July 24: Point Breeze swamp drained | Feibush loses at ZBA | Front and Norris zoning variances rejected | AVI as springboard | fixing fireplugs app | Dream Flags at City Hall

Good day, Streeters. Here’s your Wednesday morning Buzz:

After an inquiry from Daily News columnist Ronnie Polaneczky, L&I hired contractors to drain and fill a failed development-turned-trash-swamp on Lambert Street in Point Breeze that a neighbor had been reporting to the city for years. The cost of the cleanup will be in another lien on top of fines and back taxes owed on this and 21 other properties owned by the deadbeat property owner. L&I did not acknowledge that the department only took action after Ronnie’s call.

In other Point Breeze news, the Zoning Board of Adjustment rejected Ori Feibush’s proposal for four houses at 20th and Annin, including his own. The Daily News reports Feibush won’t appeal and will instead build three houses without variances.

The Court of Common Pleas overturned zoning variances that would have allowed the Women’s Community Revitalization Project (WCRP) to raze two historic banks at Front and Norris in favor of a proposed low-income housing development. Philadelinquency explains the ruling and reaction from neighbors who had opposed the development as planned. But it doesn’t seem like the project would be able to move forward since WCRP has returned the tax credits that would have made the development possible.

In an Inquirer opinion piece, Brett Mandel calls for AVI to be a springboard for progress: fairness in assessment, the possibilities presented by tax increment financing, lower property tax rates over time, and business tax reform.

A new app is helping the Water Department and Fire Department inspect and repair the city’s fire hydrants more efficiently, Technically Philly reports. The app results cuts a week in repair time, allows real-time information to be shared between departments, and saves the city $17,000 annually.

City Hall’s northeast stair tower is draped with Dream Flags. Hidden City Daily explains that the art installation is a collection of dream poems written by students from Philadelphia, Texas, Nepal, Belize, and Zambia, printed on fabric, and strung together. The Dream Flags will be in place until September 27.

The Buzz is Eyes on the Street’s morning news digest. Have a tip? Send it along. | Follow us on Twitter @EOTSPhilly | Like us on Facebook | Share your Philly photos in our Flickr Group

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