February 3: Philly wants Super Bowl | Homestead Exemption abuse | Pleasant Hill Park playground arson | Gallery changes afoot | Uhuru moves to N. Broad

Welcome to the working week, Streeters. Punxsutawney Phil says more winter, and here we are: Philadelphia schools are closed today as wet, heavy snow moves in. Take your time getting around today.

Will Philadelphia host the Super Bowl someday? That’s possible if NFL officials determine this year’s Super Bowl – the first held outdoors in a cold weather city – went well enough.

Are people already abusing the Homestead Exemption, designed to lower the property taxes of longtime residents under the Actual Value Initiative? The Daily News found that more than 1700 properties, like rentals or vacant properties, have been approved for the $30,000 tax break that should not be eligible for the program. Outdated property records could have inflated that number, and this spring the Office of Property Assessment will audit questionable applicants.

An arsonist torched part of the new playground at East Torresdale’s Pleasant Hill Park, the Daily News reports. The fire burned three swings and their support structure, a climbing tower, and charred the safety surface, less than a year after $2.9 million was spent to improve the playground. Parks and Rec hopes to repair the damage before spring.

The Gallery Kmart location will close in April, opening the way for multiple stores to take its place as part of mall renovations. The Inquirer notes that PREIT has spent years acquiring the Gallery’s multiple properties, now controlling the entire mall, and has requests for proposals out to build a hotel tower and residential tower on top of the sections of the Gallery. PREIT is also a part owner of the property at 8th and Market where the Market8 casino is proposed.

On Friday second-hand furniture store Uhuru moved from its home of 20 years at Spruce and Camac and reopened in its own building at North Broad and Parrish on Saturday. CityPaper caught up with Uhuru staff to talk about losing their lease, being priced out of the gayborhood, and excitement about having a far larger space to work in.

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