Center City Quarterly
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CENTER CITY QUARTERLY Newsletter of the Center City Residents' Association Vol. 7 No. 1 Spring 2017 Contents Living History Living History Museum of the American Revolution to Open on Anniversary of the War’s Inception ...............1 Museum of the American Revolution to Open Town Square Mayor Kenney Chats with Larry Kane on Anniversary of the War’s Inception at CCRA Event .................................................................2 By Bonnie Eisenfeld Park It Here...................................................................2 The Crosstown in City Hall ...................................15 On April 19, 1775, the first shot of the to 16. Museum members receive free A Look Behind the Curtain ...................................17 Revolutionary War was fired at Concord, general admission all year, invitations President’s Report Taking Stock of an Active Season ........................3 Mass; on April 19, 2017, the Museum to lectures and programs, members-only It’s Academic of the American Revolution will open e-newsletter, and discounts on programs, TPS Students Protest Conflict Minerals .............4 in Philadelphia at Third and Chestnut store merchandise, cafe and parking. Greenfield Auction Celebrates 40+ Years of Streets. The museum will contain a www.amrevmuseum.org/membership Beloved Neighborhood School ............................7 collection of Revolutionary-era weapons, Alice’s March for Equality ..........................................9 documents, and rare and historic artifacts An article about the Museum appeared in CCStreetwise including uniforms, flags, personal diaries, the Center City Quarterly, Winter, 2015, Putting Some Park into Old Parking Lots ..........5 paintings and sculpture, manuscripts and p. 11. http://www.centercityresidents.org/ Our Greene Countrie Towne books. Among the highlights are George resources/Documents/24344_CCRA_ Solarize Center City...................................................5 Washington’s Headquarters Tent and the Winter_Newsletter_WEB.pdf CCCulture NextMove Welcomes Disparate Dance first newspaper printing of the Declaration Troupes to the Prince ...............................................7 of Independence. In addition to exhibits, For more information, to read Four Women Artists from Naudain St. the Museum will offer immersive historical excerpts, to join the email Collaborative ...................................................................10 experiences where visitors can feel like list, and to donate, please go to Schreiber and Cohen Exhibitions at participants in key moments of that period. https://www.amrevmuseum.org/ Gershman Y to Close in March ................................11 City Lit Free Library PCI Branch's Newest Staff ....................9 The Museum is still working on Spring Book Selection... A Philadelphia Story .....13 completing its campaign Rittenhouse Writers to Speak at Free Library ......13 goal of $150 million. Board Shop Talk Chairman H.F. (Gerry) Merchant Members Discount Programs ................13 Lenfest has given a challenge Business Member Directory ................................19 grant of $10 million, in What’s Going On addition to his previous gift CCRA Spring Calendar ...........................................17 of $40 million which has been Out & About fully matched. Supporters in Celebration of Center City Living! .....................20 every state have contributed Women's March Philadelphia .............................20 $148 million as of January 17, 2017. CENTER CITY RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION 1608 Walnut Street, 12th Floor It’s not too late to become a Philadelphia, PA 19103 Founding Member. Founding 215-546-6719 Members will be invited to [email protected] a special Members-Only Bonnie Eisenfeld www.centercityresidents.org Preview Weekend April 15 Costumed historical reenactors from the American Revolution period. Town Square Jim Kenney, Larry Kane and a Great Evening at Plays & Players By Harvey C. Sacks, VP, Government Relations On the stage of Plays and Players – one of the oldest continuously running theaters in the US – amid an old saloon stage set, legendary TV news anchor Larry Kane (a total of 36 years on all three major network stations) made Mayor Kenney feel at ease as he peppered His Honor with questions. Topics covered (Mayor’s answers in parentheses): homelessness (great deal of new resources in the pipeline); the Budget, new taxes (nope); DROP Program (serious issue, but not an immediate priority, shouldn’t be for elected officials, promises not to take it himself); the murder rate/ comparison to Chicago, and public safety Donna Strug in general, including Rittenhouse Sq. vs. Mayor Kenney, center, takes questions from Larry Kane, as CCRA VP Harvey C. Sacks looks on. poorer neighborhoods (major priority, new officers being added due to less buy beverages and revert to their usual • While CCRA must prioritize issues onerous academic criteria); Philly as a routines, extra costs will be spread over affecting its residents, it truly does Sanctuary City and potential loss of federal many items and not just sugary drinks, weigh in on issues affecting other areas funding, a timely subject as earlier that lasting lifetime value of pre-K); his of the City for the betterment of those day Donald Trump issued executive orders relationship with law enforcement, the loss neighborhoods and all of us. preliminary to withdrawing federal funds of privacy that comes with a police detail, from such cities (not clear how much and/ shopping at BJs, and many more. • We are delighted with the responsiveness or which funds we might lose); relations of every City department, Commissioner with the local media (they’re not fake All this in one hour and ten. and their staffs, and, in particular, the news, do a good job); soda tax will be the Managing Director and his staff in taking Mayor’s greatest legacy (health reasons In my role as VP, Government Relations, I the lead on the serious matters involving well documented, people eventually will offered two thoughts for the Mayor: the CSX trains, which have plagued the give up wasting gas driving elsewhere to City for a long time. Town Square Park It Here By Bonnie Eisenfeld Early in January, new signs were installed weed so obviously that you scare olds my in Rittenhouse Square prohibiting sitting age.” According the City, there are no fines on the balustrade. According to Friends or penalties for sitting on the walls. The of Rittenhouse Square, this new policy penalty for possession of marijuana is a was put into effect in conjunction with $25 fine, the same citywide. the office of Parks and Recreation and the Philadelphia Police Department, in Three days later, the "No Sitting on Wall" response to reports of increased vandalism signs were removed from Rittenhouse on the historic balustrades and marijuana Square. People gathered at a "Sittenhouse" smoking in the area by the young people on Tuesday, January 17, to celebrate the who frequently gather there. victory. On January 14, Mayor Kenney tweeted, (Sources: Friends of Rittenhouse Square “Sit where you want” and later “Along letter to members and Inquirer article, Bonnie Eisenfeld with my liberal view of park use, please Jan. 14, 2017.) The short-lived sign. don’t litter or graffiti the walls or smoke Page 2 Center City Quarterly | Spring 2017 CCRA BOARD OF DIRECTORS President’s Report Charles Goodwin ...................................President Charles Robin .............. Executive Vice President Taking Stock of an Active Season with CCRA Barbara Halpern .......................... Vice President Things seems to be going University (undoubtedly the final resting Emmeline Babb ............................ Vice President well with CCRA. The place of this column someday), awaiting a Frank Montgomery ...................... Vice President Kenney-Kane event that dissertation student a few decades hence. Harvey C. Sacks ........................... Vice President Harvey Sacks organized Philippa Campbell ............................... Secretary was terrific (see Page There’s a terrific theme for this year’s Dawn Willis ............................Assistant Secretary 2). William Penn House Celebration of Center City Living, which Matt Schreck ........................................ Treasurer renewed its more-than- is under the direction of past president Matt Fontana .........................Assistant Treasurer generous support this year. Jeff Braff, who is heading the committee Charles Goodwin The Winter appeal to fund with vigor. We’re looking forward to a DIRECTOR (term ending) CCRA President sidewalk cleaning raised great event this May. (See Back Cover for Guy Aiman (2019) Daniel Keough (2019) over $11,000, including additional info.) Wade Albert (2018) Dilek Karabucak (2018) a large contribution from Boyd’s. Our Janet Bender (2018) Fran Levi (2017) members and supporters (and that includes Zoning remapping efforts continue apace, Elena A. Cappella (2017) Philip McMunigal (2017) you) are fantastic. as that taskforce works its way across the Ellen Chapman (2017) Jacob Markovitz (2018) neighborhood, lot by lot. Board Secretary Pip Becca Fischer (2019) Lauren O'Donnell (2019) We moved offices. We’re now at 1608 Campbell is organizing an effort to increase David Gerson (2019) David Rose (2018) Walnut St., 12th Floor. Still 215-546-6719. historic designations in our neighborhood. Samuel Gordon (2019) Jennifer Tintenfass (2019) We are in a recently opened “co-working” Richard Gross (2017) Mark Travis (2017)