This blog is a supplemental resource of philadelphianeighborhoods.com, a publication of the Department of Journalism at Temple University. Philadelphia Neighborhoods is the capstone course for journalism majors in which reporters cover neighborhoods in the city through multimedia. Our blog takes you behind the bylines of the articles to show you where your local news comes from, and how it gets reported.
The art scene in West Philadelphia is marked by numerous different genres and artists. However in the Cedar Park section the Curio Theater Company adds a fresh approach to the scene. The company has hosted multiple performances of many classics like Shakespeare’s Macbeth along with new and innovative plays.
Curio’s latest production is Jean-Paul Sartre’s No Exit. No Exit is one of Sartre’s most notable works. The play explores Sartre’s unique view of hell. In the play there is only one room with no windows and one door that is locked. The three inhabitants must endure a hell much different than any of them imagined. They must come to terms with the punishment they must endure for the rest of eternity.
Curio is a non-profit organization based inside of Calvary United Methodist Church’s Center for Culture and Community at 815 South 48th street and Baltimore Avenue. The company’s focus is to bring a new perspective to the West Philadelphia community through the stage. Along with performances the company offers theater outreach, a theater school and summer camp for children and teens.
There is a performance of No Exit every Thursday through Saturday from 8 pm to 11pm until March 13. The show is being held in the sanctuary of the community center. Tickets start at ten dollars.
Pull into the Plaza at 5101 Germantown Ave. and you will find a restaurant in the shopping center that serves a cross-cultural community.
The Al Salam Restaurant is a family owned and operated business since 1997. Open seven days a week, the owner, Abdul Razzaq, serves up the everyday Philly cheese steak and pizza. The restaurant offers eat-in, pick-up, and delivery service for a 20-block area in Germantown. One of the popular items on the menu is their breakfasts, which includes homemade Belgian waffles.
The restaurant also serves foods that are popular for the local Muslim community. The steaks and burgers are 100 percent beef. They serve only turkey bacon and the business is closed on Fridays from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. for prayer.
Razzaq’s nephew, Khaled Haj, came to the United States from Palestine and began working as a manager at the Al Salam Restaurant while he attends community college. Haj states that some customers come to the restaurant because it serves the Muslim community.
“It’s halal meat, there are people who come and ask for that,” said Haj. They serve beef, chicken, lamb and seafood. The meat is fresh and comes from the halal meat market next door. Both businesses have the same owner.
Haj also points out that the Al Salam Restaurant has a whole wall of curtained booths for the Muslim women and families to eat. “They are more comfortable,” said Haj. “Some [restaurants] don’t have as many.”
There are a lot of Muslims in the area, according to Haj. Posters and flyers for Islamic schools and events are found on the counter tops, along with a jar collecting donations at for a new mosque that is opening in Germantown.
By Rachel Hooper and Travis Gold, Group 5, Germantown
South Philly's Matt Makowski, left, defeated LeVon Maynard on Saturday night at The Arena in South Philadelphia. Boxing is no longer the only fight in town. Matrix Fights held their inaugural mixed martial arts card on Saturday night in The Arena in South Philadelphia, marking the city’s first regional promotion. Mixed martial arts, a combination of kickboxing, wrestling and grappling, became sanctioned for sporting events in Pennsylvania last spring.
23-year-old Matt ‘Weapon X’ Makowski, who trains at Daddis Fight Camps on Washington Avenue, headlined the card with a three-round decision victory against LeVon Maynard. Makowski had previously defeated Maynard earlier in his career as an amateur Muay Thai kickboxer. Their rematch resembled a Muay Thai affair for the first and second rounds. Both fighters fired volleys of punches and kicks, blending straight punches with kicks to the legs and head. With Makowski landing more strikes, Maynard shot a takedown in the third round and battered the local fighter on the ground.
“We were expecting him to take me down as soon as I won on the striking game,” Makowski said. “By the third round I was pretty exhausted and I was kind of trying to survive.”
Late in the third round Maynard threatened to end the fight with a rear naked choke, but Makowski broke free and reversed position.
Though Makowski remained critical of his performance, he said the enthusiasm he received from his friends, families and teammates fueled him to battle through the fatigue.
“The crowd definitely helped me through the whole fight,” he said. “Even when I escaped [from the ground] in the third round, a huge cheer from the crowd was great, everyone was behind me.”
In the undercard, Kole Conrad, pictured to the right, training partner of Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, ran through Joel Wyatt in a short but destructive technical knockout in just over two minutes of the first round. Conrad smothered Wyatt to the ground along the fence and unloaded a short elbow to his opponent’s right eye. The referee called the fight seconds later, and Wyatt’s eye had swollen shut before he exited the cage.
Aaron Meisner, a product of Balance Studios in Center City, defeated Francois Ambang in a furious striking battle for three rounds. The two fighters maintained a relentless pace, occasionally switching to a clinch war along the cage. They received a standing ovation at the final bell from the sold out Arena. The event was organized by boxing promoter Jimmy Binns Jr., and Phil Migliarese, owner and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu head instructor of Balance Studios.
“Everybody performed the way they were supposed to perform from the fighters, to the promoters, to the referee, to the doctors, to the ring announcers,” Migliarese said. “It was so well-organized I even got to sit down and enjoy the fights.”
The next Matrix Fights event will be held in June, Migliarese said.
Aaron Meisner, left, of Balance Studios in Center City, kept a furious pace against Francois Ambang.
By Jimmy Viola and Pete Dorchak, Group 37, Spot News
New to the Fishtown neighborhood is Whipped Bakeshop, and it is a business that is quite different from those typical to that community.
Whipped is located at 626 Belgrade St. and is a custom bakery, specializing in wedding cakes, cupcakes and cookies that are made to order. The shop's chef, Zoe Lukas, started the bakery out of her own home out of recreation and opened the shop with her husband, Brennan, in Fishtown because the two formerly lived there.“We like to say we can make anything,” Lukas said at a Fishtown Neighbors Association meeting last Thursday.
Whipped Bakeshop's prices vary from order to order based on the time involved to prepare it and the ingredients involved. Though the shop is upscale by nature, Lukas said it still sees its share of regulars.
“We might be a little more expensive than what they neighborhood's used to, but it's not the type of place you go every day,” Lukas said. She then added, laughing, “Not that there aren't people that do.”
Carlene Majorino and Christa Vickery Group 8, Fishtown
The streets surrounding Fairhill School on West Somerset Street are full of families with children. On the Friday after Philadelphia received its fourth major snowstorm of the season, many of the neighborhood children were out throwing snowballs at each other. One neighborhood boy, Israel Lozada, even shoveled snow from the sidewalk outside of his house. His mother, Tamara Jackson, said he offered to do it.
Unfortunately however, as the boys threw snowballs and Israel shoveled his walkway, drug dealers on the nearby corner were doing business.
“They sell drugs on the corner, beer, everything in the school zone,” said Tamara Jackson, whose kids go to Fairhill School.
Jackson said the area has gotten a little better since Senator Tartaglione fenced the schoolyard and put up safety lights. Jackson explained that the fence and lights help prevent unwanted people and cars from entering the schoolyard.
“I don’t let them come out at night,” said Jackson of her two kids.
Israel, Jackson’s eldest, didn’t seem to mind though.
“I wouldn’t like to come out at night ‘cause of the bad stuff,” said Israel. He continued to say that he mostly likes to play video games indoors anyway. “I’m a geek with electronics,” he said.
Israel proved this later on when he proceeded to play computer games on his aunt’s laptop.
By Andrea Marr and Leah Mafrica, Group 10, Fairhill
It was a sentiment which was probably shared by most people in Philadelphia.
“This snow has got to stop,” said Old City resident Jeff Boyer. “At least this one wasn’t as bad as others lately.”
The latest storm to hit Philadelphia in this seemingly marathon winter had Philadelphia residents bracing for an additional 6-12 inches of snow. As it turned out, most of Thursday’s snow melted on contact with the ground and as a result Philadelphia got much less accumulation than was predicted.
While most of the snow tapered off around noon on Friday, a chilling wind was left behind to blow around what snow did stick to the ground. Winds, sometimes gusting to over 20 miles per hour, made the temperature feel well below freezing.
Philadelphia did get enough to cause problems throughout the city. All Philadelphia public and archdiocesan schools were closed for the second straight day on Friday and SEPTA regional rail and bus services experienced delays of as much as 30 minutes.
With some delays also occurring at Philadelphia International Airport, many people were given pillows, water bottles and bags of nuts as they waited to see if their delayed flights would be canceled.
“Spring can’t come soon enough for me,” said Boyer.
Whatever the reason for arctic-like winter, it may not be the end. The Farmer’s Almanac predicts significant snow storms through March.
Following weeks of snow storms that had debilitating effects on business and life throughout the city, including Germantown, the neighborhood is finally back to normal this weekend. The snow made driving conditions difficult, with many people’s cars plowed in. For those trying to visit Germantown’s historic sites and patronize local businesses it proved to be a challenge.
This weekend the streets began to look livelier, especially at the intersection of Germantown Ave. and Chelten Ave. Large groups of people could be found waiting for SEPTA buses at the corners of the typical busy area of Germantown. The stores and businesses along Chelten Ave. also appeared busier this weekend than they had been just a few days ago. Many people carried shopping bags as they made went into and came out of the stores that line the bustling street.
The break in the bad weather also allowed people to get out and tour some of the historic buildings in the area. Big clusters of people came in and out of the front door of the Grumblethorpe house located at 5267 Germantown Ave. Out of town visitors could finally get to visit sites such as this one due to the arrival of good weather.
Lauren Herman and Bryant Maddrick, Group 11, Germantown
In 1951, Walter and Marjorie Livingston found a home to move into in Walnut Hill on the 4600th block of Locust Street, and never left.
Marjorie Livingston is originally from Brooklyn, New York. She visited Philadelphia over 60 years ago and fell in love with the city. After she graduated from college, she met Walter Livingston through a mutual friend.
Walter Livingston Jr. is the president of the Livingston Meisel Group, which is a company of consulting architects and engineers. He owns several houses on his block. Originally the couple lived on the opposite side of the street from where they are now. As their family grew to have six children, the Livingstons searched the whole city to find a bigger, more suitable place for their growing family.
"We ended up moving just across the street because the size of the house was just perfect," claimed Livingston.
Four generations of the Livingston family grew up on 4600 block of Locust. It was a convenient place for their family to live mostly because of family size but was also doors away from their school. Transportation and local stores proved to be very accessible for the family. "You know, dad owns four of these properties on this block, and we all live in them," claims Mary Livingston, just one of Walter and Marjories' daughters," I really would love to see this block be renamed Livingston Street because of our deep history."
Lauren Gordon and Linda Lam, Group 18, Walnut Hill
A group of children from third grade to seventh grade gather around in earnest at Fishtown Library as they think of ways to save the environment. Zoe Lloyd, the environmental coordinator writes on a notepad the different idea the children have. Lloyd is a member of Sustainable 19125, a group that targets Fishtown, Kensington and Port Richmond. The first meeting took place Wednesday, Feb. 24. Lloyd introduced herself and the program to the children who were known as "Junior Green Guides."
"It's an avenue for the youth to get involved on their own," said Lloyd. "Some of their parents are actual Green Guides, so the children look up to their parents and become Junior Green Guides themselves."
Some of the ideas the children came up were to plant flowers, recycle, and go to parks to pick up trash. The youth were obviously proud of their ideas and were excited to put then in action during the future.
"It's only the first meeting so I hope they come back," said Lloyd. "They're doing these projects and also learning issues about their communities...[it's] educational and service learning.
Homework was assigned to the children, such as picking up litter and recycling a plastic shopping bag by reusing it. Before they left they were officially inducted by taking "Green Pledge", which was pledging to provide leadership, recycle, and conserve water.
A motionless North Eighth Street begs for its story to be told.There is no lunchtime rush, and seemingly no movement in the neighborhood at all.The snow has melted and it is almost as if it were never there.The talkative mailman is making small talk about the impending snowstorm as he hands off mail to the waiting recipients.
The wooden door that leads into 4307 N 8th Street in the Hunting Park area of Philadelphia appears to not be the original door that was on the house.Inside, the living room is packed wall-to-wall with children’s toys, enough to start a small toy store with.Everything from a pink keyboard to a football shaped toy chest.
With drywall stacked in the corner and a few unfinished walls, it is clear that Dave Coit has been doing some remodeling, or lack thereof.Coit beams from ear-to-ear with a smile when he speaks about his daughters however; sadness immediately set
s in as he tells us, “Two days after my brutal beating, my granddaughter died in the hospital.”He brings up a picture of her in his arms; it is defiantly a terrible story to have to tell.
As we settle in and clear some room for us to sit, Coit begins to relive the most traumatizing experience he has ever been through.Almost four years ago, Coit and his son, (who was 16 at the time) were assaulted by six Philadelphia
Police Officers, right in front of his home.This brutal attack has left him with lifelong damage to his left eye, functionality issues with his left hand, and a lifetime full of pain and fear.
Coit said this, “I rarely leave my house for fear of the police. They have harassed me before by coming, and one time they parked outside of my house and just sat there.”His fear is something that keeps him never far from home, working only two short blocks away, Coit is never far from his safe place.
Whitney Crawford and Rachel Horning, Group 28, Hunting Park
In many communities, the barber shop is the hub for social expression for men. Politics, economics, sports and relationship drama are topics spoken amongst friends and neighbors. Traditionally, barber shops cater to racial ethnicities representing the local community.
Along 42nd and Baltimore Avenue there is one of the most multicultural barber shops I ever encountered. Universal Cutz is a melting pot of African, Asian, Caucasian, Indian and Vietnamese men of all ages. Students from Drexel University and University of Pennsylavnia try to squeeze in before class.
With no competition until Chestnut Street and near the 34 Trolley and 30 Bus, this social center is the “exchange of information” as described by owner Troy Taylor.
Fluent in English, Spanish and Patois—a combination of English and African Creole spoken in Jamaica—Taylor has spent the past four years with Universal Cutz, but has been cutting hair for over ten years. Taylor has trained two apprentices who later received their barber’s license.
“My main objective is to make [the shop] multicultural—to make the atmosphere relaxed,” Taylor said.
Eric Brooks, a Clifton Heights pizza shop owner, was sitting in the chair getting his hair cut.
“I mean look at the floors, look at the mirrors. You just don’t see that in other places,” Brooks said.
Similarly, his associates, Daniel Robinson and Leon, are veterans on the clippers. Robinson started cutting back in 1988. We all laughed when I told them that was the year I was born. Leon, teacher of hungari—a form of martial arts—enjoys the shop and the notorious animals that pass by. During the summertime, there are tables and chairs outside the shop where customers can eat their lunch, but one day there was an unsuspected visitor. A squirrel climbed into the front gate and got stuck. Days later, a whole family of squirrels came back to save him.
Universal Cutz was formally located on 43rd and Pine Streets and went by the name Bling Bling Hair Styles. In the next five years, Universal Cutz will redecorate its exterior—putting in new gates and signs. Furthermore, Taylor has dreams of expanding into North Philadelphia to open a female hair salon and later a full service spa.
Every Tuesday students receive $2 off cuts, every Wednesday children ten-years-old and under are charged $6 and every Thursday senior citizens pay $7. The shop even does braiding and eyebrow arching for women. Taylor encourages walk-ins and appointments.
Stories of squirrels climbing gates, an older Asian woman who never paid for a hair cut, a twenty-four year old Russian scholar and a man named 88 who is the neighborhood “hustle man” are the best memories these men share while working at the barber shop.
Clark Park was established in 1895 in the Cedar Park section of West Philadelphia. Clark Park runs from 43 to 45 streets between Baltimore and Woodland Avenues. The park is used as the sight for multiple events including the celebration of Charles Dickens birthday each February.
However there is one event that locals look forward to every weekend. The Clark Park Farmers’ Market was established by the University City District through The Food Trust organization to provide a place to by fresh produce and other items for residents. Not only has the Farmers’ Market brought healthier food options to the neighborhood but it has also generated revenue for Clark Park.
Shemika Wright a resident of Cedar Park raves about the benefits of having a local Farmers’ Market. “I just love it. Every Saturday I bring my children here so that I can introduce them to the fresh produce, which encourages them to want to try new fruits and vegetables.”
The addition of the Farmers’ market serves the community by encouraging the support of small businesses and fostering bonds between sellers and buyers. The market is a welcome staple in Cedar Park. The Farmers’ Market is held in Clark Park every Saturday from 10 am to 1 pm through April.
The Wood Turning Center in Old City held a discussion last Saturday with artists and collectors from the around the East Coast.
People have made objects from wood since the dawn of civilization. But the field of wood-turned art is much more selective. In the United States there is only one gallery to predominantly feature wood art—The Wood Turning Center of Old City. The center invited artists and collectors of wood art to discuss the future of the art form last Saturday.
“I’d like more of this history to be recorded by the collectors as a responsibility,” said David Ellsworth, a prolific wood turner from Philadelphia. “We can gain that as our own history, but also to preserve the younger people coming into the field who have their own stories.”
Ellsworth developed a technique of hallowing out blocks of wood through a tiny incision. Some of Ellsworth’s pieces to feature this technique are smaller than a fist and have paper-thin walls. They sell for $3,000 in the Wood Turning Center. Ellsworth considered contemporary wood turning to still be in its first generation. Other three-dimensional art forms like ceramics and glass are in their third-generations, Ellsworth said, so they might be receiving more attention because they have been established longer.
“I don’t know if there is an answer, it’s just a matter of dialoging it,” he said. “You get a sense of responsibility and integrity because you are learning through yourself through the work.”
Wood art is often surreal and appears to defy physics. The process involved with shaving and turning logs into art work is a subtle, painstaking process, and one miscalculation can reduce a project to shavings.
For collectors of wood art like Judith Chernoff, of Laurel, Maryland, the fledgling nature of the wood turning community makes for an intimacy between makers and buyers absent that other art forms lack. She too was present at the Wood Turning Center's discussion. Knowing the person who sculpted a piece of wood art and the story behind its creations adds a sentimental value to the pieces that is beyond its monetary value, she said.
“One of the things we enjoy is going to the wood makers’ houses,” Chernoff said. “Then you get the stories and it adds a richness which is very valuable to me as a collector.”
Stephen Keeble, another collector of wood art from Chevy Chase, Maryland, had similar stories about the impersonal nature of art collecting.
“I have friends in New York who collect contemporary art...They’re never going to meet the artist because he’s in China,” Keeble said. “What makes [wood] really special is that the art comes down hand to hand from maker to buyer.”
The discussion was held to coincide with the “Collectors’ Selections” installation that opened on February 5. It features 87 contemporary pieces of wood art from the Center’s museum collection to pick personally selected by two wood art collecting couples, Jeffery Bernstein and Judith Chernoff, and Stephen Keeble and Karen Depew. The installation will run until March 20.
This past Sunday the Philly Spells Writing Center in Fairhill held its community open house. Although the turn out at the event was less then the staff could have hoped for, it did give them a chance to speak to us about their personal involvements with Spells and hopes for the future.
We began by speaking to Christina Rose Dubb, the Executive Director at the writing center. Dubb talked with us about the importance of the tutoring center in a neighborhood where the school drop out rate is especially high. We also spoke to Karen Zaino who is the Programming Director at the recently opened North Philadelphia location. Karen shared with us the success of past workshops, like a "create your own commercial" workshop that featured a representative from a local ad agency. Zaino was especially focused on showing young people that education can happen outside of the classroom in a fun and engaging way. Finally we spoke with Eric Von-Arx, the Volunteer Coordinator who is concerned with getting as much outside assistance at the center's new location as possible. He hopes to do so not only to bring in as many educators as possible but also to create social bonds that bridge community gaps.
However, what was perhaps most interesting was the chance to speak with Kevin Bentley a senior at Swarthmore College who was visiting Philly Spells and Fairhill for the very first time. Bentley came to the center because of his interest in tutoring local children and volunteering at upcoming workshops. He also told us about his hopes for bringing more of his peers into a neighborhood that many regard with fear. Since the Fairhill neighborhood has not experienced as much gentrification as many other widely visited Philadelphia neighborhood it remains largely isolated. After hearing Bentley talk about fear and gentrification we began to wonder if it is gentrification that the Fairhill neighborhood needs. Or if it is simply the initiative of people like Bentley who swallow their fears and venture into unknown neighborhoods.
Ariela Rose and Steve Ciccarelli, Group 29, Fairhill
Gary's Complements of Forte Barber Shop, formerly Forte's Barber Shop, has been a meeting place for the community for over 50 years.
On entering, the walls are covered with photos from locals. Some photos are new, with high school prom pictures and new-born babies, but then some are tinged with that distinct color of history.
John Forte became the proud owner of Forte's barbershop, located at 1806 W. Cecil B. Moore, when he bought the building in 1953. Forte passed away in 2008, but not before passing on his legacy to one of his barbers, Gary Turner.
“Business isn’t as good as it used to be,” said Turner, “I used to make $1400-$1500 a week, and now maybe $700.” Turner attributes the lull in business to all the other businesses that have sprung up over the years in the area and he says, “now a lot of people cut their own hair.” Turner started working for Forte when he was 19 years old and he has just passed his 50th birthday. Turner lives above his shop with his son, Omar, 17. When it comes to family events and affairs, Turner says, “this is headquarters right here.”
Turner still gets plenty of loyal customers from Forte's heyday at the barbershop. John C. Sullivan, 87, has been coming here to get his haircut for over 30 years, since Turner was still a kid. Sullivan asks Turner to “just take a little off the top.”
Tiffany Yoon and Naima Abdi, Group 33, North Central Philadelphia
For Mujah Rudi, giving back to the community is one of the most important parts of his line of work. As tai chi and kung fu instructor at the Hawthorne Cultural Center for the past four years, Rudi cites the importance of having a community space for people to congregate and share ideas. Living nearby and growing up in the area contributes to his dedication to the area.
“You feel like you’re putting in input to helping the children, helping them learn movement and the discipline of martial arts. For the adults it’s about having a place to gather and feel good about themselves,” said Rudi.
On Wednesday nights, Rudi’s group meets in the center’s dance studio with a group of apprentices that hail from all different backgrounds and ages and levels of knowledge about tai chi. All the apprentices together in that safe space are given the opportunity to practice and learn from each other.
By Danielle Zimmerman and Stephanie Wharton, Group 34, South Philadelphia
Last week, looking for organizations in Nicetown/Tioga to profile for our story, we searched the web and scanned the neighborhood for leads. One of the places we found online was the Nicetown branch of the Police Athletic League, located in the basement of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church on 19th and Tioga. The Police Athletic League of Philadelphia, founded in 1947, aims to give children a safe place to go after-school for educational and athletic activities. Police officers and civilian volunteers run the centers. We decided it was worth checking out in person.
When we arrived at the church, however, we found the doors locked, and the building looking as though it hadn't been visited in years. A yellow sign for the Nicetown Police Athletic League hangs over the side entrance to the church, but after ringing the buzzer for several minutes to no avail, we moved on to other spots in the neighborhood.
When I got home, I phoned Officer Mike Ragucci of the Philadelphia Police Department, director of the Nicetown PAL, who informed me that the program is moving to another location, right down the street at 17th and Tioga.
"We're moving equipment over there piece-by-piece during the next couple weeks," Ragucci told me. "We already have a couple basketball hoops set up [at the new location.]" He cited old, deteriorating conditions at the current church as the reason for the move.
While this state of transition led us to ultimately choose another organization to profile, Ragucci encouraged us to come visit the new center once it is up-and-running. "We want people to know we're still here, especially the kids," Ragucci said. We will certainly be in touch with Ragucci for possible future stories.
The kids run around and throw snow balls outside in the sun. The lessons for the day just ended so they just enjoy each other’s company and chatter away.
Remah Hassan, one of the female leaders at the mosque, said helping the kids is the main focus at the Muslim American Society Community Center on East Luzerne Street.
“The kids are our future,” Hassan said.
The mosque leaders hold classes for the children ages 4-18 throughout the week. These classes teach the kids about manners and living a respectable Muslim life. Other activities for the kids include English classes, homework help sessions, community service events and family events.
Members of the mosque bring the kids to the St. Christopher’s Hospital to volunteer, teach them about cleaning up the environment and help needy members of the community.
“Our main target is to try to keep the kids out of the streets,” Hassan said.
Hassan stated that if kids have a supportive family and a good group of friends, they tend to stay on the right path.
“We need their support as much as they need us,” Hassan said.
The mosque population is a mixture between foreign-born and American Muslims. The program is run by Sheika Naser.
Although the members of the mosque put an emphasis on supporting the kids, they also do a lot of help for the adults.
They visit sick members of the community and stay at their houses. They go visit people at the hospital or help out mothers who just delivered their babies. Educational workshops pop up throughout the month for both women and men. The men often help new members find jobs. They also work with the library to provide English classes for those who do not speak English well.
“We’re an active mosque,” Hassan said.
Rebecca Hale an Patrick McCloskey, Group 22, Feltonville
Crossing the streets for children can be difficult in the morning and afternoon when children are entering and leaving school, especially when the streets are busy with traffic, commotion and lately ice and snow.
There are ways that the children are being looked after and helped when crossing the streets.
“I am out here in the mourning and later in the day when the children are crossing,” Eyvette Johnson, a crossing guard said. “I stop the traffic and help the kids cross. It is good that we are out here because we keep the kids safe and help them get where they are going.”
In the Strawberry Mansion area of Philadelphia crossing guards are making sure that the school children are crossing the streets safely and properly. One every other corner near local schools the crossing guards stop traffic and let the children cross, helping to maintain the safety of the neighborhood children.
By Nick Hollenstein and Lea Coyle, Group 21, Strawberry Mansion/ Brewerytown
People come and go at the subway stop between York and Dauphin Streets but not many take notice of the artistic gems that line the stairwell.
Neighborhood children created several mosaics made out of tiles as a means of providing color and life to the Fairhill community. Not only are they a great way to attract SEPTA commuters, but they are also a great way to brighten up someone’s day. They are pictures of nature, sunny days, happy moments and childhood images.
The messages of peace, unity and beauty in diversity shine through the tiled art and remind commuters of the importance of keeping the neighborhood safe and livable for upcoming generations. The children play a crucial role in shaping the community standards and the minds of those who live in Fairhill.
The arts within the Fairhill neighborhood are quite dominant and come in all shapes in sizes from the great depths of theTaller Puertorriquenocommunity arts center to these simple, yet creative pieces in the subway.
Those rushing in and out of the subway may overlook the art, but the hard work and dedication put toward creating the art send messages of respect and integrity among the younger generations that will resonate throughout the community forever.
By Monica Sellecchia and Amanda DiPaolo, Group 19, Fairhill
In the early 20th century, the area in and directly around the Ludlow neighborhood comprised an industrial landscape of factories, breweries and machine shops. Now, the only remnants of the community’s prosperous manufacturing past are the abandoned warehouses and empty lots that stand neglected in their place.
One local developer is looking to restore some commercial vitality to the disinvested area at 2nd St. and Girard Ave. For the past ten years, Bart Blatstein has debated over what to build on the lot that stands adjacent to the trendy Piazza. The available land sits on the former site of the Schmidt Brewery which was once the ninth largest beer producer in the country. During its peak, the brewery employed 1,400 people.
Last week, Blatstein’s company, Tower Investments, began construction at the location. It will soon be home to a new two-story, 100,000 sq. ft. retail shopping center, complete with a Pathmark grocery store. What makes the proposed structure unique is that Pathmark will occupy the upper-level of the complex, and the ground floor will provide retail space. So far the confirmed businesses include a bank and a hardware store.
Residents in the area believe that the new construction, set to be completed in late 2010 will serve as a complement to the contemporary housing development which has taken place in recent years. They also hope that it will provide more job opportunities for locals.
By Megan Linkfield and Sandra Rollins, Group 40, Ludlow
