Reader Jared Brimfield, who lives on the 200 block of Melville, sent us the following email:

Garden Court boundaries map.

“I was reading your article today that showed the Garden Court neighborhood map. I’m a little confused because there seems to be some overlap between Garden Court and Spruce Hill. Below is the link to the SHCA map, which shows the west line of the neighborhood at 46th St. The GCCA map show[s] the east neighborhood boundary between 44th and 45th.
I have always identified my street (200 block of Melville) as Spruce Hill, but maybe I’m wrong.
Do you have any idea which is correct?”

Here is the article Jared was referring to. He also sent his question to both community associations and kindly shared their replies with us.

Spruce Hill map.

There is indeed an overlap between Spruce Hill and Garden Court. According to Garden Court Community Association’s (GCCA) website, 45th street is considered their eastern boundary. Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA) identifies 46th street as their western boundary. So, what neighborhood does one belong to if they live between 45th and 46th streets and between Locust and Baltimore/Cedar?

“The simple answer: both! Several of the community associations in W[est] Philly overlap (for a block or two) at the boundaries. And, it is completely fine to belong to one or more than one association,” says Jamie Gauthier, GCCA president.

“I agree. It is your choice,” said SHCA Board member Rich Guffanti.

If you live in the Garden Court neighborhood (see map), read on. Residents are invited to Garden Court Community Association‘s annual meeting this Thursday (June 18). The meeting will take place at Community College West, from 6 to 9:30 p.m and include the following agenda:

Old West Philly High School building at 47th and Walnut.

• Hear about progress on the development planned for the former West Philadelphia High School building. As you probably know, the former West Philadelphia High building is slated to become a 300-unit apartment complex with ground floor retail. A development of this magnitude will no doubt have a dramatic impact on the community. Come out to hear about the status of the project, and ways in which the developer, Andrew Banks, aims to engage community members.

• Vote in Garden Court’s 2015-2016 board. Come meet the nominees and exercise your right as a member to vote in the 2015-2016 board.

• Learn about GCCA’s latest happenings, from education to business district to zoning.  Continue Reading

Kids waiting for the Kingsessing pool to open in summer 2014. (Photo by Alex Lewis)

It’s hot out there, and we’ve been getting questions from readers about opening dates for local pools and spraygrounds. So here’s some good news: Philadelphia Parks & Rec announced today that public pools and spraygrounds will start opening on Friday, June 19, and openings will continue through July 1. The list and contact info for West Philly pools and spraygrounds can be found here. And remember that the pool season in Philadelphia is short; most pools will stay open only for two months or less.

By the way, Parks & Rec is still hiring lifeguards for this summer, and individuals 16 years of age or older are welcome to apply. For more information or to register, call the Aquatics office at (215) 683-3663 or email lisa.whittle@phila.gov. Also, visit this page.

The proposed apartment complex at 43rd and Baltimore.

After weeks of delays, the city has approved the proposal for a large residential building at the corner of 43rd and Baltimore that will include a large restaurant overlooking Clark Park.

The planned glass and brick building at 4224 Baltimore Ave., which has been two years in the making and has included a half-dozen community meetings, will include 132 units, a mix of upscale rental apartments aimed at young professionals and condo units for sale. It also includes 65 underground parking spaces and 50 indoor bike parking spaces.

The Spruce Hill Community Association zoning committee, the Friends of Clark Park and the University City Historical Society all approved the plan, but the Zoning Board of Adjustment, the city governmental body that reviews zoning variances, narrowly approved the project 3-2, according to Plan Philly. Opponents argued that the proposed building, which required a zoning change to include a five-story wing, would be out of character with the rest of the block.  Continue Reading

The first Open House for the 30th Street Station District Plan Open House took place on January 2 and was well attended. (Photo from phillydistrict30.com)

On Wednesday, June 17, there will be another opportunity to learn more about the 30th Street Station District Plan, a joint planning project for the area surrounding 30th Street Station. The second open house for the project will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. at the station’s Amtrak building (30th St entrance).

Nearly 300 people attended the first open house on January 28 and participated in a survey. This Wednesday, open house attendees can see results of the survey (click here for the summary).

There will also be opportunities to:

• Meet the project team
• Gain a better understanding of the plan
• View early design ideas and provide input
• Learn what’s next for the plan

The 30th Street Station District Plan is a joint effort by Amtrak, Drexel University, SEPTA, Brandywine Realty trust, and other public and private stakeholders. More information about the project is available at: www.phillydistrict30.com.

UPDATE (11:20 a.m.): An 18-year-old woman was robbed at gunpoint and pistol-whipped early Tuesday morning near 44th and Baltimore, according to police and reader reports. The robbery took place around 2:15 a.m. This report came from one of our readers, a close friend of the victim:

“…A friend of ours… was robbed at gun point around 2 a.m. this morning at 44th and [Baltimore]. She was with a female friend in Clark Park after having finished a shift at a local restaurant when two males approached her and demanded her bag. She resisted and one of the males “pistol whipped” her across her left arm, forcefully taking the bag. She chased the male who took her bag north on 44th st. [to 44th and Larchwood], screaming as she went, which woke my wife and I from our sleep. After the male got into a silver vehicle she came to our door, understandably upset and asking for help. We called local police who appeared to have already been notified by someone else in the community and they eventually took her to the station at 55th and Pine to make a statement to detectives.”

Police said that the male with the gun struck the victim about five times on her left arm during the struggle for her bag. The victim sustained lumps and bruises to the arm and was taken to the hospital for treatment, according to police.

Here’s the map of robbery reports in West Philly for the past two weeks (June 2-16, 2015). Note: the robbery described in this post is not included in the map.

Source: Crimereports.com