April 15: SugarHouse expansion | new life for Quaker City Dye Works | Roxborough Reservoir stormwater project | URBN Center opens | guns everywhere | tax filing frustration

Welcome to the working week, Streeters. Here’s what’s making news this morning:

As Philadelphians learn more about the six applicants for the city’s second casino license, the city’s first casino is forging ahead with its expansion plans. SugarHouse hopes to borrow $410 million to build an addition and to refinance its debt, reports PlanPhilly’s Kellie Patrick Gates. The expansion will be a 7-story garage (down from 10 stories in exchange for keeping a sea of surface parking on site), the first floor of which will be a new poker room, lounges, and restaurants. The casino building will get a second floor addition for an event space. The Planning Commission and City Council approved the project in 2011, and the PA Gaming Control Board will now hear the plan. Doug Harbach, spokesman for the Board, said they will “look at financing and if the expansion is in the best interest of the community and the Commonwealth.” Stay tuned for a public hearing.

East Kensington’s former Quaker City Dye Works complex will be converted into Teach for America’s regional headquarters, affordable housing for teachers, and office space. Inga Saffron describes D3’s thoughfully designed, socially-motivated Oxford Mills project, and how it “promises to be a model for maintaining pockets of affordability in Philadelphia’s increasingly affluent core.” Oxford Mills will have a ceremonial groundbreaking on Wednesday.

Residents near Upper Roxborough Reservoir have high hopes for the nearly complete $4.3 million stormwater management project. The Daily News reports that the series of storm drains swales were designed to ease the burden on flood-prone areas. The project will also preserve habitat for breeding toads and more than 200 species of birds.

On Friday Drexel officially opened the URBN Center, a reworked version of Venturi Scott Brown’s Institute of Scientific Information, the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design’s new home. Architect’s Newspaper blog offers a peek inside the interiors adapted by Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle of Minneapolis.

How easy is access to a gun in Philly? The Daily News reports that within a half hour a gun can be bought or borrowed, and 53% of the 9,591 guns that the ATF recovered were initially purchased legally in Pennsylvania. The state treats possession of an illegal gun as a misdemeanor and brief jail time is not a deterrent. 

Don’t forget: Today is tax day! If you had problems e-filing with the City of Philadelphia over the last 24 hours, you weren’t the only one. Philly Post notes that the Revenue Department’s website was down for “routine maintenance” from 8am yesterday until about 7am this morning. Classy.

The Buzz is Eyes on the Street’s morning news digest. Have a tip? Send it along.