September 17: Broad/Washington arts market | vacant land tech tools | Casey seeking transit funding | Butkovitz doesn’t support five-year budget | Philly’s used bookstores

Good morning Streeters. Our thoughts are with Washington today as we wake with heavy hearts after yesterday’s mass shooting at the Washington Navy Yard. Here’s what else is making news today:

What if the corner of Broad and Washington could go from dead zone to an outdoor market with performance space? Passyunk Post reports that an idea is being floated to use the enormous vacant lot at this key intersection as the Philadelphia Arts Market with craft vendors, food trucks, a performance stage, farmers market, and programming. Tonight the South Broad Street Neighbors Association will hear the nascent proposal at 7pm at Methodist Hospital (2301 S. Broad St., Morgan Conference Room).

With mounting support for a land bank, advocates have a growing field of new tech tools at their disposal. Grid reviews three apps and maps – Reclaim Philly, Grounded in Philly, and Possible City  that have been developed to help Philadelphians understand the scope and ownership of vacant plots.

Senator Bob Casey vowed to find more federal money for public transit agencies after SEPTA outlined its dramatic doomsday future. “”We need to work now to plan for the kind of capital needs that SEPTA and other public transit departments across the country are going to need in the future,” said Casey.

City Controller Alan Butkovitz asked the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority not to approve the city’s five-year budget. The Inquirer reports that the current five-year plan shows balances could go as low as $8.5 million in 2017, which Butkovitz sees as too risky.

And just for fun: Flying Kite has an excellent roundup Philly’s great neighborhood used bookstores – from Port Richmond Books to West Philly’s A House of Our Own. 

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