It's always sunny in this part of Philadelphia. (Photo by Karin Morris)

A new school year is under way and anyone who has walked, biked or driven down 12th Street past the Andrew Jackson School over the last few days has probably noticed the beautiful new addition to the front door that welcomes students, faculty, parents and community members.

In the past year, COSACOSA art at large, Inc. worked with 8th grade students at the Jackson School to develop a large-scale mosaic for the building’s facade.  Students researched and shared sun stories from the almost 30 different nationalities represented at the school. Together with COSACOSA artists, they designed a mosaic where hundreds of tiny little suns (representing our individual skills and strengths) combine to create a giant sun (representing the community and the common good).

Suns also symbolize academic brilliance and environmental stewardship. The project bridged cultures and built community through hands-on art-making and storytelling workshops throughout the year. Mosaic-making for the corner of 12th and Federal will continue throughout 2012.

COSACOSA is a non-profit organization creating new public art as a catalyst for community dialogue, creative cooperation, and positive change.  The Jackson School of the Suns project was supported by grants from the Philadelphia Cultural Fund, The Picasso Project of Philadelphia Citizens for Children and Youth, the Support Community  Outreach Program of the City of Philadelphia Department of Human Services, and Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts. For more information, please visit COSACOSA’s website and consider supporting them and the great work they do.

After coming across this Newsworks.org story about the Philadelphia Water Department’s efforts to divert more storm water out of the combined storm and waste water system (aka “the sewer”), we wondered if anyone else in neighborhood is experiencing the same issues as the South Philadelphia resident quoted in the piece:

For most people, the sound of an approaching thunderstorm might mean relief from the summer heat, water for the garden or a reminder to roll up the car windows. But for Kate Houstoun and her South Philadelphia neighbors, it has an entirely different meaning.

“We get a huge gush of storm water that comes in the front drain in everyone’s basement. And it can leave anywhere between 3 inches of combined sewer or maybe just rush in and rush out,” Houston says.

While it happens quickly, the aftermath is a challenge, especially for her senior citizen neighbors.

“It’s really tough for them to get into their basement and sop up the mess afterwards. I mean, I don’t like it, but it certainly breaks my heart to see older folks struggling with that, Houston says.

Share your stories with us either in the comments section of this blog post or on our Facebook page where we also linked to this Newsworks.org story. The Water Department is one of the many groups that we’re hoping to have at a future Passyunk Square Civic Association general meeting. Mark your calendars now for the first meeting of the 2011-12 season – Tuesday, September 6 at 6:30PM at the South Philadelphia Older Adult Center (E. Passyunk Ave. and Dickinson St.).

Who are the Difference Makers in your community? Who are the people who go above and beyond the call of duty to assist others? This is your chance to tell their story. Your nominee can be a teacher, volunteer, coach, doctors or any other professional. 


All the entries will be reviewed by the South Philly Review’s selection committee with the best ones being profiled in their very special Oct. 13 Fall Guide. Those who were selected in 2010 are not eligible. 


In 250 words or fewer, tell the story of your worthy candidate who resides or works in South Philadelphia and send it via e-mail, fax or regular mail. Photos are not required. The entry deadline is noon Sept. 13.


South Philly Review 


12th and Porter streets, Philadelphia, PA 19148

Phone: 215-336-2500 ext. 121 

Fax: 215-336-1112 

E-mail: editor@southphillyreview.com

Thanks to a tip from reader Missy, we saw this write-up on Technically Philly about Passyunk Square resident Frank Panko – founder of the website A View From My Seat. It was the reference to living two blocks away from Pat’s and Geno’s that gave Frank away as one of our neighbors. According to the TP write-up, AVFMS is “a product which collects photos submitted by users, of, quite literally, the view of the field from seats at sports venues.”

Frank and his wife hope to market the extensive database that they oversee to ticket sellers, teams and venues as a way to give customers a genuine preview of what they’re getting for their money.

The story of the business’s start-up and growth is a great tale of how to take something that everyone is doing now for free and creating value out of it. Check out the article.

Now… if only someone would come up with a way to stop that other recent baseball phenomenon – the person who sits behind home plate or in line with the batter and waves to people they are talking to on a cell phone and who see them on television.

If you have any tips about cool things being done by people in the neighborhood (6th to Broad, Washington to Tasker) please feel free to share by emailing contact@passyunk.org.

Back before multiplexes, home entertainment centers and the man-cave-ifcation of America, neighborhood movie theaters were the places where people went for news, entertainment, and air conditioning. And the builders of these theaters appreciated the aesthetics of their buildings as part of the overall experience. These were the movie palaces, not just some brick and stucco box with a nice surround sound system.

Shawn Evans, writing for PhillyHistory.org, has a fascinating and depressing look back on many of the great neighborhood theaters. It’s fascinating for obvious reasons (who doesn’t like to imagine a time when you could walk around the corner to the movie theater?). On the other hand, to read in each case about what currently occupies the sites of these old theaters can leave one with just the slightest tinge of regret. The glorious 2183-seat Broadway Theatre at Broad and Snyder occupied a spot that “is now a parking lot for a Walgreen’s.” (See what I mean?)

The city archives has pictures of nearly every part of Philadelphia going back pretty much to when cameras were invented. So those of you who have lived in Passyunk Square (or, as I’m sure it was called back then, South Philly) may recognize this:

…as the Stratford Theatre (which obviously had seen better days by the time this picture was taken in 1956). Located at 7th and Dickinson, it was torn down in the 1960s and replaced… by a parking lot.

Check out Evans’ post for more great pictures and information about some of the other theaters that were once havens for residents throughout the city.