Mayor Parker Proves She Just Doesn’t Get It When It Comes to Chinatown

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker during an announcement about 76 Place. That’s the proposed new Sixers arena next to Chinatown in Philadelphia (image via City of Philadelphia)

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Mayor Parker Proves She Just Doesn’t Get It When It Comes to Chinatown

Don’t hate the Sixers. Hate me. That was part of Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker’s messaging on Wednesday at a public meeting about 76 Place, the proposed Center City Sixers arena. More specifically, she said this: “You no longer have the Philadelphia 76ers as the villain here. I am Cherelle Parker, the 100th mayor of the city of Philadelphia. I am proud and take full responsibility for what is included in this agreement.”

Parker absolutely doubled down on her Sixers arena decision during Wednesday’s event. She made it perfectly clear that, as far as she’s concerned, the Sixers arena is absolutely happening. She made it perfectly clear that there’s nothing you can do about it. Just sit back and watch. Parker detailed a bunch of benefits that the city will enjoy because of the Sixers arena. You can read her Sixers arena agreement presentation here.

Parker also wanted to clear up the rumor that the Sixers arena is being built in Chinatown. People who are paying attention know that the proposed arena wouldn’t technically be built in Chinatown; the concern is, in part, how the years of construction and the existence of the arena for decades to come could negatively impact Chinatown and its businesses, concerns laid out in the very studies released by the city.

“When have you ever heard that demolishing one building or business in Chinatown is a part of [the proposal]?” said Mayor Parker. She either doesn’t get it or is choosing to ignore it.

Anyway, after Parker did her thing, unveiling the so-called “community benefit agreement” [CBA], which, I couldn’t help but notice funds some of Parker’s pet projects, Asian Americans United released this statement:

It is outlandish that the mayor is unilaterally trying to impose a CBA on a project that lacks even the most basic studies on housing and rent costs, impacts on small businesses, livability, and transit access – issues that will impact the city for years to come, between multiple years of construction and long-term damage to traffic flow and access to emergency healthcare. We are united in opposition to the arena and the rushed, haphazard process surrounding it. Mayor Parker continues to refuse any direct meeting with Chinatown residents, and city meetings have been devoid of facts and accountability, serving as an embarrassing example of poor due diligence. We urge City Council to exercise its authority and delay any legislation until we have a process that respects the needs of the city and its residents at least as much as the whims and greed of the billionaires behind this arena scheme.

Meanwhile, it sounds like the Sixers arena has another neighbor coming out against it: the Gayborhood. The grassroots group No Arena Gayborhood said it was holding a press conference on Thursday to list all the reasons why the Sixers arena is bad for the Gayborhood. In a statement sent to Philly Mag on Thursday morning, No Arena Gayborhood said that the proposed Sixers arena would be a “direct threat to Philadelphia’s Gayborhood and the queer community it serves.”

Is La Colombe In Trouble?

When you think of Philadelphia and coffee, you probably think of … OK, you probably think of Wawa. But there’s no denying the fact that La Colombe went from being a little Rittenhouse cafe to a huge brand presence in Philadelphia and beyond, so much so that the food company Chobani thought La Colombe was worth acquiring for $900 million, which Chobani did just last year. But La Colombe co-founder Todd Carmichael says all is not well with the Chobani-owned version of La Colombe, suggesting that La Colombe is now “suffering … greatly” and that the company is running La Colombe the wrong way. I would say it’s amazing how badly someone can screw up something as simple as coffee, but then there’s Dunkin’. Yuck.

By the Numbers

60: Years ago that the Phillies experienced one of the most spectacular collapses in baseball. The Inquirer has an insightful look back at that dreadful moment in Phillies history.

70: Years the beloved Giant Heart at the Franklin Institute was on display before the Franklin Institute closed it in May. Don’t worry: they’re just renovating the heart and will reopen it in November.

$8,000: Damage police say a woman caused at a local restaurant after she became unhappy with her food order. Maybe just do what everybody else does and leave nasty anonymous reviews online next time?

Local Talent

Musicologist and Roots drummer Questlove is also quite the documentarian, as he showed us with his 2021 film Summer of Soul (Or When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised). The documentary recounted the 1969 Harlem music festival featuring B.B. King, Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, Sly & the Family Stone, and many other Black performers. Some have nicknamed the fest “the Black Woodstock” but, unlike Woodstock, the event had been forgotten by many … until Questlove’s movie came out. Summer of Soul won the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival and later the Oscar for Best Documentary. You can watch it on Hulu.

Well, it looks like Questlove is back at it. According to an Instagram post, he’s working on a documentary about Earth Wind & Fire that’s set to debut in 2025.

Here’s what he had to say:

Coming in 2025…..the definitive story of the elements…..

The story of how a band led by a genius from Chicago changed our way of thinking, our minds and our hearts

Having been baptized in the afrocentric joy river of this powerhouse unit, I’ve learned about them, I’ve learned about us & more importantly I’ve learned about and rediscovered myself in the process

I’m so excited to be directing a documentary preserving their positive but VERY vulnerable and real story of Soul, Self & Struggle

This is the story of joy, persistence, love, pain, magic and self discovery

This is Earth, Wind & Fire

Can’t wait!