Morning roundup
Fire guts Jim’s Steaks; Sharswood’s historic grocery store; What’s next for the Roundhouse? | Sunday roundup
Wawa Station opens on the Wawa Line ๐

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RECAP: Looking back on the week that was
โข Historic redlining settlement targets ‘nonbank’ lenders
Settling allegations that Chester County’s Trident Mortgageย discriminated in marketing, hiring, and loan approvalsย to Black homeowners around Philadelphia — a claim backed up byย uncovered racist emailsย — the Dept. of Justice announcedย aย $24.4 million agreement, including a $4 million fine. The federal Community Reinvestment Actย does not regulate “nonbank” lendersย like thisย Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary; the settlement is being hailed as the start of increased enforcement. [AP/Inquirer$/DOJ/Housing Wire]
โข Jim’s Steaks gutted by fire, targets 2023 reopening
A two-alarm blaze Friday at Jim’s South St.ย left the Philadelphia landmark in poor condition, but on Saturday ownerย Ken Silver got better news:ย the building won’t need to beย razed.ย That moved his plans up, and he’s targeting a Memorial Day 2023 reopening. Next door at Eye’s Gallery, hit by water and smoke damage,ย Julia Zagar was less certain about the future. “I’m old,” she said. “We will have to decide what to do.” [Billy Penn/Billy Penn]
โข Sharswood gets first grocery store in 50 years
With Thursday’s grand opening of Grocery Outlet on Ridge Avenue,ย Sharswood has a supermarketย for the first time since the 1960s.ย Theย neighborhood is undergoing a massive planned revitalization led by the Philadelphia Housing Authority, which has focused first onย developing the retail core.ย The new supermarket was hailed by nearby residents as a godsend;ย here’s a look at what you’ll find inside. [WHYY’s PlanPhilly/Inquirer$/Billy Penn]
โข Doubling down on the entertainment economy
Downtown skyscrapers may never fill back up with office workers, but Center City already has a big residential population that continues to grow, thanks to projects like theย 43-story apartment towerย planned for Broad and Lombard. Meanwhile, retail isย thriving in the neighborhoods. With this in mind, Philadelphia is on a quest to become a 24-hour city. Enter Raheem Manning,ย Philly’s firstย night time economy director. [YIMBY/Inquirer$/Billy Penn]
Lee How Fook in Chinatown
Danya Henninger / Billy PennVISION: Looking forward to the week ahead
โข What’s next for the Roundhouse?
As Philadelphiaย gears up to sellย the former Police Administrationย building at 7th and Race streets, city planning leaders are looking for input onย what should happen to the structureย known as the Roundhouse. There’sย an in-person event this weekย in Franklin Square, where you can meet the team involved and discuss possibilities for the site. [Phila Gov/Hidden City/RoundhouseFutures]
โข Wawa Station for SEPTA Regional Rail
It doesn’t openย this week, but before the end of August, you’ll be able to hop a train to Wawa Station. The convenience store chainย paid SEPTA $5.4 million for a decade of naming rightsย to the new Regional Rail stopย across from its Delaware County HQ. Sadly, no plans to locate an actual Wawa in the station — at least not yet. [Billy Penn]
โข UC Townhomes expects encampment break-up
At three weeks,ย theย protestย encampmentย at the soon-to-be-sold UC Townhomes affordable housing development is still going strong, but after a judge ruled in favor of the landlords,ย activists expect officials to attempt to break it upย this week. Laminatedย articles about the situation hung on a nearby SEPTA stationย were recently taken down. [Billy Penn/WHYY/@saveuctownhomes]
โข Adult Swim Festival to land in Fishtown
Tierra Whackย is headliningย the first Philadelphia edition of the Adult Swim Festival, which has been a hit in Los Angelesย and New York. The draw: A melding of genres, like Comic Con meets music fest meets block party.ย Open Aug. 5-7,ย the fairgrounds encompassย all the venues at the endย of Frankford Avenue — includingย Brooklyn Bowl, where staff isย rallying to form a union. [PhillyVoice/Adult Swim/Inquirer$]