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Everyone loves one-stop shopping. A shopper being able to go to one store and get everything he or she needs without having to get that one thing somewhere else is a rare convenience. So when that convenience is available, why not use it?
The South Philly Review’s new community profiles are that accessible and the information residents want on their respective neighborhood is located on a single website. No need to Google hyper-localized news stories. Instead, come to the South Philly Review community profiles for one-stop shopping news needs.
Communities like Bella Vista, Girard Estate, Grays Ferry, Hawthorne, Lower Moyamensing, Marconi/Stella Maris, Navy Yard/Stadium Complex, Newbold, Packer Park, Passyunk Square, Pennsport, Point Breeze, Queen Village, Schuylkill/South of South, West Passyunk and Whitman are part of this new feature. The Review is looking to partner with the residents of each neighborhood as a way to cover more localized news stories. Feel free to submit information on your neighborhood, so we can build better profiles and cover more newsworthy stories.
“The new community profiles are a more timely way of receiving important news updates,” John Gallo, publisher of the South Philly Review, said. “We have a weekly paper but some news stories can’t wait a week, so this way each community will be informed on a more daily basis and it will give the community a way to participate in the news.”
When clicking through Facebook, it’s easy to find information about someone, and all on one Web page too. Community profiles are like a Facebook friend and any information needed is right there on each profile page such as each area’s boundaries, origin of name, brief history, famous residents, major landmarks, architecture, state senate, state house, city council and police districts, as well as ward, civic groups, libraries, schools, places of worship, rec centers and parks.
In fact, Girard Estate has an interesting history found on its community profile page. The area was established by the deed of Stephen Girard, a French merchant, who, in 1797, purchased a farm he named “The Places” at the southern end of Philadelphia where he performed much of the labor himself. The original farmhouse, which was located in Passyunk Township, Philadelphia County, along with the two later additions built by Girard still stand today at 21st and Shunk streets.
When Girard died in 1831, most of his $6-million estate was left to the City of Philadelphia. Girard’s will stated; however, the City must establish a college for poor white boys in his name, and his house must not be sold. In response to the second stipulation, the Board of Recreation Tours of City Trusts started developing Girard Estate, which initially was comprised of all rental homes. In 1950, the city got permission to sell all 481 homes to private owners. Within two years, all of them were sold.
When browsing the Point Breeze profile page, one would find out that there are some famous residents like the L.A. Clippers’ forward Rasual Butler from 20th and Manton streets; dancer Anthony Burrell of 22nd and Dickinson streets; jazz musicians the Heath Brothers, which is comprised of tenor saxophonist Jimmy, drummer Albert and bass player Percy; lead vocalist/rapper of the Grammy-winning band The Roots Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter from 23rd and Watkins streets; and H. Patrick Swygert, the former Howard University president who is from 15th and Wharton streets.
Just scroll over the community tab on our home page to view a list of neighborhoods or visit www.southphillyreview.com/community/neighborhoods. Click on a neighborhood to find news stories catered to a specific area on one Web page. News features, lifestyle stories, police reports and restaurant reviews are all part of the full coverage you can get on each profile. Links to local spaces like churches, schools, police districts, civic groups, rec centers, politicians, parks and playgrounds act like a directory for your convenience. SPR
E-mail suggestions and community information to Managing Editor Amanda L. Snyder at asnyder@southphillyreview.com.
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