If You Don’t Like My Driving, Stay Off The Sidewalk | |
|
The Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) isn’t always the most popular unit in town, but now there is reason to cheer it, as the PPA will now be ticketing parked cars which either block corner ramps or which are parked on the sidewalk.
Blocking corner ramps causes unnecessary difficulty for pedestrians with mobility challenges as well as people with strollers and other devices, while the problems caused by parking on the sidewalk are self-explanatory.
An admirable effort, but why stop there? Why not take aim at the scooters and bicycles that terrorize the sidewalks? Whose sidewalks are they, anyway?
| |
Only 2 Weeks Left: Get your tickets to the House & Garden Tour Now! | | |
|  |
|
On Sunday, June 2, from 1-5 pm, you will get a chance to see fabulous townhomes and condos in the historic Rittenhouse and Fitler Square neighborhoods.
This week’s feature: Tour Stop #6
“Designs by Danica” says it all when it comes to the gorgeous four-story residence on Rittenhouse Square. Enter through the first-floor garage, which can hold two cars and which was formerly a carriage house. (Some of the hardware still remains.)
| | |
|
Also on the first floor? A home gym with sauna area. Up the stairs – or by elevator – to the second floor, you’ll find a throughway containing a beautifully furnished living room, dining room, and gourmet kitchen. One more floor and you will find a beautiful full-floor primary bedroom suite. One more floor and it’s two bedrooms, one with a lovely city view. And do not – DO NOT -- miss the outdoor balcony, with a new audio system and a view of the city that is beyond compare.
Get your tickets:
- Online
- Rittenhouse Hardware - 2001 Pine Street (Cash or Check only)
- CCRA Office - 1900 Market St, 8th Floor (call 215-546-6719 to schedule a pick up)
During the tour, take a break and dine at one of our participating restaurants, like Gran Caffe L’Aquila, located at 16th & Chestnut St. Show them your wristband and you’ll receive a 10% discount off your food bill.
Do you want to see the tour for free? We still need a few more volunteers for the second shift. If you’re interested, email Travis Oliver and let him know. The 2nd shift is from 2:45pm until 5:00pm.
| |
CCRA Public Zoning Committee Meeting | |
|
Tuesday, May 28, 7pm via Zoom
Zoom link can be found here.
View the agenda here.
| |
|
Last Chance to Register: CCRA Annual Meeting
Wednesday, May 29, 7pm
Freire Charter School, 2025 Chestnut St
| |
|
Join our annual meeting as we sum up the fiscal year and vote in new and incumbent board members for 2024-2025.
Come say goodbye to our current President, Rick Gross, as he and his wife leave CCRA to retire in California to be with his kids and grandkids. Also, you will have a chance to meet and talk with the new CCRA President.
Finally, stay and meet the new City Managing Director, Adam Thiel, who will speak on Philadelphia's budget and safety plans. Director Thiel will address your concerns in the neighborhood, and you will be allowed to ask him questions you may have. This is an excellent opportunity to get to know the new Managing Director.
Registration is required; please register here.
| |
Office Closure and Trash Collection | |
|
In observance of Memorial Day, CCRA is closed from Friday, May 24, until Tuesday, May 28. All messages will be returned when the office reopens.
Also, due to the Memorial Day holiday, no trash will be collected on Monday, May 27. Collection will resume on Tuesday, May 28.
| |
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 InterAct Theater Company. | |
It’s Always Showtime for Merchant Partner InterAct Theater | |
|
The work and plays at Philly’s InterAct Theater are new, but the theater company itself is anything but, as it’s been Philly’s go-to theater for new work and new plays since way back in 1988.
A theater very much for the modern world, InterAct utilizes theatre as a tool to promote civic discourse and stimulate dialogue around the most pressing and complex issues we face in contemporary society. For its 36th season, it is producing its first-ever season of all women playwrights. And it's all at the nearby Drake Theater.
And the backstory for CCRA members is that they receive a 20% discount off any show. Simply apply promo code CCRA20. So don’t dillydally – get your tickets NOW!
| |
Gardens Come Alive at Sunset | |
|
May Twilight in the Magic Gardens, 1020 South Street, offers a veritable feast for your eyes, ears and hands. From 7-10pm Friday, you can spread out on your blanket, partaking of your own drinks and snacks, while enjoying a performance by folk artist Krisitn Daelyn in the courtyard. Take a self-guided tour of the basement featuring the mosaic creations of artist Isaiah Zagar. If you enjoy crafts, Lara Bedew will lead a class on notebook decorating using a variety of hand-carved stamps. Click here for tickets and event information.
| |
Go Ape With “King Kong” at The Schuylkill Banks | |
|
You know the story: Ape meets Girl, Ape loses Girl, etc.
Well, time for a re-watch, and how better than by lolling on a blanket at the Schuylkill Banks?
The date is Friday, June 14, the time is 8:30pm. Details monkey around here.
| |
Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion | |
TONIGHT! At Morgan’s Pier: Guac Off 2024 | |
|
MANNA & Morgan's Pier are ready to kick off the summer season with Guac Off 2024. Sample fresh guacamole crafted by Philadelphia's best restaurants while taking in gorgeous river views from Morgan's Pier, one of Philadelphia’s first outdoor backyard beer garden!
MANNA will crown 2024's much anticipated Guac Master! This Guac off is rain or shine. Get your tickets here.
| |
Special Laos Dinner With NYC’s Heunkuoa at Laos in the House | |
|
Celebrate Lao New Year at the 5th Annual Laos In The House #BLESSED x HEUNKUOA pop-up at BOK (1901 S. 9th Street) on Saturday, May 25 from 6-9 pm. Traditional Lao foods like papaya salad, laab, sticky rice, lemongrass sausages and pepper sauces will be served. You will also have the opportunity to enjoy Lao-inspired cocktails. Tickets to #BLESSED x HEUNKUOA are $50 and can be purchased here. Click here for more info on Wooder Ice.
| | |
|
The CCRA House & Garden Tour committee members are abuzz, planning for the upcoming Rittenhouse & Fitler Squares Event! This exciting tour has been in existence for over 60 years. Having the honor of co-chairing this magical day as a mother-daughter duo has been a pleasure and a commitment to our community. | |
|
When we started this event, most of the properties were townhomes of various sizes and styles, and homeowners were thrilled to display their homes for attendees to enjoy.
When the new tax incentives were offered in the late 90s, the neighborhood experienced a surge in new high-rise construction. During that time, we also experienced renovations in existing buildings. The combination resulted in hundreds of new condominiums here in the city.
Due to this surge, we began to see as many condos as townhomes available on the tour. While we still see our charming streets lined with various-sized homes and prices, we are now accustomed to seeing a diverse range of homes that offer a desirable lifestyle for all.
Per the MLS, there are presently 76 homes for sale in Rittenhouse & Fitler Squares compared to 203 condos and co-ops. In the past year, there have been 360 condos and co-ops sold and 99 townhomes sold. Prices range from $300,000s to approximately 10 million dollars.
We can promise this House & Garden Tour will be great! You can purchase tickets in advance online at www.centercityresidents.org, in person at CCRA office 1900 Market St, 8th floor, or at Rittenhouse Hardware 2001 Pine St (Cash Only) for $50.00. Day of tour tickets will be on sale in Rittenhouse Square by the Goat for $55.00. Also, there will be a handful of delicious restaurants and coffee/baked good shops offering a discount to you that day. We hope to see you on Sunday, June 2, 2024, from 1-5pm.
Kathleen & Kate Federico Compass Real Estate katefederico@compass.com
| |
Community News and Events | |
Five Can’t-Miss Destinations at Center City SIPS | |
|
Wednesdays are once again wet as Center City SIPS rolls into town every Wednesday from June 5 through August 28.
The promotion is simple: $5 beer, $6 wine, $7 tequila cocktails, and half-priced appetizers at participating businesses, all at nearly 80 bars, restaurants, and beer gardens (and counting) throughout Center City. Five Can’t-Miss destinations live here.
| |
Center City: How We Doing? | |
|
Post-pandemic life is a great boon to all, but what are the numbers? Where exactly are we now? Check out these highlights, from the Center City District’s “State of Center City 2024”, available here.
- 84% of pedestrian volume has returned to Center City compared to 2019
- 70% of non-resident workers have returned to work downtown by the end of 2023
- 235 new retailers have opened in Center City since 2020
- 2,844 new housing units were completed in 2023
| |
Party in the Pack is back! Welcome summer with live music from the Panamaniacs on Saturday, June 1, 7-10 pm. Adults only. Enjoy drinks from Grace Tavern and Moore Brothers, dinner from Miles Table, and much more. Rain date is Saturday, June 8. Get your tickets here. | |
|
Ready to get your jazz groove on? Join Vibe-A-Delphia for a free concert on Saturday, June 1 (12 pm–1:30 pm) at Maja Park (22nd & Ben Franklin Parkway). There is no seating for this concert so BYOC. Check out the vibes here.
| |
Philadelphia’s First Espresso Martini Bar “The Elephant” Just Opened in Rittenhouse | |
|
Calling all espresso martini fans! The Elephant Restaurant & Bar located at 1500 Locust Street, just rebranded as an Espresso Martini Bar for the summer season! Previously known for its seasonal Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day pop-ups, this bar features a menu with over ten imaginative takes on the much-loved martini and is a must-visit this summer. Click here for more info on Wooder Ice.
| |
|
Move over P.T. Barnum, there’s a new circus in town. Circus Festival at Fringe Arts, 140 N. Columbus Blvd. will enthrall you with original works designed to challenge your perceptions. Inspired by the best-selling novel, “Einstein’s Dreams,” the show will feature multi-disciplinary performers. Gravity will be tested, kinespheres will be juggled, and perceptions will be inverted.
Showtimes are Sat., 6/1, and Sun., 6/2. Click here for tickets and more information about both shows.
| |
Death & Life at Mt. Moriah Cemetery | |
|
Join Hidden City tour guide John Vidumsky for a tour of the largest cemetery in Pennsylvania, and home to some of our city’s finest grave architecture, the Mt. Moriah Cemetery. On Sunday, June 2 at 1pm.
Almost every style of tomb can be found at this incredible landmark, from Egyptian Revival to Art Nouveau. You will learn about the role of cemeteries as a place for leisure in the Victorian era, as well as the influence of the Freemasons. More details about this one of a kind tour can be found here.
| |
The 2024 Gardens of Society Hill Tour | |
|
Take a delightful, self-guided walking tour of approximately 18 gardens in the beautiful and historic Society Hill neighborhood on Saturday, June 8, and Sunday, June 9 (1 to 4pm). Step into lush urban gardens and outdoor spaces often not in view from the street. This tour is Society Hill Civic Association’s only annual fundraiser. All proceeds from the tour benefit neighborhood improvement and beautification. The tour is rain or shine. Tickets can be purchased here.
| |
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. | | | | |
