Just about anyone who’s walked around Philadelphia for a day would agree that we live in a city of murals. Whether they’re sprucing up blank walls downtown or serving as placeholders until vacant land can be developed, these works of public art make our city more vibrant, more interesting, and more cultured. In addition, the Mural Arts Program has impacted the lives of thousands of kids over the years, working both as an educational institution and as a community service program for juvenile delinquents.

Winter: Crystal Snowscape in Bella Vista

We mostly find ourselves reporting on murals being covered up by new development, like “Autumn,” once located two blocks away from the mural pictured above, or the Noam Chomsky mural now covered on Fairmount Avenue. So it brings us special pleasure to take the opposite approach today and tell…

An innovation district, an energy corridor, and a logistics hub are three major elements of the Lower Schuylkill Master plan, a long-term vision released by the City this month that accounts for 68 percent of the city’s underutilized and vacant industrial land.

The Hidden River

The plan, still in the process of being completed, seeks to revitalize a 4,100 acre six-mile stretch of the river south of the Grays Ferry Bridge at 34th Street that goes from University City to the Airport. It focuses on revitalizing former industrial land by making use of leftover refineries, freight lines and rail lines. The $411M project includes a vision to make improvements in infrastructure, roads, the environment, and public amenities that would attract more than $860M in private investment and up to 6,500 new jobs while establishing 46 acres of green space and five miles…

At a press conference yesterday, members of the Crosstown Coalition of Taxpayers, representing twenty-one civic groups from all over town, held a press conference at City Hall denouncing the Office of Property Assessment‘s performance in assessing Philadelphia’s 579,000 properties.

Press conference

Like the Controller’s office, the CCoT recently embarked on a thorough examination of OPA’s data, and reached several disturbing conclusions:

- OPA claims that the coefficient of dispersion (essentially a number that accounts for margin of error) for AVI is 13.9% and within the industry standard of 15%. The CCoT found this margin of error to be several factors higher.

- The most expensive homes are generally underassessed, and the least expensive homes are generally overassessed

- Land that abated properties sit upon is generally underassessed, with land under Center City condo buildings woefully underassessed…

A few days ago, we lamented the demolition of the St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church,  at 3rd & Reed. At that time, we reminded you that twelve homes would be replacing this hundred-and-twenty-year-old but not historic building, and wondered what those new homes would look like.

Demolition last week

Thanks to the folks at Harman Deutsch, we don’t have to wonder anymore. They were kind enough to send along a site plan, as well as a couple of renderings of the homes that will soon rise at this site.

Site plan

View from Moyamensing

View from the drive aisle. What's up with that shadowy dog walker?

As is the case with many multi-home developments we’ve seen lately, this project will have homes on either side of…

Heading through South Philly the other day, our attention was grabbed by four different projects over a mere three blocks on 17th Street in Point Breeze. All are residential developments, with one that makes an aesthetic statement that really catches the eye.

First, an update on three homes at 17th & Latona that we first told you about back in February. When we last checked in here two months ago, developer Turloque Hart had the homes pretty much framed out. Now, facades are finished and interior work is progressing. According to the listings, the homes will be finished in the middle of next month. They’re listed just shy of $340K, fyi.

Moving fast

Across the street, a hole recently appeared at 1244 S. 17th St., where AGA Developers LLC will be building a single family home. Next to…

In the last week, two readers have reached out and told us about plans for a new fro-yo shop for 20th & Brandywine. We were in the area today and stopped by, hoping to find out some additional info about this new business. Sadly, there was no one there to talk to, but we did snap a couple of photos.

In the past

Current view

As you can see, a former corner grocery has gotten a serious facelift, as has the rest of the building. While there’s no sign outside as of yet, a sign inside indicates that the name of the new business will be Moyoyo (ehhh…). Decals on the windows suggest some of the menu items, with a curious mix of cotton candy, smoothies, frozen yogurt (duh), bubble tea, macaroons, coffee, and dog treats.

It’s…