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The city spent $52M on a West Philly police HQ that never was
Before the PPD got its stately new headquarters in the former Inquirer building, the plan was for police to move into the old Provident Mutual building.
- West Philly was excited for the project, but there was internal pushback. Kenney admin abandoned the plan in 2017, but not before the city sunk over $50 million of taxpayer money into the space.
The Provident has been reimagined as a health campus, but stakeholders felt blindsided by the mayor’s switcharoo. Jordan Levy recaps how it all went down.
Philly Latinas rebuke cultural norms, find work-life balance
When North Philly artist and art teacher Manuela Guillén was little, her mom told her to clean if she was bored.
- That non-stop grind mentality followed Gullién and other Latinas through adulthood and moves to Philly, where they work full-time jobs, start side hustles, and juggle business ownership with family time.
One Penn prof says overwork is a staple of Latino immigrant culture, but BP intern Bibiana Correa found more Latinas prioritizing self care post-pandemic.
RECAP: What else happened?
$ = paywalled
- Pa. spent $52 million last year to feed, house, and provide medical care for the state’s prison population, prompting legislators to revisit “compassion release” laws designed to discharge people ailing and aging behind bars. [Spotlight PA]
- When youth in the child welfare system sue over abuse and malpractice, multi-million dollar payouts are on the line. Child advocates say the big sums highlight blindspots in the system and can help settle a lifetime of medical bills, but legislators want to cap damage awards to help nonprofit child agencies lower insurance costs. [Billy Penn]
- Remember last year’s lifeguard shortage? It closed pools throughout areas of West Philly where people have lower incomes, so Parks & Rec is hiring 57 new lifeguards to keep them open. [Billy Penn/West Philly Local]
- After 5 years of on-again, off-again negotiations, Old City’s Painted Bride Art Center finally sold for $3.85 mil. The buyer plans to turn the former venue into apartments, but will preserve the colorful mosaic facade. [Biz Journal$/WHYY]
- DYK Ukraine has a hardcore punk scene? Curated by two Philly musicians, “Band Together: A Benefit For Ukraine” mixes local bands with Ukrainian punk to raise money for humanitarian aid. [Bandcamp/WHYY]
- Friday is opening day for Kismet Bagels in Fishtown, with breakfast sandwiches and bagels by the dozen. [@alishainthebiz/Billy Penn]
MAYOR WATCH
Kid photo op alert: To mark the national commemoration of the Week of the Young Child, Mayor Kenney visits Bright Minds, Bright Beginnings, a North Broad early learning center that’s been part of the free PHLpreK program since 2020 (10 a.m.).
The mayor’s afternoon starts with remarks at the Convention Center to a gathering of…convention professionals, who convene for the PCMA’s Global Meetings Industry Day (1:30 p.m.). He then heads to City Hall to read a proclamation declaring today Teal Day, locally organized by the WOAR Philadelphia Center Against Sexual Violence (2:50 p.m.). You can watch on the Philadelphia Commission for Women’s FB page.
ON THE CALENDAR
? Looking for a workout class and bar crawl double whammy? Join RippedPHL and Barre 3 for back-to-back bar and strength training classes followed by snacks from Pure Fare and drinks from Two Robbers. Tickets are $35. (11:30 a.m. Saturday, April 9)
?️ The first of Chestnut Hill’s Second Saturdays kicks off this weekend. Stroll down quaint Germantown Avenue for samplings from local restaurants and peeks at new work from the area’s up-and-coming artists. ( 12 – 5 p.m. Saturday, April 9)
? A Bloody Mary is basically like boozy soup. That’s the inspiration for Musi Philly’s “Hard Soup Night,” a $50 tasting menu filled with liquid deliciousness you can spike with spirits if desired. Reservations required. (8 p.m. Sunday, April 10)
