QVNA Magazine (January 2018)

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January 2018 03

Here’s What’s Inside // January 2018

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ADVOCATE WITH YOUR PLATE Donna Pancari writes about local advocacy groups that support farmers’ markets and help strengthen our community’s connection to local food sources.

COME TOGETHER Melissa Donnelly writes about the many ways Queen Village residents can get involved with their neighborhood civic association.

THE ABCs OF PUBLIC SCHOOL SUPPORT Lauren Leonard interviews Lisa French and Leslie Tyler-Patterson about how neighbors can work with civic organizations to support their public schools.

TOP 5 FILMS OF 2017 Piers Marchant shares his favorite flicks from the year that includes an unusual ghost story, a forbidden love story and a docudrama about a rodeo rider.

BEFORE THE EXPRESSWAY This 1962 land use map shows us what Queen Village looked like before the Front Street corridor was demolished to make room for I-95.

KILLING THE CROSSTOWN Jim Murphy presents excerpts from an interesting program on the Crosstown Expressway.

AVI AND THE FORMATION OF THE PHILADELPHIA CROSSTOWN COALITION Jeff Hornstein describes the formation of an influential coalition that tackes issues with citywide impact.

HOW COMMUNITIES ORGANIZE When a loop of expressways was planned for Philadelphia, neighbors organized a protest that eventually led to the formation of QVNA. QUEEN VILLAGE: HOW WE BECAME WHO WE ARE NOW Amy Shelanski met with former President Colleen Puckett to learn about issues QVNA faced in the early 2000s.

NEW HOUSE, NEW THANKSGIVING TRADITION Amy Shelanski started a new tradition this Thanksgiving and shares her story for family gathering fun.

PEDIATRIC ADVOCACY Katie Lockwood writes about local organizations that address issues facing children.

GETTING INVOLVED Peter Ross shares information about non-profit organizations that advocate for specific local causes.

LOMBARD STREET RIOT Jim Murphy looks into the city's first Pennsylvania Historical Marker with the word "riot" in the title.

MURDER IN CARBERRY COURT Terry Buckalew tells the story of a 19th-century police officer who was killed while trying to break up a fight between residents of Carberry Court.

ORDERING OFF THE KIDS MENU Hilary Young lists local eateries that offer versatile menu options to please the pickiest of eaters.

04 January 2018

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January 2018 05

Contributors All opinions are of individual authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Queen Village Neighbors Association.

This 1976 photo shows a car-free I-95. The road's opening was delayed years by protests.

TERRY BUCKALEW Terry Buckalew is a local historian who has conducted extensive research on the Bethel Burying Ground. He can be reached for questions or comments at tebuckalew@gmail.com or bethelburyinggroundproject.com.

MELISSA DONNELLY Melissa Donnelly is a resident of Queen Village and the executive vice president of the QVNA board. Melissa works in Corporate Sustainability at Campbell Soup Company.

JEFF HORNSTEIN Jeff Hornstein was president of QVNA from 2012-2016. He and Pamela Barnett have very happily lived on the 300 block of Queen Street since 2005.

LAUREN LEONARD Lauren Leonard is the former president of QVNA. She works in real estate development and has written locally for the Passyunk Post and the Philadelphia Inquirer. Like Jo March, she aspires to live by her pen (keyboard).

KATIE LOCKWOOD Katie Lockwood is a pediatrician and blogger who resides in Queen Village with her husband and two children. All opinions are her own and do not necessarily reflect those of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

sweetsmellosuccess.tumblr.com, or read his further 142-character rants and ravings at @kafkaesque83.

JIM MURPHY Jim Murphy is a freelance copywriter who focuses on Philadelphia history. He also writes a consumers' blog for Old Pine Community Center.

DONNA PANCARI Donna Pancari is a ninth-grade English teacher who has lived in Queen Village for over 10 years. Along with her husband Kevin Parker, she edits the local food blog Farm To Philly, and gardens at the Southwark Queen Village Community Garden.

PETER ROSS Peter Ross and his wife have lived on Gaskill Street for over six years. He is a realtor with Plumer & Associates and previously served on the QVNA board and QVK9. He is currently a member of the QVNA Magazine editorial board.

AMY SHELANSKI Amy Shelanski is a real estate agent who has resided in Queen Village for over a decade. She previously served on QVNA's board of directors and is currently on the Zoning and Communications Committees.

HILARY YOUNG

PIERS MARCHANT

Hilary Young is a Queen Village mom and owner of Hilary Young Creative, a content and marketing service for small businesses.

Piers Marchant is a film critic and writer based in Philly. Find more confounding amusements and diversions at his blog,

On the cover and above: Photos by Felix Penzarella.

06 January 2018

QUEEN VILLAGE NEIGHBORS ASSOCIATION

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January 2018 07

Advocate With Your Plate

BY DONNA PANCARI The Philadelphia region is among the best in the country for the breadth and variety of food grown and produced here – a remarkable achievement given our seasonal limitations. Several advocacy groups do an amazing job supporting farmers’ markets, expanding access to local products and maximizing the value of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) dollars spent. This ensures that, unlike many other large cities with thriving local food scenes, ours reaches far beyond fine dining experiences. Below are several of the largest organizations operating throughout the region.

Make them your first stop for all your food needs, and help strengthen our community’s connection to local sources.

Farm To City Since 2000, Farm To City has supported farmers and increased availability of local food by operating farmers’ markets throughout the region and promoting CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) programs through its website. Farm To City is an excellent resource for finding a farmers’ market somewhere in the city any day of the week; or connecting with a CSA for year-round or seasonal shares of local products that can easily replace your weekly supermarket trip.

Greensgrow Farms Founded in 1997, Greensgrow Farms operates a vast urban farm in Kensington, and partners with several local restaurants who feature their produce. It also sponsors year-round CSA programs, as well as a farmstand that sells their produce and those of producers from 150 miles, plus prepared foods from their licensed community kitchen. A great choice for reliable produce and local products year-round, not to mention a calendar full of events and classes.

Fair Food Started in 2000 with the goal of increasing the number of Philadelphia area restaurants buying from local farmers, Fair Food runs an array of programs, including the hugely popular Farm and Food Fest in April and the Fair Food Farmstand in Reading Terminal Market.

They remain dedicated to helping local farmers and producers connect with the public. Any visit to Reading Terminal should start at the Farmstand.

The Food Trust We can thank the Food Trust for our fabulous Headhouse Square Farmers’ Market, now operating year-round, as well as nearly two dozen others, all accepting SNAP benefits made more valuable with their Philly Food Bucks program. Their efforts don’t end there – the Healthy Corner Store Initiative is just one of many partnerships they’ve forged to make fresh, healthy food accessible to all.

Now is the time to cancel those Amazon Prime or Fresh Direct deliveries and replace them with high-quality, locally grown and produced groceries.

No matter which of the above organizations you patronize, your purchases help ensure that our local food sources thrive and grow.

08 January 2018

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January 2018 09

Come Together

BY MELISSA DONNELLY In some ways, our neighborhood can feel small – we know most of our local business owners and many of our neighbors by name, we travel the neighborhood several times over in a given week running errands and visiting friends, and sometimes we don’t leave our bubble for days at a time. But in such a small area, there is so much going on and many ways that you can get involved.

Some of you may be quite familiar with Queen Village Neighbors Association (QVNA), and for others, this may be the first time you are hearing of us. QVNA was established in 1969 as a civic organization to serve the neighbors of Queen Village. We are made up of a volunteer board of directors and committee groups that work for the improvement of the neighborhood we all share. We welcome and encourage all neighbors to join in. Here are some of the ways you can get involved.

Queen Village Tree Tenders

Schools and Youth Activities

Friends of Moyamensing Point

Cleaning and Greening

Schools and Youth

Because city services don’t include street cleaning, tree planting or tree maintenance, QVNA works to fill these gaps.

We pay for street sweeping once per week on streets in the neighborhood with the most foot traffic, and we just completed our second annual leaf cleanup. In addition to these services to the neighborhood, we work to bring neighbors together to clean and green.

The Schools and Youth Committee is led by QVNA President Eleanor Ingersoll. The committee focuses on engagement with neighborhood schools – Nebinger and Meredith – and leads, in partnership with the Courtyard Apartments’ Resident Council, a signature program called Summer at Courtyard. The program, going into its 4th year this summer, provides activities for children from ages 5 to 12, including science, art, athletics and field trips.

If you would like to serve as the contact person for your block for volunteer cleanup efforts or get involved in our next volunteer event, send us a note at cleanandgreen@qvna.org. We’d love to hear from you!

Tree Planting Thanks to the efforts of one of our most valued neighbors, Daniel Gibbon, more than 200 trees have been planted in Queen Village in the last five years. Dan leads the neighborhood Tree Tenders program. Tree Tenders is supported by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS). In addition to hands-on tree care training on biology, identification, planting and proper care, the program’s volunteers are responsible for planting more than 2,000 trees annually in Philadelphia.

If you would like to take a class, visit https://phsonline.org/ programs/tree-tenders/ to learn more about the Tree Tenders' program and class offerings.

Or come plant a tree with Dan. Tree plantings are hosted bi-annually, once in the spring and once in the fall. For more information contact cleanandgreen@qvna.org.

10 January 2018

The summer program is always looking for volunteers. To learn more and get involved, contact schoolsandyouth@qvna.org.

Zoning Per the City’s Zoning Code, QVNA serves as a Registered Community Organization that participates in zoning decisions within the borders of Queen Village. This includes blocks from the south side of Lombard Street, the north side of Washington Avenue, the east side of Sixth Street, and the Delaware River, including the pier heads.

The Zoning Committee is a professional advisory group comprised primarily of engineers and architects who live in Queen Village. Its job is to coordinate requests for waivers and variances by builders and homeowners in light of immediate neighbors’ concerns, construction details, historical considerations and zoning law, and to communicate its findings and recommendations to the Philadelphia Zoning Board of Adjustment for ruling.

The QVNA Zoning Committee meets the second Wednesday of each month to review cases. All are welcome to attend and

learn about development in Queen Village. Committee meetings can be found on the QVNA calendar at www.qvna.org.

There are a number of Friends Groups within Queen Village focused on supporting schools, parks, and new projects for the neighborhood. Unlike committees of the QVNA board, groups are not official QVNA entities, and operate independently of the neighborhood association. QVNA serves as a fiscal sponsor for several of these groups. Here are just a few. For more information on Friends Groups within Queen Village and how to get involved, visit https://qvna.org/about/groups/.

Friends of Nebinger Established in 2011, the Friends of Nebinger is a group of volunteers that partners with the G. W. Nebinger Elementary School administration, faculty, parents, students, community, and city leaders. It helps maintain and strengthen the community’s pride in the school by raising funds and supporting its academic, cultural, and school climate endeavors.

QVK9 Queen Village K9 (“QVK9”) is a volunteer, social group of pet owners promoting responsible pet ownership, outreach, and dog run maintenance in Queen Village. QVK9 is not just for dog owners … anyone with a passion for animals is welcome!

QVK9 sponsors regular clean-ups of the Mario Lanza Dog Run, which generally fall on the third Sunday of each month at 10:30 a.m. Consider joining to help keep our dog park beautiful and safe! The group also offers monthly “Yappy Hours,” volunteer opportunities with local animal charities, and pet education. If you are interested volunteering, please contact us at bark@ qvk9.org.

Friends of Moyamensing Point Before 2004, a vacant stretch of asphalt created an unsightly and dangerous landscape at the intersection of East Moyamensing Ave., Second St. and Christians St. In 2004, local politicians and hard-working volunteers transformed the space into a beautiful little park, featuring brick sidewalks, wrought iron fencing and hearty plantings.

Despite good intentions the park fell into disrepair. In 2005, a small group of neighbors took it upon themselves to maintain the park and create a Friends Group. Thanks to its efforts, new trees, benches, and flowers were added to the park. Regular cleanup events are also organized with volunteers.

If you’d like to come out to help this park group or any others in the neighborhood, contact info@qvna.org for more information.

These are just a handful of the activities and programs QVNA has developed and supported to serve neighbors and the broader community. We hope you will join us in supporting these efforts and help us create new ones to continue to improve Queen Village.

January 2018 11

The ABCs of Public School Support

BY LAUREN LEONARD Lisa French (LF) serves on the board of Friends of Nebinger. Leslie Patterson-Tyler (LPT) is a former QVNA board member and founder of QVNA’s Schools & Youth Committee. Here Leslie and Lisa answer questions posed by Lauren Leonard about the formation and operation of public school support groups in Queen Village.

Historically speaking, what happened with public education in Philadelphia to necessitate the founding of Friends and other neighborhood/parent-based support groups?

LPT: Education funding was cut district-wide and, for the first time, public schools could accept money from outside sources to help them buy things. Home and School Organizations began fundraising to bridge the budget gap. This put a lot of pressure on parents who rely on the value of public education. While some schools were successful in raising large sums of money, others were not. That’s when we started QVNA’s Schools & Youth Activities Committee. QVNA could extend the fundraising efforts outside schools into the community. Realizing schools are the cornerstone of every great neighborhood, residents dug deep to support our two neighborhood schools. Some businesses in the community hosted fundraisers, and some QVNA residents volunteered to tutor students. It was an incredible show of support when our neighborhood schools really needed it.

When and why did you choose to become an advocate for public schools?

LF: Eight years ago, there was a call for volunteers in the QVNA newsletter for Nebinger. I thought I was going to read to children!

When I attended the first meeting, it became apparent that fundraising was paramount and Nebinger, being around 85% low-income at that time, needed all the help it could get. Having just moved from an affluent New Jersey city where my last child had just graduated from a private Quaker school, I had no idea what an inner city public school was like. Once I realized what was at stake, I jumped in and have not looked back.

LPT: I have advocated for public education my entire life. I am a product of Cincinnati Public Schools, where my mom was a teacher and principal for more than 35 years. My passion was renewed after having children of my own. They attend public schools, so I am advocating for them. At the same time, my concern is for all students in the district as well. My husband is the pastor of Mother Bethel AME Church, and we have “adopted” Nebinger Elementary. We have also supported students from other schools in surrounding communities with mentoring programs and donations.

What does your advocacy look like?

LF: In the beginning, I spent several hours a month attending meetings and ran a golf outing fundraiser. Today I am one of three board members and spend hours every day on all things Nebinger.

Some of my responsibilities include: treasurer, secretary, meeting organizer and leader, fundraising events, public relations and the writing of newsletters.

LPT: Advocacy comes in a variety of forms. I think it is important for advocates to be nimble and able to respond to different needs, issues, or causes. Advocacy can include anything from fundraising and buying goods and services, to organizing protests and marches

12 January 2018

and speaking out on behalf of people who feel they’ve been marginalized. As an advocate, I have even participated in parentteacher conferences with other families who were unsure of or intimidated by the process.

So much of the school conversation is about funding. What is the current funding situation? Where and why do disparities exist?

LPT: There are still school funding issues. Some schools have learned to survive with fewer resources, but they are merely getting by. There needs to be a fair, full-funding formula for our schools.

Why should people who do not have or intend to have children care about public schools?

LF: The more involved people are with public schools the more successful they and the students become. Successful schools raise property values. Successful students have a better chance at breaking the cycle of a hard life and staying away from drugs and crime.

LPT: These schools are in their neighborhoods. The students walk down our streets to get to and from school. The students grow up to be adults and are the next generation. We coined the phrase “It Takes Queen Village” which is borrowed from the old African proverb “It Takes A Village To Raise A Child.” This is so true today.

Ensuring our children have a good education, and are prepared to compete in global economy, should be of paramount concern to everyone. The children are our future!

Where do/should organizations like QVNA come into play?

LF: Civic associations are critical to the success of a school or friends of group. They help bring awareness to the larger community as to what is going on, what can be done and how to do it. In the case of QVNA, we are truly indebted as they have a grant program.

Nebinger has been awarded numerous grants totaling thousands of dollars that would have been very difficult for our group to raise.

LPT: Neighborhood associations can be a great resource for our schools. You can find retired educators in these communities who are willing to tutor students. You can also find people with resources to help – some residents gave money to the schools to help them bridge the budget gap. People were able to make donations through QVNA, a non-profit organization, and get a tax write-off.

How can neighbors get involved?

LF: Community members need to reach out to their civic association or friends group. If they don’t have either, call the local school to see what they need.

LPT: Neighbors can donate their time, talent, or treasure. Time: volunteer to help inside the school. Talent: teach a class or speak at Career Day. Treasure: donate money so the principals can buy new technology, books, and/or supplies for students in need.

Top 5 Films of 2017

BY PIERS MARCHANT Arguably, it turns out I could have just gone to Sundance last January and packed it in for a good part of the rest of the year: My top two films of 2017, both screened in Park City, were as good as many other films were over the ensuing 11 months; nothing I saw dislodged those two from the top of my list. Herewith is my top five – with the caveat that as of this writing, I still have a few more flicks to see before I can make my super-definitive end-ofthe-year compilation. Still, this batch will assuredly remain locked in my top 10, in one order or other, and I can pretty much promise you the hallowed films taking the top two spots will remain in place.

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A Ghost Story: Of all the films I’ve been touting to readers and friends this year, David Lowery’s meditation on time and the concept of human legacy remains the hardest sell. Yes, it does have a ghostly Casey Affleck donning a sheet with eyeholes cut out of it; no, it’s not a horror film, nor is it particularly plotbased; yes, there is a harrowing five-minute scene where one of the protagonists eats most of a chocolate pie. Clearly, it ain’t for everyone, but I would urge you to watch the trailer online to get a much better sense of the somber, eerie mood Lowery creates, and to approach it with an open mind.

Call Me By Your Name: This one is a lot easier to explain: An ’80s-era gay romance, set in the glory of Northern Italy in the summertime. It features a stunning, break-out performance from young Timotheé Chalamet (who was also in another top ten flick, Lady Bird), working with the equally wonderful Armie Hammer; and, very near the end, an astounding monologue from Michael Stuhlbarg, trying to comfort his heartbroken son, that is absolutely one for the ages. Ravishingly beautiful, often funny, and thoroughly moving, there wasn’t a better love story this year.

Phantom Thread: Although Paul Thomas Anderson’s masterful film about a hellbent, OCD London dressmaker – played in his last-ever role by Daniel Day Lewis, in a hell of a swan song – who falls in love, at last, with a woman he cannot browbeat and control with his imperious moodiness, comes

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the closest. A subtle film that makes the most of Day Lewis’ extraordinary ability to convey complex emotional turmoil with a single twitch of his lip, the film also features a powerful performance from Vicky Krieps, whose character eventually comes to discover a love so potent, she learns how to save her husband from himself in a most unusual way.

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Get Out: No other film this year garnered such universal praise while generating such serious discussion about race in this country. What was Jordan Peele’s secret? He made a politically charged film that somehow also managed to be spooky, thrilling, and very funny, without ever losing the thread of his conviction. It’s not an easy trick to pull off, but Peele’s big-screen debut shows a director already very much in control of his material.

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The Rider: A bit of a cheat here, as it won’t be released until April of 2018, but for fans of cinema verité, it’s a sublime piece of docudrama work from filmmaker Chloé Zhao, about a young rodeo rider (Brady Jandreau, playing more or less himself) forced into early retirement by serious injury, trying to find his place in the world after having his true calling ripped away from him. With all the other actors playing versions of themselves, the film is closer to doc than narrative in some ways, yet also offers the rich fullness of a completed character arc. It’s a fascinating, and gorgeously shot piece of work from the young director. Be on the lookout for it come the spring.

January 2018 13

Before the Expressway This 1962 land use map shows us what Queen Village looked like before the Front Street corridor was demolished.

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B'nai Reuben Synagogue

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The Yiddish Theatre

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Kesher Israel Synagogue

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Abbotts Dairies

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Historical Community Settlement Playground

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South Street Ferry Terminal

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Spalding Tenament House

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Ahavas Israel Synagogue

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Southern Dispensary

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10 Kahillis Israel-Nusach Sfard Synagogue 11

William Meredith School

12 B'nai Israel-Anshe Poland Synagogue 13 St. Stanislaus Church and School 14 Polish Social Club 15 Church 16 Kahal Adath Jeshurun Synagogue 17

Neziner Synagogue

18 Sunshine Playground 19 Weccacoe Playground 20 Central Hebrew School and Literature Society

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21 Queen Park 22 Philadelphia Fire Department 23 Neighborhood Boy's Club 24 George Nebinger School 25 Settlement Music School 26 Henry Burk School 27 St. Philip Neri Church and Rectory 28 Adath Israel Synagogue 29 St. Philip Neri School and Convent 30 Shot Tower Playground 31 Polish Bethel Church 32 Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church 33 Hector McIntosh Playground 34 Emanuel German Evangelical Lutheran Church 35 Nazareth Church 36 Mariners' Bethel Church Map Credit: Free Library of Philadelphia, Map Collection

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Killing the Crosstown

BY JIM MURPHY

This was the planned route of the Crosstown Expressway.

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How a mix of community groups with different agendas stopped a hated highway Below are excerpts from a 75-minute community program that took place Oct. 19 at Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church Sanctuary.

The topic: How a diverse group of activists from both sides of Broad Street kept the South Street area from being destroyed by the Crosstown Expressway in the late '60s and early '70s.

The eight-lane road was due to run river to river. Fortunately, local protestors won the battle. But it was not easy.

The meeting was co-sponsored by Queen Village Neighbors Association (QVNA) and the Historic Gloria Dei Preservation Corporation (HGDPC).

OUR PANEL …

• David Auspitz, former owner of Famous Fourth Street Delicatessen and Famous Fourth Street Cookie Company, and former chairman of the Philadelphia Zoning Board.

• Rick Snyderman, co-founder of The Works Gallery, and a key player in organizing the “South Street Renaissance.”

• John Coates, former housing development leader and executive director of SCPACC, or South Central Project Area Community Corporation, a river-to-river coalition of community groups.

• Ed Williams, a community activist and member of the Southwest Center City Citizens Council.

• Paul Levy, master of ceremonies for the evening; also founding CEO of the extremely successful Center City District and author of “Queen Village: The Eclipse of a Community.”

• Conrad Weiler, former national activist preventing displacement in gentrifying neighborhoods, QVNA leader and Temple University political science faculty member since 1968.

• Marge Schernecke, a community organizer and leader in Queen Village whose family has lived in the area for five generations.

• Joel Spivak, architect, artist, former owner of Rocketships & Accessories and originator of Philadelphia’s National Hot Dog Month Celebration.

16 January 2018

Crosstown Expressway protesters parade around City Hall. Mrs. Joreatha Lindsey and her three-year-old daughter, Vivian, of South Philadelphia, lead the marchers.

Photo Credit: Temple University Libraries, George D. McDowell Philadelphia Evening Bulletin collection.

"The real estate tax paid in that corridor in 1972, the year the highway was stricken, was $353,000 a year. This next year the tax bill due in that corridor is $17 million. If you ever want to know what happens if you don't build a highway, it (the difference) represents $285 million dollars in real estate taxes collected from an area where the highway was not built." - Paul Levy OUR PROGRAM …

A highway that did not happen Paul Levy introduced the meeting, reviewed Philadelphia's manufacturing history and discussed city plans for the Crosstown Expressway. He also used 87 PowerPoint slides to help tell his story.

"Before we had a casino (SugarHouse), we actually refined real sugar at the Jack Frost site."

I-95 "separated the city from the central waterfront in very major ways. So we have this gigantic gap we know only giants can cross over. (He showed the giant Stickmen from the South Street Pedestrian Bridge and got a big laugh from the crowd.)

"It was the age where we thought people would only move around by cars. So it was a huge commitment to building highways. And all right of way was achieved by condemnation."

"The story really begins with the fact that a group of people finally said, "'We're not just going to roll over and play dead.' " "People were starting to say, 'Preserving neighborhoods is more important than enhancing mobility.' That was the key message to all of this."

"What was most important about this at a time in the history of this city where black and white neighborhoods did not actually get along very well, this was a bi-racial coalition."

"South Street today … river to river it is a thriving commercial corridor."

"We went back and looked at the assessed value of all the real estate in the red area, which is the corridor that was going to be demolished for the Crosstown Expressway.

"And the real estate tax paid in that corridor in 1972, the year the highway was stricken, was $353,000 a year. This next year the tax bill due in that corridor is $17 million.

"If you ever want to know what happens if you don't build a highway, it (the difference) represents $285 million dollars in real estate taxes collected from an area where the highway was not built."

"And what we call center city or greater center city … Girard to Tasker, River to River, is now the fastest growing residential section of the city. We're up to about 188,000 people, grown by 99% and 25% of all people who moved into center city in the last five years moved into just the downtown."

January 2018 17

folks. So we had a hard time trying to keep it together, saying 'Yes, it is true, the highway is coming through.' "

We had one goal Marge Schernecke described diverse groups with a single focus.

"One thing I want to stress. This community was diverse ethnically, racially, religiously. And what we had in common I think with all the other groups in the South Central Pac was one goal: Get rid of this highway. Nobody had a secret agenda or ulterior motive.

"There were people that lived on South Street in those days in favor of the highway. We weren't. We had already lived with 130 houses being taken from us that were historically certified for I-95. We didn't want another highway."

The bond was about tolerance Rick Snyderman spoke about the South Street culture.

PennDOT's letters were unclear and scary to recipients.

The upside is there is no highway John Coates discussed struggles to keep the coalition together.

"What we had then was roughly 43,000 area residents of diverse political social and economic values."

"I must say this is one of my more friendly nights in Queen Village.

(Laughter. Paul Levy quipped: "It just got started though.")

"I always liked coming to Queen Village on Monday nights, because meetings got over early because of Monday Night Football."

"The takeaway here is you had groups that had many many different types of agendas, and while I juggled between all of them to try to keep the coalition together, the upside is there is no highway, development has happened and here we are tonight to celebrate."

We thought it was a trick for black folks Ed Williams said the black community didn't really believe a road was coming through.

"Our area south of Washington Avenue didn't identify with Rittenhouse Square. So we changed the name to SWCCCC: Southwest Center City Citizens Council or SWCCCC." "One of the things ‌ that actually pulled our people together was because they did not believe there actually was going to be an expressway. They thought it was another trick.

"In the black community at that time, every time so called white folks come up with an idea, it was some kind of trick for black 18 January 2018

"A group of people came here because South Street was largely abandoned in the 1960s, and they were people who were from everywhere, so they were not an ethnic community.

They were not a tight group of people that shared some kind of particular heritage or background. They were people who shared something else, which was an interest in creative energy."

"The South Street community began as a group of people that came from elsewhere and their approach was completely opposite. Their bond was about tolerance."

"Before there was an acceptance of gays in Philadelphia, there was South Street. ‌ South Street was a theater piece. And not surprisingly, it was because it began in 1965 with a repertory company of people from all over the country that started the Theater of the Living Arts. That included people like Morgan Freeman, and Danny DiVito and Sally Kirkland, who all began their careers on the 300 block of South Street. " "We were theatre people. We were actors on the stage of the city of Philadelphia. We would stage parades and protests.

And thousands of people would come to South Street. And we would then argue to the city officials and the state officials, how can you tear this down and build a highway? There are 25,000 people here for this festival today.

"And by the dint of our efforts, this little band of a couple of hundred people created the idea that there was an army of people here making this place happen. And that was really part of the South Street story."

We joined a parade around City Hall Joel Spivak, an architect who worked on Lickety Split and Black Banana, suddenly realized a highway was going through the South Street neighborhood where he lived and worked. So he got active.

"I got involved with 'the Polish women (the mothers of Marge

A different view of the Crosstown Expressway.

6

#2 "There was also Councilman Greenberg (Melvin J. Greenberg in 1979) …he was a second-term councilman from the northeast and he started a whole campaign against Queen Village … we are keeping his constituents from getting to the Spectrum and to see the Flyers and everything and he's bringing his people down to South Philly to Queen Village to drive around and protest stopping the I-95 ramps.

So … he's going to show us what it's all about. The night before he came down, somebody called the police. They found a rifle along the route that he was taking. He also never came down.

Plus .. help from the police "Marge called for a giant rally at 3rd and Lombard to protest the Crosstown Expressway … and about six people showed up. "

Schernecke and real estate maven Kathy Conway), and their friends.

"One day they said to me, 'We want to have some kind of demonstration about the highway.'

"Cmon," 'I say to the women,' "we're going to make these … oneby-two signs and we went to City Hall. So we're in the middle of City Hall, we were walking around the courtyard, we have our signs and are trying to get some attention … and I hear a marching band.

"So I walk out of the South Portal and see that there's a parade coming around City Hall with dignitaries and cars and all kinds of festivities.

"So I called all the Polish women and I said, C'mon, after this band goes past, there's about 50 feet to the next band, we're going in.

"Are we allowed to do this? 'I said. what are they going to do'?

"So we got in the street and came around city hall. There was a grandstand and the mayor, and the TV was there, and all of a sudden eight or 10 Polish women and me were on TV with our signs."

2 incidents with guns David Auspitz discussed neighborhood protests. #1 "One was the incident of the Globula Globula machine. PennDOT set up some kind of a machine that made cement 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. (It sounded like Globula, Globula.) And it was driving everyone in the neighborhood crazy. Literally you could hear it. No sound barriers. Everybody was complaining.

We called PennDOT. One night and I won't mention the name, somebody actually fired a shot with a rifle into the Globula, Globula machine. And the police could trace it. They knew exactly where it went to, and everybody denied it. No witnesses. …And the next day at 5 o'clock, they turned the machine off.

But Civil Disobedience with Inspector Fencyl was there. WPVITV's Channel 6 was down there, too.

"Finally Fencyl said, 'here's the deal.' "He had all his officers – they were in civilian dress – take off their armbands." They also took off their badges and … they took our signs and … put them like this (over their faces). There were more police than there were protestors. We walked around in a circle, probably about 6 feet. It came off on channel 6 like there were hundreds.

And they literally took the pictures and everybody went home.

That was it."

We helped bring noise barriers to I-95 Conrad Weiler helped educate PennDOT about noise abatement.

"After the Crosstown was killed for the third time … then about three or four months later, lo and behold, they didn't take the ramps off of the plan to I-95. And they said, 'Well , OK, the traffic will just go along your local roads.' So that was the start of the fight against the ramps."

"As a result of the ramps, we got noise barriers … the first ones in Pennsylvania. I went out to Minnesota and took pictures and studied out there. So I brought it back to PennDOT and they said, 'Noise barriers. Whoever heard of them?' So it was really I guess a 15-year struggle."

"It really was a change in the way we saw cities, from this topdown almost Stalinist central planning of everything to really 'we're a people-up approach.'"

These are just highlights …

For more on Rick Snyderman's vivid depiction of Rounds 1, 2 and 3 against the Crosstown, and the Weekend Markets the South Street Renaissance brought to Headhouse Square, see the complete YouTube video: https://qvna.org/2017/11/13/how-philly-neighborhoods-killedthe-crosstown-expressway-video/ January 2018 19

AVI and the Formation of the Philadelphia Crosstown Coalition

BY JEFF HORNSTEIN In its nearly 50-year history, QVNA has on occasion formed or joined coalitions with other civic associations to exert influence on issues of importance beyond our neighborhood.

Examples include: the epic battle to prevent the construction of the Crosstown Expressway down South Street; the fight to prevent a casino from being sited along the Delaware River in Pennsport; and the successful effort to demand formal neighborhood participation in the drafting of Philadelphia’s reformed Zoning Code.

Typically coalitions form around a single issue, a campaign is waged, and when the issue is resolved, the coalition dissipates. This was the case with the Crosstown Expressway and “Casino Free.” However, perhaps because Zoning Code Reform (ZCR) was truly a citywide effort, impacting every single neighborhood. And perhaps because it was a campaign for something rather than simply against something, the group of civic organizations that initially demanded a seat at the ZCR table formed a durable organization that has long outlived the initial issue. That organization is the Philadelphia Crosstown Coalition, and I am honored to serve as its chair.

The nucleus of “The Crosstown,” as it is commonly called by many, included QVNA, Logan Square Neighbors Association, Society Hill Civic Association, and Center City Residents Association. It soon grew to comprise about 10 organizations.

Its representatives sat at the ZCR table for nearly four years and hashed out some very technical details about how to classify the many land uses that shape the very fabric of our city and its very diverse neighborhoods. When the code was signed into law by then-Mayor Michael Nutter in 2012, the civic leaders who participated felt like they had achieved something pretty big and important - true citizen input into a very complex policymaking process.

Soon thereafter, a group of us were sitting around a conference table in a law office in center city that had become the de facto war-room of the coalition, and someone said “Well that was gratifying, what’s next?” And as I recall, I said something about a then-obscure proposal by the Nutter administration to overhaul the city’s property tax system, the so-called “Actual Value Initiative” or AVI. Though no one had really heard this three-letter term before, I assured everyone it would be as impactful, if not more so, than Zoning Code Reform.

We quickly rebranded ourselves as the Crosstown Coalition of Taxpayers (CCT) and began to solicit information about AVI. We knew that Nutter had taken aim at the Bureau of Revision of Taxes (BRT), an opaque agency responsible for not only assessing property values, but also for hearing appeals of its valuations. Regardless of one’s views on the BRT’s efficacy, 20 January 2018

one thing was clear: there hadn’t been a true citywide property reassessment in many years. Despite profound changes to the real estate landscape in the city, homes in neighborhoods like Queen Village were assessed for purposes of taxation at values wildly at odds with market values. For example, my home on the 300 block of Queen Street was valued by the BRT at $75,000, though I paid roughly four times that; the valuation hadn’t changed for at least a decade. The CCT began to analyze the data and realized that the assessments were an absolute mess, totally inconsistent across neighborhoods, across comparable properties, in pretty much every way possible. Since a city’s creditworthiness is, in part, based on the aggregate value of its real property ratables, it makes sense to get it right.

So at first many of us were in favor of AVI – let’s just make sure our assessments are done professionally and accurately.

Nutter sensibly split the assessment and appeal functions, placing the former in the newly created Office of Property Assessment (OPA). He hired Richie McKeithen, a smart and experienced guy from D.C. with a good reputation, to be his chief assessment officer. So far, so good.

The CCT met with McKeithen in August 2012 and asked lots of questions about the process of reassessing the nearly 600,000 properties across the 135 square miles of Philadelphia, from the Great Northeast to South Philly, from the Delaware waterfront to Cobbs Creek – that is, a massive, highly variegated set of neighborhoods, some of which were growing, others declining, others virtually stagnant – at least from the point of view of real estate markets.

My notes from that meeting state: McKeithen and his team graciously fielded nearly 1.5 hours of questions from the civic leaders, on both the technical aspects of the assessment process, as well as policy issues. McKeithen pledged that his office would do its best to educate taxpayers about the entire process of assessment, emphasizing that his office’s function was to implement policies, not make them.

McKeithen was also quick to state that his office is responsible for determining property values in the City of Philadelphia, but is not responsible for determining the property tax rate or tax policy. He urged the members of the coalition to educate the citizenry that the two are separate matters, and not to fuse discontent about tax rates to the work of his department.

We were fortunate to have a veteran retired mass appraisal consultant among our ranks, so we knew exactly what questions to ask. We learned that McKeithen was under tremendous pressure to assess all 579,000 properties in less than two years, and that Nutter intended to implement the new tax regime all at

once. Our expert was incredulous when he heard this, noting that Boston, a city about one-third of the size of Philadelphia, had taken four or five years to do a similar job and had rolled out the new system in phases. McKeithen admitted he’d had problems finding qualified staff, initially seeking 220 staff, but in the end only able to hire 167 people.

McKeithen explained to us the methodology by which mass appraisal works. He made it clear that his methods differ from those used by a “fee appraiser” from a mortgage company, for example. Mass appraising nearly half a million residential properties for the purpose of assessing property taxes is a very different exercise than doing a single property for the purposes of determining a mortgage. His goal was to get “as comparable as possible,” taking into account as many factors as possible. In the end, though, McKeithen noted, homeowners would have the opportunity to dispute the OPA’s assessment of their individual properties via the appeals process. (And in fact, in the year after the implementation of AVI, there were nearly 100,000 appeals.)

We also learned that the mass appraisal scheme required the OPA to create and utilize relatively arbitrary micro-markets, which it called “Geographical Mapping Areas” or GMAs. The OPA created more than 200 GMAs, a far higher number than other cities typically used, and we believed this would have serious implications regarding the standardization of appraisal methods. At base, appraisal is a process of estimating, using some combination of comps and statistical models, about what a property ought to sell for in a so-called arm’s-length transaction (that is, one that is entered into freely by both parties - not a foreclosure or some other type of “forced” sale). With mass appraisal in a city like Philadelphia, several problems emerge – in some neighborhoods very few, if any, properties had changed hands in recent years, at least in an arm’s-length transaction; Philadelphia also has a very high rate of intergenerational property transfers, making any objective valuation incredibly difficult. Finally, Philadelphia has a massively differentiated real estate market, in which some areas see major growth, while most see decline or stagnation.

Like boundary-drawing of any type, the GMA process was inevitably going to be controversial, and the CCT’s opinion was that too many GMAs would lead to more inconsistencies than fewer GMAs. (Turned out we were right, by the way, as our exhaustive 2013 report detailed.)

Meanwhile, Nutter was holding pressers claiming AVI would restore “fairness” to the property tax system, that people in wealthier neighborhoods (like those then represented by the CCT) were “underpaying” property taxes, while people in poorer neighborhoods were “overpaying.” When we were impolitic enough to ask for data to support these claims, hizzoner got quite defensive. We soon came to understand that it was true that many properties in gentrified neighborhoods like Queen Village were valued for taxation purposes well under market value – per my own example above – but that there was little evidence of the converse: we never found examples of properties in poorer neighborhoods that were paying taxes beyond their value. (Shockingly, the mayor was playing “class warfare” politics.)

Once the CCT started asking questions and making the rounds

in City Council, two things became clear: that Nutter was intent on implementing AVI, including a new tax rate, regardless of whether the assessments were complete, and that the financial implications of moving to a new “fairer” system were going to be quite large for many Philadelphians. While property taxes provide a stable source of revenue for both city government and the School District, they are not levied according to one’s ability to pay them, so the CCT became particularly concerned that seniors and people on fixed incomes, of which there are hundreds of thousands in Philadelphia, would be very disproportionately impacted.

It quickly became apparent to me, then serving as president of QVNA, that Queen Village, which had gentrified in the 1990s, was going to see some very significant property tax increases, and that while many of our residents could absorb them, many could not. To put this in personal perspective, again: when AVI was implemented my property taxes increased more than threefold, overnight. I was relatively lucky; some QV residents saw increases in the order of 5x or even 10x. Now, was it “fair” for me to have paid a pittance on my $325,000 home for years prior to AVI? Fair or not, all (or at least the vast majority) of us paid what the city asked us to pay; it wasn’t our fault that we were “under-assessed” as the mayor repeatedly put it.

(Interestingly, despite Nutter’s assertion that AVI would be “revenue neutral,” AVI shifted about $300 million in property tax burden from commercial to residential property – that is, high-value office towers saw property taxes go down, while the typical rowhome in a growing neighborhood saw increases.)

Seeing the looming problem, the CCT began pushing City Council to do two things: First, to delay the implementation of AVI until we had a full picture of the assessments, so we could determine whether they were, in fact, more equitable than the “broken” old system. And second, we wanted to make sure there were programs in place to mitigate the impact of massive property tax increases on those who could not afford them, particularly seniors and long-term homeowners on fixed incomes. We recruited legislative champions. Councilman Mark Squilla stepped up to the plate as a first-term member and introduced a bill calling for a one-year delay in implementation.

Other members of council introduced the Longtime Owner Occupant Program (LOOP) and deferral programs to cap property tax increases for those least able to pay.

The CCT mobilized thousands of citizens to contact their council members. Our battle cry – “Do AVI right, not recklessly!” In the end, WE WON! AVI was delayed and LOOP was implemented.

(And, by the way, with (relatively) accurate property tax assessments, the city’s ratables increased threefold, and its credit rating is at historic highs.)

With two victories under our belt, and a coalition that by the end of the AVI fight numbered 21 civic associations, we decided to formally incorporate into a citywide 501c3 organization, the Philadelphia Crosstown Coalition (PCC). I became PCC chair in July 2017, and I am proud to report that there are now 34 member organizations spanning most parts of the city, with active committees dealing with Zoning & Land Use, Affordable Housing, Parking & Transportation, and Public Education.

Learn more at www.philacrosstown.org.

January 2018 21 21

How Communities Organize 1957

1956

1958

A Plan for Expressways

City Planner Edmund Bacon with a model of the Society Hill Towers Edmund N. Bacon Collection

The Federal-Aid Highway Act provides states with funding for the construction of new highways. The Pennsylvania Department of Highways (PennDOT), Philadelphia City Planning Commission and other agencies are tasked with ways to connect Philadelphia with existing East Coast expressways.

1979

The green spaces along Front Street are maintained by ILMC

The two-mile stretch of I-95 near Queen Village is complete, but the Neighborhood Preservation Coalition prevents its opening.

A judge enforces a consent decree declaring that exit ramps must be installed by the Delaware River, sparing the 600 block of S. Front Street.

Through the consent decree, PennDOT is forced to install sound barriers to dampen traffic noise along Front Street. Also, a non-profit called the Interstate Land Management Corporation (ILMC) is created to maintain the new Front Street public spaces.

1993 The South Street Headhouse District hosts annual festivals that draw thousands to the commercial corridor along South and 4th Streets

QVNA begins working with the newly formed South Street Headhouse District to support local businesses.

22 January 2018

City and state planners propose erecting a loop of expressways around Center City, with I-95 on the east, Schuylkill on the west, Vine Street on the north, and the Crosstown Expressway on the south.

Property values plummet and banks cease issuing mortgages.

1995

1961

1965

1976

The Philadelphia Historic Commission begins cataloging architecturally significant buildings located near the proposed highways. They add over 800 “Queen Village” buildings to their historic register.

Queen Village, Inc., a non-profit organization, begins rehabilitating run-down buildings located between 3rd and 5th Streets. The group coins the name “Queen Village” to acknowledge Swedish immigrants who settled in the area during the 17th century.

The Federal Government claims eminent domain on residences and businesses in the Front Street corridor. Buildings located between the east side of Front Street and the Delaware River are vacated by owners and poached by vandals.

QVNA opens an office at 736 S. 3rd Street, making it easier for residents to access their services.

1978

606 and 608 S. Front Street

The 600 block of Front Street is earmarked for an I-95 exit ramp. QVNA joins the Neighborhood Preservation Coalition to fight the demolition of the 18th century houses lining that block.

QVNA joins the Coalition of Philadelphia Neighborhood 2001 Associations to protest the legalization of riverboat casinos.

Within two years, riverboat gambling QVNA Parking Lot is defeated.

QVNA leaders note that the neighborhood is gentrifying QVNA president and will probably lose the Colleen Puckett social services funding that led the charge pays for office operations. against riverboat They open a community casinos parking lot at Front and Christian to raise revenue.

1969

1967

1966

Joel Spivak and a friend South Street Renaissance

The South Street Renaissance is formed by a group of artists who relocate to empty storefronts on South Street. They eventually join the fight against the Crosstown Expressway.

The east side of Front Street after demolition Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, HABS PA,51-PHILA,432--2, Reproduction number

In preparation for construction of I-95, demolition of buildings on the Front Street corridor begins. Over 300 historically significant homes are leveled. Gloria Dei Church, which was recently added to the National Register of Historic Places, is spared the wrecking ball.

1968

Queen Village, Inc. restores hundreds of homes. An influx of new residents is able to obtain mortgages and move into the neighborhood.

New homes are built on the 300 block of Catharine Temple University Libraries, George D. McDowell Philadelphia Evening Bulletin collection

Queen Village is declared an urban renewal area defined as Lombard to Washington and 6th Street to the Delaware River. The neighborhood qualifies for funding to provide social services to low income residents. In March, Queen Village Civic Association is created by longtime neighborhood residents. Queen Village Neighbors Association (QVNA) is incorporated in November by new residents. QVNA begins providing social services through an office located at 1527 South Street.

1972

1974

Workman Place and other buildings on Front Street were added to the National Register of Historic Places Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, HABS PA,51-PHILA,432--4, Reproduction number

People picket against the construction of a Crosstown Expressway Temple University Libraries, George D. McDowell Philadelphia Evening Bulletin collection

After years of protests by neighbors, civic groups and coalitions, the Crosstown Expressway is formally removed from city plans.

2006

Urban renewal efforts are determined to be successful, and QVNA officially loses social services funding. QVNA cuts costs by reducing staff and relocating to the Weccacoe Playground Building.

QVNA joins other communities in South Philadelphia to contest a proposal to erect a casino in Pennsport at Columbus and Reed Streets. They form the Central Delaware Advocacy Group (CDAG) to advocate for a civic vision for the Central Delaware Riverfront.

2008

To keep billboards away from homes, Queen Village is deemed a National Historic District. Despite this, QVNA winds up contesting 20 billboard proposals over the next decade.

Historic preservation efforts continue as the 700 block of Front is added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Queen Village becomes Philadelphia’s first Neighborhood Conservation Overlay District, establishing guidelines for new construction that preserve the character of the neighborhood. QVNA and other civics form the Crosstown Coalition to force the city to give neighbors a voice in helping revise the Zoning Code. The group later tackles other citywide issues, including property tax assessments, zoning and land use, affordable housing, parking, transportation and public education.

QVNA joins other civics to support the Friends of the South Street Police Mini-Station, securing resources and funding for a dedicated South Street police detail.

2010

South Street Police

January 2018 23

Queen Village: How We Became Who We Are Now

BY AMY SHELANSKI We are so fortunate to live in Queen Village. We have beautiful streets and lovely homes, gardens and parks; our schools are solid, our neighbors are friendly, our restaurants and shops are tops. It doesn’t just happen. Over the years, many neighbors have stepped up and taken on City Hall, Harrisburg, developers and a host of issues that unchecked would have made for a very different neighborhood.

What were the definitive issues back in the 1990’s? QVNA Magazine sought out past QVNA president Colleen Puckett and spent a fascinating hour learning about the battles waged on three fronts during her tenure.

First, and one that required not just QVNA, but many neighborhoods banding together, was to stop riverboat gambling. Riverboat gambling was viewed by then-Mayor Rendell as a great way to fill the city’s coffers. Not everyone agreed. There was widespread, river-to-river discontent about Rendell’s plans. Colleen was passionate in her opposition to riverboat gambling, as were many in Queen Village. She stepped up, both as a QVNA board member for four years and as president for six years. Realizing that Queen Village alone would have a tough time winning this fight, Colleen reached out to other neighborhood associations and founded the Coalition of Philadelphia Neighborhood Associations (CPNA). The strength and strategy found in numbers eventually won the day, and the threat of riverboat gambling evaporated.

Here are some interesting facts from the time: 1994 A statewide survey found 48 percent of Pennsylvania residents supported legalized riverboat gambling and just 38 percent were opposed. However, then-Governor Robert P. Casey claimed to be opposed to gambling and threatened to veto any gambling legislation passed in the state.

1999 Under then-Governor Tom Ridge, the State Legislature came close to legalizing riverboat casinos. The state’s antigambling movement began to grow and Gov. Ridge said he would veto any gambling bill not approved by referendum.

Eventually the entire idea was scrapped.

So why did two successive governors oppose riverboat gambling? Rendell was a very popular and charismatic mayor, and yet, “... the entire idea was scrapped.” You can thank Colleen and Queen Village Neighbors Association for contributing significantly to its demise.

The success of CPNA against riverboat gambling inspired QVNA and the other member groups to stay together and work to keep their quality of life intact by working on zoning issues. CPNA organized workshops with local zoning committees to meet with Licenses & Inspections and Zoning Board of Adjustment members. Communities felt 24 January 2018

empowered to have a say in how their areas would develop.

The QVNA zoning committee has maintained its reputation for fairness and knowledge of zoning issues.

Other important issues at the time were more local the creation of a neighbors parking lot under I-95 and the constant issue of how to manage development.

Interestingly, the parking lot was probably a hotter issue in the neighborhood than riverboat gambling. Over the years, one of the most pressing issues in Queen Village has been and continues to be, parking. The neighborhood gentrified rapidly; more homes were renovated, more homes were built and condos were created from old schools. Queen Village had become desirable.

Equally frustrating at the time was the fact that QVNA had no money to implement improvements in the neighborhood.

The empty lot under I-95 that stretches from Christian St. to Washington Ave. was a tantalizing prize to be coveted. But getting it would cost dollars that QVNA didn’t have. How to get past this Catch-22? Again, QVNA under Colleen’s leadership and the hard work of many other residents went to work. There were endless meetings with elected officials; meetings with ILMC (Interstate Land Management Corporation) the entity that manages land adjacent to federal highways, meetings with neighbors.

Eventually funding through a grant was found for the parking lot. Elected officials at the time recognized the need for a parking lot and for an on-going source of funding for the neighborhood. The opening of the entire area under I-95 for parking a few years ago is what enables QVNA to clean our streets, better our schools, and maintain our parks.

This put us in a very fortunate position. We are one of a few neighborhood associations with the resources to implement programs that work for the entire community, all while providing much-needed parking. This fight for parking took about two-years, with many ups and downs. But as Colleen said, “We finally got the damn lot!”

Thanks to Colleen for all her hard work over the years and for taking the time to talk to us about this slice of QVNA history.

New House, New Thanksgiving Tradition

BY AMY SHELANSKI What do you do when you’ve moved into a new home, just about gutted the first floor, created a fabulous kitchen and want to show off to your family and friends for Thanksgiving?

There is the traditional route. Buy an expensive freerange, heritage, organic turkey from a farm in Minnesota.

Scour every cookbook and website for amazing and different ways to cook that bird and present it with a dazzling and dizzying array of side dishes and desserts.

Or, forgo all of that and go with something completely different and not traditional.

A scene from the wonderful book “A Gentleman in Moscow” inspired the decision to make bouillabaisse for fourteen people - all fish lovers, all adventurous eaters, many Francophiles. Obtaining ingredients was much simpler now in Philadelphia than it was in Bolshevik Russia. Oranges, fennel, saffron, fish, Pernod, etc. are all readily available.

I was a little worried that my house would retain the glorious odor of fish for the remainder of the winter. Fish heads, lobster carcasses, fish bones, leeks, onion, garlic, fennel simmered happily and vented completely outside! After all this cooled and strained, I found a place for it in the refrigerator. On Wednesday I made another trip to Reading Terminal to pick up fourteen pounds of fish and shellfish, baguettes and more vegetables.

It was spectacular, delicious, worth the effort and the cost. If you want to try it - here’s the recipe I used, based on both Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” and Tyler Florence from the Food Network. It’s a stew, so other than using only white, non-oily fish, feel free to experiment. It’s bound to be good! Oh, the saffron is essential! Here's how to do it: For the Stock: In a large stockpot over low-medium flame, heat the oil and butter. Sauté the leek, onion, garlic, and fennel for 5 minutes until tender. Deglaze with Pernod, cooking for 5 minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate. Place the bouquet garni in the stockpot tied to the handle for easy removal. Add the cold water, wine, canned tomatoes and fish parts. Season with saffron and pepper. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring to mingle flavors. Allow the stock to slowly simmer. Skim and discard the fish foam that rises to the surface. Do not boil! If the stock boils, these impurities will be incorporated into the liquid.

Simmer for 15 minutes, turn off heat and let steep for 15 minutes. Pass through a strainer lined with cheesecloth. This can be made two days ahead and kept refrigerated.

For the Toasts: Slice the baguette into rounds about 1-inch thick. Brush with olive oil and a little smashed fresh garlic and toast until golden on both sides. These can be made a day ahead.

For the Broth: Marinate the fish for 1 hour or eliminate this step. Heat the olive oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Sauté the onion, garlic, parsley and orange zest. Add the clams, mussels, Pernod and wine. Steam open, about 2 minutes. Stir in fennel, leek, tomatoes, bay leaf and stock. Season with saffron, salt and pepper, add the fish and lobster pieces to the broth. Simmer for 3 minutes until the fish is opaque. Add tomato paste and adjust seasonings.

For the Rouille: Put all ingredients except the olive oil and stock and blend until smooth in a food processor. Slowly stream in the olive oil until the mixture is silky like a mayonnaise.

Add the stock to thin if needed.

To serve: Place one or two toasts in a shallow bowl and have guests pour the finished soup over the toasts. Place the rouille alongside and let guests help themselves.

Ingredients • 6 pounds of assorted white fish fillets (halibut, haddock, cod, fluke, etc.)

• 1 dozen mussels in the shells, debearded and scrubbed • 2 dozen clams, scrubbed • 4 lobsters cooked and shelled Stock • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 1 tablespoon butter • 1 leek, split • 1 onion, peeled and halved • 1 garlic bulb, halved • 1 fresh fennel bulb, roughly chopped • 2 tablespoons Pernod • 2 cups cold water • 2 cups dry white wine • 3 1/2 cups canned chopped tomatoes • Fish bones and heads, lobster carcasses - approximately 4 lbs. total • Pinch saffron threads • Pinch cayenne pepper • Bouquet garni: 1 bunch fresh thyme, 1 bunch fresh tarragon, 1 bunch fresh parsley, 2 bay leaves, strips of orange peel, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds and 8 black peppercorns - secure in cheesecloth tied with string Broth: • 1/4 cup virgin olive oil • 1 onion, peeled and diced • 2 garlic cloves, minced • 1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, chopped • 1/2 small orange, zested • Clams and mussels • 1 tablespoon Pernod • 1 cup dry white wine • 1 fennel bulb, chopped • 1 leek, split and chopped • 2 tomatoes, peeled and diced • 1 bay leaf • 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper • Marinated fish and lobster meat • 1 tablespoon tomato paste • Fresh flat-leaf parsley and basil, for garnish Rouille: • 1 small jar roasted red peppers • 8 - 12 oz. cooked pealed potatoes • 1 head of garlic smashed • 1 small red pepper or a few drops of Tabasco • 1 egg yolk • 6 tb of olive oil • 2 - 3 tb of fish stock Marinade (if you choose to use it): • 1/2 cup virgin olive oil • 1 1/2 cups dry white wine • 2 tablespoons Pernod • 2 fresh thyme sprigs, chopped • 2 fresh chervil sprigs, chopped • 3 garlic cloves, minced • 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds • 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads

January 2018 25

Pediatric Advocacy

BY KATIE LOCKWOOD, MD As a vulnerable population, our children need us to advocate for them in many areas of their lives. There are many threats to children’s health today, such as exposure to violence, lack of safe places to play, poverty, child abuse and food insecurity.

Fortunately, there are many organizations in Philadelphia that aim to address these issues, and they would benefit from your support, whether as a volunteer, donor, or partner.

Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY) http://www.pccy.org PCCY seeks to improve the lives and life chances of Philadelphia area children through advocacy in child health, early learning, education and family stability. They may be best known for their Pre-K for PA initiative. You can sign up for a weekly newsletter to keep up-to-date with their many projects or donate online.

Education Law Center (ELC) https://www.elc-pa.org The ELC’s mission is to ensure access to a quality public education for all children in Pennsylvania, and they advocate on behalf of the most vulnerable populations, including those living in poverty, in the foster care and juvenile justice systems, children with disabilities and more. They fight for fair school funding, ensuring equal access and ending the school-toprison pipeline. The ELC has law student internships available.

You can also subscribe to their newsletter or donate online.

Philadelphia Children’s Alliance

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Small Fr y volunteers teach children and their parents how to cook healthy, inexpensive meals using obtainable ingredients. Families not only practice cooking, but go home with ingredients and learn the importance of family meals. You can volunteer, donate groceries or donate money online. For more information, contact: admin@small-fry.org.

The Children’s Advocacy Project of Philadelphia (Cap4Kids) http://cap4kids.org/philadelphia This site has handouts for parents and providers on a variety of topics and is translated into 30 languages! It includes links to local resources, laws and definitions. Cap4Kids is a thorough roundup of everything you need to know about educational testing, mental health resources, healthy weight resources, childhood dental care, youth violence reduction, smoking cessation and safety. You can join an online mailing list for timely, seasonal updates and reminders.

Other ways to advocate: • Call our legislators directly: • Council Member Mark Squilla: (215) 686-3458 • Mayor Jim Kenney: (215) 686-2181 • Representative Bob Brady: (202) 225-4731 • Senator Bob Casey: (202) 224-6324

There are 3,000 reports of child sexual abuse in Philadelphia each year. At the Philadelphia Children’s Alliance, experts in law enforcement, child protective services, prosecution, medicine and mental health collaborate to guide sexually abused children down a path of healing. To help, you can attend their annual Bear Affair in May, donate a stuffed animal or make a donation online.

Pragmatic)Counsel.))Diligent)Advocacy.)

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• Senator Pat Toomey: (202) 224-4254

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• Governor Tom Wolf: (717) 787-2500 • Give a public testimony at the School Board Meeting (call 215-400-4180) • Write an Op-Ed piece for the Philadelphia Inquirer and submit it here: oped@phillynews.com

Old Pine Street Church Established 1768

Where History, Faith, Message, Music & Fellowship intersect at 412 Pine Street Sunday Worship 10:30am 215-925-8051 www.oldpine.org

Getting Involved

BY PETER ROSS In addition to QVNA, its committees and groups, there are many non-profit organizations in Philadelphia that provide assistance, education, engagement and empowerment. Here are just a few of them. Each of them serves residents in different ways; all of them need contributions; most have opportunities for volunteers. For more information, look at their websites and Facebook pages, or call their phone numbers.

Old Pine Community Center 401 Lombard Street (215) 627-2493 oldpinecommunitycenter.org The Center offers after-school and summer programs for children and teens, Cub Scout and Boy Scout groups, adult education, sports leagues for adults, support groups and 12-step programs, meals and social activities for seniors, emergency aid, meals, clothing and showers for the homeless. Volunteers are needed for many of these activities.

St. Peter’s Church Food Cupboard 313 Pine Street (215) 925-5968 stpetersphila.org/serve/food-cupboard Provides food to approximately 180 families each week.

Volunteers needed on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons to sort and organize food, or on Saturday mornings to distribute it.

Mandarin and Cantonese interpreters are needed on Saturday mornings.

Friends of the South Street Police Mini Station 905 South Street (215) 922-6706 policeministation.org Police station serving Queen Village, Bella Vista and the South Street Headhouse District. Friends support police needs for bicycles, IT, station renovations, repairs and upgrades and strengthen the partnership among residents, business owners and police. Volunteers needed for the Fundraising, Communications and Improvements Committees.

Episcopal Community Services 225 South 3rd Street (215) 351-1400 ecsphilly.org Focused on addressing poverty in the area. Programs provide emergency shelter for women and children, assist families in finding affordable housing, offer educational enrichment for children, professional skills training, mentoring and networking for teens and adults, companionship for the elderly and meals and food aid for all ages. Volunteers needed especially for tutoring, mentoring, and companionship for the elderly.

HIAS Pennsylvania 2100 Arch Street (215) 832-0900 hiaspa.org Since the late 19th century, HIAS has helped refugees and displaced persons settle in this country. It provides refugee resettlement assistance with housing, medical and legal aid, education and citizenship preparation. Volunteers are needed to tutor refugees in English and to help them learn how to use public transit, shop for food and essentials, etc., and in general become familiar with the customs and practices of their new home.

Career Wardrobe 1822 Spring Garden Street, 3rd Floor (215) 568-6693 careerwardrobe.org Offers free or low-cost professional clothing and workshops on resume writing, job searches and professional skills for those in the job market. Donations of new or very lightly used professional clothes are welcome. Volunteers are needed to assist with job search and related education and training workshops and to help with two annual fundraising events.

They are also needed to sort clothing donations and provide customer service for shoppers.

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January 2018 27

Lombard Street Riot

BY JIM MURPHY FAST FACTS Name: Lombard Street Riot Dates: Aug. 1 – 3, 1842 Pa. Historical Marker Location: SE corner of 6th & Lombard Sts. Date Dedicated: Nov. 23, 2005 Marker Text: "Here on August 1, 1842 an angry mob of whites attacked a parade celebrating Jamaican Emancipation Day. A riot ensued. African Americans were beaten and their homes looted. The rioting lasted for 3 days. A local church & abolition meeting place were destroyed by fire."

A contemporary artist's rendition of 1842 racially-motivated attacks against abolitionists in Philadelphia.

Claim to Fame: Of the 309 current Philadelphia markers erected by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, it's the first to have the word "riot" in the title.

Mix two races and cultures competing for the city's lowest paying jobs. Cram them together in dark living conditions. Add emotional calls to abolish slavery ... and equally powerful defenders of this horrible practice. Bring to a boil. Then watch the neighborhood blow.

Those were some of the sources fueling a 3-day riot that erupted Aug. 1, 1842 between Irish immigrants and African-American residents. A Pennsylvania Historical Marker on Lombard Street near 6th Street pinpoints where fighting began.

This was not the first struggle between the two groups, either.

The city experienced riots in 1820, 1829, 1834, 1835, 1838, 1842 and 1849, says the Encyclopedia of American Race Riots.

What happened this time: More than 1,000 blacks took part in a temperance parade commemorating the eighth anniversary of slavery's abolition in the West Indies.

At one point, says the newsletter of the Preservation Alliance of Philadelphia, the marchers held up a banner depicting a black man breaking his chains. It read: "How grand in age, how fair in truth, are holy Friendship, Love, and Truth."

Doesn't seem too provocative. But white Irish bystanders thought the picture represented the 1804 Haiti massacre of 3,000 to 5,000 whites on Santo Domingo. Suddenly, they began attacking the marchers near the public market at 6th and Lombard Streets.

The mob beat many of the marchers, looted black homes in the area and continued the assault for three days. During it, they burned down the Second African Presbyterian Church as well as Smith's Hall. The latter building had served as the site of abolition lectures after Pennsylvania Hall – a beautiful new abolition meeting house – was burned down by rioters days after opening in 1838.

The rioters then headed for the home of Robert Purvis at 9th

28 January 2018

and Lombard Street. Outspoken leader of the local Vigilance Committee and known for being a friend of fugitives, he helped 163 blacks flee to freedom in just nine months that year via the Underground Railroad.

On the first day of the riot, Purvis "sat on the staircase of his house, facing the front door, armed with guns and pistols and prepared to shoot the first intruder."

A Catholic priest helped stop the crowd that time. Later, when the local sheriff said he could no longer offer protection, Purvis fled to his home in Bucks County "shaken to his core."

The riot ended only after the mayor called out seven militia companies with more than one thousand troops.

Interesting Oddity: The Lombard Street Riot marker actually arose from a high school homework assignment. Teacher Amy Cohen directed her Contemporary Issues class at the Julia R. Masterman School to research past city race riots. Why? "They were important, rarely acknowledged events in our city's history."

Secretly, Amy wanted her student to petition for a state marker. So she asked them: "Isn't it strange that when you look for historical markers about the Underground Railroad you can find them? But why no markers about the riots"?

The students prepared nominations for two riots: Lombard Street and the Kensington Nanny Goat Market Riot in 1844. The first was accepted by the state.

At the marker dedication in 2005, Cohen told Philadelphia Weekly, "It's exciting for the students to see that their work in school really had an impact. This will be here forever."

Cohen's interest in Philadelphia's past continues. She now works for History Making Productions.

Murder in Carberry Court

BY TERRY BUCKALEW

1857

2018

It was 9 o’clock in the evening on June 20, 1857, and the sky was filled with rumbles of thunder. There was little warning of a violent storm that in several hours would uproot trees and knock down chimneys all through Philadelphia. None of this appeared to concern twenty-four-year-old Edward “Ned” Muldoon. He had only been a policeman for three weeks and was assigned patrol duty in the 5th and Catharine Streets neighborhood, and he was attempting to keep the local saloons in good order on this Saturday night. Ned may have felt somewhat secure in the fact that he knew most of the locals.

He had grown up in the neighborhood and been a volunteer fireman in the infamous Moyamensing Hose Company, along with older brother, Bernard, who was also a policeman in the same Southwark District.

The neighborhood had its share of crime and violence that went with the poverty and joblessness of its residents. Lately though, there was another volatile condition thrown into the mix. German immigrants had been moving into Southwark and competing with the Irish for jobs, especially shoemaking which was a major source of employment in the immediate community. Officer Muldoon’s fellow policemen had been dealing with the increase in hostilities for months, trying to stop it from escalating into a full-blown riot like the city experienced in the 1840s.

At 53-years-old, Elizabeth Lynch was one of the longest occupants of Carberry Court. Widowed since 1844 when her husband Joseph died, she had been eking out a living as a seamstress. Carberry Court was a dead-end alley between two tenements at 414 and 416 Catharine Street, presently the northern half of Weccacoe Playground. The eight-foot-wide alley contained eight two-story dilapidated frame houses embedded into the side of the tenement buildings that towered above, blocking out the sun. Many of the renters took in borders and the small homes were constantly overflowing with transients that added to a recipe for conflict. Mrs. Lynch was no shrinking violet. She did not hesitate to jump in and break up fights between her fellow alley residents, be they Irishmen and women or the new Germans with their strange language and religion. However, on this night the brawl in Carberry was too much even for her. She ran out to Catharine Street and “halloed” POLICE!

Jimmy Diamond had been drinking and walking around looking for a fight all day. He had only lived in Carberry Court for several months, but he already was known to the police as a troublemaker who carried a shoemaker’s knife in a speciallymade pocket inside his vest. His fighting prowess earned him “champion” by the Irish immigrants in Southwark. However, this night, he was taunting a much younger German boy who also lived in Carberry with his family. The alley had turned into bedlam with threats, fight challenges and bigoted curses, such as Steinman’s accusing the young German, Frederick Steinman, of being a “double-headed Dutchman.” That was the last straw for Steinman. He had to defend his honor against such a gross insult. The fight was on.

A half dozen men squared off and were throwing punches and at least that many women started swinging (“jousting”) clothes poles that held up the wet laundry ropes. Into this mayhem walks the young Muldoon, who is assaulted immediately by the female Diamond supporters with their wood poles. He is stunned. He recovers and gets between Diamond and Steinman. Muldoon is stabbed in the lower abdomen, he turns and is stabbed in the back. Diamond runs and leaps the back fence of the alley into Bethel Burying Ground, an African American cemetery. Diamond is later arrested by a police squad led by Bernard Muldoon. Ned is carried to a drug store at 3rd and Catharine Streets where he is seen by a doctor who orders the victim to be immediately taken to Pennsylvania Hospital. However, the internal injuries were too severe, and he died close to midnight. Ned was thought of by family and friends as “kind and humane” and was a joy to his widowed mother. He was buried at St. Mary’s Cemetery with full police honors.

The trial for Jimmy Diamond was a major event in the city with the transcript of the proceedings taking up pages of the local newspapers daily. More than a dozen witnesses were called, with the clear majority pointing fingers at Diamond as the murderer. Those that didn’t implicate Diamond were clearly hostile and prejudiced against the police and the court. It seemed to the large crowds inside and outside of the courthouse that Diamond would be found guilty by the twojudge panel hearing the case. On December 19, 1857, Judges Allison and Ludlow declared Diamond innocent of all charges.

In a very brief statement they justified their decision on “Too many discrepancies in witness testimony.” The murderer of Officer Edward Muldoon was never found.

For many years to come, Elizabeth Lynch would see not only Irish and German immigrants, but also Russian Jews and Italians vie for space in Carberry Court. Bernard Muldoon would serve in the Union Army during the Civil War and come home only to be imprisoned for physically abusing his wife and neglecting his child. James Diamond would be imprisoned for attempting to kill a bartender and eventually die of cirrhosis.

The homes in Carberry Court were demolished in 1903 to enlarge the fledgling Weccacoe Playground.

January 2018 29

Ordering Off The Kids Menu

BY HILARY YOUNG Besides being a prime time for little ones to experience meltdowns, dinner time can also be really stressful when you’re dealing with a picky eater.

Nights when cooking is just not an option, or you are looking to have a meal outside of the house with friends or family, these local restaurants are a great go-to. With versatile menu options to please the pickiest of eater and a kid-friendly environment (read: open to children running around the restaurant), here are some of my favorite Queen Village/Bella Vista eateries for kids: Ants Pants Café 526 S. 4th Street The Queen Village outpost of a Graduate Hospital favorite, Ants Pants Café is a great place to go for weekend brunch.

With a variety of interesting options for the grown-ups, like dill scrambled eggs or the brie stuffed french toast, there are great options for little ones, including the delicious grilled cheese, which is served with a side of fruit.

Pietro’s South Street 121-123 South Street While the Rittenhouse location is usually packed, the South Street Pietro’s is always a little more subdued, making it a great choice for families. Not only will you get some crayons for your little ones when you sit down, you can also order specialized menu items for picky eaters like noodles with butter and steamed broccoli, which is a favorite with my daughter.

Lucky's Last Chance

Guppy’s

848 S. 2nd Street Lucky’s, originally based in Manayunk, opened a Queen Village location about a year ago. Serving up all-American fare like burgers and hot dogs, they create a unique take on these classics by providing you with add-ons, such as homemade chili, diced jalapenos and even peanut butter and jelly. They also have a big selection of tater tots on the menu, which parents might find as irresistible as their kids.

800 Fitzwater Street Although technically located in Bella Vista, this family-friendly restaurant recently opened in the old Growler’s space. With a big, open main dining area and a spot with couches in front of a fireplace, Guppy’s has a homey feel and a diverse menu. The “Minnows Menu” offers chicken fingers & fries (our fave!!), mac & cheese, mini burgers & fries and a cheese quesadilla.

Teresa’s Mesa

Square Pie 801 East Passyunk Avenue Who doesn’t love a good slice of pizza? Next time you’re in the market for a family pizza night, stop by Square Pie, which, as its name implies, forgoes typical round pies for square Brooklyn-style pizza. You can keep it kid-friendly by ordering the mozzarella or pepperoni, or take it up a notch with funghi (mushroom), melanzane (eggplant) or porchetta (roast pork).

727 S. 2nd Street We’ve been big fans of Teresa’s Mesa since it opened a little over a year ago. The food is great, there’s never a long wait and it’s BYOB. They have a fresh take on Mexican food, serving up interesting tacos, like coconut shrimp with strawberry pineapple salsa or braised brisket with corn salsa, but they also have some subdued options for little ones, like a classic cheese quesadilla. Add some guacamole and chips and a side order of sweet plantains and everyone will be going home happy and full.

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SUPPORT QVNA LEGAL SERVICES MARV FACTOR, ESQ. Special focus on: • Real Estate • Tenant Issues • Property Management • Construction Management mfactor@lawyerfactor.com 215.370.4231

Good neighbors make great neighborhoods. With your help, QVNA can support, create, and maintain cleaner sidewalks, better schools, neighborhood networks and beautiful parks and contribute to special projects and respond to neighbors with emergency needs.

Make your contribution today to support QVNA. Donate online at www.qvna.org

Whatever your choice of Celebration was We Hope that it was Full of Blessings, Peace and Happiness this Holiday Season and all the Best in the Coming New Year.

Kathy & Patrick Thank You for Another Great Year! www.conwayteam.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND A LIST OF OUR INVENTORY PROFESSIONAL PHOTOS, OPEN HOUSES AND VIRUTAL TOURS

kathy@conwayteam.com - patrick@conwayteam.com Society Hill Office – 530 Walnut St #480, Philadelphia, PA 19106 Kathy: 215-850-3842 Patrick: 215-266-1537 Main: 215-627-6005

Independently Owned and Operated Member of th Prudential Real Estate Affiliates Inc.

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I’M DONATING 1% OF ALL MY COMMISSIONS IN 2018 TO PAWS. LET’S FIND YOUR NEW HOME!

Amy Shelanski,

LOCALLY SOURCED REALTOR® | Invested in, living in, and working for Queen

Village and Greater Philadelphia. Linking clients to their homes, their communities and to their neighbors.

c. 215.983.1414 | o. 215.625.3650 | ashelanski@spaceandcompany.com amy.searchphillylistings.com | 2200 Walnut Street, Phila, PA 19103