The US Custom House at 2nd and Chestnut Sts., most commonly known as the giant building where you got your passport, is currently undergoing serious exterior restoration. It was constructed between 1932 and 1934 and was a product of the New Deal job-creating WPA program (Works Progress Administration). Designed by

As most of our readers know, Fishtown and East Kensington are experiencing some of the highest rates of residential development in the city. After a delicious brew and pretzel at Frankford Hall, we decided to enjoy the twenty rainless minutes of the day with a stroll up Frankford Ave. As

After about a year and a half of working their way through city bureaucracy and dealing with serious aggravation from the Carpenter's Union, Milkboy Coffee opened today at 11th and Chestnut Sts. The owners have been dealing with union picketers at their Ardmore location, a giant inflatable rat outside their

From time to time, the Philadelphia Inquirer publishes a series of investigative stories that shine a powerful light on a local problem. Readers are perhaps vaguely aware of these problems beforehand, but the Inquirer reports provide wonderful context and depth that help quantify an issue or personalize it in some

A new daycare is coming to 1309 Ridge Ave. in the West Poplar neighborhood. Because of the angle of Ridge Ave., the building sits on a small lot that runs the short distance between 13th St. and Ridge Ave.- on the southern side of this X-shaped intersection is an

We don't want to suggest that we support any one bank over another, but a resident of Earl St. in Fishtown definitely has disdain for one particular bank above all the rest.

While it's certainly this individual's right as a citizen to express their distaste for this large and powerful financial

 
For the seven of you who are not down the shore this weekend, we encourage you to check out today's somewhat under-publicized Rittenhouse Square Block Party. A block of 18th St. will be closed to cars as Rouge, Parc, and Devon turn their sidewalk seating into street seating until 10pm.

In yet another case of a business opening up across the street from another business that does virtually the same thing, Palm Tree Market will soon be opening at 2nd and Christian Sts., in the space that was formerly occupied by Hot Waves Salon.

Preparing for the new market, the facade

As we teased yesterday, there is additional development coming to the busy intersection of 10th and South Sts. in the near future. It's not as exciting as a new Garces restaurant, but many locals will probably welcome the new amenity for the neighborhood.

A side view, from the west

Blue Bear Tavern is the new "American Tavern" filling the Doc Watson's space at 216 S. 11th Street. The former Doc Watson's Pub, which opened way back when in 1971 and closed in February 2010, has been a perpetual construction zone since it was purchased by Vesper Hospitality Group. These guys are the investors behind