Good morning, Philly. It looks like another lovely day, with highs near the mid-to-upper 70s. Let’s get into today’s stories.
A lot of people want to live in or near Center City — and developers are listening.
And, we’ll cover why anti-data center advocates are targeting Philly for a moratorium.
Plus, chaos at a North Philly charter school, and more news of the day.
— Laura Benshoff (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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Downtown demand
The last 18 months or so were a boon for housing construction in Philly, much of it concentrated in the heart of the city, according to a new report by the Center City District.
Two out of every five of the homes recently built in the city were in the greater downtown section, roughly from Girard Avenue to Tasker Street, and from river to river.
The last two years have also seen the biggest number of new units downtown come online of the last decade, often in big office-to-residential conversions.
“This matters for the whole city, not just for the downtown,” said Prema Katari Gupta, Center City District’s president and CEO. “When Center City and the neighborhoods around it keep adding supply, it takes pressure off rents elsewhere,” by keeping wealthy residents from pushing into more affordable areas.
Inquirer real estate reporter Michaelle Bond has the full story.
Data center debate hits Philly
Anti-data center activists rallied outside of Philadelphia City Hall on Monday, hoping to kick off a conversation about a local moratorium.
These massive developments have recently come under fire as the backlash to the AI boom they power grows.
As the debate heats up, let’s cover some basic facts about data centers in Philly:
Eight. The number of smaller data centers constructed in Philly before the issue was widely controversial.
Two. The number of parcels that could host a massive “hyperscale” data center in the city: the Bellwether District, and a city-owned plot of land next to the Northeast Philly Airport.
Zero. The number of specific hyperscale data center proposals under consideration within the city’s borders.
What you should know today
- A North Philadelphia charter school up for renewal this year suffers from administrative infighting and poor financial controls, according to Inquirer interviews with staff.
- The Jefferson County coroner has updated the cause of death for a 40-year-old unvaccinated woman from a “suspected” case of measles to a “probable” case.
- The Philadelphia Police Department is firing an officer who left a man lying in a bike lane before he was fatally struck by a car, said Commissioner Kevin Bethel.
- Pennsylvania’s attorney general charged 12 people in connection with an alleged multimillion-dollar operation to sell weed products as legal cannabis.
- Parks and Recreation Commissioner Susan Slawson said she personally approved renovations to athletic fields in FDR Park last year, despite the state having denied required environmental permits.
- Macklemore will no longer be opening for Ed Sheeran at the Linc on Friday, after he made pro-Palestine statements at two shows in New Jersey.
- Workers at five PHL restaurants announced their intent to unionize with the local Unite Here 274.
- Philadelphia Orchestra members’ base pay could top $200,000 under the terms of a new union contract.
Quote of the day
Nobel Peace Prize winner, advocate for girls education, Eagles fan.
Malala Yousafzai attended her first Birds game on Sunday, but as The Inquirer’s Earl Hopkins writes, she’s been saying “Go Birds” for a minute.
🧠 Trivia time
A New Jersey mom is headed to prison for defrauding a pandemic relief fund. What lavish event did she throw that drew attention to her ill-gotten gains?
A) A Cinderella-themed prom send-off
B) An Eagles party featuring real Eagles players
C) Diner en blanc
D) A West Philly block party with Will Smith
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re …
🏡 Checking out. This week’s house of the week is a compact rowhouse with a surprising bathroom layout in Graduate Hospital, priced at $485,000.
🍎 Picking. A spring freeze damaged fruit trees in our region, so apple farms are getting creative this u-pick season.
🍽️ Composting. Reading Terminal Market has saved more than a million pounds of food scraps from being tossed in a landfill.
📖 Considering. The Inquirer Editorial Board weighs in on whether the government should regulate AI, amid fears of rogue agents.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: This Chester County native costars in the Netflix comedy Tires.
BEST REVENGE
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Patty Penn, who correctly guessed Monday’s answer: Girard College. Over the weekend, this historic institution hosted the Philly Black Wine and Spirits Fest, an event aimed at making wine more approachable and promoting Black winemakers.
Photo of the day
👋 Have a peaceful Tuesday. See you tomorrow!
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