The City Council rules committee will hold a public hearing tomorrow (Wednesday, Oct. 16) on an ordinance that will change the zoning designations on a handful of properties, including a controversial parcel near 51st and Spruce where a developer wants to build a 33-unit apartment complex.

The ordinance (PDF) would change that property – 303 S. 51st St. – from a CMX-2 zoning designation, which allows apartment buildings and ground-floor commercial, to RSA3. An RSA3 designation would require builders of anything but a single family home to acquire a variance from the city, which requires community input.  Continue Reading

Third Thursdays this Fall it’s Karaoke Night at The Bank (3750 Lancaster Ave.)! Sing your way into the weekend with friends and your favorite hits. Free! 21+ BYOB. RSVP here.

The West Park Apartments towers (Photo by West Philly Local).

The city is selling two public housing towers in the West Park Apartments complex near the 46th Street El stop, renovating a third and building new low-income homes on the site.

The Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) will use proceeds from the sale of two towers and an undisclosed amount of “increasingly valuable land” to fund the renovation of the third tower and build more modern homes (low-rise apartments and townhomes) for low-income residents, according to a statement.  Continue Reading

A Tangle Movement Arts performance at West Craft Fest at The Woodlands (Archived photo).

Tangle Movement Arts, the aerial dance theater company that has been a fixture at West Philly events like the West Craft Fest for 10 years, is moving into its own digs and it needs a little help.

The move requires rigging the new space for aerial performance. That means working with a structural engineer and a rigging specialist to safely design and hang their trapezes and other circus arts equipment, along with purchasing the gear itself.  Continue Reading

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Forty-two crimes were reported in the University City area in September and nine arrests were made, according to this month’s UCD Crime Update. The number of robberies and armed robberies was down in comparison to the report published in April 2019, but the number of thefts from automobiles remained high since May.

Three gunpoint robberies were reported last month – at 49th and Hazel, 43rd and Chester and 32nd and Powelton (see map). An arrest was made in the Powelton robbery. Unarmed robberies took place at 41st and Walnut and 38th and Market, according to the report.

As for car break-ins and thefts from cars, 14 cases were reported in September in the area, and two arrests were made. There were also seven reports of stolen vehicles.  Continue Reading

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Curio is kicking off its 2019-2020 season with a celebration. Founded in 2005, the Baltimore Avenue based theatre company is throwing a Prom to celebrate their 15th Anniversary. Curio wants to celebrate their friends and collaborators with one magical night of dancing, drinking, and memory making.

So, on Saturday, Oct. 19, head to Holy Apostles and the Mediator Church (260 S. 51st St.), where Curio’s Prom Night will be held from 7:30-11 p.m., to celebrate the anniversary and the new season with Curio. Please wear your best Prom look – it can be from any decade, anything from taffeta sleeves and lace, poodle skirts, to bare midriffs. There will be booze, snacks, music, and plenty of photo-ops. And maybe even a prom court.  Continue Reading