Community Planner Ian Litwin shows Frankford resident Doris Booker some improvements the Planning Commission envisions for the neighborhood. Photo/Tiffany Goforth

In 1961, Jane Jacobs wrote The Death and Life of Great American Cities, in which she proposed supporting neighborhoods’ use of community-based initiatives.

Fast-forward 50 years, and urban planners are taking her observations into serious consideration, as evidenced by the city’s comprehensive plan,  Philadelphia2035, to play up individual neighborhoods’ strengths and improve upon their obstacles to connectivity and access.

Within the next few years, the planning commission will complete 18 district plans, which will incorporate many of the themes and objectives found in the overall citywide plan.

Currently, only three of the 18 plans have been adopted. The most recent being the Lower Northeast District Plan, which includes Frankford, Northwood, Summerdale, Lawncrest and Oxford Circle.

Saturday, Lower Northeast District Plan Project Manager Ian Litwin, other consultants and city employees held a community visioning workshop at Aria Health-Frankford to discuss ways to make Frankford, a major transit hub, more accessible. continue reading »

Valerie Jefferson, Northwood Academy’s Board President, and son Steven Jefferson, cut the ceremonial ribbon
for the new wing. Photo/NACS

It’s been six years since all of Northwood Academy Charter School‘s students attended class on a single campus.

With Tuesday’s dedication of a new wing, all 788 students will now learn at 4621 Castor Ave. continue reading »

The Northwood Civic Association voted no on a variance request to operate a commercial business in a residential property. Image/Google Maps

At the Northwood Civic Association meeting Jan. 15, the civic voted to not support the request for a variance for 5260 Castor Ave.  The owner, Hazel Williams, was represented by her attorney Michael Etkin at the meeting.

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The current Northwood Civic Association leadership was announced in December 2011. L to R: President Joe Krause, member Gina Panchella, Vice President Frank Bennett, member Renee Hudson and member Lou Kubik. Not pictured: Treasurer Bill Rodebaugh. Photo/Christopher Wink

The Northwood Civic Association meeting Oct. 16 featured the nomination for elections to the board.  Joe Krause is the sole nominee for president.  Tom McAvoy is the sole nominee for vice president. Gina Panchella is the sole nominee for secretary. Mary Robus, Ed Martin, Lou Kubik, Rodney Allen and Frank Bennett are the nominees for board members. The election will take place at the next meeting in November.

The meeting opened with reading of the minutes followed by the treasurers report.  It was noted that Cancer Treatment Centers of America donated $2,500 to the Neighborhood Security Patrol via a donation the the Northwood Civic.

Membership now stands at 109 paid members.  Notice of dues coming due are being distributed and dues are $10 for the coming year.

Read the rest of the meeting recap from the Frankford Gazette.

The 4600-block of Adams Avenue. It’s relativel leafy, runs parallel to Greenwood Cemetery and is roughly three blocks from Northwood Park. And oh yeah, it’s on the Northeast side of the  Frankford/Tookany Creek.

Why then, did NBC10 report that a car crash on that block happened in North Philadelphia? continue reading »

The Northwood Civic Association has scheduled a clean-up for the triangle at Adams Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard. Image/Google Maps

At the Northwood Civic Association meeting on Aug. 21, membership had no opposition to a proposal for a new Popeye’s Chicken at the location of the old beer distributor at 4501 Castor Ave.

Several other issues were addressed, including the need to clean up the triangle at Adams Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard.

You can read about details from the meeting on the Frankford Gazette’s website.

Image/Philadelphia City Planning Commission

One of many things on the Philadelphia City Planning Commission’s agenda Tuesday is a review of the Lower Northeast District Plan.

Residents of Frankford, Northwood, Summerdale, Lawncrest, Oxford Circle and Castor Gardens got a preview last week of the plan that will be presented at the afternoon meeting in Center City. continue reading »

Image/Philadelphia City Planning Commission

In the lobby of a building filled with innovators, residents of the Lower Northeast District planning area gathered Tuesday to see the highlights of four months’ worth of ideas for Frankford, Summerdale, Lawncrest, Northwood, Oxford Circle and part of Castor Gardens.

The third and final public meeting for the planning district was set up as an open house at Frankford’s Globe Dye Works for residents to review the highlight of a plan that will be presented to the Philadelphia Planning Commission later this month. At the first two meetings, participants worked with city planners to identify their neighborhoods’ strength and weaknesses and develop suggestions for improvement. Transit, greenery and connectivity were themes that came up frequently.

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The third and final planning meeting for the Lower Northeast District is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 7 at Globe Dye Works [map] in Frankford.

The first two meetings – held in April and June – called on residents, business owners and other invested community members to talk about their visions for Frankford, Northwood, Lawncrest, Summerdale, Oxford Circle and part of Castor Gardens. continue reading »

It was a packed house (about 70 in attendance) at the Northwood Civic Association meeting on Tuesday night, when the members voted unanimously to take legal action against the owner of 949 Foulkrod St. for violation of the deed restriction against multi family residences.  The board is seeking donations to the legal fund to finance the law suit.

Read the rest of this report from the Frankford Gazette.