The city has eliminated the new requirement that block party applicants visit a local police district to get a pre-approval form. The Streets and Police Departments will now manage this step of the application process.

“Block parties are an integral part of Philadelphia’s identity and help to build community,” Brian Abernathy, the first deputy managing director, said in a statement. “This current change is our latest effort to improve efficiency and streamline the application process.”  Continue Reading

Demolition of the 19th century church at 43rd and Chestnut is well underway, and a large residential apartment complex is reportedly in the works to replace it.

A New York based firm, registered as 4233 Chestnut Street LLC, bought the 131-year-old Christ Memorial Reformed Episcopal Church property in June for a whopping $10.5 million, according to city records. The 37,000-square-foot property is zoned CMX-4, which allows multi-story apartment buildings.  Continue Reading

Neighborhood residents (especially homeowners) may find this workshop very useful. A free Will and Estate Planning workshop, hosted by Cedar Park Neighbors and the Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law, will take place on Thursday, Oct. 4, at 6:30 p.m. at Calvary Center for Culture and Community (48th and Baltimore).

The workshop will cover simple wills, living wills and powers of attorney and will answer questions related to home ownership in case of the owner’s death or a serious illness when you can’t speak for yourself. Attendees are also welcome to sign up for a free one-on-one follow-up meeting at Drexel University to write their actual documents.

More information about the workshop is available here. You can also RSVP on Facebook.

The Fall edition of Go West! Craft Fest, featuring wares by 100 local makers, live entertainment and food, will be held this Saturday, Sept. 29, at The Woodlands (40th and Woodland). You can shop all day (11:00 a.m. to 5 p.m.) for unique and creative stuff, including artisan jewelry, ceramics, home wares, clothing, cards, candles, soaps, scents, sweets, toys, tinctures, treasures, and works of art. The full list of vendors and their offers can be found here.

And here’s the schedule of live performances:

12:00 p.m. – The Ludlow Five
1:00 and 2:00 p.m. – Philly Con Sabor
1:15 p.m. – West Philly Foot Tappers
2:15 p.m. – The Foxy Doxies
3:00 p.m. – Tangle Movement Arts
4:00 p.m. – Vessna Scheff  Continue Reading

Mayor Jim Kenney speaks on Thursday at the opening of the Trolley Portal Gardens near 40th and Baltimore. (Photo by West Philly Local).

As trolleys screeched by, Mayor Jim Kenney was among the dignitaries who spoke Thursday at the opening of Trolley Portal Gardens, the public space near the trolley stops at 40th and Baltimore. Kenney, whose mayorship is defined by balancing the “old” Philadelphia of open fire hydrants and block parties and the “new” Philadelphia of “eds and meds,” said the new space balances both.

“This is the ‘old’ Philadelphia and the ‘new’ Philadelphia,” he said. “This is where we’re going.”  Continue Reading

Trolley Portal Gardens, the development project transforming the 40th Street Trolley Portal into a more welcoming public space, has been completed, and this Thursday, Sept. 27, the public are invited to a grand opening. The event will be held from 5 – 7 p.m. and will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony with city and state representatives, including Mayor Jim Kenney and Senator Anthony Williams, as well as speakers from University City District, SEPTA and business owners.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony will begin at 5:15 p.m. and will be followed by an open house and refreshments. The event is free and open to the public (you can RSVP here).  Continue Reading