Buzz
Church Of The Assumption Sold
The 1849 church remains threatened pending a legal case to block demolition > more
Hidden City’s New Members-Only Tour Hits Little Baby’s Ice Cream Pre-Opening
A sneak preview tour of the new, artist designed Little Baby's Ice Cream parlor in Fishtown is Hidden City's first free, members-only event of the season > more
Scenes From The 2012 Independence Day Parade In Old City
Photographer Theresa Stigale captured the spirit of '76 as Mayor Nutter led the parade through Old City. > more
Food Truck Frenzy: Night Market on Washington Avenue
Washington Avenue was closed last night for the summer's hottest food truck event, Night Market. > more
PHS 2012 Pop-Up Garden Now Open
Friday was opening day for the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society's 2012 pop-up garden, located in a formerly vacant lot at 19th and Walnut. > more
A New Face At The Daily
Noted author, journalist, and editor Meredith Broussard joins the Daily starting today as contributing editor > more
Final Improvements Coming To Parkway
After a decade of continuous improvements, a last of phase of streetscaping of the blocks leading to Logan Square and plans in place for a $15-20 million rebuilding of Love Park > more
This In From The Department Of Sleuthing
The Shadow's article on the Equitable Trust Building spurred the nimble and thoroughly informed archivists at the Athenaeum to investigate the attribution of Horace Trumbauer as architect...their investigation revealed a long-standing error > more
1870s Guardbox Heads To The Shop
Chris Mote is there as the Fairmount Park Historic Preservation Trust removes an 1870s guardbox from Washington Square--one of only a dozen that still dot the city--for a two month restoration at a shop in Mt. Airy > more
In Danger, Joe Frazier’s Gym Draws National Attention
The National Trust places Joe Frazier's legendary North Philly gym on its annual list of most endangered buildings > more
Regional Bike Trail System Unveiled
Mike Szilagyi reports on the creation and branding of the The Circuit, a 250 mile non-motorized trail network local officials envision eventually tripling to 750 miles > more
Some Incentives Coming For The Renovation Of Mills In Kensington
A "thematic" historic district covering 48 commercial and industrial buildings in Kensington is the start of an effort to turn the Workshop of the World into an asset for the future > more
Kensington Riots Project Exhibits This Weekend
An innovative art project engages in the conflicted history of Kensington's 1844 anti-Catholic riots. See the exhibit this weekend at Crane Arts > more
Another Church Goes In G-Ho
Demolition by neglect at the Mt. Olive AME Church on Fitzwater Street, as housing is coming > more
At The Traditional Start of Summer, Good-Bye To A Pool Full Of Tradition
Without any kind of protection, the historic Fante Leon Pool in the Italian Market--with its classical portico--meets the bulldozer > more
Planning To Begin On “Submerged” Section Of Viaduct
A top-notch design team will jump-start the planning process for a park that could extend from the elevated Reading Viaduct west to the Rodin Museum > more
Temple’s New $144 Million Library Moves Forward
New library envisioned as most prominent building on Temple campus, a beacon for the university's rising status and an axis point for its increasingly urbane campus > more
Historical Commission Okays Demo of Sloan Mansion
Strange days at the Historical Commission, as the University of Pennsylvania claims financial hardship in order to tear down a protected building that's on the Philadelphia Historic Building Register > more
Progress At 19th Street Baptist
With training provided by the Bucks County-based LimeWorks.us, which specializes in hydraulic lime mortar, volunteers stabilized the church's north wall > more
Left To The Archeologists
What's left of David Guinn's 2001 mural “Autumn (a.k.a Your House in the Forest)” at Ninth and Bainbridge is about to be lost for good > more
Court Day For Church Of The Assumption
Common Pleas Court will hear the case to uphold last year's ruling barring demolition of the historic 1849 church on Spring Garden Street--another case of the "financial hardship" being claimed by the owner of an historically valuable and architecturally significant building in Philadelphia > more
Girard Avenue Streamliners Return Sunday
After a six-month absence for a $1.2 million track upgrade, the vintage electric streetcars will run--on a temporarily shortened route > more
Divine Lorraine Finally Sealed
The building had been open to trespassers for many months. A small fire in late March prompted the City of Philadelphia to act > more
25 Story Tower Proposed For 38th and Chestnut
Episcopal Diocese claims it's acting in the public interest in preserving the 1889 Episcopal Cathedral, a plan that will necessitate the demolition of its historically certified Parrish House to make room for the mixed use tower > more
With Goldtex Rising Above Viaduct, Some Insights On Real Estate
The cost of a new construction multi-family building is more than twice that of a renovation or conversion, say Matt and Mike Pestronik of Post Brothers. We check in with them at their project underway in Callowhill > more
On Buck Owners: “It Was All A Great Swindle”
Artist Mat Tomezsko's experience with Michael Lichtenstein, owner of Buck Hosiery, is more insight into the dubious and careless business practices that led to Monday's fire > more
Fever! Watch It Wednesday Night
The second episode in the multi-part documentary "Philadelphia: The Great Experiment" airs this Wednesday at 7:30 on 6ABC. "Fever: 1793" is the complicated story of the American capital under siege by a disease no one understood, a moment that will define the city for decades to come > more
Viaduct Phase I: Design Visions For The SEPTA Spur
First images of a transformed SEPTA spur from the landscape studio of Bryan Hanes > more
Former Distillery For Sale
We take a peek inside the long-vacant Wm. Mulherin's & Sons building--one of Fishtown's most intriguing > more
Unused Pedestrian Bridge Demolished By Train In Manayunk
Another loss to the dwindling Venice Island Branch railroad, the bridge once provided worker access to plants on Venice Island. Trail advocates eye the the railroad for a Venice Island bikeway > more
Repair Or Demolish Notice At Divine Lorraine
The orange L&I notice posted today is part of the process for the City to seal the building rather than demolish it, according to the Historical Commission > more
Reading Removing Viaduct Rails
Spontaneous landscape being bulldozed as negotiations between the City and the Reading Company continue. Despite the surprise removal, advocates seem more confident than ever in the short and long-term prospects for an elevated-submerged park > more
Five Properties Make Preservation List
The Historical Commission has added the Kensington Soup Society, Penn Treaty Park and The Rotunda, along with two private residences to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places > more
Major Waterfront Acquisition Announced
$1.25 to the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation, a significant step toward the reemergence of the central Delaware River waterfront > more
Hack Job On Trenton Avenue
An unqualified mason put to work on the historic 26th District police headquarters in Kensington has done permanent damage--exposing another kind of breakdown in the city's preservation apparatus > more
Hearing on Church of the Assumption Postponed
Judge rules favorably on Callowhill Neighbors Association request for a continuance on the fate of the church, the oldest surviving one of Patrick Charles Keely, epic church architect of the mid-19th century > more
Take My Stone, Please!
Few people loved the granite that covered Dilworth Plaza except skateboarders, and now they'll get to keep skating on some of it > more
Into The Frontier
The possible is starting to feel real at the Navy Yard, where commercial development, infrastructure, and yes, transit, seem to be moving forward > more
Archival Footage Screening Explores An Unassuming City
Accompanying Zoe Strauss' retrospective collection of photography, a screening of post-war news footage offers a revealing peek at "everyday Philadelphia" > more
15 Trolley: Improvements, Plans, Route Changes And, Yes, Delays
Planners are eying a new fleet of ground level trolley cars for future use on the 15 and the subway-surface routes. In the meantime, wait until April to see the old streamliner cars again > more
Stable Flats Out of the Gate
Tim McDonald's Stable Flats project in NoLibs--the greenest housing development in the city--emerges from hibernation > more
Update: Wynne Theater’s Neon Letters Removed
In West Philly, L&I forced the removal of the historic theater's neon sign, which are being offered for sale by Provenance Architectural Salvage > more
North Philly Church Rehab Underway
A massive 1889 church and school to be renovated for a growing congregation > more
Construction Begins on Historic Kensington Police Station
The neo-Rennaissance 26th District station to be converted to retail bank and condos > more
This Is Philly
The annual Maskar Philly Calendar and Almanac arrived yesterday--the whole city infographed > more
Housing Trust Fund To Grow
With federal funding dropping precipitously, housing advocates secure a win in Harrisburg > more
2011 Endangered Properties List Released
Coltrane House, Joe Frazier's Gym, Chinese Cultural Center, Kensington Soup Kitchen top list > more
Germantown Neighbors Win Zoning Appeal Against Dollar Tree At Chelten Plaza
Neighbors declare victory in what's become a litmus test for the direction of the neighborhood, so long in community development limbo > more
Preservation/New Construction On South Broad Nears Completion
Classical bank incorporated into new Department of Public Welfare service center > more
Developer To Acquire Germanown Settlement School Site
Ken Weinstein picking up pieces of the failed Germantown Settlement > more
St. Boniface Demolition Begins Today
Norris Square church--an emblem of the Kensington skyline for 140 years--to be replaced by multi-family development > more
Demolition Begins At Sidney Hillman Medical Center
Icon of 1950s modernism to be replaced by high rise development > more
Club Jaguar Not Quite Extinct
Construction delays in Oak Lane hamper efforts to realize a "Gateway to the Northwest" > more
How To Dress A Building
New Erdy-McHenry parking garage at 13th and Arch is wrapped in a textile scrim > more
Face-Lift at the Woodlands
Impressive changes after years of seemingly endless deterioration to the Hamilton mansion > more
Schuylkill Trail Forges On (No Matter The Weather)
With phase 2 expansion about ready to begin, a seasonal reminder the trail is a treated as a major commuter route > more
Dough Boy Advances
A NoLibs patch of grass known for its WWI statue will become a waterfront connector and ammunition in the city's stormwater management arsenal > more
On the Market: Another Great Stone Church
1887 Hope Presbyterian in Grays Ferry seeks a new life > more
Two Month Wait For The #15 Trolley
Trolleys suspended while track is replaced in West Philadelphia starting Sunday > more
HMP to Renovate Woodlands Facade
Documentary filmmaker to shoot scenes from "Yellow Fever and the Rebirth of the City" > more
Sneak Preview of The Artblog’s Safari
The Daily comes along on the inaugural run of Libby Rosof and Roberta Fallon's new art tour, coming in March > more
Light Towers Coming to Girard and Columbia
Street Department rejects pedestrian lighting, NKCDC designs its own illuminated history towers > more
Kensington Food Co-Op to Seek Retail Space
Seeking 50 more members, the co-op holds a film benefit this Friday night > more
Monumental! City Hall Symposium
PennDesign will host Monumental! Symposium on the History and Restoration of Philadelphia City Hall, from November 4-6, 2011. This three-day symposium will look at the history > more
Brooklyn’s 3RD Ward Coming to Kensington
Co-working, workshop, social space about to renovate 27,000 square foot space on 4th above Girard > more
40th Street Church Site Construction Geared to Resto Use
Demolition of the Fortieth Street M.E. Church will happen by year's end > more
© 2011 Hidden City Philadelphia |