OCCA

Business Spotlight | Prudential Savings Bank

Mon, 1 Sep 2008 12:00:00 PDT

For over 100 years, Prudential Savings Bank has been a true Community Bank. They proudly opened their doors to the Old City neighborhood in August 2007, with the addition of their newest branch at 28 North 3rd Street. Prudential Savings Bank is thrilled to be one of Old City Civic Association’s newest business members, helping to support their cause to preserve the neighborhood’s unique historic character and enhance the quality of life for its residents and businesses.

Established in 1886 as a mutually owned community Bank, Prudential Savings Bank began by serving the South Philadelphia community. Over the years they have grown to a seven-branch operation, serving the Philadelphia area and surrounding counties.

The Bank was reorganized in 2005 as a stock subsidiary of Prudential Bancorp. Inc. of Pennsylvania (the Bancorp). The majority share of ownership in the Bancorp is held by Prudential Mutual Holding Company, with a minority share of ownership being held by the public.

Prudential Savings Bank began as a Building and Loan Association, a place where a group of savers would invest and lend money, primarily as mortgages, making home ownership possible for the average person. Today their services include traditional banking products such as deposit accounts and mortgage loans, but they also offer commercial real estate loans, construction and development loans, and business loans. Non-deposit investment products (NOT FDIC insured) such as mutual funds, annuities and insurance are also available to help their customers reach their financial goals.

Exceptional customer service, safety and soundness of operation is the framework for a strong institution, especially in changing economic times. By all financial measurements, Prudential Savings Bank is a strong financial institution. They were given a “Four Star” rating by Bankrate, Inc., an independent rating group. Their friendly and knowledgeable staff is committed to providing outstanding personalized service.

Prudential Savings Bank encourages Old City Residents and Business Owners to stop in any of their branch locations, to see what new and exciting products are currently being offered. You can also visit their website at www.prudentialsavingsbank.com

Prudential Savings Bank is proud to be Old City’s ‘Neighborhood Bank’ and they look forward to meeting their Neighbors and helping them achieve their financial goals.

Community Trash and Recycling Guidelines

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:39:00 PDT

Put Your Trash Out at the Correct Time
Old City's Trash and Recycling Collection is every Friday. Residents should place their trash at curbside between 7PM Thursday and 7AM Friday. If you put your trash out before 7PM, you may receive a violation ticket.

Put Trash in Proper Containers
Personal trash cans and sealed plastic bags up to the 40 lb. limit are acceptable. Securely tie newspapers, wood scraps, cardboard boxes, and other loose items into bundles no more than four feet long and two feet thick. Cardboard boxes can not be used as trash containers.

Weekly Limits on Amount of Trash
Each household is allowed a maximum of (6) - 32-gallon receptacles or (12) - 30"x37" bags of trash each week. The weight limit for a bag or can is 40 lbs. The Total weight should not exceed 240 lbs.

For more information on residential trash collection click here.

Holiday Collection
If a Holiday occurs on a Monday, collection will be one day late (Saturday morning). Place trash at curbside on Friday after 8PM. If a Holiday occurs on a Monday the same week as a First Friday, the Old City District has made special arrangements for collection on the regular scheduled day (Friday). Place trash at curbside on Thursday after 8PM.

For a complete Holiday Trash Collection Schedule click here.

Guidelines for Businesses with Private Trash Collection
Trash must not be put out more than two hours prior to collection. For collection scheduled after business hours, trash must be put out no more than 30 minutes prior to the close of business. Dumpsters not licensed for public right-of-way placement must be kept inside the business premises until the proper setout time. Click here to view Dumpster Laws

Put Out Trash in Proper Containers
Regulations require rigid containers equipped with lids for all trash and garbage put out for private collection. Each lid must be securely closed when waste is in the receptacle and garbage containers must be fully leak-proof. Newspapers, wood scraps, cardboard boxes and other loose items do not require containment provided they are bundled securely enough to withstand wind and rain and do not violate the Fire Code (See Philadelphia Code, Title 5). Cardboard boxes may never be used as containers for trash, regardless of who collects it!

Use Your Own Containers to Dispose of Trash_
City litter baskets are for pedestrian use only. Do not use them to dispose of your trash, you may receive a violation ticket if you dispose of personal mail and it is found in a city litter basket.

Comply With Dumpster Laws
Laws governing dumpster usage and placement are in effect. Consult your SWEEP officer for specific rules pertaining to licensing, identification, and frequency of emptying, standards of cleanliness, proper closure, and screening requirement. Dumpsters may not be used for grindable food waste disposal.

For more information on Business Trash Collection click here.

Supreme Court rules for SugarHouse

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 11:02:00 PDT

To the great dismay of many concerned Citizens of Philadelphia, SugarHouse Casino has the right to build on state-owned land beneath the Delaware River, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled late Friday. The decision knocks down one of the largest remaining hurdles to construction.

After months of reviewing testimony from both sides, a majority of the justices decided that the submerged lands license the city's commerce department awarded to SugarHouse during the Street Administration still stands.

To read the full article, visit the Plan Philly website.

Girard Fountain Park Now Re-open to Public!

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 01:00:00 PDT

The OCCA is pleased to announce that the Girard Fountain and Park at 4th & Arch Streets near the Fire House is now operational and the Park & Fountain Area is open to the public during daylight hours. Since the October 2007 installation of the beautiful new Ben Franklin bust sculpted by Philadelphian, James Peniston, the Fire Department agreed to open the Park to the public once again.

Adjacent to the 4th & Arch Fire House, the park was built in 1976 but since fell into disrepair and the gates have been locked for about twelve years. With quiet support of the Fire Department, Janet Kalter and Joe Schiavo of Old City initiated the restoration project three years ago.

The project began with a focus on the entire sidewalk surrounding the fire house and the garden area on the west side along 4th Street. The second year, the focus shifted to the park. Once the Fire Department was satisfied with the work done on the park, they (unofficially) accepted the proposal to restore the fountain. Fountain restoration began in late June and it was finally made operational on Saturday, August 23rd. While there is still a list of improvements yet to be executed over the next 12 months, we are thrilled that this community asset is once again operational.

View before-and-after pictures of the Park & Fountain area.

The Park & Fountain will be open until midnight on the next First Friday, September 5th, to celebrate the restoration.

Old City Thursdays | Music on the Mall

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 19:40:00 PDT

Enjoy Thursday evenings in Old City this Summer through September 11, when the neighborhood's eclectic mix of restaurants, galleries and cultural attractions come alive with extended hours, food and drink specials and live music.

Thursday nights at Independence Mall features 'Music on the Mall' a free concert series hosted by the Independence Visitor Center, in conjunction with 'The Association to Preserve the Tradition' and 'First Class Entertainment'.

Summer Thursdays from 5pm to 7pm enjoy classic tunes from local artists, bands and multi-cultural entertainers performing a variety of genres including oldies, jazz, blues, Motown, American classic, rock and reggae.

Takes place on the lawn of the Independence Visitor Center.

For details on Old City Thursdays visit oldcitydistrict.org/OldCityThursdays

For details on Music on the Mall visit independencevisitorcenter.com