This is a photo I took several months ago of the sweet little wrought iron gate next to the Christian Street Baptist Church which is currently being demolished. This gate, the tiled entryways, the park with the bocce ball court at the end of the block are what makes South Philly unique. The Fante-Leone pool, Mario Lanza and Frank Gasparro’s homes, and now this church are being or have been torn down to make way for outrageously priced, three story homes with parking. The character of the city and it’s history is the reason people want to move here – if you demolish it, what’s the point of moving to Philadelphia? You could live anywhere.
