Francisville: Mural Program Brings Artists and Young Students Together
One of artist Charlyn Griffith’s biggest accomplishments was being nicknamed “Ms. Strawberry Face.” “I think that at the point where a young person feels like you belong to them, you’ve succeeded in making a connection,” Griffith said. “I think that at the point where they started calling me their own nickname, that made it real. […]
Francisville: Urbanstead Farm Teaches Neighbors About Food, Responsibility
When Urbanstead founder Lisa Gaidanowicz was given a plot of land in Francisville to create a farm a few years ago, she didn’t realize it might be the first time neighborhood residents saw food coming from soil. “To you and me, an urban farm is a really big garden,” she said. “You don’t really find […]
Francisville: More Than Just Another Furniture Store, Uhuru Seeks to Educate
When nonprofit Uhuru Furniture moved from Center City to Francisville, sales manager Ruby Gittelsohn remembers one community member’s surprise. “I remember one guy said, ‘I was watching while they were renovating this building, but I didn’t think it was going to be something for me,’” Gittelsohn said. “Meaning, it was going to be more gentrification. […]
Sharswood: Civic Association Trying to Navigate Redevelopment
Warren McMichael and Talmadge Belo of Sharswood say they have seen it all in terms of construction and development in their neighborhood. The lifelong residents retired from their careers in education and manufacturing, respectively, to bring as many resources they could get their hands on to their struggling streets. McMichael, the president, and Belo, the vice […]
North Philadelphia: Neighborhoods’ History Has Not Been Forgotten
The neighborhoods of North Philadelphia are home to a number of historical landmarks. Reminders of the area’s 17th- and 18th-century history are scattered across the changing neighborhoods of Francisville, Sharswood, Spring Garden and North Central. Though some landmarks have been forgotten over the years, many still stand as proud reminders of the past. Founder’s Hall, […]
Francisville: Nick Dobkowski Says Rec Center Offers More Than Fun and Games
For the past year, Nick Dobkowski has been using his master’s degree in urban studies from Eastern University – and previous experience at recreation centers like Clemente and Vare – to, as he said, “not improve but supplement the lives of the kids” in Francisville as supervisor of the neighborhood recreation center at 1737 Francis […]
Francisville: Five Community Organizations Enrich One Block
The uniquely triangular section of Francisville connected by the 1600 blocks of Ridge Avenue and Poplar Street is home to five community outreach organizations. Although the groups offer different services, they share similar goals to provide assistance to the community. Southwest Nustop, a drug and alcohol treatment center on the block, opened its doors to the […]
Fairmount: Proposed Bicycle Lane is Up for Residents’ Approval
[vimeo 59862679] Fairmount residents voted last month to support of a bicycle lane starting at Broad Street heading west. Now the neighborhood awaits approval from Spring Garden and Francisville. These residents will be given the opportunity to vote this week. The idea for a bicycle lane is part of a joint effort between the Bicycle Coalition […]
North Philadelphia: Arts Garage Helps Revitalize Francisville
After 30 years of urban blight, the rejuvenation of Francisville has begun, largely thanks to the Arts Garage, an eclectic venue bringing energy and attention back to the North Philadelphia neighborhood. The Arts Garage opened in 2006, but its roots go back to 2001, when the Philadelphia’s Neighborhood Transformation Initiative encouraged Philadelphians to take advantage […]
Francisville: Local Construction Benefits Community Socially and Economically
It’s hard to walk through the Francisville area without noticing the sudden upswing of construction. It seems that almost every block is experiencing an influx of new houses or newly renovated properties. While some members of the community find this to be a nuisance, the facts show that the community greatly benefits from the new […]