January/February 2018 The Newsletter of The Society Hill Civic Association SOCIETYHILL Reporter www.societyhillcivic.org Bridging the Divide he Society Hill Civic Association (SHCA) Our speaker will be Marian Hull from AECOM, T invites all neighbors to the General Member- the engineers for the project, and joining her ship Meeting on Wednesday January 17, which will be Elaine Elbich of PennDOT and Karen will feature a presentation about a very exciting Thompson from the Delaware River Waterfront project important to our community. Corporation. They will describe the Penn’s Landing Feasibility Studyand update people Construction to begin capping a portion on significant waterfront initiatives related of I-95 for a park between Chest nut and to the cap and improved waterfront access Walnut Streets is on track to start in 2019, in the area. with work expected to last three years. The development along the central Philadelphia Just as Spruce Street Harbor Park has had a riverfront, to be spearheaded by the non- large impact on our neighborhood, this proposed profit Delaware River Waterfront Corporation park will also, as it runs along our northeastern (DRWC), will also include construction of border of Walnut Street. As neighbors, we want Come hear about plans to a two-mile bike trail along Columbus Boule- to be highly engaged in the planning and extend the cap over I-95. vard and an extension of the South Street Bridge development of the project as far as issues to Penn’s Landing. This project will reconnect like traffic, parking, crowd management and Center City with the Delaware River waterfront, quality-of-life concerns. So plan to attend and which was separated from the city by I-95. please bring your comments and questions. Resolve to Become Involved est wishes for a happy, healthy and prosper- ices that enhance your property value, as well as Bous 2018! Think about adding to your list of your quality of life. Your neighborhood is cleaner, New Year’s resolutions the commitment to be- safer and more beautiful because of our efforts. come more involved in our special neighborhood. Hop on board this year by either renewing your A great way to do this is through membership membership or joining SHCA for the first time. and committee participation in the Society Hill Visit www.societyhill.org to find out more about Civic Association. SHCA provides countless serv- your civic association and how you can help. WEDNESDAY MARK YOUR CALENDAR ENJOYING THE SNOW January Society Hill Civic Association Meetings 17 Wednesday, January 17, 2018 Pennsylvania Hospital 8th & Spruce Streets 5:45 p.m. Board Meeting Pennsylvania Hospital’s Grand Court Room 7:30 – 9 p.m. General Membership Meeting Pennsylvania Hospital’s Zubrow Auditorium Speakers: Elaine Elbich, Marian Hull, Karen Thompson Our neighborhood bears are enjoying the early Topic: CAP Project snowfall this year! See pages 21 and 23, which address a recent incident at Three Bears Park. Bonnie Halda photo p a g e 2 society hill Repoer NUSA SOCIETYHILL 1st Place Award-Winning Newsletter 2016 & 2017 Editor in Chief ReporterPress Release Liaison Sandra Rothman c/o Matt DeJulio Columnists [email protected] Faith and Immigration Marilyn Appel, Jane Advertising Manager Old Pine Street Presbyterian Church is pleased to host Biberman, Al Cavalari, Lenore Hardy Matt DeJulio, Mike Harris, [email protected] a lecture by Daisy L. Machado, Professor of Church Lisa Kelly, Martha Levine, Submission Deadline History at Union Theological Seminary, New York. Rosanne Loesch, Sandra March/April Issue Dr. Machado will examine alternative ways of Rothman, Katy Wich, February 1 examining the issues surrounding immigration Richard De Wyngaert that embrace the vision of a common humanity. Contributors Society Hill Civic Association Kayla Anthony, P. O. Box 63503 Sunday, March 4th @ 1:00pm Bill Armstrong, Claudia Philadelphia, PA 19147 Old Pine Street Church Carabelli, Bonnie Halda, Tel. 215-629-1288 412 Pine Street Jackie Waters Website Philadelphia PA 19106 Graphic Design Find past issues in color For more information, go to [email protected] at www.societyhillcivic.org. www.oldpine.org/anniversary, email [email protected], or follow #OPC250 on Twitter. The views set forth in the opinion articles are the views of the authors and are not necessarily those of SHCA. To register to attend, go to Submissions www.opc250-faith-and-immigration.eventbrite.com If you have news that would be of interest to Society Hillers, email Free to the public. Sandra Rothman at [email protected]. Materials must be submitted in writing and include the name of a contact person. Edited submissions will be considered for publication if space permits. Letters to the Editor must be signed, with contact information. SHCA Mission Statement The aims and purposes of SHCA are: to promote the improvement of the Society Hill area of Philadelphia, including its cultural, educational and civic activities, and the preservation and restoration of its historic buildings; torepresent the residents of Society Hill in matters affecting the City of Philadel p hia generally and Society Hill in particular; and to interpret the value and significance of Society Hill to the public. SHCA Board Officers and Directors President Sissie Lipton, Mary Tracy Rosanne Loesch Southwest: Larry Spector, First Vice President Martha Moore, Susan Collins Martha Levine Southeast: Jeff Berry, Woody Second Vice President Rosenbach, Doug Stay Kim Williams Continuing Director Treasurer Bob Curley Madeline Miller Condominium Recording Secretary Representatives Kate Robinson Hopkinson House: Directors at Large Concha Alborg Claudia Carabelli, Independence Place: Amy DeMarco, Barbara Jerry Yablin Gelman, George Kelley, Penn’s Landing Condos: Norm Lieberman, Camille Loretta Burton Orman, Lisa Unger Society Hill Towers: Quadrant Directors Mary Purcell Northeast: Lorna Katz St. James Court: Lawson, Brian Wengenroth, Sharon Simon Robert Kramer The St. James: Northwest: George Dowdall, Priscilla McDougal january/february 2018 p a g e 3 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE By RosAnne loesCH Height & Density vs. Affordable Housing ur neighborhood remains one of the most Crosstown Coalition (a 30-member neighborhood Oengaged in the city. Almost 800 of you signed coalition to which SHCA belongs), I heard our first petition on the Affordable Housing bill “We got your 500 petitions.” But council members that went to the nine members of City Council’s hadn’t received petitions from the Crosstown Rules Committee in advance of the hearing Coalition —- they were all from Society Hill! date the Monday after Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, the Rules Committee members, At that hearing, SHCA Vice President Kim including Council Members at Large, Chairper- Williams testified on behalf of Society Hill, urging son Bill Greenlee and Blondell Reynolds Brown, the lawmakers to vote no. Williams, who himself voted to pass the bill out of committee and on to is in the affordable housing business for seniors, a full council hearing. Our District Councilman Rosanne Loesch, easily articulated SHCA’s position on the bill, Mark Squilla, Councilman at Large Al Tauben- SHCA President because for his part, the projected number of berger and Councilman Bobbie Henon voted units that would be created would be too small against the bill, but their opposition could not compared to the need. Williams stated that for carry the day. every project for seniors that his company builds, However, there is a chance that the bill may get there is a 200-person waiting list before it even better. Councilman Squilla is working for possible opens. And Williams agrees that it is not worth amendments. There is even the possibility of a sacrificing our zoning rules for this small result. Society Hill competing bill being introduced. One proposal Civic Association Society Hill’s petition letter said two things: for a competing bill is to require an impact fee “We are in favor of the goal of increasing on all new development and to eliminate zoning wishes you a very affordable housing in Philadelphia, but we bonuses altogether. This fee could generate happy & healthy are against using height and density bonuses to substantial new monies for the Housing Trust New Year! do it.” Although the goals of the bill are worthy, Fund, whose mission is to support affordable We thank you for there are better ways to do this that would result housing. We won’t know if Councilman Squilla’s your continued in a greater number of affordable units being efforts will be successful until after the first of the and robust created and without distorting the carefully year, which is a couple of weeks away at this writ- crafted height and density limitations that ing. The big date is January 25th, City Council’s support of the were enacted as part of the 2012 Zoning Code. first session after the holidays, when this bill could mission of our After a lengthy hearing on the bill Councilwoman come up for its first vote before the full council. neighborhood Sanchez postponed a vote until a week later — We will no doubt ask for your voices to be heard association. December 5th. again if we need to ask City Council to oppose the Just days before the December 5th committee bill or alternatively to support some new version vote on the bill, almost 600 Society Hillers signed of it. We are heartened by your participation in a second SHCA petition letter asking lawmakers this process and your recognition of the importance to vote no. In making the rounds of the offices of of protecting the zoning in our historic neighbor- Rules Committee members the Monday before hood, while at the same time supporting alternative the vote with a handful of delegates from the methods to create affordable housing in our city. WEEKLY SIDEWALK CLEANING SHCA tries to keep Society Hill clean and beautiful.