Month: December 2012

The Callowhill Neighborhood Association is appealing the demolition permit that was approved for the Church of the Assumption at 12th and Spring Garden Streets.

Earlier today, CNA filed for appeal to the Board of Licenses & Inspections Review in response to the permit issued by L&I last week. The permit clears demolition work as early as December 11.

CNA is already in the process of filing an appeal with the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court against an October ruling in the Court of Common Pleas to allow demolition.

(via Neighbors Seek Appeal, Possibly Injunction Against Demo Of Church Of The Assumption | Hidden City Philadelphia)

“Hey, I was just researching rentals on Google Maps, and came across this awesome looking new location!”

(via Progress at the Goldtex Building, Without Resistence | NakedPhilly)

At the time, it seemed like a great idea, a nocturnal outing on a spring evening for a dozen or so Temple University friends.

“Let’s go to the Divine Lorraine,” Brian Jerome, then a 19-year-old art student, suggested to all those assembled on the benches outside Peabody Hall.

It was before midnight on April 6, 2010. Brian had been inside the abandoned hotel on North Broad Street many times. He had felt the lure of the graffiti-draped Divine Lorraine from the moment he arrived on campus as a freshman the year before.

Meandering its dark, dank corridors, Brian loved to imagine the grandeur of the building’s storied past as the headquarters for the self-styled preacher Father Divine and his flock.

(Story continues: Plunge inside Divine Lorraine teaches Temple daredevil a hard lesson – Philly.com)

In October, Court of Common Pleas Judge Idee C. Fox ruled that the Board of L&I Review was wrong to overturn the Historical Commission’s decision to grant the owners of the Church of the Assumption a permit to demolish the historic structure based on financial hardship.

In what is eerily reminiscent of the Dec. 23, 2007 demolition of the Romaldo Giurgola inspired PLICO buildings on North Broad Street, HiddenCity’s Christopher Mote now reports that a permit for demolition has been pulled in light of the judge’s decision to restablish the financial hardship scenario. The demolition notice posted on the church front door said the razing of the structure will begin on or after Dec. 11. Over the summer, Siloam sold the land, along with the Church, a rectory, convent, and school to developer John Wei for more than a million dollars.

Wei could not be reached for comment, but told PlanPhilly at the time of his purchase of the church property that he had “no idea yet” what he would do with the plot, but that he wanted to make the neighborhood happy.

(via Will holiday demolition herald Church of the Assumption? | PlanPhilly: Planning Philadelphia’s Future)

United by Blue (UBB) pledges to remove one pound of trash for every product sold. But these [Eraserhood]-based philanthropists don’t just stop at oceans… They help when it matters most.

This past Saturday, 100 volunteers school-’bussed’ their way up to Staten Island, New York for Hurricane Sandy assistance efforts. Since I wanted to get involved with the UBB cleanups, I went along to volunteer.

The bus departed Philly’s United by Blue headquarters in the morning after waking up with coffee and granola snacks. We arrived in Midland Beach, one of the hardest hit areas by Hurricane Sandy in Staten Island. As soon as we headed to the Community Center for a quick slice of pizza, we absorbed the entire vibe of neighbors, retired police officers & “Occupy Sandy” teams hard at work.

(via The United By Blue’s ‘Sandy’ Staten Island Cleanup Adventure)