If you’re not a pro-wrestling fan or don’t live nearby, you’ve probably never heard of the Asylum Arena at the corner of Swanson & Ritner in South Philly. Located pretty much under I95 and directly to the south of a former Forman Mills location, this old warehouse blends in with its surroundings, at least during the daytime hours. For nearly two decades, however, this spot hosted boxing and wrestling events, drawing over a thousand people at times.

The building

Old Forman Mills

Toward the end of 2011, news came out that Joanna Pang from the Trocadero would be taking over the building and converting it into a concert venue. According to Philly.com, this news was met with opposition from wrestling fans and mixed emotions from folks in the…

Waaay back in November of 2011, we broke the news that the former home of Thomas Colace Co. at 19 E. Oregon Ave., was going to become an indoor adult amusement spot with bowling, arcade games, batting cages, and of course booze. A few commenters indicated that this was the brainchild of the folks behind North Bowl in Northern Liberties, but we could not get any confirmation at that time. And it’s been radio silence ever since.

The building

Now, according to Passyunk Post, this project is officially a go. Looking at the L&I Map, it appears that owner Oron Daskal has been slowly winding his way through the process, getting some initial permits back in 2011 and zoning last summer. According to Michael Klein, the new spot will be larger…

You may remember last week, when we mentioned a new bowling/batting cage/bar/restaurant concept on the way on Oregon Ave., in South Philly. In that same neck of the woods, we noticed a zoning notice on a boarded up building, just to the west of I-95.

From a distance

A closer look

The application is for a take-out restaurant with seating, the same use the building had when it was a Venuto’s location up until a couple of years ago. We don’t know why that business didn’t work out, nor do we know who is planning to take over at this location. The building looks to be in pretty rough shape, though with Tony Luke’s both across the street and next door, the location could be enviable for the right concept. Anyone know…