A review of Comcast’s new tower; Philly to scale back assessment plans | Morning Newsletter
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The Morning Newsletter
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It seems winter is finally arriving as it gets steadily chillier around here. The Philly region could even see some snow this weekend. Maybe. Possibly. You can look to the sky for certainty about one thing: who’s the tallest of them all. The new Comcast tower that’s been looming over Philadelphia for some time now is pretty much open for business. Our esteemed architecture critic Inga Saffron has given it a careful review that you won’t want to miss. In other property news that’s closer to home for many Philadelphians, the city is scaling back its assessment plans. We’ve got the details for you this morning.
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— Aubrey Nagle (@aubsn, morningnewsletter@philly.com)
Though all of its tenants have yet to move in, the Comcast Technology Center — the newest Comcast tower and Philly’s tallest skyscraper —is effectively open for business.
That also means it’s open for review by Pulitzer Prize-winning architecture critic Inga Saffron. Many Philadelphians will come to know the new addition by its skyline view alone. But it’s on the ground and in its public spaces, Saffron writes, where the building really soars.
Earlier this month, the Philadelphia Office of Property Assessment released an audit that said the city’s property assessments do not meet accuracy standards and are plagued by deficient data.
In response, Mayor Jim Kenney’s administration announced Tuesday that it will not undertake another major reassessment until changes are implemented at the OPA.
That means property owners who may be paying more than their fair share in property taxes could have to wait years for relief. An Inquirer and Daily News analysis found that more than 35 percent of single-family homes are overassessed.
President Donald Trump delivered his first national address from the Oval Office Tuesday night. He spent it blaming Democrats for the partial government shutdown and calling on Congress to provide $5.7 billion for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer gave their own televised response after the speech, saying Trump was misleading Americans by claiming migrant families seeking asylum were a security threat to the country. Neither speech gave new hope that the partial government shutdown will end soon.
What you need to know today
About 200 federal employees, union leaders, and supporters joined a rally at Independence Mall Tuesday to protest the partial government shutdown. Federal workers not getting paid has spurred a jump in Pennsylvania unemployment benefits, too.
House Democrats introduced a bill requiring universal background checks on gun sales Tuesday. The bill is expected to easily pass the House but unlikely to get a vote in the Senate.
Gov. Tom Wolf has signed an executive order that sets the first statewide plan to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. On Tuesday, reports showed those emissions spiked in the U.S. last year, the first increase in eight years.
Drug costs are rising but the culprit of the increase is a bit unexpected: brand-name medications that have been on the market for years are seeing price hikes.
Johnny Bobbitt, the formerly homeless veteran charged in a $400,000 GoFundMe scheme, is on the lam. He failed to show up for court Tuesday and now a warrant is out for his arrest.
Want Eagles-Saints tickets? They’re the second-cheapest in the NFL this weekend with prices starting around $200.
Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly
Sounds cold, @filladelphie.
Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and we’ll pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout out!
That’s Interesting
Budget-conscious flyers, listen up: Frontier Airlines is adding five new routes from Philadelphia International Airport.
Last night the Sixers extended their winning streak over the Washington Wizards at home with a 132-115 victory. Tonight they attempt to break a losing streak against that same team in D.C.
Bob Woodward, the Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and author known for All the President’s Men and Fear: Trump in the White House, will visit Philadelphia Thursday for an event at the Merriam Theater. Ahead of his visit he says, “we have to wake up.”
Eagles fans have quickly added “Doink Doink" to their dictionary and wasted no time putting it on t-shirts and billboards. Just don’t expect to see any “Doink Doink” brews just yet.
A new beauty boutique has opened just off of South Street. It’s goal? To create a place where black hair is loved and respected.
The Flyers have gone through seven goalies this season. Historically, just three other NHL teams have done the same and, for them, seven wasn’t such a lucky number.
Opinions
“... as online buying proliferates, and merchants send increasingly important packages, including prescription drugs, to homes, support should grow for increased penalties for such thefts.” — Sten Malanga, senior editor of City Journal, on making “porch pirates” pay for stealing packages.
Following the harrowing accounts of alleged abuse survivors found in the new Lifetime docuseries Surviving R. Kelly, columnist Jenice Armstrong is applauding a local effort to organize a safe space for discussing the documentary.
The new LinkPHL Wifi kiosks dotting Center City may be free, but we pay for them with our privacy and the increasing privatization of public space, writes Aaron Shapiro, a researcher at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania.
What we’re reading
The husband of a barre studio operator has started a cheeky anti-barre blog and Philadelphia Magazine’s look at the funny project is sure to give you a giggle this morning.
In the market for a fresh podcast? Philadelphia Gay News has the scoop on a new podcast about gay black professionals based right here in Philly.
Esperanza, the nonprofit serving Hunting Park’s Hispanic community, has a long-term strategy for engaging its neighborhood and Generocity reports that it’s all about asset-building.
The Guardian’s reporting on climate change is always must-read, but their latest, an excerpt from an upcoming book about the effects of melting glaciers, is especially gripping.
On a much lighter note, if you’re a fan of Netflix’s joy-filled reality shows you may have noticed similarities between hits Queer Eye, Salt Fat Acid Heat, and Tidying Up. Vulture says they represent an entirely new genre.
A Daily Dose of | Banchan
Korean dining is slowly expanding from communities at the edges and suburbs of Philly to Center City with full-service restaurants. That means more banchan, bibimbap, and mandu for all.