Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

Seger Park Spring Festival This Sunday!

Frank L. DeFazio — Thu, 17 May 2012 18:19:47 +0000

Seger Park Spring Festival This Sunday!

The Friends of Seger Park Playground are hosting the 5th Annual Spring Festival this Sunday, May 20th from 11am-3pm at Seger Park on 10th and Lombard. The festivities will include a moon bounce, free tennis for tots, face painting, karate, crafts, live music and dance, food/drink, prizes and more! All proceeds will benefit the Seger Park playground renovation efforts. Come rain or shine! If you are interested in donating, volunteering, or joining the FOSPP email list you can reach them at the contact info below.

Friends Of Seger Park Playground
1020 Lombard Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147
info@friendsofseger.org
www.friendsofseger.org
www.facebook.com/fospp
(267) 507-5558

Friends Of Seger Park

The Friends Of Seger Park Playground is a tax exempt 501C3 nonprofit corporation that is dedicated to the renovation and beautification of the playground at Seger Park, located on Lombard Street in beautiful Washington Square West, Philadelphia PA! Keeping in mind how important children’s play is to their development – and how crucial it is for communities to maintain safe, inviting spaces to gather – the goal of the Friends of Seger Park Playground is to raise money for new, updated, age and ability-appropriate playground equipment, increased green space, new safe surfacing materials, an updated water spray area, better lighting, and improved landscaping.

About Seger Park

Seger Park is a beautiful multi-use neighborhood park in the heart of Center City Philadelphia. It serves many different people in the community with basketball and tennis courts, a large playground, picnicing meadow and dogpark!

Hope to see you out at Seger Park!

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Blog post compliments of CenterCityTeam’s Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

Frank L. DeFazio, Esquire
Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors – Society Hill
530 Walnut Street, Suite 260
Philadelphia, PA 19106
215.521.1623 Direct
610.636.4364 Cellular
888.308.1148 Fax
Frank@CenterCityTeam.com
CenterCityTeam.com: Philadelphia Real Estate

Shake Shack Philadelphia Nearly Complete

Frank L. DeFazio — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:33:19 +0000

Shake Shack Philadelphia Nearly Complete

Rumor has it that the Shake Shack Philadelphia that has been blocking traffic at the corner of 20th and Sansom Streets for quite some time is nearly complete and could open by the 4th of July holiday. Needless to say we are VERY excited!

Here’s some info from the Shake Shack Philadelphia Facebook Page:

Shake Shack is a modern day “roadside” burger stand serving the most delicious burgers, fries, hot dogs, frozen custard, beer, wine and more! Their mission is “To preserve (and add our spin on) the culinary traditions of classic American burger stands.” Shake Shack uses the finest local ingredients to make our version of much-loved American classics. Shake Shack opened its windows in Madison Square Park in 2004 (Manhattan) and immediately became a neighborhood fixture, with locals, tourists and people from all walks of life gathering to enjoy some Shack goodness. The rest, as they say, is burger history.

Interestingly, the Shake Shack Philadelphia building contains a “living wall” made of custom panels and planters made from recycled steel filled with ivy, seasonal flowers, trailing vines and evergreen shrubs. Here is a pic:

This will be the first Shake Shack in Philadelphia.

Shake Shack Philadelphia Press Release

SHAKE SHACK’S COMING TO THE CITY OF BROTHERY LOVE FIRST PHILADELPHIA LOCATION TO OPEN IN 2012! NYC’s Beloved Burger, Hot Dog and Frozen Custard Stand Will Make Its Home in Center City Monday, June 13, 2011 New York – Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG) plans to bring its Shake Shack to Philadelphia in 2012. One of NYC’s most lauded eateries and beloved gathering places, Shake Shack is a modern day “roadside” burger stand known for its delicious burgers, hot dogs, frozen custard, beer, wine and more.

Shake Shack Philadelphia is centrally located at 2000 Sansom Street (corner of 20th and Sansom), near beautiful Rittenhouse Square in Center City. The new Shake Shack Philadelphia is slated to open in the second half of 2012. “My colleagues and I are thrilled to introduce Shake Shack Philadelphia,” said Danny Meyer, CEO of USHG. “We are incredibly excited to have the privilege to add our voice to the city’s vibrant culinary dialogue. Philadelphians are famously passionate about the things they love, and we truly hope they’ll embrace our ShackBurgers, hot dogs and frozen custard with that same enthusiasm.”

The Shake Shack Philadelphia will build upon the success of six siblings throughout New York City – Madison Square Park (the original Shack, founded in 2004), Upper West Side (2008), Citi Field – home of the New York Mets (2009), Theater District (2010), Upper East Side (2010) and Battery Park City (2011), as well as its locations in Miami Beach (2010), Washington, DC (Dupont Circle and Nationals Park, both in 2011) and Saratoga Race Course, NY (2010). Additionally, Shake Shack opened its first location overseas this spring in Dubai, UAE, with a second opening mid-Summer in Kuwait City.

Shake Shack was born from a hot dog cart in Madison Square Park created by Union Square Hospitality Group to support the Madison Square Park Conservancy’s first art installation “I ♥Taxi.” The cart was a success and lines formed daily, so it re-opened for an additional two summers in 2002 and 2003. In July 2004 USHG was awarded the contract from New York City’s Department of Parks & Recreation and the Madison Square Park Conservancy to create a permanent food kiosk in the park. Shake Shack opened and instantly became a NYC institution with a loyal following, receiving numerous accolades from the press including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Magazine, Food & Wine, Travel & Leisure, Food Network and The TODAY Show among others, and was voted one of the Most Popular Restaurants in New York according to Zagat.

Shake Shack Philadelphia
2000 Sansom Street
www.shakeshack.com

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Blog post compliments of CenterCityTeam’s Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

Jay-Z Coming To PHILLY Labor Day Weekend!

Frank L. DeFazio — Mon, 14 May 2012 19:07:25 +0000

Jay-Z Coming To PHILLY Labor Day Weekend!

Today we learned from Jay-Z and Mayor Michael Nutter that Jay-Z will headline and curate the very first Budweiser Made in America Music Festival. The Budweiser Made in America Music Festival will be a 2 day event that will feature as many as 28 musical acts in Fairmount Park in Philadelphia on Sept. 1 and Sept. 2. The festival is being produced by Live Nation and will include a lineup of “rock, hip-hop, R&B, Latin and dance” musicians,

Entertainer Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter smiles in between interviews, after a news conference at Philadelphia Museum of Art, Monday, May 14, 2012, in Philadelphia. The rapper announced plans for a two-day music festival in Philadelphia’s at Fairmount Park, featuring nearly 30 acts “that embody the American spirit” on Labor Day weekend, Sept. 1 and Sept. 2, 2012.

Tickets for the festival go on sale at ticketmaster.com and livenation.com on May 23rd.

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Blog post compliments of CenterCityTeam’s Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

Center City Sips Returning In June!

Frank L. DeFazio — Wed, 09 May 2012 12:58:16 +0000

Center City Sips Returning In June!

Center City Sips, everyone’s favorite excuse for hitting the Philly happy hour circuit, is back for summer 2012 and will run from June 6th though August 29th!

Here’s the skinny from the Center City Sips website:

“This year the Center City Sips prices are up a buck for drinks. That means $5 cocktails, $4 glasses of wine and $3 beers. Half-priced appetizers are still available and many participants are offering 15% off dinner. “

Center City Sips is brought to you by the Center City District – Thank you!

Center City District

The Center City District (CCD) and Central Philadelphia Development Corporation (CPDC) share a common mission: to enhance the vitality of Center City Philadelphia as a thriving 24-hour downtown and a great place to live, work or have fun. The Central Philadelphia Transportation Management Association (CPTMA) works to make travel within Center City efficient, reliable, pleasant and safe. Thier mission is to keep Center City Philadelphia clean, safe and attractive, an easy place to get around and a great place to do business, visit or live. Keeping Center City Philadelphia clean, safe and attractive since 1991. visit CenterCityPhila.org for more information about Center City Sips!

Center City District
660 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 440-5500
info@centercityphila.org

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Blog post compliments of CenterCityTeam’s Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

Philadelphia Vegetarian At HipCityVeg

Frank L. DeFazio — Wed, 09 May 2012 01:25:02 +0000

Philadelphia Vegetarian At HipCityVeg

Was out and about this weekend having a bite at Serafina at 10 Rittenhouse when we noticed HipCityVeg across the street. Here’s a description from Citypaper:

Huge coup for vegetation-minded Center Citizens: Former Horizons GM Nicole Marquis opened her vegan fast-food joint Hip City Veg (127 S. 18th St., 215-278-7605) in the old Pad Thai Shack yesterday. Steering clear of overt vegan propaganda and preachitude, Marquis’ aim with Hip City is to provide a “100 percent plant-based” experience “familiar to meat eaters, without sacrificing affordability or taste.” Her chef, Lauren Hooks, is knocking out a menu with populist appeal — think the “Ziggy” burger, a meatless riff on the Big Mac (yes, with “special sauce”), a crispy “chick’n” sandwich that plays off that popular fast-food option, and salads of the Caribbean, Asian and Mediterranean persuasions, all made with local ingredients. (Those bananas don’t count.) That thoughtful approach extends into realms like packaging (compostable) and delivery (by bicycle, Spring Garden to Washington north to south and Front to the bridge east to west).

By all accounts HipCityVeg has been mobbed since opening a few weeks ago! While googling for this post I realized that JT Christensen from Studio: Christensen handled the interior design at HipCityVeg. JT helped us with our dining room furniture and he has a top notch studio near 20th and Delancey in Rittenhouse Square. Check it out if you’re in the neighborhood!

Studio: Christensen

studio:christensen is home to the works of contemporary interior designer Jt Christensen. His studio is not only gallery and workspace, but offers home furnishings by brands such as Kartell, Moroso, Vitra, Paul Evans, Knoll, Herman Miller, Gio Ponti and Eame

Studio: Christensen
333 s. 20th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(267) 386-6036

Hip City Veg
127 S. 18th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 278-7605

Check out HipCityVeg for all of your Philadelphia Vegetarian needs!

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Blog post compliments of CenterCityTeam’s Philadelphia Real Estate Blog
Frank L. DeFazio, Esquire
Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors – Society Hill
530 Walnut Street, Suite 260
Philadelphia, PA 19106
215.521.1623 Direct
610.636.4364 Cellular
888.308.1148 Fax
Frank@CenterCityTeam.com
CenterCityTeam.com: Philadelphia Real Estate

Philly Beer Week Coming June 1st-10th

Frank L. DeFazio — Tue, 08 May 2012 19:13:31 +0000

Philly Beer Week Coming June 1st-10th

Philly Beer Week

Philly Beer Week is back in full effect June 1st – June 10th! Check out thier website for a full list of venues and events: http://www.phillybeerweek.org/

About Philly Beer Week

Philly Beer Week is a 10-day celebration of the Best Beer-Drinking City in America. Established in 2008, Philly Beer Week, it’s the largest beer celebration of its kind in America, featuring hundreds of weeks, dinners, tours, pub crawls, tastings and meet-the-brewer nights to area bars, restaurants and other locations throughout Greater Philadelphia. Since its inception, more than 50 other U.S. cities have copied Philadelphia’s success to launch their own beer weeks. Philly Beer Week highlights the region’s diverse beer scene – its world-class breweries, neighborhood taverns, trend-setting restaurants and rich beer culture and history. Philly Beer Week draws thirsty beer fans from throughout the region and beyond, making it one of Philadelphia’s key annual tourism events. Philly Beer Week is organized and operated by Philly Beer Week Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(6) organization overseen by a board comprised of brewery owners, distributors, restaurant owners and others, to promote Philadelphia’s beer and hospitality industries.

Philly Beer Week Board Members

Tom Peters – co-chairman – Monk’s Cafe

William Reed – co-chairman – Standard Tap

Tom Buonanno – secretary – Muller Beverage

Ronald Davis – treasurer – Davis CPA Group

Casey Parker – Jose Pistola’s

Ed Friedland – Origlio Beverage

Gene Muller – Flying Fish Brewery

Mark Edelson – Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant

Mike Scotese – The Grey Lodge

Erin Wallace – Devil’s Den

John DeRenzi – Penn Distributors

Jim Kirk – Kite & Key

Tom Kehoe – Yards Brewing

Don Russell – Executive director

Congrats and thanks go out to all involved with Philly Beer Week!

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Blog post compliments of CenterCityTeam’s Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

Eshowings Update: May 7, 2012

Frank L. DeFazio — Mon, 07 May 2012 18:42:38 +0000

Eshowings Update: May 7, 2012

(Click To Enlarge)

Eshowings Update: May 7, 2012

Just got the May 2012 eshowings report outlining the April 2012 showings. Showings in March 2012 and April 2012 were much stronger than expected and much stronger than summer months in 2011. All indications point to a very strong 2012 Philadelphia real estate market.

About Eshowings

Eshowings is the automated service Philadelphia Realtors use to set up, schedule, and record showings of their listings. These charts are useful in gauging home buyer demand overall and in specific price ranges.

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Blog post compliments of CenterCityTeam’s Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

Stable Flats Northern Liberties UPDATE

Frank L. DeFazio — Mon, 07 May 2012 12:19:43 +0000

Stable Flats Northern Liberties UPDATE

Multiple Sources report that construction of Stable Flats, which appears to be going by The Stables, is now underway. The project is located at 1102-34 N. American & 1101-31 Bodine Streets in Northern Liberties and represents a Joint venture partnership between Onion Flats and Domani Developers. The architect is Plumbob llc and the builder is JIG Inc. Stable Flats was intended to be first LEED-H Platinum multi-family certified project of its kind in the United States.

Stable Flats

Designed to be the first LEED-H Platinum multi-family certified project of its kind in the United States. Stable Flats is a 70 unit residential project located in Philadelphia. We intend it to be a model of sustainable, residential and community urban re-development. It incorporates new and creative approaches to open/community space, storm water management, geothermal heating/cooling, green roof technology, on-site renewable energy generation, steel and concrete modular construction, creative parking management and 31% dedicated Affordable Housing units. 70 dwelling units

From the Philadelphia MLS

The Stables offer 2500+/-sqft of light filled living space in a stunning single family townhome w/options to customize finishes! Finely designed 3 bedrooms + office/4th bedroom, 3 full baths, private parking for two compact cars, a 300+/-sqft 2nd floor garden conveniently located off the kitchen/living area, with optional roof garden/deck & finished 600+/-sqft basement available!!! Super-efficient building envelope w/ high R Value Insulation, & triple-paned windows minimize heating & cooling bills. Custom chef kitchen designed by Artisans & Co., wide plank wood floors, stone counters, stainless appliances, luxury bathrooms & European touches. One block to Liberty Lands Park, cafes, new Superfresh & Wine Store. Co-Developed by Domani Developers, whose projects are a mainstay of the community & featured on HGTV & FYI Philly / Onion Flats, internationally awarded sustainable architect/developer of the first/highest LEED Certified homes in the Nation. Some images are of other projects as examples.

Here’s an excerpt from Hidden City:

After four years in limbo, what would be the most energy efficient development in Philadelphia is finally moving forward. The Stable Flats project in Northern Liberties is designed to be the first Passive House-certified development in Philadelphia, which means that the building’s energy needs would be minimized to meet a set standard, primarily through being nearly air-tight, extremely well insulated and south-facing. The houses would also be completely energy sufficient unto themselves, given responsible energy use by occupants–what’s called “net-zero energy possible,” said Onion Flats’ Tim McDonald, who is partnering with Domani Developers on the project. Read more about Passive Houses here. Three single-family homes and nine foundations will be built in the first phase, with plans calling for a total of 27 units on the former site of the 76 Carriage Co. horse stables on George Street between Bodine and American. This is a significant downsizing from the original plans for a 70-unit residential complex that included 10 units of subsidized affordable housing that were drawn up in 2007 at the height of the market. Money for larger residential projects post-crash remains scarce, said McDonald. ”It’s taken talking to many different banks and coming up with something that works,” he said. “It’s biting off an even smaller piece than we would like to do.” BLOX: Sustainable Building Systems–a sister company to Onion Flats–will build the houses using modular sections assembled on site. McDonald said the first unit should be ready by May.

I’ll keep you posted with any Stable Flats updates.

To schedule a showing or for more information call Frank L. DeFazio at 610.636.4364 or email at Frank@CenterCityTeam.com

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Blog post compliments of CenterCityTeam’s Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

2116 Chestnut Street Update

Frank L. DeFazio — Sat, 05 May 2012 11:39:57 +0000

2116 Chestnut Street Luxury Apartments

Walking around in Rittenhouse Square today it was clear that the project at 2116 Chestnut Street was progressing quite expeditiously. The home of the former (now demolished) Sidney Hillman Medical Center will soon house a brand new, mixed-use, luxury high rise designed by Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture out of Chicago. The new high rise will feature 34 stories, 309 RENTAL units and space for the new and improved Sidney Hillman Medical Center. The developer is the John Buck Company.

2116 Chestnut Street Photos

Before

During:

October 2011 Press Release

The John Buck Company (JBC) and Sidney Hillman/The Philadelphia Joint Board, Workers United (Sidney Hillman) have partnered together on the redevelopment of 2116 Chestnut Street. The current site will be revitalized to benefit Philadelphia’s Center City and the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood. JBC, a leading real estate developer whose projects include over 40 million square feet of office, mixed-use, residential and hotel projects nationwide, announced the purchase of an existing health center building at 2116 Chestnut Street. JBC Opportunity Fund III LP and JBC Fund IV LP have purchased the building through Sidney Hillman Medical Center of the Male Apparel Industry of Philadelphia, Inc. “This project is an investment of more than $104 million in Philadelphia and is expected to create approximately 900 construction jobs,” said Mayor Michael A. Nutter. “2116 Chestnut Street will be a tremendous addition of residential and commercial space to a great neighborhood.” 2116 Chestnut Street will be a class A, 34-story, 319 residential unit rental building in the Rittenhouse Square District of Philadelphia’s Center City. The project will include 130 enclosed parking spaces, 9,150 square feet of retail space on Chestnut Street, a state-of-the-art amenity package for residential tenants and exceptional views of the city. Financial assistance for the project has been provided by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through the support of Governor Corbett. “We have entered a great partnership with the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” said John Buck, Chairman and CEO of The John Buck Company. “We appreciate the support of Mayor Nutter and Governor Corbett and we look forward to continued collaboration with the city, local leaders, community members and residents of Rittenhouse Square to add to the vitality of one of Philadelphia’s great neighborhoods.” Adjacent to 2116 Chestnut, Sidney Hillman is constructing a new, 5-story office/medical facility to be located at the northwest corner of Van Pelt Street and Sansom Street. The building will house an innovative medical center, replacing the medical center that previously operated at 2116 Chestnut. “We are proud to continue the legacy of Sidney Hillman and our predecessor unions, the Amalgamated Clothing Workers and the International Ladies’ Garment Workers,” said Lynne Fox, President of Sidney Hillman Medical Center and Manager of the Philadelphia Joint Board. “We look forward to a new era of job creation and community service for our members and all working families in the City of Philadelphia.” 2116 Chestnut offers a premier location with proximity to public transportation, commuter rail system and expressways. The property is within walking distance of the area’s universities, the Central Business District, Rittenhouse Square Park, and the shopping districts on Walnut Street and Chestnut Street. Delivery of 2116 Chestnut is scheduled for second quarter 2013.

About The Developer

About The John Buck Company: The John Buck Company (JBC) is a privately owned real estate firm specializing in investment, development, property management, leasing, and advisory services. Focused on creating value for investors, owners and tenants, the firm has completed more than $10.5 billion in real estate transactions and developed or redeveloped 40.7 million square feet of office, mixed-use, residential and hotel projects. A leader in property management, the firm has a portfolio of six million square feet nationwide. JBC is currently active in Chicago, New York, Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia. For more information, please visit: www.tjbc.com.

I’ll keep an eye on the progress of 2116 Chestnut Street and report back.

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Blog post compliments of CenterCityTeam’s Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

Bartram’s Garden Now Bigger And Better!

Frank L. DeFazio — Fri, 04 May 2012 01:12:03 +0000

Bartram’s Garden Now Bigger And Better!

PlanPhilly reports that Bartram’s Garden will open tomorrow with a new orchard, community gardens, plant nursery and an education center at opening celebration this weekend.

Last year, workers cleared invasive shrubs and removed unused tennis courts and baseball fields from the southern end of the property to make way for a 1.5-acre community garden in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania’s Agaston Urban Nutrition Initiative, the City of Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. Twenty five of the 60 plots are now being used by the community. The farm is being operated with help from John Bartram High School Students while a portion of the food is donated to PHS’s City Harvest Program for needy families. A new Green Resource Center will be used to provide seedlings for the UNI farm, community gardeners and for the Roots to Re-Entry green jobs training program this spring. Near the new community garden, Bartram’s Garden planted more than 40 heirloom fruit trees, in partnership with the Philadelphia Orchard Project. The Four Seasons of Philadelphia provided funding.

There will be a preview of the grand opening on Friday, May 4, from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m for members.

Bartram’s Garden will be open to the public on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Entrance is free. Day passes, which include a guided house and garden tour, and access to seasonal activities in the Green Room, are $8 to $12.

54th Street and Lindbergh Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19143
Open 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
1 (215) 729-5281
info@bartramsgarden.org

http://www.bartramsgarden.org

About Bartram’s Garden

A garden of curiosity, inspired by nature and created by the Bartram’s. Located along the banks of the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia. From March 30 – December 2, guided tours of both the historic house and garden are available Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays without reservation. Our new Green Room is also available Thursday – Sunday and provides visitors of all ages with hands-on seasonal activities, as well as binoculars, field guides, and art supplies to borrow for the day. Group tours are available every day of the week, year-round by reservation. Please contact us for more information. The grounds of Bartram’s Garden are open from dawn to dusk year-round except City-observed holidays.

Bartram’s Garden History

Bartram’s Garden is one of only a handful of identified prehistoric locations in Philadelphia. Archaeological evidence has been found that the Garden was occupied seasonally by Native Americans as early as 3,000 BCE. Objects found during digs include stone artifacts, flakes from tool production, and fire-cracked rock. These objects are available to view in the John Bartram Bowman Special Collections Library by appointment. Beginning in 1648, a 1,000 acre tract of land that included Bartram’s Garden was settled as an outpost on a New Sweden colony on the Schuylkill River. This land, known as “Aronameck,” was eventually divided along natural boundaries and creek valleys, and further small clearings developed in the later 17th Century, including a piece which become the site of John Bartram’s farm and garden.

Best of luck to Ty Holmberg and everyone involved at Bartram’s Garden!

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Blog post compliments of CenterCityTeam’s Philadelphia Real Estate Blog