60th and Chancellor Streets redevelopment project rendering (courtesy of WPRE)

A large-scale redevelopment project has been proposed for the site of the former Imperial Ballroom building at 215-19 S. 60th Street and other nearby properties that will include construction of affordable housing, new community and event spaces, and a new public park or parking lot.

The basic project description so far is as follows, according to the developer, West Philadelphia Real Estate (WPRE):

• New construction of 30 affordable housing units along S. 60th Street and the 5900 block of Chancellor Street.
• New construction of three ground floor community spaces at 221, 225 and 227 S. 60th St. These spaces will be rented for nominal consideration ($1) to non-profit community groups who provide services to benefit the 60th Street Corridor / Cobbs Creek neighborhood. Continue Reading

A rash of thefts from USPS mail collection boxes, first reported at the end of last year, continues to be a problem in some West Philadelphia neighborhoods, according to media reports. Thieves have recently broken into unidentified mailboxes, stole checks, and fraudulently cashed them for thousands of dollars, according to a report by CBS Philly. The amount in one of the stolen and cashed checks was changed from 40 dollars to 3,000, according to the report.

Thefts from USPS mailboxes have been occurring mostly in and around the zip code 19143, sometimes multiple times from the same mailbox. Last December, neighbors reported mailbox break-ins and thefts of checks, DVDs and letters/forms containing some personal information from mailboxes in Garden Court, Spruce Hill and Cedar Park neighborhoods in West Philly. Continue Reading

A demolition permit has been issued for the former Fit Gym building at 4415 Chestnut St. The building will be demolished to make room for a new five-story 40-unit residential building as part of the Philadelphia real estate company Orens Brothers’ redevelopment plan for the 4400 block of Chestnut. The new building will include ground-floor commercial space, a “green” roof, and 14 bicycle spaces in an accessible route, according to the building permit issued in March. Continue Reading

Businesses along 52nd Street have had a challenging couple of years, and a new initiative launched on Tuesday to help rejuvenate this vital commercial corridor just in time for the holiday season. The Enterprise Center is teaming up with Wells Fargo on their “Hope, USA” initiative to make improvements for small businesses along 52nd Street and enhance the streetscape.

Improvement projects include painting buildings, power washing sidewalks, installing holiday lighting displays, refreshing signage, and more. On Tuesday, at least 50 volunteers and tradespeople – all minority contractors – worked together on the South 200 block of 52nd Street (see photos). They engaged in activities such as electrical work, painting, carpentry, general cleanup and power washing, construction of decorative planters, and other construction work. Continue Reading

The Philadelphia Streets Department’s 2021 Philly Leaf Recycling Program has officially kicked off today, Nov. 8 and will run through Saturday, Dec. 18. The program helps reduce the amount of materials that reach the waste stream.

There are several opportunities for residents to participate in the program:

Bagged leaf drop-off: During the six-week program, bagged leaf drop-off will be offered city-wide on the following Saturdays at 13 specially designated locations from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

November 20
December 4
December 11
December 18 Continue Reading

Photo from www.schuylkillbanks.org

Work has finished on the newest segment of the Schuylkill Banks Trail, which runs from 56th Street to the vicinity of 61st Street in Southwest Philadelphia. The new trail segment extends Schuylkill Banks an additional 1,800 feet south and includes 1.6 acres of greenway, a large riverfront platform for fishing and community events, awesome views of the river and the Philadelphia skyline, lighting for nighttime use, benches, lawn areas, and newly planted trees and flowers.

This project is the first phase of a larger, eight-mile riverfront trail extension project that will eventually extend to Passyunk Avenue. Schuylkill Banks is a project of the Schuylkill River Development Corporation (SRDC), a non-profit organization, and the City of Philadelphia. SRDC is working to revitalize the Schuylkill River corridor from the Fairmount Dam to the Delaware River. Continue Reading