The Frankford Gazette » Frankford Is Waiting

Metalworker Jason Roberts finds new digs down in Frankford Valley

Jim — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 17:11:15 +0000

Last Thursday I caught up with metalworker Jason Roberts at his new building over in Frankford Valley. When Roberts struck out to start his own metalsmith shop, he turned into the Globe Dye Works‘ very first tenant back in January of 2008. But he always had it in his mind to work out of his own property.

In Febtruary 2010, he bought the former John Komada Wire Company at 2331 Duncan Street. According to Roberts, the wire company was a family run business since the late 19th century. It finally shut down one day in mid 2009. It specialized in custom commercial displays. As Jason relates it, the owners now in their 80s, walked out into the shop floor one day and told what was left of it’s staff to finish what they were doing and retired at the end of the day never to open up again.

Roberts bought the building and its entire contents six months later. On his reasons for settling in Frankford as opposed to other Philly neighborhoods, “I liked the practicality of the location, it’s in great proximity to my suppliers”. And he noted that in Port Richmond and Kensington you’d get a building in terrible shape and for more money. He followed up with the thought that “it’s the bang for the buck up here, that’s really it”.

Jason is bullish on his future. He went from 2600 square feet in the Dye Works to near 8000 square feet in his new place. He can see a time soon where he may take on apprentices.

And on which neighborhood he thinks he’s in? He called the location, the section east of the train tracks bordered by Church Street and Harbison Ave a “Bermuda Triangle”. My father chimed in saying he’d always grown up thinking it was Bridesburg. I call it Frankford Valley and the city and UPenn just call it Frankford. But wherever it is, I’m thrilled he’s settled in there. And it’s gotta be for a while, because as Jason said of all his heavy machinery, “if you’re gonna move it, you only move it once”.

You can check Jason’s shop out, along with other Frankford Artists during the POST studio tours the weekend of October 15th and 16th.

Philadelphia Open Studio Tours coming to Frankford October 15th and 16th

Jim — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:52:09 +0000

The Center for Emerging Visual Artists is presenting Philadelphia Open Studio Tours. It’s the largest tour of artist studios and creative spaces in the Philadelphia region and will feature Globe Dye Works artists and artisans. The tour for studios east of Broad Street will take place Saturday and Sunday, October 15th and 16th.

Several artists with studios in the Globe Dye Works will open their studios for display. Along with them, the Philadelphia Wooden Boat Company, which according to their website:

Operating out of a newly renovated light industrial site in the heart of Frankford, our boatbuilding and sailing programs – which include school day, afterschool, and summer sessions — help middle and high school age students develop self-esteem, improve academically, and learn valuable real life lessons.

Research shows that kids learn best by doing. When they have meaningful opportunities to make vital connections between what they learn in the classroom and what happens in the real world, they become more engaged and successful students.

Also included will be metalworker Jason Robert‘s new digs down at Duncan and Melrose inside the Bermuda Triangle that I call Frankford Valley. His work includes Silk City’s Beer Garden and Northern Liberties’ Community Center. His work is second to none and he’s settled his trade in Frankford. It’s a must see.

The one downer is that the studio tour’s website calls both Jason Robert’s shop and the Dye Works Port Richmond. boo.

[link] Post Studio Tours

Meet photography studio Philadelphia Productions

Jim — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 17:15:47 +0000

Chris Wink being immortalized at the studio in East Frankford

I haven’t been quite able to catch up to anyone at Philadelphia Productions, a photography studio that’s popped up under my very nose over in East Frankford, but that hasn’t stopped me from doing some internet sleuthing to learn a few things of about this dynamic bunch. According to their blog, partners Colin Lenton, Steve Boyle and Nell Hoving got tired of working out of home offices and decided to pick up their own studio space, and apparently, they landed in Frankford.

I’m gathering from the photos on their website that they moved into the Old Mill, part of the Matt Papajohn complex on Tackawana Street which they say was on October 1st of last year and the likes of Philadelphia Magazine, they’re no slouches.

In fact, Chris Wink, who’s departure as a Frankford resident still wounds me to this day, brought the entire Technically Philly team to Frankford recently to have their professional photos done by Philadelphia Studio partner Colin Lenton.

One of these days, I’m going to corner this crew and find out what on earth could have brought them to Frankford. Until then, keep taking those great shots guys!

(Photo Courtesy Philadelphia Photographer Colin M. Lenton)

Globe Dye Works profiled in report on Philadelphia’s Creative Vitality

Jim — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 18:54:06 +0000

The Globe Dye Works complex gets a hefty nod from the city’s Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy. The Three-Year index of Creative Vitality in Philadelphia tries to measure Philadelphia’s creative economy against the nation.

Check out these awesome quotes from the report:

Creative entrepreneurs of all kinds—from a renowned steel drum maker to painters and art framers to a wooden boat company—are heading north. Not to New York, but to Frankford, the once-thriving, historically working-class neighborhood just six miles north of Center City Philadelphia. What’s drawing them there is Globe Dye Works, a former textile manufacturing site-turned-creative compound.

The complex is considered a great example of industrial reuse and adaptation by the city, which itself is considered to be ahead of the curve nationally in the creative economy.

Endangered City Exhibit Coming to The Globe Dye Works

Jim — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 20:13:43 +0000

The Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia is throwing a bash at the Globe Dye Works to benefit it’s Alliance Advocacy Fund. Entitled Endangered City, the exhibition will showcase the expressions found in Philadelphia’s architectural history. Help support local artists, celebrate our cultural past and future, and help protect historical architecture in our city. A $10 donation is suggested.

[link] Press Release for Endangered City

Modern Cellar, Custom Wine Cellar and Furnishings Designer, Has Moved Into The Globe Dye Works

Jim — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 15:19:05 +0000

I have a wine fridge. I really do. It’s a tiny little thing that only holds about 12 bottles that my wife and I picked up from Best Buy a while ago. Eventually we made the heart renching decision to unplug it because it became our mission to fill it up. Filling it up was fun, the emptying it out was even more fun and began interfering with our running. We’ve also gone to a few classes at the Wine School of Philadelphia, which is such a cool experience, I’d recommend it for anyone. We’re wine novices, but you know, we aspire….

So it is with more than passing curiosity that I’ve noted “a family owned company specializing in custom wine cellar consultation, design and craftsmanship”, Modern Cellar, has taken up residence in The Globe Dye Works complex. Check out their press page for an extensive and impressive list of media where their wares have been showcased. I don’t know to what extent their presence is, whether they’re manufacturing or distributing, or just run offices there, but I’m definitely curious. If Frankford is playing any part in wine culture, I must have an item, it’s a shame I probably can’t afford a custom cellar. I can, however, already envision where their INSTA wine rack will go in my kitchen. Aside from their complete custom work. their prefab stuff is being sold by local shops Matthew Izzo in Old City, and Hipster Home in Phoenixville, and of course are available online. Very cool.

[link] http://www.moderncellar.com/

Is Frankford In Northeast Philly?

Jim — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 23:43:43 +0000

Does it matter if Frankford is in Northeast Philly? If I had my way, Frankford would always be in the same conversation as Kensington, our neighbor to along the El. I always have the same line that I use when talking about Frankford’s future. “I don’t mind Frankford being compared to Kensington, ’cause there’s hope in Kensington”. Kensington’s a dirty word in Northeast Philly but elsewhere I would say most people consider it to be gentrifying. The rest of the Northeast, however, seems to be scared that they’re in a long, slow decline. What I don’t like to see is when Frankford gets thrown into the abyss of “North Philly”. That’s not awesome at all.

So I asked Jack McCarthy, former famed archivist for the Historical Society of Frankford, and winner of Northeast Philly Quizzo over at the Grey Lodge many months ago. This was his response:

I would say that there is more or less consensus that the southern boundary of NE Phila is the Frankford Creek/Tacony Creek. (Coming out of Cheltenham it’s Tacony Creek, and becomes Frankford Creek at the point where Wingohocking Creek, which is no longer there, emptied into it.) This was the southern border of the old Oxford Township in Philadelphia County before the 1854 City/County Consolidation.

The Phila City Planning Commission calls the area between Frankford/Tacony Creek and Pennypack Creek the “Near Northeast” and the area between Pennypack and Poquessing Creeks the “Far Northeast.” See the following:

http://www.philaplanning.org/data/boundaries.pdf

The borders of Frankford are a different matter. Frankford was a borough from 1800 to 1854; it had its own government and specific boundaries, with Frankford Creek being its southern boundary. The boundaries were actually changed a couple of times in the early 1800s and then the borough was abolished in the 1854 consolidation. Frankford then became w
hat it is now – just a neighborhood of Philadelphia.

More clues to bolster our case:

The Center for Northeast History has been run out of the Historical Society of Frankford’s building
I heard that the venerable historian and former Lincoln High principal Harry Silcox put Frankford in the first chapter of one of his books(someone fact check this for me)
Wikipedia puts Frankford in Northeast Philly

I would go so far as to say that the consensus is the southern border of Northeast Philadelphia is the Frankford Creek. And that puts Frankford in Northeast Philly.

Many apologies to Jack McCarthy for just totally taking a nap on this post. I emailed him for his opinion back in April and am just getting around to this post.

I Want To Talk About Frankford’s Borders

Jim — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 15:11:29 +0000

I want to start a discussion of Frankford’s borders and geography, and also about Frankford’s place in Philadelphia. I think there are a lot of opportunities to discuss Frankford’s identity that way. There’s a lot of interesting questions floating out there. Is Frankford in the Northeast or North Philly? It’s probably got more in common with Kensington than it does with the rest of the Northeast. I don’t think most people would dispute that. And what are the implications of that?

There’s also history to consider. A look at Frankford’s borders are a look at it’s identity. Where did Frankford Valley come from? I think in the next few years there will be some interesting developments to the south, near where they built the Lowes and such. Will the developments on the fringes of Frankford be attributed to Frankford or will they be taken away by Port Richmond or Juniata or Bridesburg.

No related posts.

Yet Another Cool Bar Opening Up Under The El, it’s 3 miles from Frankford, but still

Jim — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 17:16:27 +0000

Philadelphia Brownstoner reports that the owners of Shenanigan’s Saloon is opening up a second location under the El at Front and Cecil B Mooore. It’s three and a half miles from Frankford but it still bolsters the case that businesses will open up under the El. For too long, probably since I’ve been born, I’ve been hearing that having the El sit over Frankford’s main drag is a big reason for Frankford’s business issues. Talk to me about the lack the crime. Talk to me about the poverty, and talk to me about better parking in mini malls.

There’s already Kung Fu Necktie, the El Bar is a regular hipster hangout and now comes news of Shenanigan’s Too. So let’s be real here and note that at least somewhere under the el, normal businesses can thrive.

photo credit: philly.brownstoner.com

No related posts.

Kyle Dunleavy’s Steel Drums

Jim — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:39:06 +0000

I haven’t actually been able to catch up with Kyle Dunleavy but I knew he existed because the Carters and Jason Roberts have workshops next to him. And I couldn’t post about him because I didn’t have a picture, and I never post without pictures. So it was a nice find when I came across an article on Philly.com by Diane Mastrull talking about new uses for industrial sites and Kyle shows up in one of the photos. So I’ve appropriated it. The Carters said you could tell how close he was to finishing the drums because the noises that came from his shop would get more and more musical. He makes steel drums! That is so neat. It’s a shame they run to three grand or I’d take them up.

[link] http://www.kdsteeldrums.com/

Carter Studios Table Is Heading To The Philly Works Exibition