Two nonprofits trying to take root in Northwood are getting two different reactions from that neighborhood’s civic association, and the difference has everything to do with a decades-old deed restriction, says its president.

Plans to develop a new facility along Adams Avenue for the Bridge, a residential treatment program for adolescent boys aged 14-18 and a subsidiary of Center City-based Public Health Management Corporation, now has the support of the Northwood Civic Association, following a voice vote at Tuesday night’s meeting. Roughly 30 people in attendance agreed with the civic association board’s plans to support the initiative, countered by a lone voice dissenter.

Other residents had raised concerns in preceding conversation, though much was answered by Civic President Barry Howell and state Rep. Tony Payton’s Chief of Staff Jorge Santana. The civic board can now write a letter of support to the city’s Zoning Board, which would have to approve a zoning variance for the facility to be built.

That support, which closed the meeting near 8:30 p.m. at St. James, was balanced by voices of opposition for another proposal.

For two years, Northwood Civic Association President Barry Howell and a cohort of his members have organized and mobilized against national rehabilitative nonprofit Volunteers of America operating a facility at 4871 Roosevelt Blvd. near Allengrove Street. Tuesday night, Howell pledged an invigorated effort to undo VOA’s use of the property, which currently houses three “disabled elderly residents,” who, Howell said in January, were ‘snuck in’ by the nonprofit.

continue reading »

Whether a school for troubled boys is a stable, controlled business to fill a trash-strewn vacant lot or a new draw for outside people recovering from addiction was the central focus of the Frankford Civic Association meeting Thursday night.

At next month’s meeting, to be held April 7, residents are encouraged to attend to ask questions and ultimately vote on supporting the Bridge along Adams Avenue, as first discussed at a public meeting last month.

“I’m torn,” said new President Brian Wisniewski. “The school has a lot of outpatient services…but the Bridge seems like a responsible facility.”

continue reading »

A Frankford resident, who says she didn’t know her after-hours social club was breaking various city ordinances, took on a barrage of questions and criticisms from the Frankford Civic Association board, its members and others in attendance at Thursday night’s meeting.

In the fall, flyers were circulating Frankford promoting a private club with liquor, underage patrons and a cover charge on the third floor of 4651 Frankford Avenue, admits Roselyn González, who says she has since taken responsibility, authority and leadership of the haphazard club. But that has all changed, she says.

continue reading »

This obituary will continue to be updated. Help us honor Frances by leaving comments of your memories of her, and contacting us here with further details.

Not a month after calling for a moment of silence honoring another board member’s passing, Frankford Civic Association President Frances Clay died Wednesday.

Clay was 57.

continue reading »

State Senator Christine Tartaglione is “disappointed” with outgoing Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell’s veto of a bill that would extend the requirements of municipalities to provide health coverage for firefighters diagnosed with various cancers.

House bill 1231, dubbed the cancer presumption bill for firefighters, had some bipartisan support, but Rendell, who vetoed two other bills the same day, expressed concern about excessive costs to already burdened local governments. Nearly two dozen Pennsylvania mayors signed a letter urging Rendell to veto the measure, which was introduced by state Rep. Kevin Murphy and backed by Tartaglione, among others.

“I’m very disappointed with our outgoing governor,” she said of Rendell, while addressing just three residents and a handful of executive board members at the Frankford Civic Association meeting inside Aria Health Frankford. “This bill will come back next year.”

continue reading »

Thelma Young at the September 2010 Frankford Civic Association meeting, of which she was a member for at least 15 years, according to the board's president. Click to enlarge.

Updated: Nov. 13 @ 11:14 a.m. with more family background.

Updated: Nov. 15 @ 10:22 a.m. with more personal details, courtesy of Northeast Times reporter John Loftus, who shared to limit the burden on the family.

NEast Philly will continue to update this profile of Thelma. We encourage anyone to contact us with additional information or share your memories of her in the comments below.

Thelma Young, 76, the feisty, passionate and funny, gray-haired, bespectacled and baseball-capped Frankford Civic Association board member, has died, a fellow board member has confirmed. Her age has not yet been confirmed, nor has the cause of death, though zoning board member Pete Specos referred to it as “sudden.”

“She was always active in the community, always looking to better the place she lived,” said Frances Clay, the President of the Frankford Civic Association. Young was a member of the both the civic association and the 15th Police District Advisory Council, or some form of it, for at least 15 years, Clay said. Young had spoken briefly during meetings about growing up in Frankford, though Clay couldn’t confirm details.

continue reading »

A proposed nine-acre trash transfer site for the outskirts of Frankford is facing a growing collection of neighborhood groups and legislators.

The proposed Aramingo Rail Transfer, which would deposit hauls of waste onto rail cars to be taken to landfills and was first portrayed as a greener alternative to trucking trash out, has come under fire in recent months, according to petitions circulated by the founders of an adjacent business.

continue reading »

The October Frankford Civic Association meeting took 30 minutes — and that seemed thin.

No zoning and a no-show from state Sen. Christine Tartaglione, who was double-booked, meant conversation was sparse for the not-quite 10 residents in attendance.

continue reading »

Joe Hohenstein, the clerk of the Frankford Friends School board committee and a 1979 graduate, discussing expansion plans at the Sept. 9, 2010 Frankford Civic Association meeting.

Updated: 9/10/10 @ 3:56 p.m.

A $1.6 million expansion project that would remake the capacity of a fixture of Frankford was given approval Thursday night by the neighborhood’s civic group.

The Frankford Friends School, at the corner of Penn and Orthodox streets, would see a modern, single-floor, multi-use, 32-foot additional building constructed east of its historic 1833-era school house if the city’s zoning commission approves a change to the property’s zoning distinction.

continue reading »

In February 2009, neighbors noticed a change in 1522-24 Church Street in Frankford. Furniture was being moved and the noise began.

Since then, at nearly every Frankford Civic Association meeting, the property was criticized for noise and lewdness violations. Neighbors who’ve declined to go on record call the property an “illegal recovery house.” One that, the neighbors allege, allows their residents to continue to use, distribute and sell illicit narcotics.

State Sen. Tony Payton’s Chief of Staff Jorge Santana has called it an example of “the worst of the neighborhood.” At Thursday’s Frankford civic meeting, rumors surfaced that a change was at hand.

continue reading »