September 2: Parking Authority looking at mobile payments | Chicago company opening 2 Philly coworking spaces | Mantua’s large artist cluster | New Kid Hazo

The Philadelphia Parking Authority is looking at a smartphone payment system, and is no longer installing parking payment kiosks, reports Albert Stumm at Passyunk Post. The MobileNOW! app seems like a likely choice, as it’s already in use in Camden and a few PA cities: “After registering online, patrons can add money to their meter via credit card by using a smart phone app or by making a phone call and following the prompts. Customers can also remotely extend their parking session without returning to their car and receive text alerts when their time is almost up.”

The tide of residential redevelopment keeps moving steadily northward, and the latest evidence is this rehab of an East Kensington “white elephant” – the Bromley carpet mill next to the El at Front and Jasper.

New development of commercial space has been a soft spot in Philly’s real estate market as of late (the second Comcast tower being the exception) but here’s a bit of good news – Chicago’s Industrious co-working space is opening two 20,000 square foot locations here – one at 230 S. Broad and another at a yet-to-be-named location in Old City.

The population of working artists in West Philly’s Mantua and West Powelton neighborhoods is as large as similar clusters of artists in Old City and Northern Liberties, but a new Drexel study finds that a lack of public investment, and weak civic organization has held back the local arts and culture economy. Via Newsworks: “Despite the large population of artists, the study found the arts sector in Mantua and Powelton Village is relatively weak, as neighborhood schools and non-profits are not tapping into that cultural resource. There is a lack of communication between artists and organizations, said [co-author Andrew] Zitzer, making it difficult for public schools and civic associations to develop strategies that leverage local cultural resources.”

The public process for setting the Philadelphia land bank’s strategic priorities hasn’t really gotten started yet, but here’s a preview from Pittsburgh of what this debate is going to sound like.

Street art blogger Conrad Benner tagged along with Kid Hazo to document the artist’s latest installation at Spruce Street Harbor Park, called “No Fishing.”