Brewerytown: Local Business Owner Embraces Changing Landscape
Max Ochester, owner of Brewerytown Beats at 27th Street and Girard Avenue, moved to Brewerytown in 2010, a few years before it became the “up-and-coming” neighborhood that it is now. In late 2014, Ochester’s developer friends bought a property in Brewerytown and asked if he would like to open a small business in the location. He […]
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 […]
Northwest Philadelphia: Jumpstart Germantown Looks to Revitalize the Community One Property at a Time
Jumpstart Germantown is a redevelopment program that was established in April, 2014 by Mount Airy real estate developer Ken Weinstein. The organization tackles the problems of blighted properties in the Northwest by training a new generation of developers how to invest in and revitalize real estate. “I liked taking junk, something like old buildings, and doing […]
Northwest Philadelphia: Entrepreneur Doing Well By Doing Good for the Community
For Ken Weinstein (above), passion is more than just a cliche, it is the driving factor that has motivated him to become the successful real estate developer, entrepreneur, and benefactor he is today. “Passion isn’t just about making money or going to a job everyday, it’s doing what you love to do,” said Weinstein. […]
Point Breeze: Redevelopment Brings Residents To The Table
In August, the group formally known as Newbold Neighbors Association took a leap in creating inclusivity in the Point Breeze community. The civic association that serves the area between 18th and Broad Streets and Washington and Passyunk Avenues chose to rename their organization to the East Point Breeze Neighbors (EPBN), to acknowledge the history of […]
Fishtown: Jesse Gardner Opens Doors to Help Save St. Laurentius Church
Jesse Gardner is the key holder to the art gallery, Unsung Heroes . Here, at 2024 E. Arizona St., double life-sized painted portraits of firefighters hang on the walls. But on the first Friday of each month, Gardner’s gallery takes on a very different role as he welcomes Fishtown residents into his creative space. Even though he […]
Manayunk: Kevin Smith Fights for Development that Makes Sense
Kevin Smith is president of the Manayunk Neighborhood Council, a not-for-profit civic association dedicated to promoting a unified and sustainable community in Manayunk. Smith, who was raised in Southern California and moved to Manayunk about 20 years ago, sat down at Volo Coffeehouse on Main Street to discuss some of the issues and projects the […]
Point Breeze: Residents Speak Out on Re-Development
On the corner of 20th and Federal streets is a coffee shop. The exterior of its tall building is concrete-gray and modern, with circular detailing bearing the emblem of its owner, Ori Feibush. The interior holds a large community chalkboard, an array of espresso-based drinks and free Wi-Fi. It could be mistaken for any other […]
Francisville: Commercial Redevelopment is Progressing
From an outsider’s perspective, Francisville has always appeared to be living in the shadow of its neighbor, Fairmount. While Fairmount was developed with high-price townhouses and fancy restaurants, Francisville remained, for the most part, in the same state. That’s not for a lack of trying, however, and recent projects, spearhead by the Francisville Neighborhood Redevelopment […]
Brewerytown: Redevelopment Continues to Bring Change to Area
As you walk down Girard Street in Brewerytown the signs of change are extremely obvious. When crossing over 29th Street it can feel as if you walked into a real estate catalog as for sale and rent signs litter the front steps and windows of properties for more than a block. What was once a […]