Family Court maneuvers, Flower Market in Chinatown, MLK Day of Service plans, 7th and Girard time machine, catchment bets

Philadelphia’s new Family Court Building almost got a surprise 15-foot height increase yesterday, as the Art Commission moved in favor the increase then tabled the proposal after neighbors protested, reports PlanPhilly’s JoAnn Greco. The maneuver does nothing to remove the cloud of controversy hanging over the project, which Inga Saffron says could be Philly’s “ultimate stealth building.”

The Year of the Dragon could begin with a flower market in Chinatown, the Inquirer reports. The tradition of welcoming the lunar new year with a street market where vendors sell flowers, fruits, and treats, is popular across Asia and in American Chinatowns. Philadelphia has never had one, but after last fall’s successful Night Market in Chinatown, the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corp. wanted to bring this new year’s tradition home.

This year’s MLK Day of Service promises 1,300 local events, reports the Inquirer. Girard College will again be the city’s hub of activity, where pre-registered job seekers can attend a Job and Opportunity Fair and volunteers will pack 100,000 meals for an international hunger relief program. Find out about all of Day of Service different events at online.

Naked Philly looks into the past at 7th and Girard, a grim stretch of bare and boarded buildings, finding a rich streetscape not so long ago. Could it be so again?

School catchment boundaries and family real estate decisions go hand-in-hand in many Philly neighborhoods. Now that the lines are being redrawn as schools close and consolidate, Citypaper checks in with families whose future bets have changed.

The Buzz is Eyes on the Street’s morning news digest.