The developers of the proposed residential building at 4224 Baltimore Avenue are seeking residents’ input on the project through a series of community engagement meetings, with the first one scheduled on Monday, May 20, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. at International House of Philadelphia (South America Room, 3701 Chestnut St). The goal of the meetings is to come up with alternative design plans for the proposed apartment complex to be built on the large vacant lot at the corner of 43rd and Baltimore.

Vacant lot at 43rd and Baltimore where the new apartment complex is proposed.

Clarkmore Group LLC, the property owner, has obtained a conditional zoning permit for the 92 residential unit building, six parking spaces and 36 bicycle parking spaces. The proposed plan had received mixed reviews from the community, including comments by West Philly Local readers after our first article on this subject.

Clarkmore Group LLC is working with the Spruce Hill Community Association, which will coordinate the community engagement process that will include three meetings in total (we’ll post more details about the other two meetings when this information is available). At the meetings, community members can learn more about the project, meet the project team and work with it on a number of focus areas, including the building design, transportation and retail mix.

More details on this project and its stakeholders are available here.

If you live in the area between Market Street and Woodland Avenue and between 38th and 46th Streets (see map here) read on. For a limited time, the Spruce Hill Community Association is offering new members the first year of membership for free, no strings attached. Upon request from SHCA we are publishing their official statement regarding the membership drive:

SHCA is dedicated to serving the community, and we want you to get involved with us. We work on issues that matter – education, zoning, clean-ups, neighborhood plans, public safety. We put on great events like the annual May Fair and the Halloween Parade. And our communications keep members in the loop about community news and events.

To apply, please email Richard Guffanti at RichGuffanti@yahoo.com with your name, address, and phone number(s).

For more information about SHCA and what it does, visit the Spruce Hill Community Association website.

Here’s some exciting news: Clark Park is hosting two big events in May – the annual Spruce Hill’s May Fair on Saturday, May 11 and Clark Park Party on May 18. Both events will be packed with fun activities for adults and children alike, music, food and vendors. We’ll let you know more about the details a little later, but for now here are a couple important messages from the event organizers.

Vendors at Spruce Hill May Fair. (Archive photo)

Mark Wagenveld of the Spruce Hill Community Association, who coordinates vendors at the May Fair, sent a note that there are still some slots available for vendors. Especially welcome are artists and crafts persons from West Philadelphia who are making unusual things. Also, groups that want to promote their cause, and businesses, especially unusual start-ups. Tables are $35 for those selling, $25 for non-profits. SHCA provides a table and chair for the day. The fair will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Interested persons or businesses should e-mail Mark by May 1 at: ma.wa@verizon.net

Michael Munson of The Thrive Fitness and Wellness, who’s in charge of field day events this year during the Clark Park Party, is seeking volunteers for the following  events and activities:  the 3 legged race, potato sack races, some fun fitness games, exercises and much more including face painting. Ideas and suggestions are welcome, too. If anyone has kids who would like to join in the fun (young or old) please let Michael know. Also needed: face paint, potato sacks, a rope for tug-o- war and maybe more. If you would like to volunteer, donate or for more information, please email Michael at: thrivefitnessandwellness@gmail.com

Spruce Hill residents are invited to attend a second meeting to guide future development decisions in their community. This Action Planning Workshop will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 27, at the Wilson Student Center on the campus of the University of the Sciences (42nd & Woodland).

The session will again be led by Jennifer Hurley, a professional planner hired by the Spruce Hill Community Trust. Residents will be asked to confirm their community vision, brainstorm about ways to make it a reality, and plan next steps.

This meeting follows up on one in December that drew an unexpected turnout of about 90 people who were asked to indicate their likes and dislikes about directions that development could take in Spruce Hill. Hurley has taken that material and pulled it together in a presentation that may be viewed on the Spruce Hill Community Association’s website.

The Spruce Hill neighborhood boundaries run from Market Street to Woodland Avenue, 38th Street to 46th Street.

For more information about the planning workshop, contact Barry Grossbach, chair of the trust, at b.grossbach@gmail.com or at 215-349-7825.

About 90 people participated in the first meeting about the future development of the Spruce Hill neighborhood. (Photo from Spruce Hill Community Association’s Facebook page).

Here’s an opportunity to share your vision of the Spruce Hill neighborhood this upcoming Thursday (Dec. 13). The Spruce Hill Community Association is hosting a Community Visioning Workshop and all are welcome to come and offer their thoughts on what kind of a place you would like Spruce Hill to be. The workshop will be held at the Spruce Hill Christian School (42nd & Baltimore), beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Community input is needed for the planning process as the Philadelphia Planning Commission is working on a new District Plan and Re-zoning for West Philadelphia neighborhoods (University/Southwest District Plan). Many West Philly residents participated in the first University/Southwest public meeting on November 13 at the Enterprise Center. More details, including the summary and presentation from that meeting are available here.

For more information on the workshop, contact Barry Grossbach, chair of the Spruce Hill Community Trust, at b.grossbach@gmail.com, or leave a telephone message at the Spruce Hill Community Center, 215-349-7825.

Update: Service was restored to all the affected residents just before midnight last night.

11/28, 5:48 p.m.: About 930 residents lost their power on Tuesday night, shortly after 11:00 p.m., in the Spruce Hill and Garden Court areas due to an issue with an underground cable at 49th and Spruce Streets, according to PECO spokesperson Liz Williamson. Service was restored to about 865 of those residents by about 2 a.m. Wednesday morning.

There are currently 65 residents in the vicinity of 49th and Spruce Streets without service. “PECO has already contacted those customers to let them know that we are working to replace the underground cable in their area and that their service may not be restored for several hours while we make repairs,” Williamson said at about 5 p.m.