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  • 21 Oct 2022 12:53 PM | Travis Oliver (Administrator)

    SULogo-NoBG

    Lobster on a Roll

    Our CCRA Merchant Partner 

    What Makes The Best Phillies Party Ever?

    Lobsters from Seafood Unlimited.

    Order Your Lobsters Now

    Eat In or Take Out

    ***

    1 1/4 Pound Maine Lobster Dinner with Cole Slaw 26

    Whole Maine Lobster Lobster Roll 26

    Lobster & Jumbo Shrimp Fra Diavolo 28.5

    Call 215-SEA-FOOD (215-732-3663) to place an order for pick-up or local delivery. We are open Wednesday-Saturday from 4:30 pm – 9 pm.

    Reserve Your Lobsters Now


  • 21 Oct 2022 11:16 AM | Travis Oliver (Administrator)

    The clothing retailer, located at 1530 Chestnut, H&M, is closing early next year - further shrinking its Center City footprint.

    H&M’s media representatives did not confirm the exact date of closure, but multiple store employees told The Inquirer that the Chestnut Street location would close Jan. 4.

  • 18 Oct 2022 9:10 AM | Travis Oliver (Administrator)



    Restoring our Historic Building: We have inherited a magnificent building in an incredible area of the city. We have also inherited decades worth of deferred maintenance on the buildings, much of which is not possible to defer any longer. As leaders of this community, we are dedicated to restoring and rebuilding our property to once again be the beacon on the corner of the square. This project will take place in four to five phases. We completed the first phase in 2019-2020, by repairing and refinishing the wall of the parish house next to the parking lot.

    Replacing the Roof: In the next month or so, we will begin phase two: replacing the roof. This project will include replacing all the roofing surfaces on all buildings, including a new glass skylight above the dome. This replacement has been urgent for many years. The Vestry, under the direction from our investment advisors, set aside funds in short term investments or cash from the investments for this project in 2020. This was excellent planning and foresight by the financial leaders of this community and allows us to complete the project without having to withdraw investments during a downturn in the stock market. The project will cost $1.2 million to complete, and will ensure the safety of our beautiful space, the integrity of our soon-to-be installed organ, and the beauty of our sanctuary.

    Plans for the Future: The future stages will address the historic brownstone envelope (exterior walls) of our building, continuing the removal of the cementitious material and restoring the brownstone and intricate detailing to its original glory.


    Inside the church, we have restored the original lock on the front doors of the Sanctuary and repaired the locks to the glass doors to make our entrance more secure. We will be refinishing the floors in the Parish House and hallways, to restore them to their original beauty, and updating the Narthex area to better welcome all.


    The Organ: Construction on our long-awaited organ will begin this week and we expect installation to begin in early 2023. This is a restored organ from First Baptist Church and one of the showpieces of the Möller Organ Company. We can’t wait for it to finally find its home in our space!

    On the Walnut Street entrance of the church, we have already begun restoring and repairing the entrances to the Parish House. The lower entrance (originally the Rectory staff entrance) was damaged during a break-in last year. The gates and stonework will be repaired and restored. The upper entrance to the Church Office and Parish House main floor will also be restored and repaired. Once the Laurel is completed across the street, our trees and sidewalks will be repaired and replaced to make this part of Walnut street beautiful again.

    Technology & Infrastructure Updates: While we are restoring the magnificent space, we also know that we need to lay the foundation within the church and infrastructure for the future. This week we will be upgrading our internet systems and switching to VOIP (voice over IP) for our phone lines. These upgrades will help us to have a more consistent online presence and for people to more easily connect with the staff, even when working remotely. Our Media and Tech specialist has applied for and received grants from the diocese for $5000 to upgrade the camera and sound systems. This includes new cameras and livestream/recording equipment, new microphones and equipment for clergy/officiants, choir, and congregation (great assets for our online services and rental groups).

    We are excited to share all this with you, and encourage you to remember your pledge this year to support the whole of the community. If you would like to make a donation in support of our rebuilding and restoring, please let us know! Or click the button below to give online.

    The Property Committee

    Fatimah Lane, Director of Operations

    Jennifer Flanagan, Sally Griffith, Simson Hui, Susan Leidy, Emily Stromberg, The Rev. Rachel Wenner Gardner


  • 07 Oct 2022 4:21 PM | Travis Oliver (Administrator)


  • 04 Oct 2022 10:13 AM | Travis Oliver (Administrator)

    Philadelphia is partnering with a company connected to Google to test a loading zones pilot program.

    Philadelphia to launch ‘Smart Loading Zones’ pilot program - WHYY

  • 30 Sep 2022 11:36 AM | Travis Oliver (Administrator)

    On Tuesday, Sept 29, CCRA held its Annual Meeting in person.  This is the first Annual meeting held in person since the pandemic.  

    Members of CCRA voted unanimously 7 new board members.  These members are:

    Michael Coleman – Michael, a native of Allentown, has made Philadelphia his home since graduating from college and law school at Penn (except for two years after law school, working at the SEC in D.C.).  Michael’s had two careers:  practicing law for 19 years, including 11 years as a partner at Pepper Hamilton, and then starting and managing a legal search, recruiting and placement firm for 26 years.  Since late 2020, Michael and his wife, Ellen, have lived on Rittenhouse Square.  Michael’s non-career interests have focused on: expanding the City’s visibility as a vibrant, well-regarded arts and culture community (he was a founder of Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (PVLA) and a long time Board member of Philadelphia Theatre Company); and mentoring, career counseling, and helping students from underserved communities. He is an active member of CCRA’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee.

    Kate Federico (incumbent) - Born and raised in Rittenhouse Square neighborhood, Kate Federico has been a licensed Realtor in the Philadelphia, Center City area since 2001. She has been on the CCRA Board for 15 + years co-chairing the Association's Annual Rittenhouse / Fitler Square House Tour with her Mother, Kathleen, and most recently participated on the Events Committee for the very successful 75th Year Celebration Gala. Volunteering in the community is rewarding and fulfilling for her and she loves meeting and serving her neighbors. 

    Gilbert Feinberg (incumbent)- Gil has studied, lived and worked in Center City since 1970 and now resides in the Rittenhouse Square area with his wife, Nadeen Van Tuyle.  Gil is a sole practitioner attorney specializing in estate planning and settlement.  Gil is current board member and past president of Gretna Music and now serves on the board of Singing City.

    Bill Goldstein (incumbent)- Bill Goldstein is a life-long Philadelphia resident, having grown up in West Oak Lane, across the street from the original Ben & Irv’s Delicatessen. He graduated from Central (215 class), Penn (College ’64, Law 67) and will be married (to Joan) 55 years in May. Bill has lived full-time in the Murano since 2013.

    Richard Huffman (incumbent) - Richard FAIA is a retired architect partner at Wallace Roberts and Todd.  He and his wife, Susan have lived and raised a family for 50 years in Center City.  His other board assignments include CPDC, Friends Select School, AIA and Urban Land Institute.

    Leo Levinson - Leo Levinson loves Center City Philadelphia, and especially our district.  He and his wife enjoy spending 12 months a year living here, as they are not shore people nor snowbirds.  Leo also works in our district – he owns GroupLevinson Public Relations, one of the highest rated branding and PR firms in Philadelphia.  Leo is already active in CCRA as our magazine’s roving food writer.

    Bill West - For the last several years I have served as co-chair of CCRA's streets committee, which focuses on helping to make our streets safe, useful, and pleasant for everyone. Other committees are engaged in complementary activities - such as the effort to revitalize our neighborhood tree canopy and the push to find better ways to collect our trash. Altogether these initiatives amount to an attempt to reimagine our streets - what do we use them for, and how do we use them? I have come to believe that I can be more useful in this overall effort if I become a member of the board, in addition to my duties on the streets committee. 



  • 27 Sep 2022 11:32 AM | Travis Oliver (Administrator)

    Now that summer's over and fall is gaining momentum, many of us are gravitating towards the rich, warm tones and cooler temperatures of autumn.  If you’re wondering which fall flowers and plants to add to your fall window box arrangements, here are a few suggestions that will add color to your window displays.

    CELOSIA

    These feathery flowers, also called Cockscombs, can be found in fiery red, purple, and gold, making them the ideal fall flowers for your window boxes. The celosia plant loves full sun or partial shade, as long as they receive 8 hours of sun per day. They love moist, but not wet, well-drained soil, so plant them with other plants that love the same conditions.


    FLOWERING KALE

    Always a popular addition to fall gardens, flowering kale displays blue, purple, and green leaves for a show-stopping blossom. These flowering beauties love full sun but can dry out easily, so will need to be kept well-watered even in cooler weather (which these plants love—50 to 60 degrees is their sweet spot). And when you are done using them in your window gardens, you can enjoy these edible plants in salads and other fresh recipes!


    ORNAMENTAL PEPPER

    These plants add vibrant color and charming shapes to any autumn garden. The pepper itself comes in red, purple, yellow, black, and white, and are safe to eat but are typically used for their attractive appearance rather than their edibility. Keep them in a sunny window and let their soil dry out between watering for a healthy plant.


    CHRYSANTHEMUM

    A fall classic, the mum flower can be found in shades of green, orange, red, pink, purple, yellow, and white. They can be grown in partial shade or full sun and are the perfect “bed” to fill your window boxes with to get a base of popping color. Easy to grow, mums prefer well-drained soil that is consistently moist (but not soggy). They require only 6 hours of sun a day and are known to be hardy in most conditions. When planting them in your window box, be mindful to space them out properly or they can become overcrowded as they grow.


    PURPLE FOUNTAIN GRASS

    Purple fountain grass is an ornamental grass that is characterized by its dark burgundy/black plumes. A perfect “thriller” plant for your window boxes, purple fountain grass is also drought-tolerant and does best in full sun conditions. Be sure to leave plenty of room for this plant to grow, as it will quickly grow twice to sometimes three times its size. This textural plant loves well-drained soil and does best when it’s allowed to dry out between waterings.


    COLEUS

    The vibrant color variations of the coleus plant will act as the “thriller” of your fall window box.  Perfect for growing in window boxes and planters, coleus plants won’t outgrow the container they are planted in. Although coleus plants prefer full sun (and achieve the most vivid of colors with it), they will tolerate partial shade. Coleus thrives in warm temperatures (70 degrees and above) and does not do well when temperatures dip below 50 degrees, so they will need to be brought in once it gets cold. Luckily, coleus is easy to transplant and propagate, and make excellent houseplants if given enough light.


    There are other plants that enjoy the cooler temperatures - such as various types of lettuce.  Try out some to see what looks best.  Here are some pictures from the neighborhood taken by CCRA board member Benjamin Zuckerman.






  • 26 Sep 2022 12:21 PM | Travis Oliver (Administrator)
    • Monday, September 26, though Friday, September 30, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, a lane closure is scheduled on Market Street between 20th Street and 15th Street for casting replacement;
    • Monday, September 26, though Friday, September 30, from 7:00 PM to 5:00 AM the following morning, a lane closure is scheduled on Market Street between 34th Street and 15th Street for milling.


  • 23 Sep 2022 10:51 AM | Travis Oliver (Administrator)

    Two Philly-area restaurants — Gabriella’s Vietnam in East Passyunk and Andiario in West Chester — have something to celebrate: They were named among the New York Times’ top 50 restaurants of 2022.



Center City Quarterly

CCRA publishes the Center City Quarterly to provide information on Center City people and events from the point of local residents.  You'll be guaranteed to learn something interesting about your neighborhood in every issue!

Archived issues of the Quarterly are provided in Adobe Acrobat format. If you do not have the free Adobe Acrobat reader, you can download it directly from Adobe.

Advertisers:  To advertise in the Center City Quarterly, download our AdvertiserForm and email the completed form to centercity@centercityresidents.org or return to us by mail with your payment.  Upon receipt of your completed form, a member of the Newsletter Committee will contact you regarding any specific requirements.

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Center City has a large number of talented amateur and professional photographers. Share your images of local events and sites.

We reserved the right to scrub any images we consider offensive. All copyrights are reserved to the contributor, who grants CCRA the rights to display images uploaded in this web site. No commercial information, please!



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1900 Market St, Fl 8, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: 215.546.6719 | Email
: centercity@centercityresidents.org

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