Last week, I visited two subsidized apartment communities in North Philly. One was newly built and still leasing, and the other was built years ago.
But they had something in common that set them both apart from other subsidized housing complexes: They are also sites of playful learning.
Basically, that’s the concept of engaging children and their caregivers in skill-building lessons through play. Think matching games that help kids recognize patterns and the classic I Spy game that teaches kids to describe their surroundings.
An organization founded in Philly has brought educational play spaces to laundromats, grocery stores, and parks. But this is the first time it’s taken playful learning to subsidized housing. Supporters hope Philly can be a national model.
Keep scrolling for that story and more in this week’s edition:
Timing is everything: Read why an economist says this spring may be the time for hopeful homebuyers to make moves.
Shopping at home: Learn about the new Ardmore development that brought apartments to Suburban Square.
Part of the plan: Find out why Philly building trades unions are loaning millions of dollars to redevelop a senior apartment complex.
Design dilemma: Peek inside this Montgomery County home that had an “unusual design problem.”
— Michaelle Bond
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In Sharswood, a yellow street painted on a sidewalk teaches children rules of the road. A few minutes away, what was once just a bike rack has become a place children can picture themselves as superheroes and act out stories they create on a stage.
Bringing playful learning to subsidized housing communities is a matter of educational equity, said architect Heidi Segall Levy.
She’s the project manager for the Live and Learn pilot that brought playful learning to North Philly.
Kids do a lot of their learning outside the classroom, and this initiative is meant to help vulnerable children catch up to peers who have access to more educational opportunities.
The goal is to incorporate playful learning into subsidized housing developments across the country. And Philly is the test case.
When’s a good time to buy a home?
Everyone from your coworker to your Lyft driver has an opinion (in my personal experience).
But if you’re looking to hear from someone who’s a bit more of an expert, we’ve got some advice from Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics.
He reinforces some of what you’ve seen and felt. Homes have gotten a lot more expensive. There aren’t that many properties to choose from. Renting can be the more affordable option.
But Zandi says that if you’ve been thinking about buying a home, this spring could be the time to make the leap.
Keep reading to see why he thinks waiting probably won’t do you much good and why he’s optimistic about Philadelphia.
The latest news to pay attention to
Suburban Square in Ardmore now has apartments.
Philadelphia building trades unions will loan millions of dollars to help redevelop a dilapidated senior apartment complex.
After delays, this Lehigh Avenue apartment project is ready to begin construction under a new owner.
This first-time homebuyer saved aggressively for years to afford a 20% down payment on her Port Richmond townhouse.
In one of Phil Murphy’s final acts as governor, he signed a bill that could help a Camden office tower get $400 million in tax credits.
A developer’s land swap proposal in Limerick has stoked fears of a data center.
Temple University bought the site of a former McDonald’s for $8 million.
Mice, graffiti, and broken bathrooms: Teachers and parents sound an alarm about building conditions at this Philly school.
House of the week: For $749,000 near the Schuylkill, a two-story end-unit condo with a balcony and garage.
I feel like it’s never good when someone in the home design industry calls your house “an interesting design dilemma.”
But the home that Diane and Keith Reynolds bought a few years ago in Rydal, Montgomery County was all over the place.
It was originally built in the Cape Cod style, but the previous owner had added on to the home in the Craftsman style.
The designer had to make sense of elements that didn’t go together and kitchen features such as the loft, beams, and floor plan that made for an “unusual design problem.”
“The reclaimed wood loft installed by the previous architect is something I’ve never seen before, and I’m sure will never see again,” he said.
Peek inside this unique home and see how the designer tackled the kitchen renovation.
📷 Photo quiz
Do you know the location this photo shows?
📮 If you think you do, email me back. You and your memories of visiting this spot might be featured in the newsletter.
Last week’s quiz featured a photo of the aluminum and steel sculpture “Stroll” on the South Street Pedestrian Bridge.
Props to Lars W. for getting that right.
I used to live nearby, and I’ve always liked it. The shot by brilliant photographer Tom Gralish makes it look even better.
Enjoy the rest of your week. And if, like me, you’re not a fan of snow, good luck this weekend.
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