This Week: September 19-23

Lawrence Susskind 

Monday, September 19, 6pm.  PennDesign, 210 S. 34th Street, Meyerson Hall B-3. Has planning lost its mojo? Is there such a thing as too much grassroots engagement in planning? MIT Professor of Urban Studies & Planning, Lawrence Susskind comes to Penn to discuss “Why the Future of Planning Requires More, Not Less Public Participation” as part of PennDesign’s fall lecture series. Free, registration encouraged.

Zoning Reform Discussion

Tuesday, September 20, 6:30-8:30pm. Inquirer and Daily News Building,400 N. Broad Street. PennPraxis, PlanPhilly, and the Daily News host a public forum about zoning reform.  Sandy Shea, Editor of the Daily News Editorial Page, will set the stage; Alan Greenberger, Deputy Mayor of Planning and Economic Development, will frame the issue; and Councilmen Clarke, DiCicco and Green will participiate in a panel discussion with Greenberger and zoning experts moderated by Harris Steinberg, Executive Director of PennPraxis. Free, RSVP online.

Preservation Alliance Homeowner Workshop: Historic Wood Windows

Tuesday, September 20, 6:30pm. Shiloh Baptist Church, 2040 Christian Street. Learn basic repair and re-glazing techniques to keep windows in good working order. Part of the Preservation Alliance‘s Homeowner’s Workshop Series this fall. Upcoming workshops will be the next two Tuesdays, 9/27 (Weatherizing Your Historic Home), and 10/4 (Flat Plaster Repairs and Interior Finishes). Workshops include either visual presentations or hands-on demonstrations by the Fairmount Park Historic Preservation Trust staff.  Free, reservations required. To reserve a space email or call Melissa Jest, Neighborhood Preservation Program Coordinator at 215-546-1146 x6.

Tour PECO’s Green Roof

Tuesday, September 20, 5-6pm. PECO Building, 2301 Market Street. Tour PECO’s 45,000-square-foot green roof at their headquarters in Philadelphia with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. Tours will also walk to local sites where PHS has created pop up gardens, including its headquarters at 20th and Arch Streets, Logan Square, and at the corner or 20th and Market Streets. Must be over 18 years old. $5 for PHS members, $10 for the general public.

Frank Lloyd Wright and the East Coast

Wednesday, September 21- Sunday, September 25. Sheraton Society Hill, One Dock Street. The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy’s annual conference is in Philadelphia this week. Among sites participants will visit are Beth Sholom Synagogue (1953-1959) and the Suntop Homes (1938-1939), a four-unit Usonian design intended to provide a nationwide model for affordable cluster housing. Register online.

Hunger Symposium

Thursday, September 22, 7:30am-1:30pm. The Hub at Cira Centre, 2929 Arch Street. September is Hunger Action Month, and Philabundance will host its first Hunger Symposium this week, focusing on the issue of food access. Mari Gallagher will give a keynote presentation about the impact of Food Deserts on communities and their residents, and Joel Berg will speak about food security. There will also be panel discussions about the Effects of Poverty and Increase in Need, and Strategically Addressing Food Access in Pennsylvania. Tickets are $50; $15 for students or teachers.