Illustration by Mike L. Perry House of Cards by Logan Welde What if I were to tell you there was a system in Pennsylvania, and in most states, that—in principle—ensures that new buildings are built to the safest-known standards, with the best-known technology to save lives and reduce energy consumption? What if I were to
MoreInside the Walls by Alex Dews Streets, bridges and power lines all come to mind when we think of infrastructure, but the reason all those things exist in the first place is to connect and power the buildings we inhabit. In Philadelphia, our building stock is perhaps our most valuable infrastructure asset. Earlier this
MoreMore than just a Pretty Face by Alon Abramson We all love before-and-after pictures, but sometimes it’s hard to see beyond the superficial even when a radical transformation has taken place. At first glance, you might think the brightly painted storefronts and homes on 60th Street in West Philadelphia are simply spruced up versions of
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photo by Lindsay Docherty Man with a Plan by Heather Shayne Blakeslee Andrew Stober is perhaps best known as one of the architects of Indego, the Philadelphia bike share program, which he helped launch while working as the Chief of Staff at the Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities (MOTU). Now, he’s running as an
MoreDiving into a New Life by Marilyn Anthony Paul Johnson is an Aquarius who believes he has found his life’s work with water. A few years ago, Johnson, a 24-year old Strawberry Mansion resident, didn’t have promising prospects. An aimless year at community college, followed by a series of low-paying jobs in security, maintenance, fast food
MoreProject HOME, which seeks to empower homeless individuals and families to break the cycle of homelessness, continues to bring their social consciousness to a string of green building projects, most recently in Fairmount and Chinatown. JBJ Soul Homes1415 Fairmount AvenueJBJ Soul Homes offers units for formerly homeless individuals. Within its four stories are 55
MoreHome Front by Alex Vuocolo It’s happy hour on a Friday at Lo Spiedo, a Marc Vetri-owned Italian restaurant located beside the main gate of the Navy Yard. There are only a few patrons sitting at the bar. One pair sips their draft beers as they look over paperwork. Another is getting the check, ready
MoreIllustration by Max Gordon The GoPhillyGo App and a new SEPTA planhelps bicyclists get from here to there By Alex Vuocolo For all its daily inconveniences, from bad weather to bad drivers, there’s still a certain seamlessness to getting around by bicycle: cyclists like me hop on the seat, ride to our destination and lock up
MoreIllustration by Faye Rogers.If you’re sitting at the bar at the Sofitel Hotel this summer, you might experience this scenario: After scanning the cocktail menu, you order a mojito, the perfect drink to celebrate a bright afternoon. The first sip is an explosion of flavor—like the rum, lime and mint are dancing a conga line
MoreEnviama Spa owner Penny Ordway turned her passion for promoting human wellness and eco-living into the city’s first green spaPenny Ordway faced a dilemma: She was passionate about her human wellness work, but the spa where she was employed regularly used processes and products she found questionable. She wanted to be a good employee, but
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