Today’s snowstorm has disrupted plans for many residents and some organizations and businesses in our area. West Philly Local already reported about public school closings announced by the School District of Philadelphia. As of 11 a.m. the somewhat heavy snow turned into light and it looks like we have avoided the mayhem this time. We haven’t heard of any business closings in the area, except for Firehouse Bicycles and Wolf Cycles (Facebook page). Libraries are open, too, and invite folks to stop by and bring their kids. If you hear of any other closings, please post them in the comments.

Erica Maust, Program and Communications Coordinator of The Woodlands Cemetery and Mansion, has sent a note that due to the snow, the gates to The Woodlands grounds will be open to pedestrians only today until 5 p.m. No vehicular traffic will be permitted through the gates to ensure the safety of visitors, monuments, and the site. The Woodlands welcomes visitors on foot to enjoy the snow and the beautiful views (see photo below, courtesy of The Woodlands).

Here’s another chance to save some money on your property tax bill – if you have owed and lived in your home since July 2003.

Homeowners have until Jan. 15 to apply for the Longtime Owners Occupancy Program, which is in place to help offset tax increases brought on by neighborhood development (some are calling it “gentrification relief”). If approved, the tax relief is good for 10 years.

Taken from city brochure on the LOOP program.

This offer is different from the Homestead Exemption offered earlier this year and you should apply whether you received that or not.

• You must own and have lived in this property as your primary residence since at least July 1, 2003.
• Your home is either a single family or a multi-unit property with no more than three residential units and one commercial unit.

• Your property has not received a tax abatement.

• The real estate Taxes on your property must be paid in full or you must be up-to-date on a payment plan (or have an application for a payment agreement pending).

• There is an income limit based on household size (see graphic).

Here is a brochure with more details about the LOOP program. The application is available here. The city says that applicants will be notified in March. Call 215-686-9200 with questions.

Due to the severe weather forecast, all School District of Philadelphia schools are closed for Tuesday, December 10. Early childhood and after school programs are also closed, the district announced. Administrative offices are open.

The general public and media are urged to monitor the District Web site at www.philasd.org for any updates. Updated information will also be posted on the District’s Information Hotline at 215-400-INFO (4636).

Many West Philly residents, especially kids, have been enjoying the first snow this season. Some residents are not very happy though, especially car owners. Prepare for more snow tomorrow – it can start falling as early as 7 a.m. and may be “unpredictable,” according to authorities. (Photos by Annamarya Scaccia).

A 38-year-old man was shot and abducted Sunday night near 49th and Springfield, according to various reports. Police say the man, a South Philadelphia resident, was driving in the area last night (around 10 p.m., according to a neighbor report), when a group of men traveling in a white van marked “Soft Touch Cleaning Service” opened fire on him.

The man’s car crashed into a utility pole. The men allegedly jumped out of the van, bound the victim with duct tape and drove him to Northeast Philadelphia where he was shot again and robbed, ABC6 is reporting. The man was found around 11:30 p.m. lying in the street on the 7500 block of Summerdale Ave in Northeast Philly, according to GunCrisis.org. He was transported to the hospital and is listed in very critical condition with three gunshot wounds.

The man was robbed of $3,800 during the attack and initially told the police that he was attacked after leaving SugarHouse Casino. However, police now say that the man wasn’t at the casino before the attack. A police source said that the attack may be drug related. The investigation continues.

Some neighbors reported hearing two rounds of gunshots last night at 10 p.m. near 49th and Springfield and police presence. According to a neighbor report, Springfield Avenue was closed this morning between 50th and St. Bernard, with a black Cadillac driven into a telephone pole.

Another holiday season has come to 52nd Street and efforts are continuing to help the teeming commercial strip regain its reputation as “West Philly’s Main Street.”

52nd Street Station after renovation.

Over the past five years, the Enterprise Center’s Community Development Corporation (TEC-CDC) has invested in the renewal of 52nd Street, a once busy commercial corridor hit hard by the 10-year Market-Frankford EL reconstruction project. Providing guidance and support, the neighborhood initiative group has worked to spur economic growth in the area, hoping to bring back its vitality.

As part of those efforts, TEC-CDC recently hired Akeem Dixon as the retail gateway’s first-ever Commercial Corridor Manager, made possible by support from the Philadelphia Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC). In his role, Dixon will primarily oversee a cleaning contract managed by the center, funded in part by the Philadelphia Department of Commerce, aimed to “help make 52nd Street the best it can be,” said Bryan Fenstermaker, TEC-CDC’s senior director of programming.

52nd Street Station before the 2007-2008 reconstruction project / Photos: Wikipedia.

“Our [work] is to make 52nd Street the most attractive and vibrant corridor that it can be,” Fenstermaker told West Philly Local. “52nd Street is really the livelihood of West Philadelphia … A number of people grew up here on the corridor and remember what it used to be like. There’s no reason it can’t come back.”

Hiring a portal manager is a major development not only for the corridor, but for the local organization,  which has a hand in its planning and economic growth. According to Fenstermaker, the new manager will also serve as a soundboard for the “wants and needs” of the area, helping TEC-CDC leverage the requests of 52nd Street’s businesses and residents. Dixon will, in effect, act as a liaison for those partners involved in the corridor—be they local community associations or business owners and street vendors—so there’s full engagement among everyone who has a stake in 52nd Street’s success.

“What we would like to see is the businesses and vendors come together to support somebody that’s full-time on there as a sustainable practice,” said Fenstermaker. “We’re there to support the stakeholders and the corridor, so I see us being there long-term.”

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