Residents are invited to a Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA) Zoning Committee meeting on Monday, Feb. 12 to learn more about the residential complex proposed for green space on Penn’s campus next to Walnut Street West Library on 40th Street (see rendering). University of Pennsylvania announced plans for the new, 250,000-square-foot undergraduate college house in the fall.

While zoning is not in question for this development, according to SHCA Zoning Committee Chair Barry Grossbach, current law requires that this project be brought to the convening RCO (Registered Community Organization) prior to submission and review by the Committee for Design Review at the city Planning Commission. Representatives from the Penn’s offices of architecture and management will be present to discuss the project.  Continue Reading

Photo from Kol Tzedek Facebook page.

Community members have a chance this Friday to show their support for our Muslim neighbors outside of a local mosque, the site of last week’s anti-Muslim protest. The event, titled “Stand with Muslims”, is organized by Kol Tzedek synagogue and the West Philly Coalition Against Islamophobia. It will take place from noon to 1 p.m. at 43rd and Walnut where Masjid al-Jamia mosque is located.

“Last week there was a small but very disturbing Islamophobic protest outside Masjid Al-Jamia, the mosque at 43rd and Walnut, during Friday prayers,” reads a Facebook post by Kol Tzedek dedicated to the event. “Please join Kol Tzedek and the West Philly Coalition Against Islamophobia to show our support for our Muslim neighbors and stand in solidarity with them.”  Continue Reading

The tax filing season has begun, and this is a reminder that qualifying individuals and families can take advantage of free tax preparation and filing sites throughout the city, including in West and Southwest Philadelphia. The sites are run by the Campaign for Working Families (CWF) and serve families and individuals earning less than $54,000 per year.

CWF’s community based tax sites are offering such services as e-file, direct deposit, public benefits applications, and more. Their services allow families to maximize federal and state tax credits, including the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Most sites serve customers on a first come, first served basis, but some require an appointment.  Continue Reading

The Eagles Super Bowl Parade will be held this Thursday (Feb. 8). Please note the following road closures in the University City area and city service changes due to the parade.

The following streets will be closed to vehicular traffic on Thursday, Feb. 8, from 12 p.m. until approximately 9 p.m.:

• I-76 on and off ramps to 30th Street and South Street
• Streets surrounding 30th Street Station
• Spring Garden Street Bridge
• JFK Boulevard Bridge

Residential trash and recycling collection will be suspended on Thursday, but will resume on Friday, delayed by one day for the rest of the week.  Continue Reading

SEPTA will be offering free rides on the Broad Street and Market-Frankford Lines before and during the Super Bowl victory parade on Thursday, Feb. 8. SEPTA will also make significant service adjustments, including limited stops on Regional Rail for service to-and-from Center City.

The parade will begin at 11 a.m. at Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, continue north on Broad to City Hall, and then onto the Benjamin Franklin Parkway toward the Philadelphia Museum of Art. To better control crowds with available personnel and to allow for more efficient service, SEPTA will consolidate stops on rail lines. Regional Rail will operate inbound-only in the morning and outbound-only after the parade.  Continue Reading

It’s summer camp sign-up time already. A West Philly staple, Lavner Camps and Programs, is offering an expanded selection of specialty day camps for kids ages 6 to 15 on the University of Pennsylvania campus.

The program, which is accredited by the American Camp Association, has expanded over the last few years and now offers over 35 summer enrichment camps in sports, technology, the arts and education at 12 Philadelphia Metro area locations and 21 locations throughout the United States – in New Jersey, Delaware, New York, Maryland, Washington DC, St. Louis, Nashville and Los Angeles.

One of the first camp locations was the University of Pennsylvania, which hundreds of campers enjoy each summer.

“We started with a tennis camp geared towards junior tennis tournament players. We had lots of top ranked players in Philadelphia, Middle States, and the United States,” says Lavner Camps founder and CEO Justin Lavner, who grew up in the Philadelphia area and is a Penn graduate.  Continue Reading