Inga Saffron

Thank you (and, yes). The fact that these lots are privately owned is problematic, but I’m sure a temporary guerrilla action would make the point. Thinking 8th and market Street.

I did. That’s why it’s important to write full and careful sentences.

Classic social media response: ignore that’s exactly what I said and then get on your high horse.

That, too.

Can we install updated versions of this on all of Philly’s surface parking lots?

Can you match the famous Philly building to its architect? Who built that? Name the people behind some of the Philly area’s most recognizable buildings.

The @phillyinquirer ‘s first architecture quiz, courtesy of real estate editor @ericapalan www.inquirer.com/real-estate/...

Thank you!

Calder Gardens is a luminous, magical spirit cave that subverts the Parkway’s monumentality The project offers Philadelphia a new way to think about the flawed Parkway.

Follow-up: a stirring, thoughtful review from the incomparable @ingasaffron.bsky.social. www.inquirer.com/columnists/a...

I honestly don’t have enough luminous, magical spirit caves in my life.

Has ‘Go Birds’ fully replaced ‘Have a blessed day’ as the top Philly goodbye phrase?

😂

Calder Gardens is a luminous, magical spirit cave that subverts the Parkway’s monumentality The project offers Philadelphia a new way to think about the flawed Parkway.

Not only is Calder Gardens like nothing else on the Parkway - it’s like nothing else anywhere. This is a great building, as my review explains. To celebrate, a gift link: share.inquirer.com/1K33B0

SEPTA will run sports express trains for Eagles home opener after sponsor steps in FanDuel will cover the cost of an additional 10 sports express trains and fares for fans on their way home from the Philadelphia Eagles home opener against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday.

Wasn't it just a few months ago that the Sixers and the arena bros were telling us that no one takes the subway to the Philly Sports Complex? 🤔 www.inquirer.com/news/philade...

Manayunk church prepares for floods by turning a Main Street mill into a modern Noah’s Ark The project offers a solution for preserving vulnerable historic buildings in a time of rapid climate change. But it might not work forever.

As storms become more intense, the flooding in Philly’s low-lying areas is forcing property owners to make difficult choices, and even abandon their buildings. My column looks at how a church was able to reuse a historic mill by balancing adaptation & preservation. www.inquirer.com/opinion/hist...

495-space parking garage is planned for 41st and Market in University City A new almost 500-space parking garage is University Place Associates' latest development in this corner of West Philadelphia.

Putting a huge garage on a major transit corridor, within an easy walk of 30th Street Station’s regional rail, is another dagger in the heart of @SEPTA

www.inquirer.com/real-estate/...

I like the idea of turning it into an at-grade boulevard, although that does nothing to reduce the air pollution.

Today’s story says he is meeting directly with Pittman to negotiate.

What the SEPTA Funding Saga Reveals about Parker and Shapiro Mayor Parker's been silent on SEPTA. Shapiro is rallying the already converted. What happened to preventing a crisis before it starts?

This is a really smart take on the Septa funding debacle. Where indeed is Mayor Parker right now? At the same time, the Joe Pittman video is a must-watch for everyone who wants to hate on rural PA. thephiladelphiacitizen.org/septa-reveal...

Does Earning $142,000 in New York City Make You Rich?

This story quotes the Robin Hood Foundation as saying 25% of NYers live below the povert line. If that’s true, then we have to stop saying Philly is the poorest big city in the US, with a rate of 20.3%. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/14/n...

Walling off Market East’s public spaces will stymie its comeback In a clumsy attempt to address drug use on 12th Street, the Marriott Downtown has locked up its outdoor cafe and a well-known sculpture.

The imprisonment of this public art work is the latest example of how businesses on Philly’s Market Street will do anything to keep people away. When is that task force Mayor Parker promised going to start work on this problem? www.inquirer.com/columnists/m...

So you came out ahead, then?

You know i’m a strong supporter of density and increasing housing supply. Zoning and parking requirements are a way, way bigger impediment to affordability than preservation. (and then there are interest rates and construction costs.)

That’s not the same as telling homeowners what color to paint their trim. A WCAU, the color was integral to the architecture. I was allowed to slightly modify my façade because the changes were “reversible, “ which is a standard that the commission uses to give home owners flexibility.

Paint color is not regulated. Modern materials are increasingly allowed in places that are not visible from the street.

Are Philadelphia’s historic preservation regulations too strict? Homeowners and preservationists are clashing over the cost of building materials in some of the city's most historically significant spots.

Having lived in a Philadelphia historic district for 25 years and renovated my modest little rowhouse, I have to say the answer to this headline is, ‘no’. We all benefit when a house can been used and reused for 200 years. www.inquirer.com/real-estate/...

More than a dozen slavery displays in Philly, including at Washington’s former home, have been flagged for a Trump admin review Six displays at the President's House Site, which illustrates the paradox between freedom in the new nation and the ongoing horrors of slavery, were among those flagged for review.

Trump is systematically attempting to erase the history of American slavery from our historic sites - just in time for the country’s 250th anniversary. Great reporting from @phillyinquirer www.inquirer.com/news/philade...

Delaware County township underscores electric scooter ban after 12-year-old’s death in crash with car A local ordinance bans electric scooters on all township streets and sidewalks, Ridley Township commissioners said.

Every word in this story will make your head explode. The death of a teenage boy riding a scooter is horrific. But it is not a ‘privilege’ to travel by scooter or bike. Make the streets safe. www.inquirer.com/news/pennsyl...

Comcast and 76ers ownership purchase two swathes of East Market to redevelop The new development partners say the purchase proves they are still committed to East Market Street.

This is more like it. But Philly’s Market East still needs a city and community-led plan. www.inquirer.com/real-estate/...

Are you sure that wasn’t considered? I suspect they didn’t have the money for a complete recladding.