Café Society

by Daniel Brook

Philadelphians suffering from Paris envy will be happy to hear that the number of outdoor cafés in Center City increased by 51 percent over the past year, according to a Center City District (CCD) study. Considering we’re in that brief season when you can sit outside in this town without sweating or freezing, it’s good news. According to the survey, Old City has the most establishments offering outdoor seating, but Market West has the highest total number of chairs on the streets.

How is such a survey compiled? According to CCD spokesperson Elise Vider, "We did this the old-fashioned way." CCD sent out a summer intern to walk about town counting chairs and tables.

Almost all of the outdoor seating areas have sprouted up since 1999, when then-Mayor Ed Rendell signed an executive order prompting L&I to streamline the permitting process for outdoor cafés. Today, with over 100 cafés in Center City, even Rendell himself would have a hard time eating at them all.

Last Dance

With its prominent placement at Broad and Lombard, it's hard not to notice the new mural going up behind the scaffolding. The old mural of a ballerina dancing beneath the Philadelphia skyline has already been painted over. The new work of art that will stand in its place deals with the interplay between artistic creativity and life. The Mural Arts Program tapped one of its superstars for the job: Meg Saligman, whose works featuring local artists can be seen at Broad and Spring Garden and at 13th and Locust. As crass as it feels to rag on public art, you can hear the collective sigh of relief as Philadelphians pass the site, noticing that sad little ballerina has danced her last show.

Supermarket Forces

City Council gave final authorization to a shopping center project in the West Parkside section of Philadelphia. To get the project built, Council gave tax breaks to the developer. With a supermarket as an anchor tenant, the center will provide basic services to a neighborhood that currently lacks them. The project is the latest in a number of successful projects that have brought supermarkets to low-income neighborhoods in the city. The well-located but blighted Parkside neighborhood has been the subject of many revitalization plans. Urban planners will be watching to see if the supermarket helps the neighborhood attract and retain residents.