Shoprite of Whitman Plaza opening draws Mayor Kenney

Shoprite of Whitman Plaza finally opened yesterday, drawing visits from local Philadelphia officials, including Mayor Jim Kenney. Neighbors have been long waiting for the re-opening of this shopping center where Pathmark once stood. 

The move of Shoprite from Snyder Plaza to Whitman Plaza means that Pennsport loses another shopping center, but Whitman neighborhood continues to develop and grow. The Oregon market is just next door to Shoprite and Aldi is only a few blocks away at 2603 S Front street.

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Whitman ranked best neighborhood; featured in PHG and Philadelphia magazines

Our South Philadelphia's beloved Whitman neighborhood has been making regular media appearances as of late. Home of the first vegan farm in the US, Whitman has been named one of the safest neighborhoods in Philadelphia by Philadelphia Magazine and the 1st best neighborhood in Philadelphia 2016 by StreetAdvisor.

One news we are particular proud to point out is this feature in Philly Home Girls neighborhood guide to Whitman. The author was inclusive of our South Philly neighborhood, old and the new. More importantly, she just really gets our neighborhood vibe. Whitman has always been a thriving community in itself, so it's no developer or real estate agent's dream builder. It stands among its developing and gentrifying neighbors, adapting with its own unrelenting South Philly attitude.

Whitman neighborhood won was ranked 1st best neighborhood in Philadelphia by StreetAdvisor voters in 2016

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Philadelphia cleans alleys of Whitman in South Philly

Philadelphia is resuming alley cleaning for the Whitman neighborhood. The Whitman Council posted the following notice on their Facebook page last week. Neighbors have been trying to spread the word, but perhaps Whitman Council needs a better method of getting their messages to residents living within the Whitman boundary.

Whitman Council originally posted:

The city of Philadelphia is re-starting cleaning alleys. We have been contacted and given a list of the alleys that are going to be the first to be cleaned. If any of the alleys have locked gates on them we will need the name and phone number of a person (s) that are willing to be a contact point for the alley. If you are willing to be that person, please email (whitmancouncilinc@gmail.com) or call 215-468-4056 and give us your name, address, phone number, and the two streets on each side of your alley. If the workers go to an alley and it is locked, that alley will be put at the very end of the cleaning list, no exceptions!

We are not able to pick which order the alleys will be cleaned. The program will be starting Wed 3-16-2016. The first alleys to be taken care of will be alleys that run east and west, between Front and Second streets. If there is a small section of alley at one end that forms a "T" then that part will be done at the same time. They are going to start at the south end of Whitman and work to Snyder, then they will be working on the alleys that run north and south.   The organizer wants a few people from each alley to come out and help with the cleaning. We have fliers that will need to be given out for the blocks that will be worked on that week. They will be cleaning on Wednesdays and Saturdays ONLY. Please contact the Whitman Office with any questions. If there is a very large weed or tree that is no higher than the fences on the yards in the alley, they will attempt to remove it. If it is any higher than the yard fences, they will not be cutting it down. They are and will continue to make a survey of issues within the alleys.

Once again, the two most important items right now are:
1. We must have contacts for unlocking the alleys and helping with the fliers.
2. We cannot take any requests for which alleys need to be cleaned.  The program is designed to have cleaned every alley within the Whitman Boundaries by it's end. PLEASE SHARE AND SPREAD THE WORD

The Staff at
Whitman Council Inc.
whitmancouncilinc@gmail.com
215-468-4056

Whitman Council update on March 23, 2016 via Facebook:

We are still looking for contact people for the alleys within the Whitman Community. If you live between the east side of Seventh and the Delaware River, and between the south side of Snyder Ave to I95, then you are in the Whitman Community. Please contact our office by Phone (215) 468-4056, Email whitmancouncilinc@gmail.com, or by stopping int the office 2455 So. 3rd Street (between 8am and 4:30pm). If there are no gates or the locks are broken/missing, please let us know. If your alley is locked, we need atleast one person with a key/combination that can make sure that the alley is open on the day it is to be cleaned.

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Trash Schedule Change & Spring Cleanup

Trash will not be picked up this Friday, March 25th and will resume on Saturday. Please do not put your trash out early as it will not be collected until Saturday!

On that note, Spring Cleanup in Philly is back again! From our Newbold Neighbors are some amazing tips on hosting a successful cleanup:

1. Reach out to your neighbors! A block cleanup will only be successful if everyone on your block knows about the event and is excited to clean. If you’re the block captain, great, this is your job! Otherwise, go out and find your block captain by knocking on doors and chatting with neighbors, and make sure they are on board.
2. Create a volunteer event online. The only way to get supplies for free is by filling out a form online and requesting them. You need to create a username for the Philadelphia Streets Department website and then “Submit a New Event” to get started. Fill in all of your information and make sure that you ask for extra volunteers so your event shows up on the official cleanup map:  http://www.philadelphiastreets.com/philly-spring-cleanup/
3. Request your supplies. The site will ask you how many trash bags, gloves, brooms, rakes, shovels, recycling bins, and gallons of paint you’ll need. Don’t ask for more than you need, but don’t forget that you’ll be able to give out extra supplies to your neighbors so that you can continue cleaning all summer. Submit your event, and if you need help, contact the NNA Clean & Green Committee for help. (Contact Us)
4. Pick up your supplies. Everyone who has created a volunteer event will receive a voucher on the week of March 28th, 2016 with information about how to pick up your supplies. The bad news is that you have to hop into a car and travel to 3303 S. 63rd Street on Mon (4/4/16) – Fri (4/8/16): 7a – 6p or Sat (4/9/16): 7-10a with your driver’s license to prove your residence. The good news is that if you can’t make it, the NNA Clean & Green Committee can help you out by picking it up and scheduling a drop-off time with you.
5. Get the word out! One or two weeks before the cleanup, make sure you let your neighbors know what’s going down. You can do this by either knocking on doors or dropping off flyers. If you would like to print out flyers, contact us and we'll provide a template for you.

And then clean up your block! There are a few steps to the process, but once you get the hang of it you’ll be your blocks official city-cleanup representative and it will feel great to help keep your neighborhood clean. Good luck!

A few extra notes:

• You’ll have to let the Streets Department know where your bag pick-up location will be, so be ready to give them a clear intersection.
• The trash bags shouldn’t be heavier than 45 pounds each so they don’t break.
• Stack tires on the curb, those will also be picked up.
• The city recommends you have your volunteers sign a waiver form: http://www.philadelphiastreets.com/images/uploads/resource_library/psc/psc_general_release_and_waiver.pdf
• Keep it safe, here are some recommended safety guidelines: http://www.philadelphiastreets.com/images/uploads/resource_library/psc/psc_safety_guidelines.pdf
• Have your volunteers sign-in so you know who they are and you can contact them for future clean-ups: http://www.philadelphiastreets.com/images/uploads/resource_library/psc/psc_volunteer_sign_in_sheet.pdf
• There are other clean-ups during the summer where the city will give out free supplies and pick up your trash.

Philly Spring Cleanup 2016 returns on Saturday, April 9th

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Philadelphia Free Yard Trees of Spring 2016

Philadelphia property owners, get your free trees now! TreePhilly offers Philadelphia property owners the opportunity to register for up to two free trees to plant in a yard or lawn on private property. They have several species available this spring 2016, ranging from tall shade trees to beautiful and tasty fruit trees!

Residents can get a free tree

Participants can pre-register for one of the events listed on the TreePhilly website to pick up their preferred species. At each event, participants will learn how to plant and care for their new tree and receive educational materials as well as a free bag of mulch.

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South Philadelphia Maps: Septa Transportation Routes & Retail Maps

Septa's website is overwhelmingly underused. Other than letting riders plan and track their transportation, the website offers extensive maps of the city. The full map of the city can be viewed on this very large Septa pdf map.

Our graphics people are actually working on an extensive map of the South Philly neighborhoods ourselves. This planned map will break down the neighborhoods, shopping centers, and other amenities for locals and visitors.

Septa's map of Philadelphia shows routes connecting South Philly to Center City and the rest of the city.

Here is a semi-useful albeit outdated map from mscretail showing some of the larger shopping plazas:

In Whitman Plaza, Pathmark is to become Shoprite @ Whitman Plaza this spring

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Center City to Whitman transportation

Septa's bus 47 runs throughout the city, connecting Center City and the Whitman neighborhood. Route 47 runs from 5th and Godfrey all the way to Whitman Plaza at 3rd and Oregon and then back. It runs often and is a reliable way to get around the city.

For more information, see the septa website or view the route 47 schedule.

Septa Route 47 is one of the most extensive and useful buses running throughout the city.

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