Opinion Eyes on the Street

April 9: Councilmanic rezoning to benefit 205 Race St | Blatstein buys on Rittenhouse, Piazza update | Hollaback ad campaign | Made in America returning | free cone day

Eyes on the Street

April 9, 2013

The Climb — (phillytrax, EOTS Flickr Group)

Good morning Streeters. It promises to be an even warmer day than yesterday, so be sure to get out and enjoy the day.

Councilman Mark Squilla is trying to change Old City’s zoning overlay to allow higher density development along the Benjamin Franklin Bridge approach, paving a easier path for Brown Hill’s proposed development at 205 Race Street. That proposed 16-story, mixed-use development would otherwise require several variances from the Zoning Board of Adjustment. Old City Civic Association has balked at the scale of the project. OCCA’s zoning chair Richard Thom told PlanPhilly: “The continuing introduction of ‘councilmanic privilege’ legislation trumping the new code terms negotiated over a five year community participation effort essentially makes the new zoning meaningless. It is dead.”

Bart Blatstein has purchased and plans to live in the long vacant McIlhenny mansion at 1914-16 Rittenhouse Square, Hidden City Daily reports. PhillyDeals caught up with Blatstein who said he’s looking forward to moving back into the city with his wife Jule. Blatstein also told PhillyDeals that he’s planning to build out the remaining two Piazza apartment buildings sooner than later. “I’m looking at it now. The market here is very hot. This neighborhood is on fire. Even across Girard Ave north, everything’s being sold.”

Saying “Hey Sexy” is not the appropriate way to say good morning to a woman on the subway. HollabackPHILLY has placed ads on the Broad Street Line and El in the hopes of starting a conversation about “street harassment,” from unwanted comments to catcalls, NewsWorks reports.

The Made in America Festival will return to the Parkway Labor Day weekend, philly.com reports. The lineup will be announced Wednesday. So far there’s no word on how Van Colln Field will be protected from getting trashed again, now that it has been redone. NewsWorks reports that the contract should be finalized soon.

It’s a beautiful day for free cone day at Ben and Jerry’s. Grab yours at 218 S. 40th St, 30th Street Station, or 3400 Civic Center Blvd at HUP.

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