Opinion Eyes on the Street

Feds fund deeper Delaware, Walnut Street Bridge construction starts, boxing back at Blue Horizon, Philly Hometown Media could start news venture, Soul Train today

PlanPhilly staff

February 13, 2012

(Frozen Finger Pier | Flickr user phillytrax, Eyes on the Street Flickr group)

President Obama’s budget includes $31 million to deepen the Delaware River’s navigation channel, the Inquirer reports. Environmental groups have long-protested the proposed deepening, while port interests have sought to deepen the channel in order to place Philadelphia and Camden on par with other major east coast ports. Senator Bob Casey and Congressman Bob Brady pushed for the dedicated funding.

Construction begins on the Walnut Street Bridge today, so expect lane closures. NBC10 reports the federally-funded project to widen sidewalks and improve lighting and signage will take seven months. The Streets Department is directing cyclists to use the South Street Bridge during construction.

Could boxing return to the Legendary Blue Horizon on North Broad Street? The Inquirer reports that developer/owners Orens Brothers and Mosaic Development are considering incorporating a modified version of the boxing arena into the Blue Horizon’s hotel and restaurant conversion.

Philly Hometown Media, an investment partnership assembled by developer Bart Blatstein, was spurned from bidding on the Philadelphia Media Network, but they are still interested in the news business. Philly Hometown Media is floating the idea of starting a competing online/print news venture, the Business Journal reports. In a statement Blatstein said, “It may well be that Philadelphia has been a one-company newspaper town for too long. Our preliminary modeling indicates that this venture would be successful. Prior attempts at competition have been frustrated by a lack of committed long-term capital. Philly Hometown Media suffers from no such disability.”

Today at 4pm, Philadelphians will meet on the Art Museum steps to attempt the longest Soul Train dance line to honor the show’s creator and host, Don Cornelius, whose funeral is set for today in Los Angeles. To get you in the mood: a little “Love Train” line from Soul Train in 1973.

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