2 PHILADELPHIA FREE PRESS • UC REVIEW • NOVEMBER 18, 2015 continued from page 1


CHRISTMAS VILLAGE


LOVE Park for new photo opportunities, and new ven- dors and tasty treats from around the world. Now in its eighth year, Christmas Village in Philadelphia has grown into one of the region’s most unique and charming holiday attrac- tions. Organizers expect to attract more than 700,000 people in 2015. Seventy international and local mer-


chants and artists are busy preparing high-quality and lovingly crafted gifts that will be sold in decorated tents and wooden houses that will pop-up throughout Center City’s famous LOVE Park. With ornaments, toys, apparel, jewelry, decora- tions, home goods, artwork and more, there will be something for everyone on Santa’s list. For the third straight


year, Christmas Village in Philadelphia is presented by NRG Home.


“Every year I’m touched Decorations and LOVE Park Tree, Credit Russ Brown Photography


by the warmth and holiday spirit shown by everyone who is part of Christmas Village, including vendors, organizers, and visitors,” said Heather Farber, man- aging director, NRG Retail Northeast. “That is why NRG Home is so excited to be a part of this growing Philadelphia tradition. NRG Home has a lot of wonder- ful things planned for visi- tors.“


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gerbread and waffl es to a full menu of European food, sweets and drinks, including mouthwater- ing German bratwurst or schnitzel served on a warm roll (Brötchen). Look for our special menu additions, including Döner Kebab (a German specialty featuring fresh meat shaved right off the rotisserie spit, placed in a warm pita pocket with tomato, onion, and our deli- cious homemade sauce). Wash it all down with a warm mug of traditional


German Glühwein (spiced mulled wine) or rich hot chocolate.


On top of the great shop- ping and dining experi- ences, visitors will enjoy the glorious Christmas Tree in LOVE Park, a Wish Wall in conjunction with the Make- a-Wish Foundation, a kid’s zone on the weekends, the new location of the Santa’s House in the fountain, themed days and weekends, tasting tours with Chadds- ford Winery, live music dur- ing evenings and weekends on our main stage right in front of the LOVE sign, and other surprises to be an- nounced.


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After its preview week- end, Christmas Village will open Thanksgiving Day after Philadelphia’s annual Thanksgiving Parade on Thursday, November 26, 2015. Offi cial opening day is set for Saturday, November 28, 2015, 3pm . Invite your family and friends to come sing-a-long to holiday selec- tions by local choirs, march- ing bands and other enter- tainers. Meet the original Christkind from Nuremberg after she offi cially opens the market by reciting her traditional prologue. Take photos with her as she does her traditional walk of the market. In Germany, she is the person that brings the Christmas gifts to the kids, and she won’t be coming to Philadelphia empty handed! Daily market hours will be Friday through Saturday 11:00am to 8:00pm, and Sunday through Thursday 11:00am to 7:00pm. Christ- mas Eve and Thanksgiving Day hours are 11:00am to 5:00pm (closed on Christ- mas Day). Vendor lists, food and drink menus, theme week- ends, special event details and special promotions will be released in mid-Novem- ber. Follow @philachristmas on Twitter and Instagram, follow Christmas Village on Facebook and visit www. philachristmas.com for more information.


continued from page 1


SOUTH PHILLY


ity of the 150 spaces will be for the public. The parking garage, entered near Ells- worth on 9th


Street will also


have a separate entrance for loading. When the meeting opened to questions, one PSCA zon- ing board member asked about the number of apart- ments and the ratio of apart- ment sizes. A member from the Mid- wood Team said that sixty percent of the apartments will be one bedroom apart- ments.


Another PSCA zoning


board member wondered about the project’s retail space and whether it would be occupied by a big box store or by smaller busi- nesses.


John Usdan, President of Midwood Investment & Development explained, “We imagine restaurants and more food purveyors of a high quality. Hopefully,” Usdan said, “this project will extend the hours of the market and the shop- ping day. Its uses will be consistent with the market. It could have up to twenty tenants. We designed it so the retail space,” Usdan continued “will be shallow with a lot frontage. A typical store could be 1,500 to 1,700 square feet.”


Michelle Gambino, Busi- ness Manager of the South 9th


Street Italian Market Business Association asked Usdan for a guarantee that Midwood won’t rent any of the retail spaces to chains, which would disrupt the independent character of the market.


“It is not our intent to put in chain stores,” Usdan said. “We don’t think it’s in the character of the neighbor- hood. And we don’t think those types of stores would necessarily do well in the neighborhood.”


Parking and the potential for traffi c congestion be- came a focal point. Several residents criti- cized Midwood’s decision to place the parking garage on 9th


Street as opposed to


Washington Ave. “It will create gridlock


on Washington and other streets,” one resident said. “There’s already gridlock on Washington Avenue and 8th


And, another resident asked how much the parking spots for resi- dents would cost. When learning the team hadn’t determined a fi gure, the resident remained skeptical that renters would pay an exorbitant monthly fee for underground parking when they “could get a sticker for $50 a year for street parking instead.”


On the garage’s location, Kelso said, “One of the reasons we decided against Washington Ave [as an en- trance] is because it would break up the retail space. Cars would be cutting across Washington Ave… and we believe that would have more of a negative impact.


As for the annual festival,


“We’ll be sensitive,” Kelso said.


On the building’s fi ve- story height, a PSCA zoning board member asked, “Do you have to have fi ve fl oors to get 70 units? Is there any way you can have four fl oors and still get 70 units?” According to Kelso, “If we don’t get the 5th


fl oor,


the project can’t happen. The two full fl oors of park- ing is an enormous cost,” Kelso said adding the 18,000 square feet of ground fl oor retail requires the additional fl oor to support it. However, at the same time, “We’re willing to work with the neighborhood for a maxi- mum height that will fi t its scale.”


On city revenue, one resi- dent said, “This lot has been vacant for several years. Can you tell me what type of revenue a project this size will generate for the city?” Kelso explained, “I can’t give you an exact num- ber but… it will be a lot.” Midwood would receive a ten-year tax abatement. Nonetheless, the school district would still receive the use and occupancy tax from the property, Kelso said. And the retailer and owner would pay busi- ness privilege taxes and the employees from the retail would pay city wage taxes, Kelso added. A lifelong resident thanked the developer for his presentation.


When the meeting came to a close, Jared Klein PSCA Chair took votes on the community’s response to the project.


Street today. What hap- pens to the Italian Market and Mexican Festival?” that resident wondered. “How are all of those cars going to get out?”


Another resident said the underground parking would lead to the kind of gridlock found in Manhat- tan.


An overwhelming major- ity of those in attendance voted that they loved the project but did not like the way the project was confi g- ured.


In addition, an over- whelming majority of those in attendance voted they did not have a problem with the project’s height or density.


www.penncampushairsalon.com


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