Shamrock Shuttle 2010 outside McNoodle's. Photo/Mayfair resident and Civic Association board member Donny Smith

It’s that time of year again. The buses, the drinking, the public urination. The revenue for Frankford Avenue’s many bars and restaurants.

“The elephant in the room,” as Mayfair Civic Association President Joe DeFelice called it at last night’s meeting. It’s all coming back in March when the trio of annual bar-hopping events returns to Mayfair.

The Mayfair, Tacony and Holmesburg civic associations have already met to discuss finding a happier medium for the bars that participate in Shamrock Shuttle and the neighbors that deal with the aftermath. continue reading »

Rep. John Taylor and St. Matthews seventh grader Megan Vogler attend the St. Hubert's fundraiser at SmokeEaters Pub. Photo/Michelle Alton

In one of many weekend events, St. Hubert’s alumnae were invited to SmokeEaters Pub Friday to help raise money — more than $30,000 — to keep the school open.

Fundraising efforts began earlier this month after the Blue Ribbon Commission put the school on a list of four archdiocesan high schools to close at the end of the year.

Below, see the event slideshow from photographer Michelle Alton. continue reading »

UPDATE, Jan. 19 — Police have arrested Brandon Shields in connection with multiple bank robberies in the 2nd and 15th districts.

Philadelphia Police and the FBI are looking for a suspect believed to be responsible for robberies on Castor and Frankford avenues.

Most recently, the suspect took an undisclosed amount of cash from the Citizens Bank at 6537 Castor Ave. Jan. 6. In a similar incident Dec. 7, the suspect took an undisclosed amount of cash from the PNC Bank at 6855 Frankford Ave. In both cases, the suspect gave the teller a threatening note and fled on foot.

Surveillance footage from the Frankford Avenue robbery can be seen below. continue reading »

Just a year after taking state office, Rep. Kevin Boyle has announced his re-election bid for the 172nd District seat.

Friday – A 74-year-old woman died Friday morning after being struck by a car in Holmesburg.

The woman was crossing Frankford  Avenue traffic on the 7700-block where she was picking up a rental car when she was struck. Authorities are trying to determine if the driver, who stopped, will be charged. continue reading »

An area of green space on Griscom Street adjacent to a vacant property. These areas are targets of the PhillyRising Collaborative in Frankford. Photo by Pamela Seaton.

This is the second of a two-part look at revitalization in Frankford. You can read the first part here.

In the early 20th century, Frankford was a bustling neighborhood. With a growing middle-class population, it attracted residents from throughout the tri-state area, many of whom shopped at the popular businesses on Frankford Avenue.

In the 1950s, however, it lost a large amount of its population due to a great number of Philadelphians moving to the suburbs. White flight became a major problem in the 1970s and by 1990, more than 30 percent of the storefronts on Frankford Avenue were vacant, with more becoming vacant as the years went by.

Janice McDuffy, a former resident of Frankford for more than 11 years, witnessed Frankford’s downslide firsthand.

“When I lived there as a kid, it didn’t seem so dirty and there weren’t so many abandoned houses and businesses,” McDuffy said. “On the block where I used to live, there are now two empty lots that used to be homes. People dump their trash there.”

“All of Frankford is dirty and filled with litter . . . it’s a mess,” McDuffy said.

McDuffy said she quickly realized that there was a lack of economic opportunity in Frankford and moved out of the neighborhood after graduating from college, pursuing a law degree and an acting career. She said she hopes her family can move out of Frankford as quickly as possible.

“They [her family] couldn’t open a business in the future, if they wanted to . . . just look at all of the vacancies on Frankford Avenue,” McDuffy said.

“I don’t know why Frankford has deteriorated so drastically, but it’s a shame.”

Fortunately for McDuffy’s family and other Frankford residents, a few local organizations in Frankford are working to revitalize the neighborhood, including the PhillyRising Collaborative, the Frankford Special Services District and the Frankford Community Development Corporation. continue reading »

Photo of the Market-Frankford Line by Kirsten Stamn

This is the first of a two-part look at revitalization efforts in Frankford.

For the residents of Frankford, neighborhood revitalization efforts are nothing new.

The once thriving historic community has fallen on hard times and has succumbed to blight in the past few decades, evidenced by the empty storefronts, the graffiti and trash that decorate the street, and the lack of pedestrians going out and buying wares from the local shops.

Business is not booming, that much is clear. But the bigger problem is no matter how many programs have come through the area, not much has changed for the people who still linger in the area.

“We’ve been going over this since the ‘80s,” said Gilbert Pons, owner of Gilbert’s Upholstery. “I hope there’s change.” continue reading »

Three month old Feona Conti visits Santa with grandmom Katie Conti at the Mayfair holiday celebration in 2009. Photo by Bill Achuff.

Santa will be spending much of the next week in the Northeast. Aside from appearances in Fox Chase and Mayfair, the big guy will stop at three libraries between this Saturday and next for various celebrations. continue reading »

Mayfair will once again hold its annual tree lighting ceremony along Frankford Avenue next to Frusco's. NEast Philly File Photo/Dec. 2010

Fresh off a visit to Fox Chase Friday and Tacony Saturday, Santa will stop in Mayfair Sunday for the neighborhood’s annual tree-lighting ceremony.

The event begins at 4 p.m. at 7216-18 Frankford Ave. next to Frusco’s, with Thanksgiving Parade Grand Marshall Ed Kelly. continue reading »

Swenson was one of many schools marching down Frankford Avenue at the 2011 Mayfair-Holmesburg Thanksgiving Parade. Photo by Liza Meiris.

There was no need for a rain date. Service men and women, cheerleaders, dance teams, business owners, community members, pets and babies paraded down Frankford Avenue Sunday for the annual Mayfair-Holmesburg Thanksgiving Parade.

Click below to see our full slideshow of photos. If you took your own photos, email them to info AT neastphilly.com and we’ll add them to our photo gallery. continue reading »