Councilman nixes plans for new Special Victims Unit headquarters in East Falls

Philadelphia’s Special Victims Unit is going to have to find a new home. Philadelphia City Councilman Curtis Jones has nixed plans to relocate the unit to East Falls.

Council generally gives district representatives the power to approve or veto developments within their districts.

Jones says he decided after careful consideration not to move forward with plans to build a new Special Victims Unit in East Falls after meeting with neighborhood residents on the issue.

“I think that the people of East Falls and Paradise and Allegheney West have had to deal with a number of social causes including Gaudenzia House, Delaware Valley Charter High School the youth studies center,” Jones said, “and then we’ve been asked to deal with the Special Victims Unit, which I don’t think fits that location.”

Jones said commercial development is more important for that area.

“We are going to move towards that instead of moving towards a social service district,” he said.

The councilman says his decision shows community input matters when deciding on major construction projects in his district.