June 19: Council hearing on collapse | PHA auction | 76ers eye Navy Yard | SS United States | Green Light Pantry | Phila. pools open
Good morning Eyes on the Street! Here’s what’s happening midweek.
This morning City Council will hold the first of five public hearings on the fatal 22nd & Market building collapse. Council President Darrell Clarke said the purpose is to determine the roll of the government in the fatal collapse. NewsWorks has more.
The Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) announced it will auction off nearly 200 scattered-site properties this July. This comes nearly two years after PHA, with the help of Max Spann Auction Company, auctioned 500 scattered-site properties and caused a stir among residents who felt they were pushed out of the process by a bundled sales strategy. From the list of properties up for sale this time around, available here, it does not look like any of the properties will be sold in bundles.
The 76ers are looking for an architect to design a new practice facility at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, the Philadelphia Business Journal reported yesterday. A request for proposals says the team is looking to build a 55,000,000-square-foot facility on a 3.3 acre vacant lot.
Tuesday afternoon two Center City skyscrapers lit up with messages to rescue the SS United States, the huge ocean liner moored on Columbus Boulevard. The once-luxurious ship holds the world record for fastest Atlantic Ocean crossing, but because it needs $500,000 for basic upkeep and mooring fees, the ship’s fate is uncertain.
A new food pantry serving only healthy food opened in Kensington Tuesday. The Green Light Pantry, which was started by the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger, will provide mostly low-sodium and low-sugar items, along with lean proteins, whole grains, low-fat dairy and produce.
Parks and Rec will start opening all 70 of Philadelphia’s public pools Thursday. Unlike in past years, when funding for the pools was threatened, this year pool funds were set aside in the city budget. The pool program will employ 700 people, including lifeguards and attendants.
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