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2016 CCRA CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Thursday, April 28
Public Meeting Re 2402 Market St
Wednesday, April 20
Tuesday, April 26
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Thursday, May 12
Tuesday, May 24
Zoning Meeting
Wednesday, May 25
Annual Meeting
Tuesday, June 14
Board of Directors Meeting
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Beer, Wine, Great Food, 60+ Auction Items at CCRA's "Earth Night" Celebration, Wed, 4/20, Trinity Center, 22nd & Spruce, 6 - 8:30 PM
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| One of our Auction Items in Windham, Maine | |
Join your friends and neighbors as CCRA commemorates the 46th Earth Day. Enjoy assorted craft beers, compliments of Yards Brewing; wine, compliments of Moore Bros.; and hors d'oeuvres and desserts, compliments of Di Bruno Bros., while making strategic bids in our silent auction, whose items, available to any budget, include gift cards to numerous neighborhood restaurants; theater tickets; Phillies tickets; cruises on the Schuylkill; a tour of The Navy Yard; art and photography lessons; and much more. Click for list. We also will have 3 live auction items: a gourmet German beer dinner (for up to 8); a weekend in a house in Cape May that formerly was the Blue Pig Tavern (sleeps 8); and a week on Little Duck Pond in Windham, Maine (10 miles from Portland), complete with dock, kayaks, canoe, and pedal boat (house sleeps 8). We also will be honoring Babette Josephs, 2016 winner of CCRA's Lenora Berson Community Service Award. Tickets, only $35 for those under 35, and $75 for everyone else, can be purchased online at our
Sponsors: AT&T, Elfant Wissahickon Realtors, and Firstrust Bank. Proceeds support CCRA's mission to make Center City a better place to live, work, and play through the preservation, enhancement, and celebration of urban living.
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WHAT'S NEW IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
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Pew Report in 2 Songs: "Coming Up Roses" & "Stormy Weather"
Spring arrives with the Pew State of the City report which this year sings conflicting tunes - "Everything's Coming Up Roses" and "Stormy Weather". Looking at the City through rose colored glasses, most Philadelphians (67%) think the City will be a better place to live in 5 years and the same percentage (67%) guess that they will remain in the City during the next 5 - 10 years. CCRA specific stats show that our neighborhood shines - we are not so well off as the upper crust in the "hills" (Society #1 and Chestnut #2) but, of the 48 zip codes ranked, our two are #3 (19102) and #5 (19103). We are more cosmopolitan, having more than twice as many foreign-born residents and scads more cultural venues. As for security, our police district ranks the 18th safest out of 22. Turning to "Stormy Weather": 48% believe the City's schools are "poor", only 5% found them to be "excellent". Poverty consumes 31% of the population, 489,000 people; qualify for food stamps, a number which has increased each year for ten years. For the third straight year, underfunding of the City's employee pension fund has increased. In 2004, the pension was funded at 60%, 20% lower than the 80% rule of thumb funding goal, but a lot better than 2014's 46% funding.Total underfunding exceeds $5 billion, half again as much revenue as the City expected to receive in 2015-2016. So smell the roses but remember that umbrella.
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Public Meeting re 2402 Market Street Project, Thursday, 4/28, 7 PM, Lutheran Church, 21st & Chestnut
A neighborhood meeting will be held to elicit comments on plans proposed for 2402 Market, the former " Marketplace Design Center". The parcel is currently zoned CMX 4, a commercial mixed use classification which permits a 500 FAR (floor area ratio) so that the project's square footage can amount to 5 times the lot size. The existing structure is 5 stories in height and, according to the developer, contains 268,000 square feet. The plans call for a 15 story tower rising from the fifth floor which will contain 313 residential units. The five story base will continue to be used for offices and retail. Parking will be provided in an adjacent garage. The Department of Licenses and inspections has determined that the plans conform to CMX 4 strictures so the project may be built "of right". Pursuant to the zoning code, a non binding Civic Design Review meeting will be held on May 3 at 1 pm on the 18th Floor of 1515 Arch Street.
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Meet Your Elected Representative: Senator Farnese
Thurs. May 12, 2016, 7 - 8 pm, Temple Beth Zion Beth Israel 300 South 18th Street: Pennsylvania Senator Farnese Town Hall, 7-8pm.
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Local Merchant Spotlight: Bacchus Market, 22nd & Spruce
Living west of Broad is like being a kid in a candy shop when it comes to great food. New places pop up weekly. But Bacchus is an old stalwart for foodies. The owner, Tracey, has been serving up gourmet prepared foods for 15 years - before anyone ever knew what quinoa was. Bacchus's Kale Salad and Chicken Black Bean Burrito are a perfect match-up for the veggie hubby and "she who still eats chicken". Hours are convenient for picking up a last minute dinner (till 9pm weeknights, 7pm weekends). Speaking of last minute, if you're "making" Passover dinner, but too busy to cook, you can still get in a catering order for that Matzo Ball Soup, Gefilte Fish, or Mom-Mom's Brisket, through April 15th (tomorrow, yikes!).
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CCRA Merchant Member Discount Program
Support our local merchants and save money too. These local merchants will provide a discount (described here) to any member who shows a current CCRA membership card (Di Bruno Bros. has its own CCRA card) and personal identification.
Di Bruno Bros., 1730 Chestnut St. and the Market at the Comcast Center (215-665-9220)
Uber - Limo service Uber provides $20 off a first ride, Good for new users only. Members use promo code CCRA14.
Philly Foodworks - Use the code "CCRA" when signing up for home delivery and receive a $20 discount on delivery charges.
Dance Affiliate - Get $10 off Dance Performances with your CCRA Membership. Members use promo code allattheprince.
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NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS AND EVENTS
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Dining Out for Life, TODAY, Thurs, 4/14
More than 200 restaurants and thousands of diners will participate in the biggest dining event of the year in the Philadelphia. Join them by helping make sure no one faces AIDS alone. Your participation will impact thousands of men, women, and children infected with HIV and AIDS in very real ways - medical care, life-saving medications, housing, energy assistance, education and prevention.
All you have to do is dine out. You enjoy a wonderful dinner at one of the area's best restaurants, and the restaurant will donate 33% of your food bill to ActionAIDS! For a list of participating restaurants, click here.
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Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival, Now Thru Sun, 4/17
The Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates both traditional and contemporary Japan with a variety of events, including demonstrations of martial arts, ikebana flower arranging, a restaurant week-Dine Out Japan, as well as live musical and dance performances.
The main event, Sakura Sunday (4/17, 9:30 am) is held at the Horticulture Center in Fairmount Park and features two stages of performers, arts & crafts, Little Akiba, tours of Shofuso, and much more. Other major events include a Silent Auction, Japanese Culture Week, and the Cherry Blossom 5K. For more details and events, click here.
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Free Street Trees
Does your sidewalk need a tree? Does your block need several trees?
The Friends of Schuylkill River Park Tree Tenders is the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) certified Tree Tenders group for the Plant One Million campaign for the CCRA area. They are currently collecting applications for the fall 2016 planting. Trees are chosen and supplied by the PHS and planted by volunteers. Property owners must agree to care for and water weekly during the growing season (April - October) for two years.
For more information, email Tree Tenders group leader
Susan Kahn or contact Andrew Terhune at 215 850 9957. Applications for the fall tree planting are due by April 23. Click here for the PHS tree request form which should be emailed to Susan Kahn or to Andrew Terhune ,or drop through mail slot at 2024 Pine St., 19103-6523.
Help make Center City part of a greener and healthier region.
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The Friends of the Philadelphia City Institute Library Book Sale, Sat, 4/30, 11 am - 4 pm, 1905 Locust St
To make this sale a success, PCI is asking donations of used books, CDs, DVDs and audiobooks. They accept books in all subjects (novels, history, cookbooks, etc.) as long as the books are in excellent or "like new" condition. No cassettes or old books will be received. Please bring books to the Reference Desk at PCI by 4/23.
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Rittenhouse Square Flower Market for Children's Charities, Wed 5/4 - Thurs, 5/5, 9 - 6 pm, 19th & Walnut
The 102nd annual Rittenhouse Square Flower Market for Children's Charities features indoor/outdoor plants, herbs, crafts, collectibles, last-minute Mother's Day gifts, children's activities, adult coloring, food, entertainment and the "Hopscotch Challenge". Funds to be raised benefit specific projects for Elwyn's Davidson School, Frankie's World Foundation, Pennsylvania School for the Deaf (PATCH&S) and Ryan's Case for Smiles, which will also be showcasing their organizations. Free and open to the public. For more information, click here, email, or call 215-668-2941.
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© 2016 Center City Residents' Association
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