Drexel University has purchased a long, thin 3.6 acre lot along JFK Boulevard west of 30th Street Station that will become the “gateway” for its main campus and could include a mix of uses, including retail.

Drexel paid $21.8 million for the land, which is currently a parking lot sandwiched between JFK Blvd. and train tracks to the north (see the map below).

“The prime location of this site will significantly enhance Drexel’s capacity to be a powerful engine for regional economic growth,” said Drexel President John Fry in a written statement. “It provides various options not only for the development of the space for classrooms, research and other academic facilities, but also for sources of revenue for Drexel through potential residential and retail opportunities.”

Fry, who oversaw community development projects while a vice president at the University of Pennsylvania, has said that extending Drexel’s reach into its surrounding West Philadelphia community is a priority.

 

View Drexel land purchase in a larger map

Great news for the Community Education Center (CEC) in West Philly! Thanks to very active voting by its supporters, including many West Philly residents, the center finished in the top five in Maxwell House’s Drops of Good online voting campaign and is eligible for the $50,000 grant.

The grant will go toward center renovation expenses. Renovations will be handled by the Philadelphia affiliate of Rebuilding Together®. This non-profit organization opened its location in West Philly in 1988 and has helped many low-income homeowners and other community projects.

If you would like to volunteer for this or other projects visit this page.
 

 
A memorable scene unfolded on Baltimore Avenue yesterday as Mayor Michael Nutter and folks from the Mariposa Food Co-op stood arm-in-tattooed arm to celebrate the start of renovations to the co-op’s new home.

Mariposa is scheduled to open at the new space (4824 Baltimore Ave.) in the fall. Floor space will increase five-fold in the new building, which will also include classrooms and rooftop bee hives.

Nutter said the expanded Mariposa, which will include a range of dry goods, bulk items, meat, poultry and dairy products, will serve as a model for initiatives citywide to help improve healthy food options.

“This is the kind of neighborhood that can support this effort and show others across the city how to do this,” said Nutter, who joined Mariposa organizers and other city and development officials in cutting a ceremonial cake (vegan, of course).

The new and improved Mariposa will work like a traditional grocery store in that anyone can shop there regardless of whether they are a member. But the lifeblood of the co-op will still be its members, who receive a discount on items and also help determine how it runs. The co-op currently has 840 members and organizers hope to get 1,250 by the time the new store opens. Look for a major membership drive to begin later this summer.

To join, stop by the current co-op location at 4726 Baltimore Ave. or go here.

Here’s a slideshow from the event.

The School District of Philadelphia is considering a plan that would close Alexander Wilson School and redraw catchments for the nearby Henry C. Lea School and possibly the Penn Alexander School (4209 Spruce St.), according to a confidential district document that the The Notebook published on Saturday.

Options include moving students from the under-attended Alexander Wilson School (1300 S. 46th St.) to the Henry C. Lea School (4700 Locust St.). The Wilson building, which currently serves 226 students, would become a “surplus” property that the district could sell. The Lea School, according to the report, is currently less than half full. This option would also require redrawing the catchment for Lea and the report also recommends considering the redrawing of the Penn Alexander School  catchment. No further details were available on how they might be redrawn.

The report is clearly marked “For Discussion and Review Only.” Issued by the URS Corporation, a consulting firm, the report lists several options for “right-sizing” the district – reducing the number of classroom seats and buildings to correspond to a declining number of students.

School district officials cautioned that it was a preliminary report and may not be reflective of the final list of closures scheduled to be released to the School Reform Commission in October.

At the very least, though, it provides some insight into the substance of the changes that the District is considering.

Other changes in West Philly could include closing University City High School, which is under capacity, and constructing a smaller building for the school.

Here are two excerpts from the report (click to enlarge). A link to the full report follows.

School Closings report (preliminary)

Community members are invited to attend a groundbreaking ceremony and reception to mark the start of renovation and construction of Mariposa Food Co-op‘s new location today at 3 p.m. at 4824 Baltimore Avenue.

The co-op has raised over $2.37 million and is ready to start the construction in the first week of July. If all goes well, the new store is scheduled to open in October.

Mayor Michael Nutter is expected to attend the event, along with representatives of the project’s major supporters, and other honored guests. Food and refreshments will be served.

The computer stolen from a man who was attacked by a group of 10-12 youths last week has been returned.

A reader and friend of the victim writes:

An update: University of the Sciences (USP) police noticed one of the kids with a laptop near USP campus. He got scared, dumped the laptop in the bushes and ran. Police ID’ed him and were able to find him and the victim got his laptop back (but not his phone). Thanks to Lt. Brian McBride of the 18th District who worked on recovering the laptop and getting it back to the rightful owner. Unfortunately, as noted above, these are kids bored for the summer, acting out in negative ways. With nothing else to do, this is what happens. It’s a story that’s been playing out all through history.