Dec. 4, 2009
By Thomas J. Walsh
For PlanPhilly
Formal workshops between civic associations, CDCs, developers, city planners and members of the Zoning Code Commission will take place in January, backed by the Philadelphia chapter of the American Institute of Architects and with funding expected from the William Penn Foundation. FULL STORY HERE.
Casino Journal, November 2009 issue
By Thomas J. Walsh
PHILADELPHIA – Contrary to popular belief and endless snide remarks from national sports commentators, Philadelphians are not, for the most part, rude. But they also won’t back away from a fight very easily, and despite some long-sought movement on the building of two slots halls here, a three-year-old anti-casino movement has been growing – and seems to be gaining some staying power.
Known as a “city of neighborhoods” with individual pride of place and rivalries, Philadelphia can be as NIMBY as the next town. However, dozens of groups – started by of a handful of people initially opposed to specific casino locations – have now banded together, forming the “No Casino in the Heart of the City Coalition.” They’ve even rented out a storefront on Market Street, a block from Independence Hall.
On September 29, 14 members of one of the first groups, Casino Free Philadelphia, staged their first serious act of nonviolent civil disobedience, camping arm-in-arm on the sidewalk at the front entrance to the SugarHouse Casino, which was undergoing the first stages of construction after years of delay.
Click here for part 1 of the 5-page article.
Click here for part 2 of the 5-page article.
Nov. 4, 2009
By Thomas J. Walsh
For PlanPhilly
David Belt, at Community Design Collaborative; Oct. 30, 2009
“Just do it” and “easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission” were the orders of the day from David Belt, the provocative guest speaker and designer from Brooklyn. Teams focused on schemes for Kensington and Chinatown, where plans are a couple years away.
Aug. 28, 2009
By Thomas J. Walsh
For PlanPhilly
Lost in all the recent talk about the Reading Viaduct – the elevated, abandoned railroad bed that slices through the city from Vine Street northeast to Fairmount Avenue – is that if things had gone a certain way a decade ago, the City of Philadelphia would already own the property.
What’s more, Reading International Inc., the California-based movie theater and real estate company that is the ancestor of the Reading Railroad, wanted to give the city between $2 million and $3 million to take the property off its hands, say veteran economic development professionals who were with the city’s Commerce Department at the time.
…Meanwhile, the highly touted, highly publicized High Line in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood has already served two big roles for Philadelphia’s own version of a possible elevated park in the sky.
Aug. 28, 2009
For PlanPhilly
HARRISBURG – The troubled Foxwoods Philadelphia Casino, if it ever does open its doors, will do so on Columbus Boulevard, state officials mandated on Friday.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board convened to hear a petition from Foxwoods for a two-year extension of its gaming license, which it ultimately granted, with what could be rather strict conditions.
A natural two-part series on what’s happening on Spring Garden Street, in the short-term and over the long haul.
Part 1 ran on Aug. 4., 2009.
Part 2 ran on Aug. 6.
Spring Garden Street by the I-95 overpass, looking southeast.
© 2010 Thomas J. Walsh. All Rights Reserved.