vincent fumo: Philadelphia Metropolis

Vincent's Lament

It's hard to keep a megalomaniac down, or at least quiet. Witness the emails that emanated from former state Sen. Vince Fumo from his prison in Kentucky, railing against the feds, the media, his former loyalists, comparing himself to "Caesar... (Comments)

An Annotated Guide to the May Primary Election Results

Updated May 23   By Tom Ferrick Jr. The mayor wins, but is embarrassed by the strong showing of Milton Street. Marge Tartaglione and Frank Rizzo lose. Turnout among Democrats was less than 150,000, which means that 4 out of... (Comments)

Changing City: Passyunk Ave.

Philadelphia is a city of change. In the coming weeks Metropolis will profile that change with a series of stories about its people, its neighborhoods and its businesses. We begin with a look at three major commercial corridors in the city and the changes they have undergone - positive and negative - in recent years. Part Three chronicles the revival of Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia. (Comments)

Bad News for Philadelphia

Excuse me for going all Tolkein on you, but these are dark times in the shire that is Philadelphia. I can almost feel the clouds descending upon the land. First to go was the city's flawed but brilliant senator, Vince... (Comments)

City Blocks: How East Passyunk Ave. Got Hot

By Tom Ferrick Jr. The revival of East Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia has come at warp speed, as measured in standard urban time.  In just five years, the five-block stretch of shops has gone from being a charming... (Comments)