Home of the week

The 4700 block of Mulberry Street stands out in this nice sunny picture (Google map).

Precious Places

WHYY is rerunning a program featuring Frankford this week. It is called "Precious Places" and is being shown on Comcast channel 241. The Frankford segment is about 15 minutes.

• 8:30PM - Tuesday January 22nd
• 11:30PM - Wednesday January 23rd
• 8:30PM - Thursday January 24th
• 11:30PM - Friday January 25th
• 7:30AM - Saturday January 26th
• 8:30PM - Saturday January 26th
• 9:30PM - Sunday January 27th

Crime in Frankford

A 19-year-old man was hospitalized in critical condition yesterday after
being struck in the back by an apparent stray bullet in Northeast Philadelphia.
Police said the man, whose name was not disclosed, was wounded as he stood
talking to his father about 12:20 p.m. in the 1700 block of Brill Street(Google maps).

Another stupid incident involving criminals too stupid to be out on the street. Read about it here and here.

How does City Hall work?

From Ed Schwartz - Institute for Civic Values

Note:

The bulk of City Council's work--including review of legislation and hearings on public issues--are handled by City Council Committees. The list of City Council Standing Committees for 2008 was just issued and I reproduce it below. The Phone numbers follow each Council member--686- ****.

You should check three items of interest:

1. Which Committee--if any--does your Councilperson Chair?
2. What are the other Committees where your own Councilperson- -or an at-large Councilperson that you know--serve?
3. Which Councilperson chairs a committee that oversees an area of interest and concern to you (Public Safety, L&I, Education, etc.)?

The City Council Rules Committee reviews all legislation related to development. They're the ones who approve development packages, etc.

The City Council Appropriations Committee reviews all requests from the administration to transfer funds from one Department to another over the course of the year. This is where budget adjustments get made in the course of the year.

The City Council Finance Committee plays a critical role in reviewing the administration' s proposals for the Community Development Block Grant. The Committee on Housing, Neighborhood Development, and the Homeless would review other legislation and hearings related to these programs.

The Legislative Oversight Committee is charged with keeping track of how the administration is implementing key legislation passed by Council.

The other committees should be self-explanatory.

Ed Schwartz

January 10, 2008

C I T Y C O U N C I L
PHILADELPHIA 19107-3290

Honorable Anna C. Verna Patricia Rafferty
Council President Chief Clerk
490 City Hall 402 City Hall
686-3412-13 686-3410-11
Fax No. 563-3162 Fax No. 686-1910

S T A N D I N G C O M M I T T E E S

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE COUNCIL

Anna C. Verna, Chairwoman 686 -3412 490 C.H.
Marian B. Tasco, Vice-Chair -3454 577 C.H.
(Consisting of all Members of City Council)

COMMITTEE ON RULES

Anna C. Verna, Chairwoman 686 -3412 490 C.H.
James F. Kenney, Vice-Chair -3450 330 C.H.
Frank DiCicco -3458 332 C.H.
Jack Kelly -3452 594 C.H.
Donna Reed Miller -3424 312 C.H.
Blondell Reynolds Brown -3438 581 C.H.
W. Wilson Goode, Jr. -3414 316 C.H.
William K. Greenlee -3446 580 C.H.
Darrell L. Clarke -3442 484 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

Marian B. Tasco, Chairwoman 686 -3454 577 C.H.
Jannie L. Blackwell, Vice-Chair -3418 408 C.H.
Frank DiCicco -3458 332 C.H.
Brian J. O’Neill -3422 562 C.H.
W. Wilson Goode, Jr. -3414 316 C.H.
Bill Green -3420 599 C.H.
James F. Kenney  -3450 330 C.H.
William K. Greenlee  -3446 580 C.H.
Blondell Reynolds Brown -3438 581 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Joan L. Krajewski, Chairwoman 686 -3444 506 C.H.
Darrell L. Clarke, Vice Chair -3442 484 C.H.
Donna Reed Miller -3424 312 C.H.
W. Wilson Goode, Jr. -3414 316 C.H.
Jack Kelly -3452 594 C.H.
Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez  -3448 592 C.H.
Frank Rizzo  -3440 582 C.H.
Frank DiCicco -3458 332 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON LAW AND GOVERNMENT

William K. Greenlee, Chairman 686 -3446 580 C.H.
James F. Kenney, Vice-Chair -3450 330 C.H.
W. Wilson Goode, Jr. -3414 316 C.H.
Jack Kelly -3452 594 C.H.
Frank DiCicco -3458 332 C.H.
Bill Green -3420 599 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY AND PUBLIC WORKS

Darrell L. Clarke, Chairman 686 -3442 484 C.H.
James F. Kenney, Vice-Chair -3450 330 C.H.
Joan L. Krajewski -3444 506 C.H.
Frank Rizzo -3440 582 C.H.
Frank DiCicco -3458 332 C.H.
Donna Reed Miller -3424 312 C.H.
William K. Greenlee -3446 580 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON STREETS AND SERVICES

Frank DiCicco, Chairman 686 -3458 332 C.H.
Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez, Vice-Chair -3448 592 C.H.
Donna Reed Miller -3424 312 C.H.
Curtis Jones, Jr. -3416 404 C.H.
Bill Green -3420 599 C.H.
William K. Greenlee -3446 580 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON LICENSES AND INSPECTIONS

Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez, Chairwoman 686 -3448 592 C.H.
Joan L. Krajewski, Vice-Chair -3444 506 C.H.
Bill Green -3420 599 C.H.
Blondell Reynolds Brown -3438 581 C.H.
Jack Kelly -3452 594 C.H.
William K. Greenlee -3446 580 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND CIVIL SERVICE

Bill Green, Chairman 686 -3420 599 C.H.
W. Wilson Goode, Jr., Vice-Chair -3414 316 C.H.
Curtis Jones, Jr. -3416 404 C.H.
Frank DiCicco -3458 332 C.H.
James F. Kenney -3450 330 C.H.
Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez -3448 592 C.H.
William K. Greenlee -3446 580 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS

Blondell Reynolds Brown, Chairwoman 686 -3438 581 C.H.
Curtis Jones, Jr., Vice-Chair -3416 404 C.H.
Darrell L. Clarke -3442 484 C.H.
Frank DiCicco -3458 332 C.H.
Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez -3448 592 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

W. Wilson Goode, Jr., Chairman 686 -3414 316 C.H.
Blondell Reynolds Brown, Vice-Chair -3438 581 C.H.
Frank DiCicco -3458 332 C.H.
Darrell L. Clarke -3442 484 C.H.
Curtis Jones, Jr. -3416 404 C.H.
Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez -3448 592 C.H.
Bill Green -3420 599 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC UTILITIES

Curtis Jones, Jr., Chairman 686 -3416 404 C.H.
William K. Greenlee, Vice-Chair -3446 580 C.H.
Jack Kelly -3452 594 C.H.
Brian J. O’Neill -3422 562 C.H.
Jannie L. Blackwell -3418 408 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Marian B. Tasco, Chairwoman 686 -3454 577 C.H.
Donna Reed Miller, Vice-Chair -3424 312 C.H.
W. Wilson Goode, Jr. -3414 316 C.H.
Blondell Reynolds Brown -3438 581 C.H.
James F. Kenney -3450 330 C.H.
Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez -3448 592 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY

Donna Reed Miller, Chairwoman 686 -3424 312 C.H.
Joan L. Krajewski, Vice-Chair -3444 506 C.H.
James F. Kenney -3450 330 C.H.
Frank Rizzo -3440 582 C.H.
Curtis Jones, Jr. -3416 404 C.H.
William K. Greenlee -3446 580 C.H.
Darrell L. Clarke -3442 484 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Jannie L. Blackwell, Chairwoman 686 -3418 408 C.H.
Blondell Reynolds Brown, Vice-Chair -3438 581 C.H.
Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez -3448 592 C.H.
W. Wilson Goode, Jr. -3414 316 C.H.
Frank Rizzo -3440 582 C.H.
Frank DiCicco -3458 332 C.H.
William K. Greenlee -3446 580 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON ETHICS

Anna C. Verna, Chairwoman 686 -3412 490 C.H.
Marian B. Tasco, Vice-Chair -3454 577 C.H.
(Consisting of all Members of City Council)

COMMITTEE ON FISCAL STABILITY
AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATION

Darrell L. Clarke, Chairman 686 -3442 484 C.H.
Frank DiCicco, Vice-Chair -3458 332 C.H.
James F. Kenney -3450 330 C.H.
Brian J. O’Neill -3422 562 C.H.
W. Wilson Goode, Jr. -3414 316 C.H.
Joan L. Krajewski -3444 506 C.H.
Marian B. Tasco -3454 577 C.H.
Blondell Reynolds Brown -3438 581 C.H.
Curtis Jones, Jr. -3416 404 C.H.

LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE

James F. Kenney, Chairman 686 -3450 330 C.H.
Joan L. Krajewski, Vice-Chair -3444 506 C.H.
William K. Greenlee -3446 580 C.H.
W. Wilson Goode, Jr. -3414 316 C.H.
Curtis Jones, Jr. -3416 404 C.H.
Brian J. O’Neill -3422 562 C.H.
Blondell Reynolds Brown -3438 581 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON HOUSING, NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT AND THE HOMELESS

Jannie L. Blackwell, Chairwoman 686 -3418 408 C.H.
William K. Greenlee, Vice-Chair -3446 580 C.H.
Darrell L. Clarke -3442 484 C.H.
Frank DiCicco -3458 332 C.H.
Donna Reed Miller -3424 312 C.H.
Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez -3448 592 C.H.
Curtis Jones, Jr. -3416 404 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON TECHNOLOGY AND INFORMATION SERVICES

Brian J. O’Neill, Chairman 686 -3422 562 C.H.
Bill Green, Vice-Chair -3420 599 C.H.
Frank DiCicco -3458 332 C.H.
James F. Kenney -3450 330 C.H.
Frank Rizzo -3440 582 C.H.
Jack Kelly -3452 594 C.H.
Curtis Jones, Jr. -3416 404 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON THE ENVIRONMENT

James F. Kenney, Chairman 686 -3450 330 C.H.
Frank DiCicco, Vice-Chair -3458 332 C.H.
Jack Kelly -3452 594 C.H.
Curtis Jones, Jr. -3416 404 C.H.
Frank Rizzo -3440 582 C.H.
Donna Reed Miller -3424 312 C.H.
Blondell Reynolds Brown -3438 581 C.H.

COMMITTEE ON THE DISABLED AND THE HANDICAPPED

Donna Reed Miller, Chairwoman 686 -3424 312 C.H.
Blondell Reynolds Brown, Vice-Chair -3438 581 C.H.
Frank Rizzo -3440 582 C.H.
Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez -3448 592 C.H.
Curtis Jones, Jr. -3416 404 C.H.
Joan L. Krajewski -3444 506 C.H.
Brian J. O’Neill -3422 562 C.H.

Ed Schwartz, Institute for the Study of Civic Values, 1218 Chestnut St.,
Rm. 702, Philadelphia, Pa. 19107 215-238-1434 edcivic@libertynet. org

ISCV web site: http://www.iscv. org
Also Check out "Neighborhoods Online" at http://www.neighbor hoodsonline. net.
Or in Philadelphia: http://www.phillyne ighborhoods. org

"Citizenship is the American ideal. There may be an army of actualities
opposed to that ideal, but there is no ideal opposed to that ideal."
--G.K. Chesterton

Making history in Northeast Philadelphia

It is exciting to see the pre-eminent Frankford cultural institution (Historical Society of Frankford Google map)taking a leadership role in this new venture of the historical societies of the northeast. Everybody stand up and cheer and then support them in every way possible. Read the entire story in the Northeast Times.

Frankford Civic meeting

From the Northeast Times:

The Frankford Civic Association opened its meeting last week with a moment of silence for Peggy Hoch, its longtime president and the founder of Tackawanna Against Drugs. Funeral services were held Saturday for Hoch, who died of lung cancer on Jan. 4. The 73-year-old Frankford activist was laid out in her Tackawanna Against Drugs sweatshirt. Her 15th Police District curfew center shirt was folded neatly beside her.

The civic association, formerly known as the East Frankford Civic Association, is still waiting for official paperwork from Harrisburg to finalize its more inclusive name-change.

An agenda item to form committees was tabled until next month.

Read the entire story here.

Third Federal Building on Frankford Avenue

Renovations are well underway on the Third Federal building. It is mostly evident on the upper floors with materials shown in the windows.








At the rear of the building a dumpster and more indications of renovations for a new tenant. This would be the main entrance to the NET facility.

New business on Frankford Avenue

Last week I came back from center city on the El in the afternoon and got off at Margaret-Orthodox. As the train pulled into the station my eye was taken by something unusual. It took a second or two before it hit me. Clean glass was beaming out from the second floor of one of the stores on Frankford Avenue (Googlemap). If you ride the El you will understand how unusual that is.



When I got off the train I walked down the platform to the end and had a closer look. There were new windows on the second and third floor and what looked like a new paint job over the brick front of the building. I went down the stairs and walked down to have a closer look. Yet it is a new business open now. The web site is http://www.saveonkitchen.com/

Next week in Frankford

• Tuesday January 15th - 7PM - Northwood Civic Association meeting at St. James Lutheran Church.
  

Peggy Hoch

Peggy Hoch said "No". It was a simple as that. She saw what was going on around her and with simple courage, took a stand and made a difference. That is her legacy for Frankford and for the city as well. That is the example she set. If we would all do as much, what a wonderful world it would be.

Read more in this week's Northeast Times.

Her obituary in the Inquirer.

Crime in Frankford

From Philly.com today:

A 39-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy were shot in the legs yesterday at about 3:30 p.m. on Frankford Avenue near Foulkrod Street in the Northeast. The man was admitted to Frankford Hospital-Torresdale and the teenager to St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. Police did not identify the victims.

No other details available at this time.

Home of the week

We are back this week with another home. We passed this one on Dyre Street. Not only is does the home standout but their pride in the new graduate makes it our home of the week.

Crime in Frankford

From the Inquirer today:

A 16-year-old girl told police that she was repeatedly raped Thursday after being abducted on her way to school, police said yesterday.

Police last night said they were questioning a suspect, a man in his 30s, and expected to charge him overnight.

The girl, a sophomore at Simon Gratz High School, was walking through a park area in the 1300 block of Orthodox Street on her way to catch the Market-Frankford El around 7 a.m. when she allegedly was confronted by a man with a gun, said Capt. John Darby, commander of the Special Victims Unit.

Read the entire story here and an update here and the Northeast Times.

Next week in Frankford

• Sunday, Janyary 6th - Noon - Presentation at 1:30 PM: "The Forgotten Battle of Franklin Tennessee" You're invited on Sunday, January 6th, 2008 to be part of an exciting afternoon when the Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library presents Dick Simpson's slide program "The Forgotten Civil War Battle of Franklin Tennessee". The program, which is free and open to the public, takes place at 1:30 p.m. at the museum, 4278 Griscom Street,
• Thursday, January 10th - 7PM - Frankford Civic Association meeting - 2nd floor conference room at Frankford Hospital

Lorenzo DellaValle

It is a note of interest when everybody come to a unanimous agreement about anything. This time our 2 fine neighborhood newspapers both covered the honor bestowed upon Lorenzo DellaValle by City Council.

I still remember shortly after turning 11 the pictures on TV of the sinking of the Andrea Doria. One famous Philadelphian, then mayor Richardson Dilworth was on board. Unknown at the time, to us, was that a future famous Frankford resident was also on board coming to America.

Read the story from the Gleaner and the Northeast Times and don't forget to wave when you walk by Lorenzo's shop on Frankford Avenue near Harrison.

Positive signs on the Frankford business corridor

The Northeast Times this week has a lead story about the new signage along Frankford Avenue. Attention to the needs of the business area is always a plus and it is great to read about the cooperation of our various legislators in getting this done.

Frank Furness and the Art Holiday

Art Holiday? What has the Art Holiday got to do with Frank Furness? So who is Frank Furness? I know absolutely nothing about architecture - zero. I grew up in the 1950s, the age of Penn Center downtown. When I got my first job downtown I did a lot of walking and always found myself not interested at all in the building that were being built at that time but some of the old ones were definitely striking. They had character and were interesting. Even when they were dirty and in disrepair they were far more attractive to me then the boxes going up along Market Street.

I later found that Frank Furness was the architect of many of those old interesting buildings. This link will take you to the Wikipedia entry for Frank Furness. A sample of the buildings still standing by Furness are the old Girard Trust bank building, now the Ritz Carleton, Knowltown mansion at Rhawn and Verree, and the Fisher Fine Arts library at the U of Penn.

Frankford was home to at least 2 building by Furness. This is the Philadelphia and Reading railroad depot which was situated on Main Street (Frankford Avenue) about where the PGW office is now. It was a busy spot for a number of years and provided rail service to downtown Philadelphia as well as all points on the Reading system

So what does this have to do with the Art Holiday? Well let's keep going it should come out here in a minute or two.

The other building that was designed by the Furness firm still stands in Frankford today but is easily overlooked. If you ride down Bridge Street to the Mount Sinai cemetery at Cottage Street you will see a small chapel building just inside the gates. It is a Furness building. Lots of things to see and well worth a walk to have a look.




Now what does this have to do with the Art Holiday? It is remote but the acclaimed 20th century theater designer William Harold Lee was a Furness protege and it was Lee who did some redesign work on a silent film house in the 1930s called the Windsor theater which was later renamed the Ace and ended up as the Art Holiday in Frankford.

It would be nice to see the old Art Holiday transformed into something that would be an asset to the community.

Reader comment:

Actually, it's unknown whether Frank Furness designed the (now
demolished) Philadelphia & reading railroad depot in Frankford.
According to Preston Thayer, who wrote his PhD thesis on Furness's
railroad depots, "the building may have been designed by Furness,
but it was the Frankford & Southwark Railway's depot, built in 1858
as two single-story stone buildings, which were joined in 1878 by a
one and half story brick building with a clock tower on the corner.
It was located at the intersection of Frankford Ave, Oxford pike,
arrot street and margaret street."

Sincerely yours,
Steve Dorfman

Frankford year in Review 2007

This is just our take on it. I am sure there are some things that should be included here but have been overlooked.

• We had a councilman representing us once again. Dan Savage took over the seat held by Rick Mariano. Although he lost the primary to Maria Quinones-Sanchez, he continued to represent us and worked on his agenda for the remainder of his term.


• The Art Holiday closed. This cesspool was a blight on the neighborhood and deserved to die long before the end came. Shame on us for tolerating it.
  


• Sale of the Third Federal Bank building to NIT caused a tremendous uproar. So far nothing on the Avenue has changed as a result.
  


• Demolitions of properties throughout the neighborhood began again this year. The removal of the blighted properties improved the blocks where they had been and creates future opportunity for development.
  


• Frankford's Gambrel recreation center was highlighted on national television with an extreme makeover.
  


• Deni playground once again saw organized baseball for kids thanks to councilman Savage.
  


• The Prisoner re-entry program has continued to be a political issue.
  


• Northwood Civic Association leadership twas urned over to a new team
  


• East Frankford Civic Association also found new leadership and was rechristened the Frankford Civic Association.
  


• Frankford Creek Greenway Master Plan was published.
  


• Frankford Business and Professional Association leadership was turned over to Elizabeth McCollum-Nozario.
  


• Councilman Savage re-established and reorganized the Frankford Special Services District.


• Councilman Savage introduced a bill designating Frankford as a Transit Oriented Development District for the purposes of the rezoning of the City. This is a fundamental part in planning for the future of Frankford.
  


• Mozaic, restaurant and Jazz venue closed on December 7th.


• The Frankford Gazette appeared on the web one day in May.

Happy new Year from the Frankford Gazette.

Anonymous comment:

Thank you for all your hard work.

January 4, 2008 1:44 PM

Welcome to Frankford

On Wednesday, December 27, 2007 on the 4800 Block of Frankford Avenue, Councilman Daniel J. Savage unveiled the new "Welcome to Frankford" and "Historic Frankford” Banners for the Frankford Avenue Business Corridor.

The new banners are part of Councilman Savage’s plan for streetscape improvements for the Frankford Avenue Business Corridor. Councilman Savage said, "Revitalizing business corridors are key to revitalizing our neighborhoods. These banners will add a touch of warmth and class to the Frankford Avenue Business Corridor.” Before cutting the ribbon Councilman Savage said, “This is my Christmas present to Frankford.”

Anonymous comment:

Wouldn't the money be better spent on trashcans, increased lighting, or something that would make shoppers feel more comfortable while patronizing the Avenue's businesses? I hope these banners are not indicative of how the 1 million dollar grant will be spent.

December 31, 2007 2:34 PM

Next week in Frankford

• From the GAR museum: Annual General Meade Birthday Celebration Philadelphia, Penna.: Monday, December 31, 2007 - see community calendar for details
• Tuesday - New Years day
  
• The meeting of the Frankford Civic Association has been rescheduled to be held next week on Wednesday, January 10th