The Fire Works (Photo from The Fire Works website)

As an independent journalist, sometimes working from home can feel isolating.

Sure, I have my cats and reruns of Dallas, but staying confined to my bedroom’s four walls while furiously typing away can induce pseudo-cabin fever. And setting up shop in a local coffee joint isn’t always better—while there’s activity buzzing around you, you’re still among strangers who may not be up for much conversation.

That’s why coworking spaces like West Philly’s The Fire Works, which recently opened above Dock Street at 701 S. 50^th Street, are a growing trend in the city. Coworking hubs give professionals without a permanent workspace an opportunity to be independently productive while building a like-minded, synergized community. It’s a win-win for most people.

For owner Linford Martin, The Fire Works is meant to achieve just that in West Philly. Opened earlier this month, The Fire Works is an enhanced version of a small coworking group that met in a studio at The Cedar Works—Martin’s 15,000 square-foot community-oriented work and meeting space at 4919 Pentridge Street. Martin approached the group in October about joining forces after Philadelphia Community Acupuncture vacated the third floor of the Dock Street firehouse at 50th Street and Baltimore Avenue, which is already home to neighborhood mainstays Dock Street Brewery, Firehouse Bicycles and the Satellite Cafe. The Fire Works, he said, would be a larger coworking community in West Philly built on their foundation.

“Over the past year, I got to know the group better and understand more about how coworking communities function and how important it can be for people working independently or remotely for an organization,” Martin told West Philly Local. “As we brainstormed about how what shape that might take, we got jazzed about the possibilities and decided to go for it. We didn’t (and still don’t) have everything figured out but we’re enjoying working in the space and having informal discussions about how to make this coworking community an enjoyable and productive place to work.”

So The Fire Works set up shop in the former PCA space, which was revamped to include a conference room, small meeting room, kitchenette and a shared work table in an open space accessible to members only. So far, members of The Fire Works include cartographers, activists, educators, web developers, musicians, and writers according to its website.

But coworking in the 2,000 square-foot hub isn’t free. The four levels of membership range from $60 a month for five days of access a month to $200 a month, which gives you 24/7 access as well as desk and storage space. If you want to use The Fire Works beyond your membership allotment, it’s $12 for each additional day.

Still, if you can afford to drop down the cash, The Fire Works is worth checking out—particularly for the chance to connect and collaborate with local creatives.

“As we’re beginning to grow and welcome new members, we’re realizing our coworking community is really an extension of our geographical community,” said Martin. “Most of us see each other around Cedar Park or surrounding neighborhoods and have interactions with each other outside our physical space. It’s been fun to see new connections happening already.”

–Annamarya Scaccia

There’s still a chance to see a brand new and amazing exhibition of portraits of African Americans by African Americans with connection to West Philadelphia. The “Finding Faces: A Century of African-American Portraiture” is an exhibition of a portion of a private collection of artworks presented in collaboration with the Diartspora Gallery, currently on display at the University City Arts League (UCAL). It is a special event celebrating “Black History Month.” The exhibition will run through Friday, Feb. 28.

A special reception will be held today, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Arts League (4226 Spruce St.), and collectors Michael Guerin and Katie Pfeiffer of the Diartspora Gallery will be on hand to discuss the origins of the art collected over a period of 20 years.

This is a powerful exhibition you don’t want to miss, according to the Arts League’s executive director Noreen Shanfelter. UCAL is grateful to the collectors for giving them this opportunity so they can share it with the community.

The show includes approximately 25 paintings, small sculptures and photographs and is curated by artist Douglas Witmer and award-winning photographer Lori Waselchuk. For more information and the gallery hours, visit: http://ucartsleague.org/.

The proposed building looking east near the corner of 43rd and Baltimore.

After a year of debate, planning, and collaboration, the zoning approval process will finally begin next month for the widely discussed and advertised development at 4224 Baltimore Avenue. The Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA) Zoning Committee has scheduled its first meeting in that process for Monday, March 3, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in room 101 of the University of the Sciences’ Rosenberger Hall on 43rd Street and Woodland Avenue.

During the meeting, U3 Ventures—the development team and liaison behind 4224 Baltimore Avenue—will review their progress and details of the project’s potential design, which they unveiled in late July at the last of three public meetings held throughout the 2013. The final development plan, established based on feedback from the community meetings, includes a proposed glossy 153,000 square foot mixed-use building with 108 residential units and retail on the first-floor—an alternative to the conditional zoning permit property owner Thylan Associates received in March 2013 for a four-story, 92-unit residential building with six parking spaces and no commercial space.

On March 3rd, the SHCA Zoning Committee will also consider zoning variances U3 Ventures is seeking in order to make this sizeable project a reality. According to the 4224 Baltimore Avenue website, there are two possible roads for U3 Ventures to take in obtaining permits for the alternative plan: either by receiving a zoning variance by the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) or adopting a land-use change ordinance issued by the City Council. The team hopes that, by having this meeting, they’re able to reach “a community consensus as to precise project scope and related project details” that will make choosing which approach to take a bit clearer.

Interested residents and stakeholders are invited to join the March 3rd meeting to both share their insights and ask questions about the plan, as well as offer comments regarding the variances sought by U3 Ventures.

–Annamarya Scaccia

Here’s a great opportunity for local youth this summer. West Philadelphia Financial Services Institution (WPFSI) is currently accepting applications for their WesGold Fellows summer internship program for current 10th and 11th grades in Philadelphia high schools. The internship covers topics of personal finance, college planning, career and personal development through college level instruction, field trips, networking with professionals and giving presentations (see flyer below for more information).

The application can be found on www.wpfsi.com, by calling 215-452-0100 or emailing: juliana@wpfsi.com. Application deadline is April 1, 2014.

West Philly is home to some talented folks. Check out this amazing, albeit not finished, snow sculpture created by neighbor Theresa Feo of the 900 block of S. 48th street, according to West Philly Local reader reports. Great work, Theresa!

There will be a regular trash collection today, despite the fact that today is a federal holiday, according to the Philadelphia Streets Department. Residents whose regular trash pick-up day is Monday are asked to set trash and recycling at the curb today. Please note that there will be no rear driveway collections this week.

Trash and recycling pick-up was suspended Thursday and Friday due to the snow emergency.