Top 5 stories of the week in NW Philly

Here’s a look at what you may have missed on NewsWorks this week: 

1. First round of school-closing hearings focuses on safety and student stability

In mid-December, the School District of Philadelphia proposed the closure of 37 buildings at the end of the academic year. That total has since been reduced to 29, but serious concerns remain. Check out Neema Roshania’s story to learn more about what issues Northwest Philadelphia residents raised with the School Reform Commission during the first of three hearings on the matter.

2. Search for remains begins ahead of schedule at Germantown Potter’s Field site

Archaeologists kicked off a multi-week excavation of the 18th century burial ground on Monday to definitively determine its boundaries. The work plays a critical role in the Philadelphia Housing Authority’s plans to demolish an aging 16-story high building at the site and replace it with a low-rise development. Check out Amy Z. Quinn’s story for more details.

3. SEPTA’s Wissahickon train station on track for an upgrade

To the delight of residents, SEPTA officials announced this week that the Manayunk station is getting a major makeover. The station, located just off Ridge Avenue, will receive more than a dozen cosmetic and structural upgrades, nearly all of them community-driven. Check out Matthew Grady’s story to learn more.

4. Vacant Germantown church could soon become Waldorf School’s new home

A private, Mt. Airy-based developer wants to transform St. Peter’s Episcopal Church into a space that can be used for a school. The roughly $4 million project will need approval from the city’s zoning board before construction can get underway on a building that’s sat empty for the better part of a decade. Check out Amy Z. Quinn’s story to learn more.

5. Fire-struck Mount Airy property sold 20 months later

In June 2011, a fire broke out on the unit block of E. Mt. Airy Ave., damaging several buildings. Two properties, owned by a resident who was federally indicted, were hit particularly hard and have been left untouched since the blaze. That may soon change now that one has been sold. Check out Aaron Moselle’s story for more details.