo: West Philly Local)

There are some dangerously dirty bike lanes in West Philly. Philly Bike Action, a local organization that advocates for safe, protected bike lanes in the city, is hosting a Walnut Street bike lane clean up this Saturday, Jan. 18. Volunteer help is needed with trash pick-up and clearing weeds and debris. Materials will be provided, but you can bring your own if you wish. See the flyer below for more details.

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The Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) is planning green stormwater projects in the Cobbs Creek area of West Philadelphia and inviting community members to learn more about this plan and provide input at a public meeting, which will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 14 (see more info below).

The proposed projects in the Cobbs Creek neighborhood, called “West Philly Heat Relief,” are part of Philadelphia’s Green City, Clean Waters plan, which is reducing combined sewer overflow pollution in local waterways through the installation of neighborhood-based green stormwater infrastructure (GSI). Many of the GSI projects planned for Cobbs Creek will also increase the neighborhood’s tree cover, which will help residents stay cool in the summer months.

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UPDATE: UC Green will host their annual TreeCycle event on Saturday, Jan. 11 at Clark Park and Malcolm X Park:

Clark Park (4300 Baltimore Ave): 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Malcolm X Park (5100 Pine St): 1-3 p.m.

Suggested donation per tree is $5-$20. Trees will be mulched to help support local park trees.

The City’s Department of Sanitation will kick off its annual Christmas Tree Recycling Program on Monday, Jan. 6. The program offers residents various opportunities to dispose of their tree in an environmentally-friendly way. Recycled trees are sent to a vendor that chips them up as a bulking agent for composting.

While the program is running, residents may bring their Christmas tree at no charge to one of several designated locations or to a nearby sanitation convenience center.

In West Philadelphia, the designated drop-off locations include:

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UPDATE: Imani Ayala has been found safe! (We have removed the flyer)

The family of 14-year-old Imani Ayala, who went missing last week in West Philadelphia, is asking for the community’s help to find her. Imani was last seen on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, at 9 p.m. at her residence in the Mill Creek/Mantua area. She left home and was captured on RTCC Cameras at the 52nd and Market Street SEPTA Eastbound Platform. Since then, Imani has not been seen or heard from.

Imani is 5 feet 1 inch tall and weighs 165 pounds. She was last seen wearing a dark grey hooded sweatshirt, black pants, and sneakers.

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