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 »

Families watch as the Mayfair-Homesburg Thanksgiving Parade rolls down Frankford Avenue in 2010. Photo by Brian Bailey.

Sunday marks the annual Mayfair-Holmesburg Thanksgiving Parade, and unless it rains, Grand Marshall Ed Kelly will lead the “Bringing Music to Mayfair” parade down Frankford Avenue.

The Mayfair Civic Association has a guide to everything you need to know for parade day, including tips for businesses that want to get involved.

Festivities begin at noon on Frankford Avenue at Rhawn Street, and will end at 3 p.m. at Knorr Street. In between, performers will stop at Ryan Avenue and one other location farther South to entertain the crowd. continue reading »

Before the Frankford Civic Association meeting got started Thursday, zoning officer Pete Specos had an announcement.

Alice Henry will withdraw from the board for personal reasons, with Specos taking the helm. Henry joined the board as vice president in January. continue reading »

The small grocery store at Frankford Avenue and Unity Street in Frankford has plans to sell beer and incorporate seating. But before the store makes those changes, the owners are getting community reaction.

The Frankford Gazette reports the store owners were at Thursday’s Frankford Civic Association meeting to float the idea of improving the small strip of stores adding seating and selling take-out beer.  No formal steps have been taken with the Zoning Board.

Holmesburg Civic Association President Fred Moore (foreground) speaks about proposed legislation for narcotics treatment facilities. Background from left: Mayfair Civic Association Joe DeFelice, 6th District City Council candidate Bobby Henon, State Rep. Kevin Boyle, Sen. Mike Stack. Photo by Bill Achuff

As Holmesburg awaits a Zoning Board decision on a proposed methadone clinic, legislators and neighborhood leaders gathered today on Frankford Avenue to announce their plans for the regulation of narcotics treatment facilities.

Championed by Rep. Kevin Boyle and Sen. Mike Stack, an amendment to a 1972 act would require more scrutiny of proposed narcotics programs like the one slated for the 7900-block of Frankford Avenue.

“The proposed facility in my district would have a significant impact on the neighborhood. Many community leaders and residents have come together to fight against the proposed clinic,” Boyle said. “This legislation would provide the tools necessary to fight back against such a situation happening elsewhere in Philadelphia and across the state.” continue reading »