Dick Clark’s death yesterday will no doubt prompt loads of stories and television programs chronicling the legacy of American Bandstand. West Philly residents can experience that legacy first-hand.

American Bandstand started in 1952 in a studio at WFIL (which became WPVI, “6ABC”) located adjacent to the EL tracks at 4548 Market Street. The nondescript, cream-colored building now houses The Enterprise Center and other non-profits. The only reminder of its past is the small American Bandstand historical marker out front and the massive satellite dish on the roof.

The building was one of the first designed specifically for television broadcasting.

This Saturday, the Enterprise Center will open to the public the original American Bandstand studio, “Studio B,” which contains photos and memorabilia from the show. Although the studio appeared much larger on television, it is only about 3,300 square feet. The show was broadcast from Philadelphia until 1964 when it moved to Los Angeles.

This Saturday the studio will be open for visits and tours from Noon-3 p.m.

The Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) recently acted on two disputed West Philly development proposals. The ZBA approved a developer’s proposal to turn the long-empty Apple Lofts Storage building at 780 S. 52nd St. into a 112-unit apartment complex. But it denied the proposal to convert the adult video store near 43rd and Chestnut into a state Wine and Spirits Shoppe.

The Apple Lofts project, which required a rezoning from industrial to residential, garnered wide support from many residents and businesses nearby. Dozens of letters in support of the project, proposed by Iron Stone Strategic Capital Partners, came into the ZBA. Those in favor included the Cedar Park Neighbors Association and community radio station WPEB. That support outweighed the opposition, which was orchestrated by the Community Achievement Association (CAA). The CAA, as the City Paper recently reported, is essentially one person – West Philly resident Shawn Kelly.

Kelly submitted a thick file of petitions and community meeting minutes to the ZBA. Concerns included an increase in surrounding residents’ property taxes and the environmental hazards, including the disruption of toxic soil at the site.

Meanwhile, the ZBA denied the proposal to convert Risque Video (pictured), the largest storefront in a strip mall at 43rd and Chestnut, into an “upscale” liquor store. Many West Philly residents supported the proposal because of the closing of a Wine and Spirits Shoppe at 4049 Market Street earlier this year. That closure has put considerable customer pressure on the remaining local shop near 49th and Baltimore.

The Spruce Hill Community Association last month tentatively supported the proposal with the stipulation that the 5,000-square-foot space be converted to an “upscale” store.

But many Muslim residents who live near the location oppose the proposal. The plaza also includes a halal restaurant and butcher shop. The Masjid al-Jamia mosque is a block away on 43rd and Walnut.

This is not the first time the ZBA has rejected a plan for a liquor store in the area. In 2007 the ZBA rejected an application for a liquor store near 43rd and Walnut – across the street from Masjid al-Jamia – after vocal opposition from Muslim residents.

But this one might not be over. The ZBA is currently reconsidering the denial after an appeal.

Since the summer of 2009, members of Riders Against Gender Exclusion (RAGE) have been organizing against SEPTA’s use of gender marking stickers on their weekly and monthly TransPasses that were designed to prevent heterosexual spouses from sharing passes. The stickers, they argue, make commuting difficult and dangerous for riders whose gender identifications don’t match the stickers on their passes, and have produced countless incidents of gender-presentation based harassment and unjust confiscation of passes.

On Thursday April 12, SEPTA General Manager Joe Casey announced that SEPTA plans to remove the gender stickers from all monthly transit passes by 2013. “A fare policy proposal will be submitted to SEPTA’s board of directors that includes this change beginning in the second half of 2013,” reported Max Ray, founding member of RAGE and West Philadelphia resident. “We thank SEPTA for doing the right thing,” continued Ray. “New fare system delays may be unavoidable, but SEPTA realized that human rights can’t wait. I’m proud of the tremendous amount of work that the transgender community has put into this project and all we’ve accomplished during this campaign.” West Philadelphians have been heavily involved in the organizing work that produced this groundbreaking victory – Robin Markle, Wren Warner, Victoria White, Ray Murphy, and Nico Armador to name just a few.

“On a personal level, the victory is meaningful to me because I think there are so few examples of trans people who are doing grassroots organizing and direct action on trans issues,” said founding member Nico Amador.  “I think that the success of this campaign isn’t just about getting the gender stickers removed, but also about sending a message that trans people don’t have to wait for the legal system or social workers to change things for us, we can do it ourselves.”

– Emma Eisenberg

Mariposa Food Co-op celebrates its new store at 4824 Baltimore Avenue with a Grand Opening ceremony, and a day of food, special sales & sampling, and fun for the whole family this Saturday, April 21. The ceremony will feature Congressman Chaka Fattah and other special guests.

Mariposa has been open to the public for shopping in its new location at 4824 Baltimore Avenue since March 17, and the response has been great. “Since our initial opening, we’ve had 151 new members join, bringing our member count to over 1,300,” says Mariposa’s Marketing and Outreach Coordinator Chakka Reeves. “This event is our way of thanking the many people and organizations who made our expansion possible.”

During the ceremony, Fattah will talk about the National Cooperative Development Act, legislation that calls for increased support for cooperative businesses to encourage economic growth and job creation. Mariposa expansion, Reeves says, “has created eight new jobs and leveraged $2.5 million into the local economy.”

The Grand Opening ceremony will take place from 11-11:45 a.m. The special sales and samples will be throughout the day and there will also be an opportunity to sign up to become Mariposa Food Co-op members. For more information on how to join Mariposa, call 215-729-2121 or go to http://www.mariposa.coop/join.

A group of West Philly residents who patrol their neighborhood from 47th to 49th Streets between Baltimore and Kingsessing will receive a commendation tomorrow for their help in catching a phone thief recently.

Patty Bulack, Charles Hamilton and Bruce Dorpalen, who are active members in the 48th Street Neighborhood Town Watch, will receive commendatory letters from Penn’s Department of Public Safety. All three were crucial in the apprehension of a man wanted in connection with the April 8 knifepoint robbery of a Penn student at 42nd and Spruce. A cell phone was taken in the incident. An arrest warrant was issued for a man that the Town Watch group spotted the day before in their neighborhood. When they spotted him again the following night they alerted police.

Here is a description of their actions from an e-mail posted by Bulack on the group listserv:

Last night Bruce, Charles and I went out on our usual 9 to 10 pm walk through the neighborhood. During that walk, Officer Vallette texted me to tell me that there was a warrant out for the arrest of the young man that we had seen on Saturday because of an investigation involving details of the knife point robbery that pointed directly to him. As we were walking south on 49th St. between Windsor and Springfield, he passed us on the sidewalk going north and Charles knew it was him. After calling 911, we called Officers Olesik and Vallette, and Olesik came and picked up Charles to continue finding him. They did find him on 48th St at Larchwood, with the phone he had taken.

Soon after they apprehended the suspect, Hamilton’s wife went into labor and police drove him to the hospital, where his son was later born.

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