A large building project has just been completed in West Powelton. A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place Wednesday for Bigham Leatherberry Wise Place, a new affordable housing project, which includes eleven units. A vacant lot and an existing structure at 4226-32 Powelton Avenue were transformed into the homes, seven of which are for formerly homeless women with special needs and their children. The housing includes six two-bedroom and five three-bedroom units, two of them will be fully accessible to people with disabilities and one will be accessible to individuals with sensory impairments. Bigham Leatherberry Wise Place also features a courtyard containing a rain garden and a large rear yard.  Continue Reading

Fire officials are investigating the cause of a fire that broke out early Thursday morning at Café Renata (4305 Locust St.), sending one woman to the hospital.

The woman, who has not been identified, lived in an apartment above the café and suffered from smoke inhalation. She was listed in stable condition this morning. Café Renata was heavily damaged in the fire, which firefighters brought under control after about 30 minutes. The U Do We Do Laundromat next door to Café Renata also suffered some damage but was open this morning.

Café Renata co-owners Kate Steenstra and Yasser Aiq rent the space for their restaurant. It was not clear this morning when it might reopen.

Vacant lots in some parts of Philly are suddenly a hot commodity, meaning that the makeshift community gardens that residents have tended, sometimes for years, are disappearing. One that is in a fight for its life right now is the garden adjacent to the Ahimsa House on the 5000 block of Cedar Avenue.

Photo from the Ahimsa House’s Facebook page.

The property at 5005 Cedar was vacant until earlier this year, when a developer snatched it up just before it was to go up for sheriff’s sale. The likely buyer in that sale would have been Meg Ferrigno, who runs the Ahimsa House next door at 5007 Cedar, a community space focused on environmental sustainability and community mindfulness. A couple of years back the Ahimsa House began cultivating vegetables on the vacant lot and started a program to help students at nearby Samuel B. Huey School learn how to grow food.

“My neighbors helped shovel over a ton of compost mix onto the lot so we can grow organic veggies and fruits and have the space be 100 percent lead-free,” said Ferrigno in an e-mail. “The garden provides food for anyone who wants it and it provides a point of human-nature connection for our neighborhood. Everyone can plant, compost and harvest and we simply keep track of what is where on the chalkboard on the side of the house.”

As the owner of an adjacent property, Ferrigno had been advised to request that the property be put up for sheriff’s sale. The last owner died in the 80s, she said. But just before the sale a developer bought the property, brought the taxes up to date and then sold it to another developer for $62,000. That developer is willing to sell it to Ferrigno, but for no a dime under $80,000.

So now the fundraising has begun. Ahimsa House raised nearly $5,000 in a recent Indiegogo campaign. Now they have a GoFundMe campaign, which you can find here.

Once the garden is purchased back, Ferrigno plans to place it into a land trust. You can talk to Ferrigno about the garden by e-mailing ahimsahousephilly@gmail.com or calling 215-488-7772.

– Mike Lyons

Shakespeare in Clark Park is looking for young performers for this summer’s production of The Winter’s Tale. The production requires young singers, dancers, puppeteers and actors (ages 5 to 15). An information session will be held Wednesday, March 11 at the University City Arts League’s second floor meeting room (4226 Spruce St.) at 6:30 p.m. Attendance at the meeting is not required to audition.

Speaking of auditions … those will be held this Saturday, March 14, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Curio Theatre (48th and Baltimore). “Bring a song if you sing, or your instrument if you play,” the audition call reads. “Or just bring yourself and come tell us a joke! No experience necessary — just the willingness to play.”

For more information, check out the Shakespeare in Clark Park website.

Photo courtesy of Clark Park Youth Soccer League.

It’s hard to believe it, but youth soccer in Clark Park resumes in less than three weeks. The Clark Park Youth Soccer League‘s (CPYSL) spring season begins on Saturday, March 28, and registration is now open for children ages 5-11.

Since this is a low-cost program designed for local families of all socio-economic backgrounds, volunteer help is essential for its success. Just like in the previous seasons, CPYSL is seeking volunteer coaches for this spring. Here’s more information from the CPYSL’s online page:

“Clark Park Youth Soccer is a completely volunteer-run program. Parents and other adults are invited to join CPYSL as a coach or assistant, or to help with the administrative work of running the program. If you’re interested in coaching or volunteering in any fashion, email clarkparksoccer@yahoo.com.”

More information about the program and volunteer opportunities, can be found at: www.friendsofclarkpark.org/activities/youth-soccer

UPDATE (12:05 p.m.): The Philadelphia Inquirer‘s Aubrey Whelan is reporting that two viewings will be held for Officer Wilson. The first will be held at the Francis Funeral Home at 5201 Whitby Avenue from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday. Another viewing is scheduled from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Saturday at the Palestra on Penn’s campus (235 S. 33rd St.) followed by a funeral service at 10:30 a.m.

State Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams, Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, and Neighbors of Cobbs Creek will host a candlelight vigil for slain Philadelphia Police Officer Robert Wilson III, who was raised and lived in the Cobbs Creek neighborhood of West Philadelphia. The vigil will take place on Thursday, March 12 at the basketball court on 61st Street and Baltimore Avenue, beginning at 7 p.m.

Wilson served in the 22nd Police District in North Philadelphia and was murdered last Thursday while making a security check at a Lehigh Avenue business.

The Philadelphia Police Department and Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 have established a GoFundMe page for Wilson’s family. Click here if you would like to contribute.