February 22, 2006 Issue                                               

©2005 The Chestnut Hill Local

News

A bird’s eye view of the New Covenant campus.
Transitional housing in works at New Covenant
Fifty homeless women and children expected to live on the grounds
by CAROLE BOYNTON

A bird’s eye view of the New Covenant campus.

The word went out Friday that New Covenant Church of Philadelphia, 7500 Germantown Ave., proposed transitional housing for 50 homeless women and their children.

“The church would rent out the space,” said Frank Galioto, director of constituent services for Councilman at-large Frank Rizzo. Galioto is also chair of the Traffic, Transportation and Parking Committee for the Chestnut Hill Community Association.

Springside opens new field house
by Kristin Pazulski

STUDENTS AT THE SPRINGSIDE SCHOOL work in their shop class creating art pieces. The Springside School just completed the final phase of its $24.6 million fundraising/development campaign with the opening of the Phyllis M. Vare Field House.

After raising $24.6 million in its six year redevelopment campaign, Springside School revealed the 52,000 sq. ft. Phyllis M. Vare Field House Thursday, Feb. 9.

The field house was the third phase of Springside’s redevelopment project that, at its beginning in 1999, was assumed to be impossible.

In the development stage of the program, the school staff was considering hiring a consultant for the fundraising. One of the potential consultants told them that with an all-female alumnae body, they could only hope to raise about $4 million. Head of the School Priscilla Sands said this comes from the belief that women are less likely to talk directly about financial issues and therefore less likely to give, but she did not want that mindset to limit their campaign.

Commerce Bank project still halted
by Kristin Pazulski

The permit to allow Commerce Bank to continue the construction begun this fall at 8600 Germantown Ave. was refused by the Department of Licenses and Inspections on Monday, Feb. 13. The application refused would have allowed the “legalization of the partial demolition and re-erection” of parts of the property, according to the notice of refusal from L&I.

Fresh and Local Produce Trend Seen on Hill
by Jennifer Katz

When Eden Krainer moved to Chestnut Hill from Carrboro, N.C. two years ago, she was eager to find out where she could buy locally grown and/or organic produce. She was fortunate enough to live near a co-op in Carrboro that she could walk to which specialized in goods from local and organic farmers. Now in a new city and without a car, Krainer turned to a neighborhood run co-op.

College will build on Sugarloaf, but preserve green space
by Kristin Pazulski

CHESTNUT HILL COLLEGE is planning to expand its campus with the purchase of the 32-acre Sugarloaf property, located across Germantown Avenue from the current campus. The purchase solves the college’s problem of expansion to provide for increased enrollment on a campus that restricts building because of steep inclines and a flood plain.

The Albert M. Greenfield Foundation has decided to sell the Sugarloaf property, 9230 Germantown Ave., to Chestnut Hill College. The 35-acre property runs parallel to Germantown Avenue from Bells Mill Road to the Wissahickon Creek. The purchase is expected to be finalized this summer.

Mardi Gras, Chestnut Hill style
by Kristin Pazulski

The annual celebration of Mardi Gras is most famous for its origins in New Orleans, where the streets are full of celebratory parties and parades each year. For 2006, Mardi Gras is also being celebrated in the streets of the Chestnut Hill business district for colorful, musical and edible festivities.