February 23: Illegal demolition scandal | Vernon Park makeover | Putting pedestrians first

A demolition company flouted the city’s new demolition rules with apparent ease in Fairmount. The money quote: “it’s like an unseen hand guided them and protected them through the process of demolishing buildings without using permits.” 

City Council is holding hearings on oil train safety.

Vernon Park on Germantown Ave is in store for a makeover.

Patrick Kerkstra pivots off a Vox piece to argue that Philadelphia’s next Mayor will do more to impact Philadelphians’ quality of life than the next President of the United States.

NYC Mayor Bill DeBlasio wants to tackle the city’s affordable housing crisis by rescinding parking minimums for some housing and allowing taller buildings.

Some New York towns want to secede and join Pennsylvania after the state introduced a ban on natural gas fracking.

The Knight Foundation’s new report says the key to building livable cities is putting pedestrians first.

Chuck Marohn says “a street is a platform for creating wealth.”