The Millcreek Tavern at 42nd and Chester Ave. will soon be gone and a five-story, 42-unit residential building aimed at students could soon take its place.

Developers pitched a preliminary plan to the Spruce Hill Community Association zoning committee on Monday night for the building, which would require variances for height and number of units. Representatives of Core Development told the committee that they purchased the building about 10 days ago, are in the “very early conceptual stages” and have yet to apply for the variances.  Continue Reading

The non-profit owners of the Arvilla, an affordable housing building on the 4500 block of Osage Avenue, insisted on Monday that they will go through with the sale of the building despite pleas from some residents and neighbors.

Representatives of Mission First Housing Group, one of the largest providers of affordable housing in the city, said during a Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA) zoning meeting that it can’t afford the necessary renovations required to maintain the 14-unit building and will go through with a sale that will likely convert the building to market-rate apartments.

“The costs of modernizing the building are much higher than we can cover,” Mission First’s Director of Business Development Mark Deitcher said. “We have to pull the plug on the building because of the capital needs of the building.”  Continue Reading

UPDATE: Cedar Park Neighbors (CPN) will hold a monthly community zoning meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 18, beginning at 7:30 p.m. One of the proposals to be discussed at the meeting is Spirited Tattooing Coalition’s move to 4912 Baltimore Ave. from their current location at 4918 Baltimore. A zoning variance is required for this application because the proposed use of the space is prohibited within 500 feet of a school, public park, churches, and residential district.

Spirited Tattooing Coalition opened in 2015.  Continue Reading

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This holiday season, some West Philly businesses and organizations are holding drives to support neighbors in need. Earlier this month, we announced the annual Holiday Basket Drive organized by Cedar Park neighbors. You can still donate or volunteer for this event. Please go here for more information.

On Tuesday, Dec. 18, the Nesting House’s West Philly shop, located at 45th and Baltimore, is hosting a holiday toy drive for kids in a local Women Against Abuse shelter. Please bring an unwrapped toy or book to the store and enjoy a holiday music concert and play group. The event begins at 4 p.m. (see the flier for more information).  Continue Reading

Community residents will have a chance to learn more about two development proposals during a Spruce Hill Community Association Zoning Committee meeting on Monday, Dec. 17, including the proposed sale of an affordable housing building.

The two main agenda items are:

7 p.m.: A development proposal to replace Millcreek Tavern at 42nd and Chester with residential housing will be discussed. This is not an official zoning meeting, just a presentation of intent with an opportunity for neighbors to offer comments and ask questions.  Continue Reading

The proposal to convert the Provident Mutual Insurance Co. site at 46^th and Market into a healthcare campus hit a major roadblock on Thursday when Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell halted a vote on legislation that would have allowed the city to sell the property.

The move followed a contentious public meeting in West Philly on Tuesday where several community members spoke against the proposal, which the city selected this summer after a bidding process. Criticisms included the low sale price of $10 million and a lack of transparency in the bid selection process.  Continue Reading