“Gray Area” cards a meant to start a frank discussion about historic preservation.

The Mantua neighborhood is going to see a lot of change in the coming years. Community groups in the neighborhood – which is bounded by the 31st Street to the east, 40th Street to the west, the Powelton Village (and Drexel University) neighborhood to the south – are moving fast to make sure they have a voice in the change.

So is Drexel University. Students are increasingly moving into the Mantua neighborhood because of the cheaper rents. The neighborhood is also part of the federal “Promise Zone.”  Mayor Michael Nutter recently promised to “bring back Mantua.”  Drexel officials recently announced that the university will build a “Penn Alexander style” K-8 education complex on the site of the shuttered University City High School. That will push up nearby real estate prices, much as the Penn Alexander School did in the Spruce Hill neighborhood.

The talk around Mantua and nearby neighborhoods is: What will the neighborhoods look and feel like in 5 or 10 years and how can current residents have a say? Here are a couple of upcoming events that will help focus that discussion:

• Creative Neighborhood Redevelopment, tonight (Thursday, March 13), 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Mantua Haverford Community Center (631 N. 39th Street).
A discussion about how artists can spearhead creative neighborhood redevelopment within their local communities. Guest speakers include Rick Lowe (Project Row Houses, Houston), Kyong Park (Los Angeles/Detroit), and Transformazium (Braddock, Penna). Temple Contemporary organized this event. Register here.

• Gray Area “Cards,” Wednesday, March 19, 6 p.m.at Monica’s/St. Andrew’s Church (3600 Baring Street).
The card game is a way to promote discussion and “provocative thinking” about old neighborhood buildings. This game is focused on the Gray Area focal point, Hawthorne Hall at 3849 Lancaster Avenue. More info is available here.

Editor’s Note: We chose not to publish the name of the teenager involved in this case. We take into account the severity of the crime, whether they are charged as an adult and a suspect’s previous record when we make that decision.

Police arrested a 16-year-old early after he tried to rob an undercover police officer at gunpoint near 47th and Springfield on Monday night. The teen also confessed to a string of recent robberies in the neighborhood, according to police.

Police say four undercover officers were patrolling (two on foot and two in an unmarked car) on 47th Street when a male started following one of the officers at about midnight. Near 48th and Springfield, the young man came up behind the officer, “put a silver handgun to his head” and shouted “Give it up. Just give it to me. Give it to me,” according to a police report.

The officer handed over an iPhone and as the young man pulled the gun away from his head, the officer hit it with his elbow, knocking the gun to the ground.

According to the police report:

“The male … began to struggle with the officer by punching and kicking him. They fell to the ground where the male continued to kick and swing at the officer until the other officers came to his assistance and were finally able to get the male into custody.”

The officer was treated for cuts at Mercy Hospital and released.

Although the gun looked authentic, it was a replica that did not fire, according to the report.

The male, whose name we are not publishing, was charged with assaulting a police officer and robbery.

Police say that the male also confessed to three other robberies on Sunday and Monday in the neighborhood, including one at 45th and Spruce, with two other teens.

Police listed the teen arrested during the robbery of the police officer as living on the 1300 block of Ellsworth Street in South Philly. He had no previous record.

Attention actual/would-be/wannabe filmmakers: International House Philadelphia (3701 Chestnut) and the Sundance Institute are hosting a half-day seminar on making short films this Sunday, March 16.

The Sundance Short Lab Philadelphia includes Sundance-organized panels and discussions to offer first-hand insight into a bunch of different aspects of short filmmaking, including story development, production and working with a cast and crew.

The Short Lab is aimed at anyone involved in filmmaking – writers, directors, producers, actors and crew members. It runs from 10 a.m. to about 4 p.m. at the International House and it’s FREE. Info on tickets is available here.

Presenters include:

• Director/editor/producer Cherien Dabis
• Writer/filmmaker Madeleine Olnek
• Writer/director/photographer Carter Smith

If you’re looking for some filmmaking inspiration beforehand, you might want to get to the International House’s presentation of short films from the National Film Board of Canada, which starts at 2 p.m. Saturday. More info on that here.

As Philadelphia City Council budget negotiations begin to heat up, so are public school activists.

For more information on the proposed budget and what might have to be tweaked to get adequate funding for schools (including an extension of the 1 percent increase in the city sales tax beyond July), go here, here or here. Also, info on education and the state budget is here. Needless to say, school funding in both budgets will be a sticking point and public school advocates are getting ready.

Here are a couple of ways to get involved:

• The groups Public Citizens for Children and Youth, Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia and  Education Voters of Pennsylvania have planned a “Day of Action” on Thursday, March 13 to pressure City Council members to extend the city sales tax increase. They are meeting on the 4th floor of City Hall at 9 a.m., noon and 3 p.m. Community members are encouraged to stop by.

• Parents from the Penn Alexander School and other West Philadelphia community members are holding an “education advocacy planning session” on Thursday, March 20. The meeting will include an overview of information on the district’s budget deficit, city and state funding sources and instructions on how to call and visit elected officials. The meeting is at 5:30 p.m. in the Penn Alexander cafeteria. Enter through the doors near the blacktop on 43rd Street between Locust and Spruce.

• If you’re on Twitter, another good way to keep up with school news is by search #PHLed.

A film crew from the television show How to Get Away (that’s what the flyer says, but we’re wondering if it’s How to Get Away with Murder) will be shooting in the area through March 28. They are asking people to heed the temporary “No Stopping” signs that are (or will be) posted along the following blocks on the following dates:

• East side of 42nd Street, from Locust to Spruce – Wednesday, March 5 through Friday March 28 at 7 p.m.

• Both sides of 42nd Street from Locust to Spruce, south side of Locust Street from 40th to 42nd and north side of Spruce from 40th to 42nd – Today (Tuesday, March 11) at 10 p.m. until Thursday, March 13 at 8 a.m. and Sunday, March 16 at 10 p.m. through Wednesday, March 19 at 8 a.m.

Notes placed on car windshields in the area read:

“We are guests in your neighborhood and will do everything to minimize any disturbances caused by our presences. If you have any questions or concerns about deliveries or handicapped access, please contact Joshua Clarke at 843-408-3486.”

He also might be the guy to call if you get towed.

Editor’s note: A neighbor wrote us yesterday to describe a mugging at 48th and Florence on Sunday night. She agreed to let us print her account, minus her name. She has reported the incident to police.

I was told I should let you all know about this so that others could be on the lookout. Last night at [about 11:30 p.m.]. I was mugged at 48th and Baltimore right outside of Gold Standard walking down Florence Ave. [She] was a short (5’2″ or shorter) middle-aged African American woman wearing a dark knit cap and a blue or black heavy coat. She initially approached asking for fare to get to 69th and Market. When I wouldn’t go along with her story she got mad and threatened my life, claiming to have a weapon. I didn’t see one and she may not have had one, but I figured it wasn’t worth the risk and gave her my empty wallet. She tried to use my debit card at a CVS, I’m not sure which one. It got flagged by fraud prevention and I canceled all of my cards. Hopefully people will keep on the lookout for this person. She also had very bad teeth. If you need anything else, please let me know. Also, if you could please not print my name or identifying details, I would appreciate that.