June 23: Temple buying William Penn HS | Naudain St explosion mysteries | NextFab growth | Dietz & Watson courted | CyclePhilly data

Welcome to the working week, Streeters. Hope you enjoyed the beautiful weekend. Here’s what we’re reading:

Last week Drexel closed on University City High School and Temple’s $15 million bid for William Penn High School was approved. Temple plans to partially demolish the former school on North Broad to make way for athletic fields and recreation space, NewsWorks reports. What’s left of the school will be a job-training academy created in partnership with the Laborers’ District Council Education and Training/Apprenticeship Fund. Temple could close on the property by the end of June.

Back in May the 2300 block of Naudain was evacuated before a gas explosion destroyed two homes and injured firefighters. But, the Inquirer reports, the cause of the Naudain explosion is still unclear and just who’s responsible remains an open question. As Philly’s infrastructure ages it’s a chilling reminder that these incidents could happen anywhere. What helped save lives that night on Naudain: a working carbon monoxide detector and swift call to 911.

The Daily News caught up with NextFab founder Evan Malone about the high-tech fabrication space’s growth, how NextFab nurtures entrepreneurs, experimentation, and engineers, and what’s next. In terms of the latter – a new Northern Liberties location could open in fall.

Councilman Bobby Henon is courting Dietz & Watson, hoping that rezoning will entice the lunchmeat company to build a new warehouse on the Frankford Arsenal site, NewsWorks reports. The site is close to Dietz & Watson’s Philly offices and has enough room for a warehouse and trucking facility. “I would love for them to come back and be a part of the fabric of Philadelphia. They are an icon,” Henon said. An announcement could come this week.

Hey cyclists, have you tried out CyclePhilly? Grid explains how the trip tracker aims to make Philly a better place to bike. By downloading the app and turning it on when you bike, data collected will help transportation planners think about improvements to the city’s bike network and understand rider habits.

The Buzz is Eyes on the Street’s morning news digest. Have a tip? Send it along.
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