Mural Arts Philadelphia has partnered with DTLR, one of the stores that was looted during the civil unrest on May 31, to install “Messages of Hope” from local Black artists on its damaged storefronts around the city, including one on S. 52nd Street. Artists from the public art project Fill the Walls with Hope installed socially conscious artwork featuring powerful messages that aim to bring a sense of hope to the damaged storefronts.

DTLR, an apparel store, opened its Philadelphia flagship store near 52nd and Market last November. The location has remained closed since May 31. DTLR is planning to reopen this and other looted Philadelphia locations by the end of first quarter 2021.  Continue Reading

Students enrolled in any high school in Philadelphia, including homeschooled teens, can visit the Penn Museum free of charge this fall as part of a back-to-school initiative.

Free admission for students will be offered Tuesdays through Fridays, from 3-5 p.m.. Students will be offered a safe space during a critical after-school timeframe. They will also receive free admission on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Identification is not required, but teens will be asked by museum staff about their birth date, zip code, and the school they attend.

Students from any college or university are also able to visit the museum at no cost on Tuesdays-Fridays from 3 to 5 p.m. In addition, teachers can always visit the museum for free.  Continue Reading

The city has launched an Eviction Diversion Program to help tenants and landlords with payment arrangements during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program enables landlords and tenants to arrive at an agreement that works for both parties, without having to go to court. The program is a required process for all landlords with tenants who have had difficulty paying rent due to a COVID-19 related hardship.

This summer, the City introduced two phases of rental assistance, but doesn’t have enough funding to meet the overwhelming need.  Continue Reading

A mural dedicated to West Philly police officer Sgt. Robert Wilson III murdered in 2015 was vandalized over the weekend, according to reports. The mural, located at 60th and Baltimore, was spray-painted with anti-police slogans:

THIS. IS. A. DISGRACE. Sgt. Robert Wilson is a true Phila. hero who risked & gave his life to protect fellow Philadelphians. Do not insult the memory & service of real heroes who KNOW the real meaning of “Protect and Serve”. Disgust for the defacer! https://t.co/zo2KdoiJnq

— Michael A. Nutter (@Michael_Nutter) August 31, 2020

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Residents near a controversial proposed 30-unit apartment complex tucked down an alley of 51st Street near Spruce Street presented details on their opposition last night during an online meeting with developers, who committed to rethink the project.

A year in the making, the meeting between representatives of Callahan Ward and residents near 303 S. 51st Street, which housed an auto mechanics shop in the past, did not result in any specific concessions. But developers said they would modify the proposal to build 30 market rate apartments to include an unspecified amount or type of affordable housing and community space in addition to ground floor commercial.  Continue Reading

Callahan Ward, the developer behind the controversial luxury apartment building project planned in a back alley at 303 S. 51st Street, have agreed to meet online with community members more than a year after the project was first proposed. The firm’s decision comes after several public meetings and protests and the denial by the city of required permits.

The meeting will be on Thursday, Aug. 27 at 6 p.m. on Zoom. Project architects at Interface Studio Architects will also participate in the meeting.

The project would include 33 market-rate apartments and ground floor commercial space and can be built “by-right.” The building would be surrounded by the backyards of several adjacent properties, and the only access to the building would be through a narrow alley off 51st Street.  Continue Reading