Pronounced “semi-quin-centennial” | | |
America’s 250th. It’s coming. You know it’s coming. As in, next year it’s coming.
Will Philly be ready? We certainly hope so, but hope is not a strategy. Can you say “volunteer opportunities”? Yes, we can.
The sporting events alone spin our heads: World Cup, MLB All-Star Game, March Madness, PGA Championship. And then there’s RockyFest, ArtPhilly, 52 Weeks of Firsts….
The City’s got its work cut out for it. It’s gonna need help, and lots of it. We’re in. You in?
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Save the Date: 22nd Street Bike Lane Clean-up
Saturday, April 5, 2025
| | Participate in the City’s Spring Clean-up Day by joining CCRA and Philly Bike Action to clean up the 22nd St bike lane! We’ll be meeting at the Grays Ferry triangle (23rd and South) at 11am and expect to finish by 1pm. Light refreshments will be provided. Attendees are encouraged to bring brooms, rakes, and gloves, but such items will also be provided. Come on out, meet your neighbors, and help make our neighborhood a little more beautiful! | | Go Green with CCRA Green and Plant Street Trees! | | |
Saturday, April 12 - Volunteers are needed to help plant street trees with CCRA Green! Meet at 9:30 am at the entrance to the community garden at 25th and Spruce Streets.
No experience necessary. Dress to get dirty and bring drinking water. Volunteers are invited to a pizza lunch in the garden afterward!
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DA Debate Tonight!
FREE TICKETS HERE FOR TONIGHT’S DISTRICT ATTORNEY DEBATE
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CCRA is a founding member of the Philadelphia Crosstown Coalition, a collection of more than 40 Registered Community Organizations across the City. The PCC is co-hosting a debate tonight between the two candidates for Philadelphia District Attorney at the String Theory School, 1600 Vine Street, from 7 to 8:30 pm.
Tickets (no charge) are required. For more information and to obtain a ticket visit here.
| | Public Zoning Committee Meeting | | |
Tuesday, March, 25th, 7pm Via Zoom
Zoom link here | View Agenda here
| | CCRA MERCHANT PARTNER FEATURE: | | |
CCRA’s Merchant Partner program is a true Win-Win: It provides local businesses with complimentary advertising and exposure while giving CCRA members generous deals and discounts. This week we spotlight Merchant Partner The Franklin at Rittenhouse!
Say Hello to the Cool Kid in Town: The Franklin at Rittenhouse
Did you know?? There is a boutique beauty of a hotel located right in the heart of Center City! It’s The Franklin at Rittenhouse, and it’s a lavishly reimagined hideaway where details make all the difference.
Guests have their choice of numerous styles of rooms with all the desired amenities. And then there’s the Franklin Mortgage and Investment Company, which is not a fiduciary institution but which is in fact their Art Deco-inspired bar named after the largest rum-running ring in the country during Prohibition.
Pets are welcome, and needless to say you cannot beat the location, with high-end shopping on Rittenhouse Row, historic landmarks, exceptional art museums, and a vibrant cuisine scene.
So whether it’s a stay-cation for you or an unforgettable getaway for out-of-town family or friends, make your mark at the Franklin at Rittenhouse.
And for CCRA Members? 15% off the first night stay, or receive a VIP table for 2 at the Franklin Lounge and receive a 10% discount on the total bar tab for one evening.
| | April Sundays Go Car-Free in Rittenhouse! | | |
Looking for a fun and pedestrian-friendly Sunday activity? This April, the streets near Rittenhouse Square are going car-free, giving you the perfect opportunity to stroll, shop, and dine al fresco. Even your four-legged friends can strut their stuff!
The CenterCity District’s (CCD) Open Streets program is back for its third run, following a highly successful September and a festive December edition. According to Prema Katari Gupta, CEO of the district's business association, the goal is to help restaurants and retailers thrive while showcasing the vibrancy of Center City.
The car-free zone spans Walnut Street from 15th to 19th Streets and 18th Street from Chestnut to Locust. Past events brought in thousands of visitors, leading to noticeable boosts in foot traffic and sales for local businesses. So, grab your walking shoes and experience a whole new way to enjoy the heart of Philly this spring.
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Philly’s hidden garden is back at the Craftsman Row Saloon - just in time for the Cherry Blossom festival. This year, it’s a flower and garden masterpiece with all the dazzling colors, floral art on little easels, journals and seeds, and so many details. Make sure you stay and have something from their tasty menu.
Location: 112 S. 8th Street
| | Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion | | Bearded Ladies on Ice! (Yes, you read that right.) | | |
Pick one: Solving the climate crisis or teaching drag queens to ice skate. Can’t decide? Well, you can do both at “Beards On Ice”!
This hour-long ice capade comes in two dazzling variations: fun for the whole family, and PG13 (a little more edge). It features resources from Philly’s climate justice organizations and a free skate after the show. It’s March 22 & 23 at the Laura Sims Skate House. Axel here for details.
| | The Annual Cherry Blossom Festival Returns | | |
The Cherry Blossom Festival is an annual spring celebration of Japanese arts and culture organized by Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia (JASGP). The festival is on April 5th and 6th. Featuring various events throughout the city, this yearly festival brings a taste of Japan to Philadelphia. It highlights the beauty of Japanese sakura—the flowering cherry trees that brighten city streets and parks with their distinctive pink and white blossoms.
The scent of the blossoms will give pleasure to your senses. Still, there’s so much more…think tea ceremony, kimono exhibitions, origami, calligraphy, Karaoke, and of course, a pop-up beer garden.
Check out the schedule and ticket prices here.
| | Community News and Events | | From Wall to Shining Wall | | |
As the undisputed Mural Capital of the World, Philadelphia can boast about having the largest outdoor art gallery on the planet. Center City West is adorned with some of the most amazing of the thousands of murals that can be found throughout the city.
On April 6, Mural Arts is offering a mural tour of our own neighborhood - Center City West Walking Tour, from 11 am to 12:30 pm, and a Mural Mile Center City Walking Tour from 2- 3:30 pm. Tourgoers will have a unique opportunity to get up close and personal with incredible works of art and the stories they tell. The cost for either tour is $26 for ages 13 and up and $20 for 12 and under.
Mural Arts is also offering tours on other dates. To register, view their calendar, and/or get more information, widen your local vision here. Your future out-of-town visitors will thank you for it!
| | TONIGHT Speak Freely Speakeasy at National Liberty Museum Third Thursday event | | |
Shake up your Thursday night at the National Liberty Museum. Haven’t been there yet? In founding the NLM, Polish immigrant, Irvin J. Borowsky sought to not just present a collection of art and artifacts, but rather to illustrate that liberty is a fragile concept whose survival requires us to understand, respect, and actively engage with one another. If not now, when?
On March 20, 2025, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, their Third Thursday event is serving up a slice of history with a side of happy hour. For just $15, enjoy after-hours museum access, live tunes from Emily Drinker, tarot readings, and a complimentary drink (with more available for purchase). Register here.
| | Bibliophiles- Harken Thee to this Enchanted Museum | | |
We’re lucky to have the Rosenbach Museum & Library here in Center City West. This old, historic home (now a museum) was once owned by Dr. A.S.W. Rosenbach (1876-1952) and his brother, Philip (1863-1953), renowned dealers in books, manuscripts, and fine art. Love rare books? Emily Bronte? Jane Austen? Want to do a deep dive through another classic? OK…if that’s not your jam, how about Yoga through Poetry? Programs and workshops sell out quickly so don your reading glasses and visit here for deets.
| | It’s Always Punny in Philadelphia | | |
It’s often said that puns are one of the lowest forms of humor.
But so what? Who cares? They’re funny!
And that will never be more true than at the pun-fest at the Helium Comedy Club on March 22.
Here’s how it works:
In PUNDITS, contestants sign up in advance to prepare a 3-minute pun-filled routine on a topic of their choice. In HEADLINES, you'll be read a wacky news story and given the chance to give it a proper, wordplay-filled headline. In PUNDEMONIUM, contestants go head-to-head on a topic pulled from a hat, thinking of puns on the spot.
Got it? Good. Now go here for pun-demonium.
| | Boom Time in Greater Center City | | |
Our friends at Center City District have released one of its most optimistic reports about the growth of Center City, especially housing growth, for 2024.
Among the highlights:
- Greater Center City accounted for 44% of all Philadelphia housing completions last year while comprising less than 6% of the city's total land area.
- The 19123 ZIP code alone accounted for a quarter of all new housing units in Philadelphia last year, with approximately 2,000 new units completed.
- Core Center City's population grew by another 3% in 2024, compared to just 0.2% growth for the city overall.
- In 2024, Greater Center City saw the second-highest absorption rate of the past decade, with 2,400 more units occupied at year-end than at the beginning of the year.
Read the full report here, or a summary by WHYY here.
| | Center City, Philadelphia. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY) | | Major Market Street Bridge Overhaul Begins: A Four-Year Project in the Making | | |
Big changes are coming to the Market Street bridge over the Schuylkill River and I-76. PennDOT has kicked off a $149 million reconstruction project that will span four years. Key features include adding a rare two-way, concrete-separated bike lane, while deteriorated bridge sections, some dating back to 1932, will be rebuilt.
The project includes partial demolition and replacement of three bridge sections, resurfacing the Walnut Street bridge with new bike lanes, and upgrading nearby structures like the Chestnut Street bridge. Pedestrian-friendly enhancements include wider sidewalks and improved stair access to the Schuylkill River Trail (SRT). New intelligent traffic signals, navigation lighting, and bridge enhancements are also planned.
Construction will bring road closures and detours. Weekend I-76 closures and nighttime bridge shutdowns will impact traffic. Initial utility work to relocate electric, gas, and water lines has begun, paving the way for major rehabilitation starting soon.
With 80% of costs covered by federal funds, the project promises a safer, modernized infrastructure that accommodates cars, cyclists, and pedestrians alike, while preserving the bridge’s historic appearance. By August 2026, Market Street will close to vehicles for over a year (oy!), transforming commutes and ensuring long-term gains for the city's infrastructure. Stay tuned for updates!
| | Merchant Partners "Deals and Discounts" Program | | Please support our local merchants and save money too. These local merchants will provide a deal or discount to any member who shows a current CCRA membership card and personal identification. | | CCRA assumes no responsibility, and makes no representations or warranties, regarding any product and/or services sold by any Merchant Partner. | | | | |
