Work finally starting on the Triangle Tavern’s makeover?
Praise be, hallelujah. It looks like work is finally starting on the Triangle Tavern, which has been close to an impending remodel since as far back as August 2012. At that point, the space reportedly had a lease signed.
Then in August 2013, we reported that the crew from the Cantina was behind the new venture after a liquor license popped up sporting the owners’ names — Dave Frank and Stephen and Geeta Simons, who also own the Royal Tavern, the Khyber and several other restaurants.
That liquor license app, at 1338 S 10th St., transformed from blazing-neon orange to a faded peach as the corner sat vacant and untouched.
Now, at least something is being done, even if we don’t know what the hell that is yet. We’ve gotten reports that workers have been in the basement for more than a week, though they weren’t around when we stopped by twice to find out what’s up.
As to what the ownership plans at this prominent corner is still anyone’s guess. We’ll keep our ears to the ground.
Meanwhile, spray-painted marks all around that intersection of 10th, Reed and Passyunk seem to indicate the city is planning to shrink the intersection and make it more pedestrian friendly. We’re checking all the appropriate channels on that one, too, and will update when we hear back.
This winter, we told you about plans to spend $300,000 on improvements to 12th and Passyunk and a new gateway project at Broad and Passyunk. So also fixing 10th would only make sense, no?
Word on the street is polish bar
Word on my street is it’s Ukrainian.
The workers have been in the basement for a week? Would someone please let them out!
Hallelujah to pedestrian improvements to that intersection. All of the sections in that mess of intersections need to be fixed.
Slop pedestrian improvements… …for people who didn’t grow up in the city and don’t know how to be careful when walking the block… It just jams things up and makes a terrific mess out of everything. Like 16th and Passyunk… Please… Don’t say that disgrace looks good… Its the most avoidable area on Passyunk thanks to the dirt island and bump outs… The bump outs might have worked if they didn’t add two more red lights and an ugly dirt island that re-directs traffic in a jug handle fashion that smacks of some failed Jersey experiment…
P.S…. Who cares if its Polish, Ukrainian, Russian, Bulgarian, or whatever…?
I was really hoping for an Olive Garden.
Leave your SUV at home and take a walk once in a while. As someone that walks West Passyunk regularly, the pedestrian improvements are great. I am excited for the pedestrian improvements to East Passyunk, they will make the avenue much more appealing.
I don’t drive an SUV. And my car is a 4 cylinder..
We can argue about whether bumpouts etc are appropriate for that spot (I think they are, but I’ll allow that it’s arguable) , but at the very least that intersection needs pedestrian crossing lights. There’s never a safe way to cross at that intersection.
I’d agree that possibly trying it out with pedestrian crossing lights first, before going full blown with doing plastic surgery on the block itself, would be a sensible thing to do at this point.
Whatever the concept is, this place will be very busy. Pedestrian (and bike) traffic on that corner is going to go WAY up. Provie is down below Snyder anyway, doubt he’ll even see the changes.
I walk up Passyunk regularly thank you…
Ok well I just got back from Austin, Texas.. (Very impressive place btw…) They utilize bumpouts there that are way more sensible than this crap we have… Oh… And there are no bike lanes on 6th Street in Austin… Or many other of their increasingly busy streets.. And they have more pedi-taxis (kind of like a chariot on the back of a bicycle) than they do actual cabs.. Nobody cries for special bike lane laws down there and their bumpouts just look like they belong. They don’t look like they were forced upon the neighborhood just to make a point rather than serve a purpose…
P.S. 6th Street is amazing…
6th street also blocks traffic every weekend – I bet that would infuriate you!
6th Street also has a decent amount of parking options in walking proximity to the place… No that wouldn’t really infuriate me at all… Not if there is something that could be worked out. Possibly the parking lot at Acme could be used on weekend nights when Acme is closed and the lot is empty… A lot of the vehicle traffic on weekends isn’t local anyway…
As a daily pedestrian, frequent cyclist and occasional driver at this intersection, I can attest to the need for these and many other improvements.
As it is today, the intersection of 10th, Reed and Passyunk is designed only with auto traffic in mind and is therefore incomplete. The narrow sidewalks alongside Acme, the sea of asphalt for crisscrossing cars, very long crosswalks, the quick signal timings, unenforced parking in the crosswalks, and the Acme driveway opposite Passyunk Market all contribute to a particularly cumbersome pedestrian experience. Philadelphia is a great walking city, this intersection is not up to par.
Bumpouts (aka neckdowns) make the crossing distance from curb to curb a shorter trek for pedestrians and prevent autos from parking in the crosswalk. Children, elderly, disabled and everyone else will benefit greatly from shorter crossings at Reed St. especially if the signal timings account for pedestrian speeds. Neckdowns are a proven strategy for traffic calming and increasing pedestrian safety. We shouldn’t have to play frogger with our own lives just to walk in our neighborhood.
Judging from the C-post locations spray painted on the ground, there may be pedestrian signals in this project. There will be new ramps all around, even at the newsstand (finally!). And a neckdown at the very long crosswalk on Reed (yes!).
It would be great to see Acme eliminate the driveway closest to the intersection, next to the newsstand. Fools be drivin’ the wrong way down Passyunk to enter the lot here. Left-turning fools driving the right way on Passyunk often cut through the Acme lot to avoid the red light. Fools exiting the Acme lot drive right through the crosswalk to get to 10th, and vice versa, I have seen cars enter the lot at Passyunk Market from 10th and then drive across Passyunk Ave to enter the Acme lot. All these crazy car movements occur at a place with many pedestrians on a narrow sidewalk, no curb ramp and a bus stop. To make this safe for pedestrians, this driveway has got to go! Acme can live without this driveway, because there are already two more. And most of their customers arrive by foot anyway!
Also, Austin’s bike infrastructure is not really a good model for Philadelphia. Although Lance Armstrong lives/trains there and has been a major force in that community, Austin is more of a recreational and racing bike culture. They have a network of river trails and not much bike use in the city streets.
+1000. Completely agree with you on all points.
My god… So every intersection in the city needs to be retard proofed ? Ok… Why not put money in the schools and have less retards..?
Too many yuppies , hipsters & gays are taking over that should be an italian bar what next closing cvs and turning it into a plant shop with a sushi bar
Are you fucking serious?
Some people are in denial about the changing of the Passyunk guard, even though it started years ago. I imagine he would also like Tom’s to continue being an abandoned butcher shop. His problem, not ours. Here’s to hispters and gays! And yuppie moms with strollers! And the old-school Italians who keep their businesses relavant. And all the other people who continue to invest money into the neighborhood.
@SC, well said. And to add a bit of irony the “new Triangle” is supposedly going to be serving up classic South Philly Italian sandwiches (roast pork/meaball etc).
Tommy’s head is going to pop!
Hmmm Provwitout changed his name to Tommy…
The new Triangle is going to be serving old-schooll South Philly Italian sandwiches, roast pork, meatball, etc….