Calder Gardens will (finally) rise on the Parkway | Morning Newsletter
And the debate on robot-assisted heart surgery.
The Morning Newsletter
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Welcome to another week, folks! Today is looking partly sunny, with a chance of showers and a high near 87.
Calder Gardens is finally moving toward reality. Construction began in earnest last month, after encountering major obstacles. Our lead story unpacks those challenges and paints a picture of what you can expect from Philly’s new art space.
— Erin Reynolds (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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The idea for a museum celebrating the art of Alexander Calder, the innovative modernist sculptor who invented the mobile, has had support since the late 1990s. Now, it’s finally moving toward reality.
Construction began last month on the $70 million project, which will live on the Parkway between 21st and 22nd Streets.
In addition to featuring a rotating array of Calder’s iconic sculptures, the sanctuary-like gardens themselves are expected to be notable. They will be built into the earth, not just on top of it.
But major projects often encounter obstacles, and Calder Gardens was no exception. A water main was discovered on the site in February 2021 and needed to be relocated. Shortly after Hurricane Ida, significant flood-proofing measures were also added to the design.
So far, the project is on schedule and set to open in late 2024 or early 2025.
Continue reading for more on the Calder family’s artistic legacy in Philly, and for a deeper look at the sunken gardens planned for the art space.
Cardiothoracic surgeon Francis Sutter performs his work in what looks like a large virtual-reality headset.
The setup resembles a video game — he uses joysticks to control a robot making precise cuts near the beating heart — but no game has stakes this high.
The procedure to replace a clogged artery with a new one is the most commonly performed heart surgery in the U.S. But the robot-assisted method Sutter uses is uncommon.
By the numbers: Only 1% of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgeries in the past five years were performed using a robot.
Critics of the approach say that many CABG patients need multiple bypasses, and that’s often not possible with Sutter’s technique. As scary as it sounds to stop a heart, it’s not risky in the hands of skilled practitioners. And the robot may add more cost.
But Sutter argues that the robotic method spares patients from a procedure that involves breaking the chest bone, stopping the heart, and leaving a 6- to 8-inch scar. Instead, his patients go home with three small incision scars, the largest less than 2 inches long.
“Speedy recovery and minimally invasive is something that is important to patients,” he says.
What you should know today
Philly is cracking down on unlicensed short-term rentals from companies like Airbnb. A couple thousand properties could potentially be shuttered.
About 34% of Pennsylvania’s disability service agencies have closed since 2020, largely due to a shortage of workers. People who rely on the programs say the system is in free fall.
A developer who wants to build short-term rentals in Old City plans to incorporate elements of the Painted Bride Art Center’s signature mosaic, which has been under threat for years and will be demolished.
A growing number of Americans are putting their money into credit unions. We asked three financial experts to weigh the pros and cons.
When Christy Hyman’s son died, she turned to birding to ease her grief. She was looking for a way to live again. Birds showed her the way.
Ice Spice is coming to Camden on Aug. 4. Tickets are on sale for $50 each.
There’s a cheesesteak place in New Zealand. It’s full of neon lights and American cultural references, including a famous photo of Barack Obama eating a cheesesteak at Pat’s.
🧠 Trivia time 🧠
Which Philly sports star just got married?
A) DeVonta Smith
B) Julian Carranza
C) Joel Embiid
D) Jalen Hurts
Think you know? Check your answer.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram 🧩
Hint: La Colombe K-Cups are coming thanks to an investment from this company.
Ced peppering Rurik
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Maryellen Glackin, who correctly guessed Sunday’s answer: Atco Dragway.
What we're
📺 Watching: The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Here’s all our coverage in one place, from how to watch to who to watch.
📚 Reading: The best books of the summer, according to Philly librarians.
🍹 Sipping: Philly’s best boozy milkshakes. From chocolate liqueurs paired with fruity ice creams to malt-based slushies, these Philly spots cover the bases.
Photo of the day
And now, it’s coffee time ☕️. Thanks for starting your week with The Inquirer! Taylor Allen returns with your morning digest tomorrow.