76 Place Masquerade

76 Place development team’s second time before the Civic Design Review committee fared no better than the first time. KYW Newsradio said the Sixers’ master plan for Market East “got another brutal bashing.”

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported:

Members of a city-appointed advisory panel panned the Sixers plan for a downtown arena on Tuesday, calling it “undercooked” and questioning whether construction would repeat harmful mistakes of the past.

“I don’t think as a city we just need to accept this as our fate,” said committee member Ashley DiCaro, a senior associate at Interface Studio urban planning. “We need to think about the real giveback here and whether we should build this thing.”

Not to be outdone, the Camden-based 76 Place communications team posted a half-baked transit map rife with errors on X/Twitter. When the map was ridiculed, the post was deleted.

Much to their chagrin, I had taken a screenshot.

AT&T Station was renamed NRG Station in 2018. There is no “Bridgeburg” station. The Bridesburg Station is located in Northeast Philadelphia, not in North Philly at the end of the Broad Street Line. How can anyone trust the design of a transit-oriented project when they cannot draw an accurate transit map?

76 Place front man David Adelman told a group of businesspeople that “five years from now people will look back and feel like this was a no brainer.”

Five years ago, the Fashion District was a “no brainer.” The state and city pumped $137 million into the project to revitalize Market East. As noted during the CDR, the Fashion District is now a dying indoor mall:

She [Ashley DiCaro] and some other members of the city’s Civic Design Review committee — which includes design and land-use experts — reached back a half-century to the building of the Gallery mall, which turned three central blocks of East Market Street into a mostly closed, inward-facing series of walls. Five years ago the site became the Fashion District, another struggling mall, where the basketball team intends to build.

Today, DiCaro said, it’s clear the Gallery was a mistake, one that wiped away the natural urbanism of the city in exchange for a promise of development.

The promised development never happened. Instead, Adelman and his development team began meeting with government officials behind closed doors in April 2022. The proposed arena would demolish a section of the publicly-subsidized Fashion District.

In a city that’s majority-minority, Adelman, a billionaire, is playing the race card to further line his pockets. One Pennsylvania Political Coordinator Nydea Graves said:

Arenas are not for the community, they are for the developers. 76 Place won’t pay any property taxes. Research shows that wages fall for black workers when arenas are built. None of this helps our people. The developers pit black folks and Asian folks against one another, keeping us busy while they profit. 76 Place is the same old exploitation dressed up in a Sixers jersey.

76 Place is a self-serving project masquerading as “a catalyst to redevelop and bring back Market East,” a decades-old dead zone for retail and hot spot for crime.

April Fool: 76 Place is ‘More than an Arena’

As the proverb goes, fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. Truth be told, few have been fooled by the Philadelphia 76ers’claim that their proposal to build a basketball arena atop SEPTA’s Jefferson Station is “more than an arena.”

The 76 Place development team’s X/Twitter timeline is a stream of jackleg preachers and numbers plucked out of thin air.

I asked Microsoft’s chatbot how many construction workers were involved with One World Trade Center:

During the construction of One World Trade Center, more than 10,000 workers were involved in building this iconic complex in Lower Manhattan, New York City. The scale of this project required careful coordination, and at any given time, there could be as many as 1,100 workers on-site. These dedicated individuals worked tirelessly to create a symbol of resilience and hope, and their efforts culminated in the completion of the 94-story tower that now stands as the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.

I gave the same prompt to ChatGPT:

One World Trade Center, also known as the Freedom Tower, was constructed by thousands of construction workers over several years. The exact number of workers involved in the construction process can vary depending on the source, the phase of construction, and the specific tasks being carried out. However, it’s estimated that at its peak, there were approximately 3,500 workers on-site daily during the construction of One World Trade Center. This number includes various trades such as ironworkers, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, and many others who contributed to the building’s construction.

I pity the fool who thinks that building a big box arena on Market Street would create “12,200 construction-related jobs.”

Second Time Around for 76 Place and Civic Design Review

Back in the day, Shalamar had a hit with “The Second Time Around.” As the song goes, the second time around is “better than the first time.”

The first time that 76 Place at Market East development team presented their plan before Civic Design Review, the only people who said anything positive about the project are on the Sixers’ payroll. During the public comment period, no one spoke in support of 76 Place.

The development team will sing the same old song that 76 Place is a “win-win” for Philadelphia during their second time before CDR. However, the 106-page CDR Resubmission is no better than the one presented the first time around.

The updated plan leaves unanswered questions that have been asked for nearly two years, including who will pay for infrastructure and SEPTA upgrades? Who will pay to relocate the entrance to the Market-Frankford Line? Who will pay for the disruption in SEPTA service and ridership?

The Sixers propose using 12th and Chestnut Streets as rideshare pick-up and drop-off zones.

The narrow one-way streets are used by Routes 21 and 23, two of SEPTA’s highest ridership bus routes. Demolition, construction and game days would disrupt Route 33.

It is also the second time around for two government officials whose communications with the Sixers are the subject of my Right-To-Know Law Request: Philadelphia City Planning Commission Interim Executive Director Martine Decamp and PCPC Presenter Ian Litwin.

The Pennsylvania Office of Open Records ordered the City Planning Commission to turn over the records. Rather than comply with the OOR’s final determination, the Philadelphia Law Department filed an appeal with the Court of Common Pleas.

I have an appointment to watch paint dry so I will miss the Sixers’ dog and pony show on April 2. If you are interested in joining the Zoom meeting, you can register for the webinar here.

And The Winner Is …

I nominated SEPTA CEO and General Manager Leslie S. Richards for the Society for Professional Journalists’ 2024 Black Hole Award. The cash-strapped public transit agency has money to pay an outside law firm to fight the release of records as ordered by the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records.

In the OOR’s final determination, SEPTA was ordered to turn over records related to the Philadelphia 76ers’ proposal to build a basket arena atop Jefferson Station. Like the transit agency she has run into the ground, Richards did not make the cut. The Black Hole Award went to the North Carolina General Assembly.

During Sunshine Week, I received notice that SEPTA submitted the Certified Record of my Right-To-Know Law Request to the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania. The legal maneuver is designed to delay compliance with the OOR order. Common sense suggests that if the records supported the Sixers’ claim that 76 Place is a “win-win” for SEPTA and the City of Philadelphia, they would have been released. It bears remembering what SEPTA Director of Media Relations Andrew Busch told NBC Sports Philadelphia in July 2022:

Yes, the Sixers have been in touch with SEPTA regarding their plans for the new arena. We are looking forward to continuing to work closely with the team, the city and other stakeholders moving forward.

There is still no timeline for release of the arena impact studies that were due in December 2023. Tellingly, the Sixers have not released their study that supports their factoid that 76 Place would generate $1.5 billion in new tax revenue. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported:

They have declined to share the calculations behind their tax figure. And they’ve made other bold claims, including the creation of 1,000 permanent jobs and $400 million in annual “economic output.” Meanwhile, the city-sponsored studies that are supposed to offer clarity to decision-makers are months overdue.

With an air of exasperation, City Councilmember Mark Squilla recently told CBS News Philadelphia: “By the end of this year, it will be determined whether we move forward or not.” The clock is ticking.

Sunshine Week: John Coltrane House Update

March 10-16, 2024 is Sunshine Week, a time to celebrate transparency, and the right to know what government officials are doing and saying behind closed doors. I used the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Pennsylvania’s Right-To-Know Law to tell the story of the deteriorating condition of the John Coltrane House and the drama over ownership of the National Historic Landmark.

John Coltrane’s beloved “Cousin Mary,” Mary Alexander, sounded the alarm about the physical deterioration of the property as early as 1987.

From time to time I would check on the Coltrane House. Without access to the property, I reported illegal dumping and other violations visible from the public right of way. I am a cold weather person but on a hot and humid morning in August 2019, I felt an overwhelming urge to stop by the Coltrane House. I later learned that Cousin Mary joined the ancestors the same day that I was snooping around her former home. I vowed then that I would do whatever I could to preserve the historic landmark in public memory.

I successfully nominated the Coltrane House for inclusion on 2020 Pennsylvania At Risk. Designation does not bring any resources; instead, it brings renewed media attention to a historic landmark at risk of demolition by neglect.

News stories about the designation were published in February 2020. I had a conference call with Ravi Coltrane to explore next steps on March 13, 2020. I have not spoken with him since that conversation. However, news articles about the At-Risk designation were included as exhibits to the case that Ravi and Oran Coltrane filed to gain possession of the property on April 27, 2022.

Fast forward to May 2023, the parties reached an agreement in principle. The outcome was predetermined given the existence of a valid will. Under the terms of their grandmother’s will, Ravi and Oran should have gained possession of the property upon the death of Cousin Mary on August 31, 2019.

Norman Gadson is still listed as the owner on property and tax records. Last week, the New York Times reported the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, “will assist in coordinating and financing the transfer of Coltrane’s home from its current owner back to his family.”

The Coltrane House is the first site selected for the new Descendants and Family Stewardship Initiative. Brent Leggs, executive director of the Action Fund, said:

Descendants and families have been doing this work for centuries on an informal basis. The initiative is about empowering descendants and families through historic preservation more formally. Our role is to give them the resources and technical expertise they need to protect and preserve the physical evidence of the past and share their profound stories with the American public.

It has taken nearly four decades, but the John Coltrane House will finally be restored. As I told Valerie Russ of the Phliladelphia Inquirer, my work is done. Mission accomplished.

Sixers’ Math Ain’t Mathing

The Philadelphia 76ers publicly announced their proposal to build a basketball arena atop Jefferson Station on July 22, 2022. The billionaire owners’ “done deal” has devolved into an echo chamber of attacks and counterattacks by opponents and supporters of 76 Place. In the absence of facts, the Sixers’ communications team has filled the void with fanciful factoids like “76 Place is a slam dunk for Philly’s economy.” They claim an arena that would be closed more days than it would be open would generate $1.5 billion in new tax revenue.

The Sixers’ math ain’t mathing. Study after study shows sports venues have a limited economic impact. In the most recent economic analysis, Dr. Arthur Acolin of the University of Washington found that 76 Place could cost Philadelphia and Pennsylvania more than $1 billion in lost tax revenue.

CBS News Philadelphia reports:

With zero self-awareness, Sixers’ limited partner David Adelman questions Prof. Acolin’s objectivity.

In the billionaire’s worldview, the public should be skeptical of an academic study but trust the economic analysis of a firm hired by PIDC and paid for by the Sixers. Records received in response to my Right-To-Know Law requests show then-PIDC president Sam Rhoads participated in “Philadelphia Weekly Connect” meetings with 76 Place representatives and government officials.

In their increasingly desperate quest for approval of their transit-oriented project in a city “without a viable transit system,” the Sixers have spent millions on lobbyists, advertising and canvassers. I recently spotted a 76 Place billboard on the Lit Brothers building. I did not take any photos because the digital images were as fleeting as the 76ers’ odds of getting past the second round of the NBA playoffs.

Money for Nothing

It has been nearly two years since the Philadelphia 76ers began meeting behind closed doors with government officials to get approval of their proposal to build a basketball arena atop Jefferson Station. Since I submitted my Right-To-Know Law requests in July 2023, lobbying expense reports show the Sixers have spent an additional $2,136,744.

Sixers’ limited partner, billionaire David Adelman, has fallen from City Hall to an event hall in Kensington, ground zero for the opioid epidemic.

The transactional Black Clergy of Philadelphia & Vicinity supports the project. They also supported the Sixers’ 2020 failed land grab and corporate welfare scheme.

Bishop Dwayne Royster, executive director of POWER Interfaith, said don’t believe the hype:

In the meanwhile, there is no timeline for release of the “independent” arena impact studies paid for by the Sixers. The studies should have been released in December 2023.

Where’s SEPTA’s Public Safety Plan for Proposed 76ers Arena?

In his 2024-2025 budget address, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro asked for an additional $161 million for SEPTA to keep the transit agency from falling off a fiscal cliff.

Gov. Shapiro said SEPTA has “presented plans to address cleanliness and safety.” Just as Willie Sutton robbed banks because “that’s where the money is,” the Sixers’ proposal to build a basketball arena atop Jefferson Station would increase crime on the beleaguered system.

Christopher Herrmann, an assistant professor in the Department of Law and Police Science at CUNY’s John Jay College of Criminal Justice, recently told Gothamist:

The subway stations are typically what we call “crime generators.” Whenever you have increased people traffic, you’re going to get increased crime, and that’s because offenders want to go to places where they can have their selection of victims.

SEPTA is fighting the release of records related to their communications about the Sixers’ proposal as ordered by the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records. The records will shed light on what, if any, plan SEPTA has to address the increase in crime if the 76ers’ transit-oriented project is approved.

Philadelphia Sheriff Bilal Misfires

I shot the sheriff. But I didn’t shoot the deputy (h/t Bob Marley). You won’t read about it in the Philadelphia Inquirer or any news outlets because it didn’t happen. Nor will you read about Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal’s “record of accomplishment during her time in office.” The Inquirer reported:

Her first term in office has been bumpy, to put it mildly, as she has dealt with everything from whistle-blower lawsuits to a broken tax-sale system.

But Bilal has been telling a different story on her campaign website. It features dozens of favorable headlines attributed to local news organizations such as NBC10, CBS3, WHYY, and The Inquirer, all listing the dates of publication.

“This page,” the site proclaims, “highlights Sheriff Bilal’s record of accomplishment during her time in office.”

One snag: No one can seem to find any of the supposed news stories

For an office plagued by corruption and shady deals, spreading fake news and wasting taxpayers’ money on Deputy Sheriff Justice are “accomplishments.”

The Sheriff’s mascot gives new meaning to no justice (read: transparency and accountability), no peace from investigative journalists.

UPDATE: Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal wasn’t tripping; ChatGPT was hallucinating. The Associated Press reports:

Sheriff Rochelle Bilal’s campaign removed more than 30 stories created by a consultant using the generative AI chatbot. The move came after a Philadelphia Inquirer story on Monday reported that local news outlets could not find the stories in their archives.

Experts say this type of misinformation can erode the public trust and threaten democracy. Bilal’s campaign said the stories were based on real events.

“Our campaign provided the outside consultant talking points which were then provided to the AI service,” the campaign said in a statement. “It is now clear that the artificial intelligence service generated fake news articles to support the initiatives that were part of the AI prompt.”

Read more.