- Grand Army of the Republic Museum Open House
When-Sun, March 1, 12pm – 5pmWhere-4278 Griscom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19124 (map)Description-Presentation at 1:30 PM: Civil War Medicine Lesley Wood
- Frankford Civic Association Meeting
When-Thu, March 5, 7pm – 8pmWhere-Frankford Hospital – 2nd floor conference room (map)
- BLUE THURSDAY
When-Thursday, Mar 5, 2009Description-Police officers are under attack and citizens are fed up. It’s time to let our friends and neighbors know that we support the men and women who put their lives in danger to protect ours. Thursday, March 5, 2009 is “Blue Thursday,” a special day created and promoted by Dom Giordano and The Big Talker 1210, WPHT. Dom is asking listeners from all over the Delaware Valley to show their support for police officers who are increasingly under fire from armed criminals on our streets. Show your support by wearing blue, or decorate your car, home, or place of business with blue ribbons or blue lights, encouraging everyone you know to do the same and show support for police officers throughout the region. The Big Talker 1210 urges you to show additional support for officers by wearing blue, or decorate your car, home, or place of business with blue ribbons or blue lights, encouraging everyone you know to do the same and show support for police officers throughout the region on “Blue Thursday.” The Big Talker 1210’s Dom Giordano will host a special live broadcast from Geno’s Steaks from 6 PM to 12 Midnight on Thursday, March 5th. Dom and an array of special guests will discuss and analyze the reasons for the recent rash of police killings in Philadelphia and ways to reduce gun violence and make our streets safer. “Blue Thursday” coincides with next Joey Vento’s Geno’s Steaks fund raiser for the families of fallen Philadelphia Police Officers. Joey Vento will again donate all dollars generated by sales of his famous cheese steaks from 10 AM on Thursday, March 5th until 6 AM on Friday March 6th. Previous individual Geno’s fund raising efforts have raised more than $50,000. On “Blue Thursday” The Big Talker 1210 will also debut our new Salute-A-Cop promotion where we will begin to regularly recognize officers for individual excellence on the job.
- Baseball and Softball Registration
When-Friday, March 6, 6:00pm – 7:30pmWhere-St. Joachim Church’s Pope John Paul II Room (map)Description-The Deni Playground Advisory Council will be holding Baseball and Softball Registration on Friday, March 7th and Tuesday, March 10, 2009 at St. Joachim Church’s Pope John Paul II Room from 6 – 7:30 pm. The in-house coed baseball league for ages 8-10 and the in-house coed t-ball team for ages 5-8 will cost $15. The 11-12 girl’s softball traveling team and an 11-12 and 13-14 boys baseball team will cost $30 a child. The 3rd child in a family will be free. The travel teams will be playing in the Northeast Peanut League. The cut-off date for the child’s age for traveling baseball is May 1st; girl’s softball is January 1st. All travel players are required to have a copy of their birth certificate. The Deni Baseball/Softball season will start at the end of March and run till the end of June.
Tag: frankford civic association
Zoning Overlay and the Frankford Special Services District
The meeting of the Frankford Civic Association covered quite a few issues, so I haven’t had the time to report on an important piece of news that did come out. When the Frankford Special Services District (FSSD) came into being several years ago it included a zoning overlay. That was to take some control over what types of businesses would open up in the district. When the FSSD legislation expired in December of 2005 the zoning overlay also expired.
The city law department has determined that since the FSSD has now been resurrected, the zoning overlay is also now in effect. The result is that the community once again has some influence over the opening of certain types of businesses. This places a greater burden on the board of the Frankford Civic as our representatives in these zoning issues. There will be more cases that they will have to review.
It also makes it imperative that the Civic, State Rep and City Councilperson work together on these issues. Can we count of all of these folks working together for the bettement of Frankford?
Frankford Day Nursery to be Converted to Joy of Living Recovery House
You wouldn’t think this nice little building would be a source of controversy. The Frankford Day Nursery (4445 Penn Street) served the community for close to 100 years and now is closed and up for sale. At the recent town hall meeting, some residents expressed concern that it was being converted to a transitional residence of some kind. Both state representative Tony Payton and councilperson Maria Quinones-Sanchez said they knew nothing of such plans but would look into the rumor.
At the Frankford Civic meeting last night, the operators of the Joy of Living recovery house attended and talked about their plan to use the day nursery building as a recovery house. They had been in contact with Tony Payton’s office and in fact had some kind construction permit.
So there was some confusion in Tony’s office about what to do and how to do it. When this expansion of the Joy of Life services was being planned, the operators should have come to the Frankford Civic to discuss the issue. It would have been good if Tony’s office had told them about it.
New Rule: You don’t open a drug related facility in Frankford without getting community support from the Frankford Civic Association.
Frankford Civic Association Meeting
The Frankford Civic held their monthly meeting tonight with 36 people in attendance. Some routine zoning business came up first with approvals for
- Paintarama over on Torresdale Avenue needs some indoor parking due to vandalism
- A family day care on Harrison Street to expand to serve 12 children
- The Independent Electrical Contractors Association for the operation of a training center in the 1600 block of Foulkrod Street.
- Operation of a rotisserie chicken store for take out and with seating to eat in on Frankford Avenue near Margaret Street.
The electricians presence was greated with applause and welcome to the community.
A property owner made a presentation to convert a 3 story single home into a triplex. That issue was set for further study. The owner of a property on Frankford Avenue near Church Street is looking to open a business and wants to work with the civic to try to find a good use for the building. The owner of the property on Frankford Avenue seeking to add 2 apartments to the first floor thereby reducing the size of the retail space was not present.
Upcoming events are the mayor’s budget information meeting at St. Dominick’s on 2/12. The 15th district captain’s town hall meeting at St. Joachim’s on 2/17 and an informational meeting on the new 311 phone system at Tacony Baptist on 2/18.
Several representatives from groups serving the rehab community attended the meeting for the first time. There were discussions of the need for the services they provide and it was generally agreed that yes they are needed. The big question is why are so many of them needed in Frankford. Many people spoke on the quality of the services they provide and how that is the real source of the problem.
On that issue, we beg to differ. If every one of the various drug rehab services was the top in its field, it would still mean that Frankford was over full of A+ drug rehab services.
We are closed now. We are full. Those that remain in Frankford will have to be good or they will go and those that go do not need to be replaced.
Although there were some strong positions taken, the meeting was civil and fairly amiable considering the depth of feeling on both sides the the fence. It ran a bit late which is unusual for the Civic.
We’ll be posting something tomorrow on the issue of the old Frankford Day nursery building being used for another drug rehab residence.
Let’s clone Jim
I attended the Civic meeting tonight which was at the end of a busy day. By luck or providence I down next to one of my heroes. His name is Jim and he owns quite a few houses in Frankford. I became aware of him as I started our series of pictures of Frankford homes. There is one block that I drive along and it is literally true that just about every house on it could easily be the home of the week.
I checked around and found Jim owned many of those houses. He is quite a contrast to the profile of the typical Frankford landlord in that he actually cares about the neighborhood. He is one of us. He lives on the block. He knows his neighbors. He is an investor.
Jim likes buildings too and brings them back up to a high level of appeal without sacrificing the original lines and design. You will find his art East of the Avenue not far from the hospital.
Thanks Jim.
