Protecting Kensington History
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ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT
PUBLIC HEARINGS HELD 1515 ARCH STREET - 18TH FLOOR
Wednesday, August 8, 2012 2:00 PM
If you would be able to join us at the ZBA meeting in support of the women and children who live on my block of Hope St to protest the destruction of a historic Kensington bank will be torn down and up to 100 additional women and children will be crammed into a small lot so low income developers can make profits using public funds, we would greatly appreciate it.
Please come join us as there is strength in numbers and our voices, and votes count and should be respected!!
—
Owellian
Fri, 2012-08-03 08:29
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I will be attending the
I will be attending the meeting. I have never been to a zoning board meeting. Will it be a situation where we are able to vote, or will we just present our views and the zoning board votes? Any info would help. Thanks :)
HAZMAT
Fri, 2012-08-03 10:40
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Count me in !
Count me in !
To be ones self and unafraid, right or wrong, is more admirable than the easy cowardice of surrender to conformaty. Irving Wallace.
Lauraska
Fri, 2012-08-03 10:43
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I am in support of saving
I am in support of saving this building but I have to ask - if the neighborhood was so concerned about its preservation, why wasn't stuff done to make use of/protect it BEFORE the current situation came about? It was allowed to sit there and rot for so many years and no one seemed to care. Now that someone is ready to use the property for something, we have sprung into action. It just makes me sad. But I DO hope that people can attend this meeting to fight the destruction of such a beautiful structure.
HAZMAT
Fri, 2012-08-03 14:59
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Long seedy story ...come to
Long seedy story ...come to the zba and we could talk from this meeting all the way up to the next seedy event at 8pm
To be ones self and unafraid, right or wrong, is more admirable than the easy cowardice of surrender to conformaty. Irving Wallace.
Kenzo
Fri, 2012-08-03 15:33
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Lauraska wrote:
Because Pat DiCarlo owned it for years.
Norris Square strikes again. They let it deteriorate. They never sealed the structure during the entire time they owned it.
2014 york
Fri, 2012-08-03 16:35
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The simple fact is that there
The simple fact is that there was no money in the area before these structures fell into disrepair. Still isn't really but the buildings could be salvaged and repaired enough to hault the deterioration. As they stand the bones of the buildings look to be in pretty good shape. There is no evidence of structural damage visible on the exterior. Adaptive reuse by gutting the interiors and using the shell as part of a housing development would have made this an award winning proposal. It would have made good sense to build a tall (8-10) story building inside the shell and use the ground floor as public or commercial space, leaving the adjacent lots for parking and outdoor space. This would also minimize the sound impact from the EL as most of the noise from passing trains is under the structure. Plus it would make the building much safer for residents not having entry doors and windows at street level.
Kenzo
Fri, 2012-08-03 16:53
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Oh put Pat/WCRP paid for a
Oh but Pat/WCRP paid for a study that says te buildings need to be demolished straight away.
Because you know they'd spend money on the best masonry analysis that money can buy.
george
Fri, 2012-08-03 17:30
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I suggest banners.
I suggest banners.
"History."
"Kensington History."
"History."
lighterthief
Fri, 2012-08-03 21:54
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2014 york wrote:
No talking sense! This is Philadelphia and public money logic does not play.
Empty factories to the east and all our waste
The shape of things that came shows on the broken workers face
HAZMAT
Sat, 2012-08-04 00:19
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I think banners scream hey
I think banners scream hey look at us we really are not that messed up , we can afford banners !
To be ones self and unafraid, right or wrong, is more admirable than the easy cowardice of surrender to conformaty. Irving Wallace.
kdlewis6
Sat, 2012-08-04 04:01
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Thanks you guys for your
Thanks you guys for your questions and comments. You won't be able to vote, but the presence of protester may sway the ZBA to uphold the existing laws and not allow zoning codes that they created be ignored for greed.
There was money to repair the building and offers from people including neighbors on my street to buy the building fix it up and make it usuable and safe for the street. It's a gorgeous building, the structure is fantastic. But it's my understanding from different people, that they offers they made were refused each and every time. Bizarre that you would get a building for free to use it for the community and then just let it sit and rot, and refuse to even sell it, but according to the research this is a common practice that non profit low income developers play with public money and tax free status.
I have read that there is a pattern with low income developers in low income neighborhoods to get vacant buildings and sit on them for years (by the way, my neighbors boarded the building up, not the owners, to at least stop the stealing of things inside the building and prevent it from becoming a drug house on our block) because as non profits they don't pay taxes on the properties they received for free, and they wait until the building is destroyed by neglect, then use public funds on the building they allowed to decay and demolish it and build low income housing again using public funds. They make a ton of money and pay no taxes and don't have to use their own money to do this, just our public money. It's a scam that destroys the fabric and history of an area for greed. There are a ton of papers and research about this type of public funds scam. Shame isn't it?
george
Sat, 2012-08-04 05:41
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HAZMAT wrote:
"Banners."
"This is a Banner."
"Banners."
kdlewis6
Sat, 2012-08-04 13:51
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Banners and signs sound
Banners and signs sound awesome!! " History" and "Kensington History" would be great!! Also wearing red white and blue or things that represent the United States of America would be great!
2014 york
Sat, 2012-08-04 14:35
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kdlewis6 wrote:
I believe you folks may have accidently stumbled into an answer to urban blight. Bunting on every eyesore.
kdlewis6
Sat, 2012-08-04 15:36
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Love that idea!
Love that idea!
george
Sat, 2012-08-04 15:36
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kdlewis6 wrote:
Definitely!
"America."
"Banners in America."
"America."
Also, something with unicorns on it.
kdlewis6
Sat, 2012-08-04 15:55
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why unicorns?? lol
why unicorns?? lol
kdlewis6
Sat, 2012-08-04 15:57
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my son likes rainbows, so I
my son likes rainbows, so I might have a few rainbow banners painted by him. : ) he painted our backyard's concrete wall with a rainbow when he was 5. I love it!
Newcomer
Sat, 2012-08-04 15:59
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george wrote:
"Kensington."
"Unicorns."
"History of Kensington Unicorns."
george
Sat, 2012-08-04 16:05
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Newcomer wrote:
Alternate that with banners featuring members of Menudo and we have a winner. I could see residents of Kensington literally falling to their knees and weeping with joy if this happened.
kdlewis6
Sat, 2012-08-04 16:11
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What do you mean about the
What do you mean about the soup Menudo that we eat in southern Ca to cure a hangover or on New Years day (my stepmom is Mexican ancestory). What does a traditional southern ca soup have to do with Kensington History?
george
Sat, 2012-08-04 16:14
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kdlewis6 wrote:
Yes.
kdlewis6
Sat, 2012-08-04 16:22
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george, you know I got your
george, you know I got your point don't you? but I assumed you were just joking because you must be hispanic like me and live in my neighborhood. So I don't mind gentle pokes but I do mind cruelty or meaness...
HAZMAT
Sat, 2012-08-04 16:29
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george is just , well being
george is just , well,being Gorge !
To be ones self and unafraid, right or wrong, is more admirable than the easy cowardice of surrender to conformaty. Irving Wallace.
Newcomer
Sat, 2012-08-04 16:32
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kdlewis6 wrote:
You got George all wrong -- I've never known him to be cruel or mean ever.
kdlewis6
Sat, 2012-08-04 16:37
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that's why I was gentle....I
that's why I was gentle....I figured he was just being funny!
george
Sat, 2012-08-04 16:41
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I spent part of today looking
I spent part of today looking for a lost pig in my neighborhood (really). Does that sound like the actions of a cruel man?
Sure, I occassionally steal candy from some stupid baby but a guy needs some fun, y'know?
(y kdlewis, te amo! es solamente joking around con usted!)
Newcomer
Sat, 2012-08-04 16:41
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kdlewis6 wrote:
I mean, other than shoving me down the stairs at Johnny Brenda's last night.
george
Sat, 2012-08-04 16:42
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Newcomer wrote:
Only thoroughly confused about beach date availability. I OWE you!! xoxo
Newcomer
Sat, 2012-08-04 16:44
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george wrote:
Who could think clearly surrounded by all that nudity?
george
Sat, 2012-08-04 16:45
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Newcomer wrote:
Only after you made fun of my vinyl pants.
I thought we weren't going to take this public.
kdlewis6
Sat, 2012-08-04 16:54
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hahaha!
hahaha!