Adapt Ortlieb’s | PA passes land bank legislation | OLIN’s tech side | Store owner where firefighters died arrested | forgotten Furness arch gets TLC

In an Inquirer editorial, Michael Greenle (former PennPraxis communications director) calls for Bart Blatstein’s Tower Investments not to demolish Ortlieb’s Brew House and Stock House in Northern Liberties. Buildings like Ortlieb’s are part of what gives Northern Liberties its interesting, mixed character. Greenle argues that when we loose buildings like these (as we do all too often) we are “diminishing the most valuable asset in Philadelphia: the fabric of its neighborhoods.” Tower demolished another of the neighborhood’s major breweries – Schmidt’s, where the Piazza at Schmidt’s now stands – but these are different days. “Let’s hope that this time, Tower will look at what it’s built, reconsider, and find a way to maintain and adapt what makes Northern Liberties special.” Demolition is allowed to begin as soon as Wednesday. Take this last look at Ortlieb.

Pennsylvania finally passed legislation enabling cities and towns to establish land banks, paving the way for Philadelphia to move forward on its municipal land bank, reports City Paper’s The Naked City blog. Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez said she hopes to hold hearings on local land bank legislation in November.

You probably know OLIN as a topnotch landscape and design firm based here in Philly, but did you know they’re also hackers? Technically Philly spoke with the firm’s Director of Technology, Chris Hanley, about the their internal wiki, constant adaptation of design software to make it meet the firm’s needs, and emphasis on tech training for employees.

The owner of the furniture store where two firefighters died during the Buck Hosiery fire in April has been arrested on state perjury and fraud charges, reports the Inquirer. It is not yet clear as to whether Richard Knellinger was arrested because of testimony he gave during the ongoing grand jury investigation.

A forgotten Frank Furness-designed archway is being conserved by a team of PennDesign preservation students, the Fairmount Park Historic Preservation Trust, and the Association for Preservation Technology, reports Hidden City Daily. The elaborate brownstone arch was moved to Fairmount Park from its original location outside Connecticut House in the Centennial Exhibition. The team of conservators hacked back weeds, cleaned the masonry, and performed emergency mortar repairs to help preserve the arch along Kelly Drive near the Strawberry Mansion Bridge.

 

The Buzz is Eyes on the Street’s morning news digest. Have a tip? Send it along. 

WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.

Want a digest of WHYY’s programs, events & stories? Sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal