West Philadelphia: A Place to Learn About Japanese Culture
Derek Finn is the associate director of Shofuso Japanese House and Garden. He started at Shofuso in 2010 after earning his bachelor’s degree in East Asian studies from the University of Pennsylvania. His passion for Japanese culture kept him at Shofuso, where he started as a visitor service assistant and worked his way up to […]
Mount Airy: Redevelopment Projects Look to Eliminate Blight, Improve Livelihood of Historic Neighborhood
Dating back to the 1680s, when it was a just small part of Germantown, the neighborhood of Mount Airy has a rich history that has shaped the diverse and tight-knit community that it is today. In 1750, William Allen, a chief justice for the province of Pennsylvania, built an estate at the corner of modern-day […]
Chinatown: Stakeholders Tackle Crucial Development Questions As Neighborhood Grows
The story of Philadelphia’s Chinatown isn’t unique. But the history of this city’s Asian immigrant- and Asian-American home is, for residents, what makes it stand out from other stories of gentrification. Historically, Chinatowns have grown in abandoned urban neighborhoods, unwanted for things other than industrial business. In Philadelphia, this part of town – called Chinatown […]
Old City: Museum Combats the Rise in Anti-Semitism
The year was 1917. The world had been engaged in World War I for about three years before the United States entered. Violent revolutions broke out across Russia in response to government corruption, ultimately leading to Vladamir Lenin leading his Bolshevik party to revolt against the provisional government that was in place to put Lenin […]
Chestnut Hill: Proposed Expansion of Firehouse Remains a Hot Topic
The proposed expansion of the Engine 37 firehouse (above) in Chestnut Hill remains a burning topic in the local community as steps are being taken to allow the 123-year old station to remain functional yet historically accurate. Located at 101 West Highland Ave. in the heart of Philadelphia’s “Garden District,” the Engine 37 firehouse is the […]
Chinatown: Gate Serves as Symbolic Entrance to Philadelphia’s Asian Community
In a neighborhood that’s stood in Philadelphia since the 1870s, the Friendship Gate at 10th and Arch streets seems young by comparison—it was finished and dedicated in January 1984. Chinatown’s symbolic entrance, however, might not have been erected if it weren’t for Dick Doran, an assistant to former mayor William Green. Doran elevated the importance […]
Chinatown North/Callowhill: Naming the Neighborhood Proves To Be Longtime Challenge
There’s a battle of sorts being waged near the Vine Street Expressway. Development throughout the entire city has been picking up over the past few years in Philadelphia, and the area north of Chinatown is no exception. But it’s not just arguments over development that are sparking debate between community leaders in the neighborhood north […]
Poplar: Congregants Drawn To Church With Deep Roots In Neighborhood
Leslie Callahan can’t pinpoint a specific reason why people end up at her church, located on the southwest corner of Wallace and 10th streets. But she does know that once people walk through the front door, most become a member of St. Paul’s Baptist Church for life. “Many of our members have been here a […]
Chestnut Hill: Chestnut Hill Local Remains a Vital Part of Northwest Community
Since its inception in 1958, The Chestnut Hill Local newspaper has served neighborhoods in the Northwest section of Philadelphia, covering smaller-scale news stories pertaining to the local community, rather than the entire city. “The Chestnut Hill Local started off as the newsletter of the community association and then morphed into an independent newspaper,” said Larry […]
Chestnut Hill: Safety, Community Enhancement are Top Priorities for Business District Executive Director
Martha Sharkey is the executive director for the Chestnut Hill Business Association and is one of the primary people leading the way in bringing new businesses, programs and community safety projects to the local community. Sharkey, who has held her current position for three years, believes that helping bring new people to the neighborhood will ultimately […]