An artist’s rendering of 4306 Market St. The city approved the adjacent building to the right in October.

The 4300 block of Market Street, which includes a Checkers, some vacant lots and a handful of row homes, will likely look completely different by next summer.

A proposal for a six-story, 22-unit apartment building at 4306-4310 Market St. met with a favorable reaction from the Spruce Hill Community Association zoning committee on Monday. The building would be fit in between a cluster of existing row homes and another building, 4312 Market St. that was approved last year. The two projects are related.

The proposal would combine three lots into one for the building (one is the former site of the Dirt Factory). The proposed building would include 13 two-bedroom apartments, 5 one-bedrooms and 4 three-bedrooms. No information was available on proposed rent prices, but developers said the apartments would be “higher end” and not aimed at students. There are no affordable housing units proposed as part of the project, which several zoning committee members asked developers to reconsider.  Continue Reading

After more than five years of operation, The Farmacy, the popular brunch spot at 45th and Spruce, has closed. The restaurant closed at the beginning of the month, and “For Rent” signs have been displayed in the windows since then.

The owners, local chefs Ross Scofield and Danielle Coulter, want to focus on their new restaurant in New Jersey, according to Foobooz.  Continue Reading

Due to sleet expected in the area throughout Monday night and early Tuesday morning, all public schools will open Tuesday, Feb. 12 on a two-hour delay, according to an announcement by the School District of Philadelphia. All buses will also begin their morning routes two hours later than their normal time.

Parents and caregivers are asked to be patient as some yellow bus routes may experience moderate to significant delays Tuesday morning due to road conditions. Families can also visit the Bus Status Page on the School District website to see if there are additional delays for their child’s bus route.  Schools will dismiss students in the afternoon on their normal schedules.

All District-operated early childhood programs will also open on a two-hour delay. After-school activities, including athletic programs and professional development sessions set for Tuesday, will continue as scheduled.

Several art statues representing what appears to be the 1950’s lifestyle have been spotted on Market Street near 48th. The statues were placed on an empty lot near construction business T Depaul & Sons, but it doesn’t appear that they belong to it. Check out the photos sent to us by reader Shepard Ritzen:  Continue Reading

Multiple injuries have been reported after a packed SEPTA Route 13 trolley was struck by a paratransit vehicle late Tuesday morning. The incident happened near the intersection of 41st Street and Chester Avenue at around 11:30 a.m., according to reports, after a collision between a CCT Connect paratransit bus and another car.

At least 31 people were injured in the incident, according to a report by NBC10 Philadelphia. The drivers of the vehicles involved in the collision were taken to the hospital, and their condition is currently unknown. None of the injuries sustained by the trolley passengers are considered life-threatening, according to reports.  Continue Reading

Free tax preparation sites have opened around the city helping individuals and families earning less than $55,000 per year to file their 2018 taxes. The sites are run by the Campaign for Working Families. This year, there are a couple of new tax preparation sites in West Philadelphia. Most sites serve customers on a first come, first served basis, but some require an appointment.

The following tax preparation sites are open in West and Southwest Philadelphia:  Continue Reading