Baltimore Avenue you keep making us smile, and you may soon make us nod to a little bit of jazz. On the heels of the new businesses opening between 49th and 50th streets along Baltimore Ave. this past year, including Little Baby’s Ice Cream this month, we had been wondering and waiting for news about when some beat up properties on the 5000 block of Baltimore Ave. would be become a bit more handsome. It was actually around this time last year we first wrote about the blighted block.

Changes coming soon

And so the news did come: earlier this month we spotted ZBA notices at 5037 and 5039 Baltimore. In April, Cedar Park Neighbors (CPN) hosted community meetings to discuss the projects, which are two distinct proposals for each building. At 5037, the owner plans to renovate the…

In West Philly, Baltimore Avenue near Cedar Park has seen numerous businesses come and go in the past year or so.

Last March, the Mariposa Food Co-op moved a few blocks west to 4824 Baltimore Ave., into a much larger (and cooler-looking) space than they previously inhabited. Prior to Mariposa’s arrival, the adjacent building was renovated, and Urban Traveler opened in retail space. One of its unique features was a humidor room that we told you about last spring. But that room was never finished and Urban Traveler closed before its first birthday. According to Michael Froehlich, Cedar Park Neighbors president, community members are unsure whether the building’s owner has plans for a new tenant.

Mariposa and former Urban Traveler next door

Meanwhile, just on the other side of 49th Street, Little Baby’s Ice Cream received the needed approvals last…

The announcement of a new small business in Cedar Park at 49th & Catherine is providing some positive news for a neighborhood that suffered the loss of three businesses when a Christmas Eve fire that ignited first at Elena’s Soul across the street ultimately toppled its neighbors on each side.

Former Elena's

Little Baby’s Ice Cream, the handmade ice cream company based in Kensington, is poised to expand into its second storefront location at 4903 Catherine St., a currently vacant storefront. They opened their first store on Frankford Avenue last year. They also operate seasonal ice cream stands at Union Transfer, Garden Variety and Morgan’s Pier. A Huffington Post article last summer featured a Little Baby’s ad.

Next to Peking Inn

Founded in 2011, the company prides itself on its creative combinations of flavors perhaps considered strange when associated…

In West Philly, particularly on the blocks surrounding the Baltimore Avenue commercial corridor, we’ve talked more about large scale mixed-use development, business openings and community planning than smaller scale new construction projects. Think Apple Lofts and Croydon, or the unique West Philly stories about projects about the Dirt Factory and saving Saint Bernard Garden. Or questions about whether a Subway should come to Baltimore Avenue.

Today, we have the story of plans for development of four-story mixed-use property with five apartments and ground floor commercial space at 4812 Baltimore Ave., a few doors down from Mariposa. For many years, the lot has been vacant but occupied by community garden plots. But no one has come forward saying it’s their garden or attempted to save the plots, according to Cedar Park Neighbors (CPN).

The lot

As the Philadelphia2035 process progresses and a second round of public meetings ensues, themes and target areas identified in earlier meetings will be shared and developed.

For the University/Southwest District Plan, which includes neighborhoods from University City, to Mantua, Walnut and Spruce Hills, Kingsessing and more, that means a focused discussion on transit and housing options, according to Andrew Meloney of the Planning Commission, the project manager for this plan, and a West Philadelphia Planner.

Map of the district

The first round of meetings this fall were well attended, according to Meloney. Comments and insights generated by attendees at those meetings have since been reviewed and consolidated by Planning Commission staff design professionals. The beginning stages of design ideas have started to formulate. That’s what was presented and discussed at the second round of meetings, which…

Cliché be damned, in Cedar Park, neighbors are showing how seriously they take being members of a community. When Elena’s Soul (4912 Baltimore) caught fire on Christmas Eve, its subsequent demolition toppled more than one business. Its neighbors on each side caught wind of falling debris to such an extent, owners were forced to close as well.

Three closed businesses

At the Cedar Park Café (also 4912 Baltimore), which opened last year, the felled forces crashed through the roof. Gary’s Nail’s (4910 Baltimore) was bordered up around the turn of the New Year.

This evening from 7-10pm, a fundraiser will be hosted to benefit the employees who were put out of work due to the turn of circumstances, at the recently incarnated Cedar Works artisan studio space in Cedar Park, located just behind Elena’s at 4919 Pentridge Ave. The event is sponsored by…