Here we Indigo again PAGE 35
Mother sues Scouts over son’s death Conversion-therapy case dismissed
Family Portrait: Rich Rubin throws a big gay festival PAGE 41
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Aug. 8-14, 2014
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Vol. 38 No. 32
IBA named top LGBT chamber in country
By Angela Thomas angela@epgn.com The Independence Business Alliance, Philadelphia’s LGBT chamber of commerce, last week received the 2014 Chamber of the Year Award from the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. IBA was presented the award July 31 during the NGLCC’s National Business & Leadership Conference in Las Vegas. IBA board president Rich Horrow and executive administrator Tom Cavanaugh accepted the award. Cavanaugh said IBA applied for the award in April and found out it won a week before the conference. Cavanaugh said board leadership was instrumental in the application process. “Rich Horrow and our vice president Jade Gasper were the ones who put this in front of us and said this was something we needed to do,” he said. “They were the driving force behind us applying, getting all of our data organized and everything else that needed to be done in order for us to present a stellar application.” Cavanaugh said IBA was collectively humbled to receive the award, especially in light of the caliber of their colleagues in other cities. “There are 54 affiliate chambers around PAGE 27 the country that are eli-
Plans finally moving at The Lincoln By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com After eight years of blighting the Gayborhood, the Lincoln Apartments is finally about to see a new day. Construction crews are readying to renovate the property at 1222 Locust St., rehabbing it into a high-end apartment complex. Fire gutted the Lincoln in July 2006, and it went on to become an empty eyesore that often attracted a criminal element. Developer and Philadelphia Residential Development Corporation president David Perlman recently purchased the 4.6719 in building at sheriff’s sale for more than $2 million. The property will be converted into 44 apartments, as well as one or two penthouses. The apartments will include studios, one and two bedrooms, with rent ranging from about $1,600-$3,000 monthly. Joe Zajaczkowski, project manager, estimated that the project, being spearheaded by Venco Building Group, could take between 14-16 months to complete. Structural engineer Malcolm Bland, of the The Harman Group, whom Zajaczkowski noted has been involved in
“We’re waiting for him to bless this area, bless that area,” Zajaczkowski said, noting that the construction could get off to a slow start, depending on the structural review. “We have to consider what’s happened to the building in the last one or two years since engineers were last in there. So if they come back and say we have to install bracing, take this or that down, these first few months could be slowgoing.” The team is also working with architectural company Cecil Baker & Partners, which also has been involved in previous efforts to rehab the building. Zajaczkowski said his team has started cleaning out a “huge amount of debris” occupying the alleyway between the property and the neighboring Little Nonna’s. The sidewalk in front of the building is currently blocked off. PRDC chief operating officer Jon Thomas said the move was made to ensure the safety of passersby. “The property is in dire need of repair so that’s for safety for the demolition,” Thomas said. “It’s our intention to open LINCOLN APARTMENTS FACING it up as soon as we can without affectLOCUST STREET Photo: Scott A. Drake ing getting the complex done in a timely fashion.” the project since the fire, began his inspecZajaczkowski said tion of the property last week. PAGE 32
Law firm mum on returning county payment By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com A law firm that prides itself on giving back to the community had no comment this week about returning a controversial payment for work performed in opposition to marriage equality. In April, the law firm of Begley Carlin & Mandio received $14,780 from Bucks County for services rendered while defending Register of Wills Donald Petrille Jr. in the Whitewood lawsuit. Whitewood was filed last year by numerous same-sex couples who sought marriage
Summer Wedding Issue
equality and/or marriage recognition in Pennsylvania. Petrille was sued in his official capacity, after declining to issue a marriage-license application to a same-sex couple. In May, U.S. District Judge John E. Jones 3d ruled in favor of Whitewood plaintiffs, resulting in marriage equality throughout the state. Begley filed a brief last year that was widely skewered in news accounts for being a full-scale defense attack, replete with dismissive comments about LGBT parenting. Bucks County Commissioner Diane Marseglia opposed any county payments
Wedding announcements Planner gets ‘Groomed’ Marriage law Q&A Locals toast to marriage
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going to Begley. She called the legal brief “mean-spirited” and said Begley’s services, in her opinion, bordered on malpractice. She also expressed a desire for Begley to return the $14,780 payment. “I have maintained, all along, that we did not give permission for this kind of a defense and I am personally opposed to such a defense,” Marseglia said in a recent email. The two other county commissioners, Republicans Robert G. Loughery and Charles H. Martin, approved the payment to Begley, and haven’t called for its return. PAGE 2 A spokesperson for
Small wedding, big meaning Wedding expo returns to Bucks Picking the photogs Spotlight: BG Productions
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