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FOLLOW US ON Vol. 67 NO. 12 ■ March 20, 2014
southphillyreview.com
ALL’S FARE
■ The event is taking place 6 to 9 p.m. March 27 at the Mummers Museum, 1100 S. Second St. Tickets are only $10. for this standingroom-only event. See page 22
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Well wishes for Washington
By late 2015, the prominent intersection could be home to a grocery store, fitness center, cinema and various other retail. The Northeast corner lot is currently vacant.
IN MEMORIAM
■ South Philly native David Brenner passed away Saturday from an undisclosed type of cancer. See page 26.
SPORTS
■ A Girard Estate inhabitant has begun sharing his gusto for goaltending with local children. See page 37.
A renowned developer is looking to make major additions to an attention-seeking thoroughfare. ■ By Bill Chenevert R e v i e w S ta f f W r i t e r
A
leasing brochure released in early March has piqued the interest of thousands of South Philadelphians as developer Bart Blatstein prepares to invest in an eyesore at the corner of Broad Street and Washington Avenue. The developer, famous throughout most of Philadelphia for his 2009 investment in Northern Liberties’ Piazza, has been working towards recruiting businesses into a multiple-tiered hub of mixed use for over a year now. And by late ’15,
the largest intersection south of City Hall could be poised to house a cinema, grocery store, fitness center and a mix of retail and restaurant spaces. “The piazza is a completely different development. When I developed there it was barren,” Blatstein said. “There was nothing there for blocks, and I had to create buzz.” Not so for this space. “A retail center is a process that takes time. You go after your group of tenants that you want, and there’s been tremendous interest,” he added with encouragement. “I’m very, very happy with the interest, and you take your time. A center like this
Tapped TEDx talkers
is like putting a puzzle together.” South Philadelphians are buzzing with its potential, and it will no doubt spark civic association and zoning meeting attendance with interested and concerned citizens and online talks. When local writer Albert Stumm of the Passyunk Post revealed hypothetical schematics by way of the leasing agent’s marketing efforts, the comment section lit up. There seems to be a portion of South Philadelphians crying foul: 1,000+ Facebook shares and 93 comments later and there are See WASHINGTON AVE. DEVELOPMENT page 10 >>
Four South Philadelphians are set to give talks on the theme “The Workshop of the World.”
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