IVCC September 2016 Press Clips
INDEPENDENCE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK
Entry Fees Waived As National Park Service Turns 100, LidTime (September 2, 2016)
Opera Philadelphia Announces Free Tickets to Broadcast of TURANDOT, Today, Broadway World
(September 7, 2016)
Visit Philadelphia Celebrates 20 Years With Big, $2M Grant, Philadelphia Magazine (September 13, 2016)
Project Underway To Preserve Iconic Statues On Independence Square, CBS Philly (September 21, 2016)
Cheapo Travel: 10 free must-see U.S. attractions, The Orange County Register (September 28, 2016)
INDEPENDENCE VISITOR CENTER
HealthShare Exchange reaches key milestone, Philadelphia Business Journal (September 1, 2016)
Independence Historical Park Visitor’s Guide, CBS Philly (September 3, 2016)
Commentary: Philly's golden era for tourism and hospitality, The Philadelphia Inquirer (September 13,
2016)
These St. Vincent history lessons come with a bite, Tribe Total Media (September 13, 2016)
JIM CUORATO
Souvenir Sale Underway At Welcome Center In Love Park, CBS Philly (September 3, 2016)
Philly to Mormons: Come, come, ye saints — with new LDS temple and apartment tower, all is well, The
Salt Lake City Tribune (September 13, 2016)
PHILLY PHLASH
CollegeFest welcomes students to Philly at Dilworth Park, Philly Voice (September 2, 2016)
Students receive free museum admission during CollegeFest, Philly Voice (September 8, 2016)
IVCC September 2016 Press Clips
Sandoval was at the park at an official National Parks Centennial Celebration Thursday
afternoon.
Philadelphia has four sites managed by the National Park Service, including Independence
National Historical Park.
All under the purview of the National Park Service although they vary in their mission. The
bureau, part of the already established Department of the Interior, was given sole responsibility
for protecting and maintaining the 35 national parks that existed at the time. More than 1,000
participants used brown, green and white umbrellas to create the emblem during an event that
took place on the 100th anniversary of the creation of the National Park Service.
Happy 100th birthday, National Parks Service.
The answer to the question of what you get the National Park Service that has everything seems
to be an adorable doodle. One action item on the list called for more work to get future
generations involved with the parks. National Parks Service, a section of the U.S. Department of
the Interior that has had a long tradition of protecting some of the country’s most handsome
landscapes.
“Over the years national parks have served as road trip, field trip, picnic, and recreation
destinations”.
“We welcome research projects from academia”, said Jeffrey Olson, a spokesman for the
National Park Service.
IVCC September 2016 Press Clips
The Livonia, Michigan couple drove 26 hours to Yellowstone National Park, which Holloway
described as breathtaking and surreal.
He encouraged spectators to continue exploring Mesa Verde and the rest of the National Parks.
And Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky has more than 400 miles of mapped cave areas
for visitor enjoyment. As part of the centennial celebration, entry to all national parks will be free
of charge August 25 through August 28.
“Congratulations to the National Park Service on celebrating its centennial today”.
In 2015, 307.2 million people visited the national parks, and it wouldn’t come as any surprise if
that number is surpassed in 2016.
IVCC September 2016 Press Clips
Opera Philadelphia Announces Free Tickets
to Broadcast of TURANDOT, Today
September 7 12:30 2016
👤by BWW News Desk
FREE tickets to Opera Philadelphia's HD
broadcast of Turandot will be available to the
public starting on Wednesday, September 7.
You can score your free tickets to Opera on the
Mall beginning at 10 a.m.at
operaonthemall.org. Everyone who registers
will be entered to win an Opera Philadelphia
subscription for two to the spring 2017 Opera at
the Academy series, featuring productions of
Rossini's Tancredi and Mozart's The Marriage
of Figaro.
In what has become a beloved annual tradition to launch the fall cultural season in Philadelphia,
our community will gather together on Saturday, Oct. 1, at 7:00 p.m., to enjoy one of the most
popular operas of all time. Opera Philadelphia's season-opening performance of Puccini's final
masterpiece will be broadcast in high definition from the stage of the Academy of Music to three
giant outdoor screens in the shadow of the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. Now in its sixth
year, Opera on the Mall has been enjoyed by nearly 20,000 members of the Philadelphia
community.
Puccini's final work is one of his grandest, featuring exotic locales, forbidden romance, and
gorgeous melodies, including the rousing anthem "Nessun dorma." Opera Philadelphia's
kaleidoscopic co-production, hailed as "a beautiful, exotic adventure" by Opera News, features
stunning sets, costumes, and choreography.
In ancient China, Princess Turandot is an enigmatic beauty who reigns with an iron fist and an
ice-cold heart. To her would-be suitors, she has issued a decree: he who can answer her riddles
will win her hand--all others will suffer punishment by death. When a mysterious man passes
her test, will she finally open her heart to love?
Hailed as "a multi-hued miracle of gale-force power" (The Wall Street Journal), Christine
Goerke brings her "rich and full sound" (The New York Times) to the title role of Princess
Turandot, with superb Italian tenor Marco Berti making his Opera Philadelphia debut as her
IVCC September 2016 Press Clips
would-be love, Prince Calaf. Joyce El-Khoury brings the "genuine radiance" (Opera News) of
her soprano to the role of Liù, the slave girl whose love for Calaf is unrequited. Opera
Philadelphia favorite Morris Robinson, who dazzled in recent roles in Don Carlo and
Nabucco, returns as the deposed king, Timur. Renaud Doucet directs the colorful production,
with Jack Mulroney Music Director Corrado Rovaris conducting the Opera Philadelphia
Orchestra.
This is the sixth year Opera Philadelphia will launch its season with a free broadcast at
Independence National Historical Park. Last year, some 6,000 guests enjoyed a broadcast of
Verdi's La traviata from their picnic blankets and chairs. Event information is available at
operaonthemall.org or by calling 215.732.8400.
Opera on the Mall is presented through PNC Arts Alive, a multi-year grant initiative of the
PNC Foundation that challenges visual and performing arts organizations to put forth their best,
most original thinking in expanding audience participation and engagement. To date, this
award-winning program has provided approximately $13 million in grants to enterprising
cultural organizations in three regions served by PNC. For more information, visit
www.pncartsalive.com.
IVCC September 2016 Press Clips
HealthShare Exchange reaches key milestone
Data sharing
Sep 1, 2016, 6:17am EDT
Industries & Tags
John George
Senior Reporter Philadelphia Business Journal
The HealthShare Exchange of Southeastern Pennsylvania has achieved a milestone in its mission
to get historically competitive members of the region’s health care industry to work together to
share patient data to improve the coordination of medical delivery.
On Sept. 14, the Healthshare Exchange is hosting a “signing ceremony” at the Independence
Visitors Center to mark the official signing of a collaboration document among health care
systems, health insurers and care providers.
Martin Lupinetti, executive director of the nonprofit HealthShare Exchange.
Martin Lupinetti, executive director of the nonprofit HealthShare Exchange, said the document
governs what information is shared, how it will be shared, and what data will not be shared.
“We call it a participation agreement,” Lupinetti said. “It’s the ground rules for how everybody
is going to share data. It’s a way to ensure everybody is on the same page and aligned. We think
this agreement is unprecedented.”
The HealthShare Exchange, financed from state grants and funding provided by its members,
first began sharing medical data electronically during the summer of 2014. Since that time, more
than 200,000 patient care messages have been exchanged among providers and insurers for use
in care coordination.
Its members include 39 acute-care hospitals, Independence Blue Cross, AmeriHealth Caritas,
Health Partners Plans, Philadelphia’s district health centers and dozens of ambulatory care
practice sites.
IVCC September 2016 Press Clips
Dr. Karen Scoles, an internal medicine specialist with Crozer Medical Associates in Delaware
County, said the creation of the exchange has allowed her to keep better tabs on her patients.
Before hospitals and doctors started securely sharing data through the exchange, Scoles rarely
knew if a patient visited another provider for a health condition — even if it was to one of the
hospitals in the Crozer-Keystone Health System, with which her practice was affiliated.
“Certainly I’d have no knowledge if a patient was admitted and discharged from a hospital
(outside the Crozer-Keystone network),” she said.
Late last month, the HealthShare Exchange announced it has added five Genesis Healthcare
long-term care and rehabilitation facilities as a member. More Genesis locations are expected to
follow in the near future.
Lupinetti said the exchange is working to add Community Health System’s Philadelphia-area
hospitals as well as national insurers such as Aetna and UnitedHealthcare that have a large
presence in the region. He also said they expect to add more long-term and post-acute care
providers, plus home care providers, so the exchange covers the full continuum of care.
Lupinetti expects that the services the organization provides will expand over time. “We think,”
Lupinetti said, “there are great opportunities [to use the exchange] for population health
research.”
CLOSER LOOK
Since the HealthShare Exchange of Southeastern Pennsylvania became operational during the
summer of 2014:
3,548,392 patients have been placed in the HSX master patient index
More than 8,200 practitioners have been added to its provider directory
More than 200,000 patient care messages have been exchanged electronically through the
exchange
62 percent of messages exchanged through the HSX system that involve different health
systems
IVCC September 2016 Press Clips
Independence Historical Park
Visitor’s Guide
September 3, 2016 8:00 AM
Philadelphia is the birthplace of our nation and thousands of people from around the world come
to visit. There are numerous historical sites to see in Philadelphia, and we are sharing with you
some important tips on visiting the city’s most popular and most important historical landmarks
at Independence National Historical Park. Best of all most park sites are free and everything is in
walking distance to each other.
Independence Visitor Center
41 N. 6th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 965-2305
www.independencevisitorcenter.gov
Your first stop at the Independence Historical Park should be at the Independence Visitor Center.
This is where you will find maps, schedules, tickets, information and more. Be sure to download
the parks free mobile app “NPS Independence” to help you navigate the different historical sites
at the park.
Independence Hall
520 Chestnut St.
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 965-2305
www.nps.gov/independencehall
Independence Hall will be the first site you will want to visit after stoppping by the visitor center.
This is where The Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were both signed here.
Entrance is by tour only, and there is a limited number of free tickets available each day at the
Ranger’s Desk in the Independence Visitor Center. Tickets may also be reserved in advance;
make your reservation online or call 1-877-444-6777.
Liberty Bell Center
526 Market St.
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 965-2305
www.nps.gov
Your next stop should be at one of the most iconic historical sites in the entire nation: the Liberty
Bell. Be sure to watch a video about the life of the Liberty Bell, and check out the informative
IVCC September 2016 Press Clips
exhibits at the Liberty Bell site. You’ll learn about how the bell got that famous crack and learn
about the repairs that were done on the bell.
National Constitution Center
525 Arch St.
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(800) 537-7676
www.phlvisitorcenter.com
You can also find the National Constitution Center on the park grounds. Visiting this site
requires a ticket, which is available for sale online or at the Independence Visitor Center. The
National Constitution center brings one of the nation’s greatest documents to life through
interactive means, lectures and special exhibits.
The historical sites do not begin and end at Independence National Historical Park. You will find
many historical sites throughout the city. Some of the most popular sites include Christ Church
where Benjamin Franklin and a few signers of the Declaration of Independence are buried,
Elfreth’s alley which is considered the oldest residential street in the nation dating back to 1702
and Betsy Ross’s house. There is so much to see and do that celebrates our nation and the history
of this great country in Philadelphia, it should be on everyone’s bucket list when planning a
vacation.
IVCC September 2016 Press Clips
Commentary: Philly's golden era for tourism and hospitality
Updated: September 13, 2016 — 3:01 AM EDT
By Edward G. Rendell,
Thomas J. Ridge,
and Rebecca W. Rimel
What do Pope Francis, singer and human-rights advocate Bono, and both the Republican and
Democratic national committees have in common? In the last two decades, they chose
Philadelphia as the best place to advance their values and mission. And the audience was
worldwide.
Twenty years ago, Google was still a research project at Stanford. The iPhone was more than a
decade away. And Netflix hadn't started mailing DVDs.
We didn't foresee these remarkable changes in the way Americans live, work, and spend leisure
time. But in an op-ed we wrote for The Inquirer in 1996, we recognized that Philadelphia was
being "out-hustled and outspent" by other East Coast cities in the competition for hospitality
dollars. Tourists literally treated Philadelphia as a drive-by city - assuming they could find the
exit off I-95 - on their way to overnight stays in New York City or Washington. But we argued
that Philadelphia's golden promise - its potential to create thousands of jobs and add millions of
dollars to the economy by becoming a successful tourist destination - could be reached through a
strong public-private partnership committed to aggressively marketing our region's unique
history, culture, and location.
To that end, the Pew Charitable Trusts, the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and city of
Philadelphia pooled their resources and created the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing
Corp. - now known as Visit Philadelphia - which this month celebrates its 20th anniversary.
Together, we launched Visit Philadelphia, and with support from community leaders and
businesses - and the bipartisan approval of a 1 percent hotel tax in 1999 - Visit Philadelphia has
flourished, successfully marketing the Philadelphia region.
Our vision of Philadelphia as a destination for millions of visitors required dramatic changes to
Independence Mall, the three-block area of Independence National Historical Park that is home
to many of Philadelphia's most treasured sites. In 2001, the Independence Visitor Center - a $40
million public-private project - opened in partnership with the National Park Service, and
welcomes more than 2 million people annually.
Other important public-private investments in the city's historical and cultural legacy include
restoration of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway with new lighting and landscaping; the remaking
of Sister Cities Park; and a beautiful museum to house the Barnes Foundation's collection of
masterpieces. There is also the new Liberty Bell Center and the Benjamin Franklin Museum,
which reopened in 2013 after an $18 million renovation on the site of Franklin's former home.
The National Constitution Center, which opened in 2003, continues to produce thought-
IVCC September 2016 Press Clips
provoking programming while encouraging civic understanding of - and debate about - the
American Constitution.
There is a famous line from the movie Field of Dreams: "If you build it, they will come." But
that's not the way things work in real life. Yes, through advocacy and vigorous fund-raising, we
were able to build the Visitors Center and restore Independence Mall. However, to put
Philadelphia on the must-see list of millions of visitors, we needed to do more than "build it."
We needed an innovative marketing strategy to promote awareness of Philadelphia's historic and
cultural treasures. That's what Visit Philadelphia has done - with a strong and integrated mix of
advertising, a million social media followers, and 19 million web visits last year; news and
feature articles, including 8,000 stories in 2015; sponsorships; and effective partnerships with the
public and private sectors.
The results speak for themselves. In 2015, the region welcomed a record 41 million domestic
visitors, up from 27 million in 1996. Spending from these visitors generated $10.7 billion in
economic activity, supported more than 93,000 jobs, and brought in $612 million in state and
local taxes. Today, one out of three hotel rooms occupied in Center City is for a leisure stay.
The dramatic increase in Philadelphia tourism is a virtuous cycle: more positive media attention
and advertising bring more visitors, and more visitors bring more positive media attention. Last
year, the New York Times placed Philadelphia third among its "52 Best Places to Go in 2015,"
behind only Milan, Italy, and Cuba. And the travel authority Lonely Planet ranked Philadelphia
number one on its list of "10 best places to visit in the United States in 2016." Philadelphia was
also recently named our nation's first World Heritage City because of its iconic landmarks and its
unique role as the cradle of American liberty and democracy.
Although Philadelphia is one of America's oldest cities, it has become a favorite of young
people. The New York Times wrote the first of many articles touting Philadelphia's increasing
popularity among millennials in 2005. In the six years that followed, the millennial population
increased by 100,000 - the largest percentage growth of any major U.S. city.
Twenty years ago we wrote, "It is time to reclaim our place in the hearts and minds of America
and to make this region once again a place where people want to come, choose to linger, and
look forward to returning." That was Philadelphia tourism's golden promise. Two decades later
we have reached a golden era for the city's tourism and hospitality industry. There is still work to
be done, and as we did 20 years ago, we're asking those who live and work here to help tell our
region's story - that Philadelphia is a vibrant 21st-century city, with a rich history and exciting
future, and we are eager to share it with visitors from around the world.
Edward G. Rendell is a former mayor of Philadelphia and governor of Pennsylvania.
[email protected]
Thomas J. Ridge is a former governor of Pennsylvania. [email protected]
Rebecca W. Rimel is president and CEO of the Pew Charitable Trusts. [email protected].
IVCC September 2016 Press Clips
Visit Philadelphia Celebrates 20 Years
With Big, $2M Grant
The organization will promote Historic Philadelphia with the funding.
By Fabiola Cineas | September 13, 2016 at 11:04 am
Photo by C. Smyth for VISIT PHILADELPHIA
In 1996, Mayor Edward Rendell, Governor Thomas Ridge and Rebecca Rimel, penned an oped in the Inquirer that posited, “The Philadelphia region is sitting on gold.” And the gold was
Philadelphia’s opportunity to “market itself aggressively” to get visitors out on the town.
Now, 20 years later, Visit Philadelphia, a direct result of that op-ed’s call to action, celebrates
its 20th anniversary. The organization also announced on Monday a two-year $2 million grant
from The Pew Charitable Trusts to elevate Historic Philadelphia — Old City, Society Hill and
Independence National Historical Park.
“We know from research that many visitors don’t go beyond the Liberty Bell and Independence
Hall,” said Meryl Levitz, Visit Philadelphia president and CEO. Levitz said the push to focus on
all that the original city has to offer couldn’t be more right, with the DNC just behind us and with
the opening of the new Museum of the American Revolution before us in the spring.
Last year brought the Philadelphia region its biggest number of guests — 41 million people —
that’s up from about 27 million visitors in 1997. And a breakdown of the numbers reveals that
over that time, more and more people stayed overnight in Philadelphia for leisure, said Peter R.
Tyson, managing director of consulting firm CBRE Hotels. There were 983,000 leisure hotel
IVCC September 2016 Press Clips
room nights in 2015, a 287 percent increase since 1997, according to CBRE Hotels, and out of
the 3.1 million hotel room nights sold in Center City in 2015, 32 percent were for individual
leisure, making leisure the fastest growing segment of hotel occupancy.
Tourism had a $10.7 billion economic impact on Philadelphia in 2015, supporting thousands of
jobs each day and generating $612 million in local taxes, according to Econsult Solutions. But
hitting this peak was anything but easy — Visit Philadelphia efforts over the last 20 years had a
lot to do with moving the city past self-inflicted negativity, panelists at a Visit Philadelphia press
event surmised.
Is Philadelphia’s negativity still a thing? A. Bruce Crawley, president and principal owner of
Millennium 3 Management, Inc., doesn’t think so. According to Crawley, in the early days of
marketing the city, residents and hospitality workers lacked confidence in talking up what the
city had to offer.
“We used to tell people, don’t come to Philadelphia because it’s Philadelphia, come because it’s
between trips to New York and Washington, D.C.,” said Crawley. Adding, “We just didn’t have
the idea that in order to sell effectively, the product itself, the brand itself, had to be transformed.
Not only on the outside, but also people on the inside.” The task became elevating Philadelphia’s
history and linking it to fun.
“Today there are 32 major projects underway in the city of Philadelphia, these are cranes
building major projects [that] range from apartment buildings to businesses, medical facilities,
academic buildings, and hotels,” said real-estate developer Carl Dranoff, asserting that he’d like
to see twice as many cranes in the sky over the next decade or so.
Visit Philadelphia’s new two-year plan will push more advertising and social media attention to
expand the Historic Philadelphia campaign, relying on the popular “With Love, Philadelphia
XOXO” tag and a to-be-determined visitor engagement project to bring more people to the area.
The grant for the project from the Pew Charitable Trusts will match funding from H.F. (Gerry)
Lenfest and Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development.
“People aren’t happy with just sight-seeing anymore,” said Levitz, “They want to site do.”
Read more at http://www.phillymag.com/business/2016/09/13/visit-philadelphia-20thanniversary/#hHimyQTLRokAjXv1.99
IVCC September 2016 Press Clips
Project Underway To Preserve Iconic Statues
On Independence Square
September 21, 2016 5:24 PM By Suzanne Monaghan
(credit: Suzanne Monaghan)
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — A project is underway to help preserve and protect the outdoor
statues at Independence National Historical Park.
Crews used a blow torch to heat the wax that they applied to the bronze statues of George
Washington and John Barry.
Chief Curator Karie Deithorn says they’re working to wash and wax all eight statues at
Independence Park.
“The John Barry statue here has a lot of pitting up on the top of his hat, where the metal is
actually being eaten away by the elements,” she said. “So the way to prevent that is to keep them
waxed.”
When the wax hardens, the statues are buffed to a shine.
Deithorn says they plan to do go through this preservation process every three to five years.
IVCC September 2016 Press Clips
Cheapo Travel: 10 free must-see U.S. attractions
Sept. 28, 2016
Updated Oct. 4, 2016 7:33 a.m.
Redwood National Park is free to visit any day on the northern edge of California NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
By MARLA JO FISHER / Staff columnist
Here are 10 of my favorite attractions in the USA that won’t cost you a cent. How many have
you visited? If I left out your favorite, let me know, and maybe I’ll do an update!
Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, Philadelphia: If you enjoy American history, there
are few things more stirring than seeing the sites where our country’s democracy was founded.
There’s a visitors center just for the 2,080-pound Liberty Bell in Independence National
Historical Park. It includes a movie about the bell and photo opportunities. It’s also free to visit
Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were
signed, but you must get free tickets at most times, distributed from the ranger station at the
Independence Visitor Center, or you can call 877-444-6777 or order online at Recreation.gov in
advance. If you order, the tickets incur a $1.50 handling fee. Check out the free mobile app, too.
Learn more at nps.gov/inde or call 215-965-2305 to speak to a ranger.
IVCC September 2016 Press Clips
These St. Vincent history lessons come
with a bite
By Shirley McMarlin | Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2016, 7:21 p.m.
Forget those dry and dusty lectures full of random names
and obscure dates. There's a better way to learn your
history.
The Foster and Muriel McCarl Coverlet Gallery at St.
Vincent College will open its second History Dinner
Theater season on Sept. 16 with “History ... Done Funny.”
The show will be presented by Owen Timoney and Kaylah
Fitzgerald, also known as the Madcap Theater Company of
Philadelphia.
“Madcap's two-person cast works at a breathless pace to
perform their version of the founding of Philadelphia by
William Penn, Paul Revere's famous ride, the deadly
yellow fever epidemic, John Paul Jones wrestling and the
infamous baby toss,” says gallery curator Lauren Churilla.
“Betsy Ross, George Washington and other revolutionary
legends get madcapped as well.”
“If you've ever seen ‘The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged)' or ‘Who's on First?' —
that's what I aim for,” Timoney says. “It's two people talking, but we try to meld it so quickly
that it sounds like one person talking.”
The pair has been performing the show for around 15 years, Timoney says, mostly at the
Independence Visitor Center in Philadelphia.
“We have a lot of fun with it, and we hope the audience does, too,” he says.
The dinner theater's inaugural season featured all one-person shows, so “this will be something
very different for us,” Churilla says.
Doors will open at 6 p.m. for the Sept. 16 show in the Fred M. Rogers Center on the Unity
campus. Dinner will be served at 6:20, with Madcap taking the stage at 7 p.m.
Other offerings in the 2016-17 series include:
IVCC September 2016 Press Clips
• “The Legend of Joe Magarac and Steel Heritage,” Nov. 11. Pittsburgh actor Tim Hartman will
present the story of the apocryphal man of steel who came to be called the patron saint of steel
workers. Hartman will tie the Magarac legend together with the story of Andrew Carnegie's
Pittsburgh steel dynasty.
“He's a great storyteller, and he was recommended to us by one of our patrons,” Churilla says.
Hartman has worked with Pittsburgh Public Theater and St. Vincent Summer Theatre and in
movies such as “The Fault in Our Stars” and “The Mysteries of Pittsburgh.”
• “A Christmas Carol With Master Storyteller Jonathan Kruk,” Dec. 9. Last year's theatergoers
will remember Kruk's interpretation of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” Churilla says. Kruk will
voice all the characters in Charles Dickens' holiday classic, with musical accompaniment. Based
in New York's Hudson River Valley, Kruk performs on television and radio and at libraries,
historic sites and festivals.
• “Clara Barton: Red Cross Angel,” March 31. In conjunction with Women's History Month and
Red Cross Month, Mary Ann Jung will act out Barton's journey from Civil War nurse to
America's first female federal government employee and ambassador. In 2002, Jung's portrayal
earned top honors for a solo theatrical performance from the Maryland State Arts Council.
• “Always Free: A Juneteenth Celebration,” June 1. Oni Lasana will return to the Rogers Center
with a continuation of the story of newly freed slave, 'Lias Mother. The Philadelphia storyteller's
work is based on the poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar.
“This show will be highly interactive,” Churilla says. “The show from last year was our smallest
show, but it got the best feedback.”
The dinner theater is designed “for people to learn and have fun at the same time,” Churilla says.
“I like to find shows that have a good amount of audience participation.”
Shirley McMarlin is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach her at 724-836-5750 or
[email protected].
IVCC September 2016 Press Clips
Souvenir Sale Underway At Welcome Center
In Love Park
September 3, 2016 7:18 AM By John McDevitt
(credit: John McDevitt)
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — That iconic flying saucer looking building that houses the Fairmount
Park Welcome Center in Love Park will soon be closed for renovations. Visitors are getting great
deals on souvenirs.
The $16.5-million redevelopment project of Love Park has been underway for several months.
The visitor center remains open, but just through Monday.
“The exterior of the building will be preserved and saved so we will still have the space ship into
the future,” said Jim Cuorato, President and CEO of the Independence Visitor Center, which
provides staffing to the Fairmount Park Welcome Center, “but the entire interior of the building
will be entirely renovated and in truth it really does need it.”
A restaurant and public restrooms will be included in the redesign.
Also, merchandise like shirts, mugs and shot glasses currently sold at the center are 50% off.
“It’s a going out of business sale,” Cuorato said, “but we are really not going out of business, we
are just taking a break.”
The overall Love Park project is expected to be completed in about a year.
IVCC September 2016 Press Clips
Philly to Mormons: Come, come, ye saints — with new LDS temple and
apartment tower, all is well
By PEGGY FLETCHER STACK | The Salt Lake Tribune
First Published Sep 16 2016 06:30PM • Last Updated Sep 18 2016 06:54 pm
(Jeremy Harmon | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple is seen near a housing development that is
being built by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Wednesday, September 14, 2016.
Development pairing a temple with housing and shopping malls could become a model for future
Mormon projects across the nation.
Mormons have embraced the City of Brotherly Love with a passion, and the attraction seems to
be mutual — even though the LDS project includes a towered temple most Philadelphia residents
won't be able to enter and a mini-City Creek development that some won't be able to afford.
Completing the Mormon temple and a nearby stake (regional) center in the heart of the historic
city, with a 32-story apartment complex going up across the street, has been a "glorious move for
us," says Jonathan Stephenson, LDS public-affairs director in Philly. "The overwhelming
welcome has been wonderful."
Key city officials are adding their amens.
The LDS Church was "great in the way it handled the design, rules and regulations for zoning in
that area," winning the approval of every neighborhood association, says James Cuorato, head of
the city's Redevelopment Authority. "The residential development is quite attractive, really ideal
for that location, and fits well with the surrounding area."
IVCC September 2016 Press Clips
No significant opposition emerged — not from penny-pinching Mormons fretting about the use
of church funds for the commercial component. Not from members of other faiths leery of
influence by a little-known religion some find foreign. Not from community activists eager to
bring their own development visions to a vibrant downtown.
The same cannot be said for other Mormon building efforts stretching from Boston to Orlando,
Fla., to Portland, Ore. Even in Salt Lake City, home to the church's headquarters, critics have
lambasted LDS projects — from its new Main Street mall to its pedestrian plaza.
In Philly, though, the Mormon effort has had "a healing influence on the whole city," a city
planning commissioner wrote in an email to LDS officials. "This property was vacant for years, a
kind of hole in the middle of that part of the city ... a kind of no-man's land."
The Utah-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he wrote, "has made downtown
whole again."
For the past month, tens of thousands of curious onlookers from Philly and surrounding environs
have streamed through the temple's interiors, marveling at its architectural details and learning of
its religious purposes.
Such explanations "remove some of the mystery as to the purpose of the temple, how it's used
and when it's used," says David Gutin, an area Jewish leader who toured the structure with other
interfaith leaders.
On Sunday, Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the LDS Church's governing First Presidency
who was baptized at age 8 in Philly's first Mormon chapel, will dedicate the church's 152nd
operating temple. After that ceremony, only devout Mormons will be allowed into its sacred
space to take part in the faith's highest rites, including eternal marriage.
The just-completed Mormon meetinghouse nearby, however, will be home to several LDS
wards, or congregations, and open to community events and all visitors. And the 490,000-squarefoot housing complex hopes to attract diverse tenants and shops.
Having these Mormon blocks in the center of town "can only be an asset to Philadelphia," Gutin
says. "The sense I have is that the Mormon faith encourages people to do good and be helpful to
others. It's a win-win for all of us."
With such a positive response, the question becomes: Could the combination of tax-free religious
construction and taxable development be the church's pattern for future temple sites?
—
Long but subtle presence • Mormonism views Pennsylvania's founding as an essential element in
its own past, though the Eastern state was established long before LDS beginnings in 1830.
IVCC September 2016 Press Clips
"Our historical roots go back to William Penn, absolutely," Stephenson says. "As church
members, we revere William Penn as one historical figure who paved the way for religious
freedom."
Pennsylvania was the only colony that "practiced religious tolerance," he explains. "It's the
Quaker way. That mindset is still active in this community."
Though many significant events from LDS history took place in Pennsylvania — the first
Mormon, Joseph Smith, was baptized there — it wasn't until 1938 that the first LDS chapel
appeared in Philly, says Stephenson, a lifelong Mormon who grew up there and earned a degree
from the University of Pennsylvania.
With the help of missionaries arriving from the West, through the decades Philly Mormons built
a strong, though small, community.
By the 1970s, the once-vibrant downtown — like other central cities across the nation — began
to empty out and, seeing the trend, the LDS Church sold its buildings in the home of the Liberty
Bell, including the 1938 chapel. A decade later, Mormon authorities changed course, reinvesting
in the city's core.
After Mormon leaders announced plans in 2008 to erect a temple in Philly, they huddled with
city officials and civic leaders, listening to any concerns about the project.
"From day one, the church wanted to make sure it was doing things the right way," says Cuorato,
the RDA chief. "It was not trying to take advantage [of anyone] as far as the land goes. It is
prime land."
At the time, two parcels were available — both parking lots — but with different owners,
Stephenson says. The one that eventually would house the temple came at a reasonable cost, but
when LDS officials approached the owner of the future home of The Alexander apartments and
shops, he "jacked up the price."
During the two years it took to negotiate all the approvals for the temple, the housing parcel went
into foreclosure, the LDS spokesman says. The bank then offered it to the church "for a tenth of
the previous owner's price."
With both blocks in hand, permits for the development sailed through in 30 days, Stephenson
adds, quoting a stunned lawyer involved in the quick process as saying, "Whatever you
Mormons pray for, you get."
—
Future trend? • Built on a rise near Beverly Hills in 1956, the Los Angeles Temple signified the
LDS Church's arrival and presence in that upscale area. Two decades, later, however, the
neighborhood declined.
IVCC September 2016 Press Clips
After that, Mormon officials seemed to favor affluent suburban sites for their most sacred
structures, trying to assure permanently secure and valuable locations. At times, this strategy ran
into resistance from wealthy neighbors.
If the Philly — or downtown Salt Lake City — model of pairing a temple with shopping malls
and housing works, it might be replicated in the future.
The Alexander — named not for the famous patriot of "Hamilton" musical fame but for
Alexander Milne Calder who designed the 37-foot-tall statue of William Penn that tops Philly's
dazzling City Hall — is all rentals, including 258 high-rise apartments and 13 town houses.
"It is billed as a 'luxury' building, meaning an indoor pool, exercise room and other amenities,"
Stephenson says. "I would guess a two-bedroom apartment will run about $2,500 per month,
which is the going rate for such in the neighborhood now."
The first two stories will feature shops such as boutiques and bakeries, drugstores and dry
cleaners.
"Everyone respects the fact that the Mormons came in and built this temple ... which is jawdroppingly beautiful," Cuorato says. "They played by the rules and did things the right way."
And it paid off.
"From an investment standpoint, we like the growth we see in Philadelphia's downtown," says
Dale Bills, a spokesman for the LDS Church's real-estate arm. "The Alexander will be a longterm hold for us, so we're looking forward to being part of the neighborhood for years to come."
Now, the Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia, which takes up a city block across from the LDS
grounds, hopes to follow a similar route.
"We just saw a master plan," says Cuorato, who also is president and CEO of the Independence
[Hall] Visitor Center (and a Catholic), "the archdiocese is planning to rebuild the entire block,
except the basilica, and include a commercial development."
Such exchanges and opportunities seem apt, Stephenson says, for such a religiously rich city —
where a gold-leafed Angel Moroni aims his trumpet directly at the founder of it all, astride the
famed City Hall.
IVCC September 2016 Press Clips
Dilworth Park in Center City.
M. Fischetti /VISIT PHILADELPHIA™
September 02, 2015
CollegeFest welcomes students to Philly at
Dilworth Park
Local students get free access to museums, more
By Aubrey Nagle
PhillyVoice Contributor
Campus Philly is gearing up for its annual citywide "welcome" to college students on Saturday,
September 12. CollegeFest 2015 will introduce Philadelphia's many students to the city and its
offerings with free admission to museums, games and more.
To join in on the fun, students need only head to Dilworth Park at City Hall. Once there they can
check in and grab a free wristband that grants all-day access to African-American Museum in
Philadelphia, Eastern State Penitentiary, Franklin Institute, Kimmel Center for the Performing
Arts, National Constitution Center, Philadelphia History Museum and Philadelphia Museum of
Art and Rodin Museum. They can also use the PHLASH bus loop for free to travel between
spots.
At Dilworth Park, exhibitors will be on hand with giveaways, live music, lawn games and a
virtual reality station. Food vendors and the on-site Rosa Blanca cafe will have snacks available
IVCC September 2016 Press Clips
for purchase, too. For college students new to the city, this is a chance to mingle with each other
and their new surroundings.
CollegeFest 2015
Saturday, September 12
10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Dilworth Park
15th and Market Streets
IVCC September 2016 Press Clips
M. Dilworth Park is one of William Penn’s original city squares.
Fischetti/Visit Philadelphia™
September 08, 2016
Students receive free museum admission
during CollegeFest
By Sinead Cummings
PhillyVoice Staff
Looking for something free to do? Campus Philly will once again throw CollegeFest for local
students. The free event will take place Sept. 10 at Dilworth Park, outside of City Hall.
There will be giveaways, contests, lawn games and music. The freebies also extend beyond the
festival. Pick up a wristband at CollegeFest for free admission at 10 museums:
•Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
•African American Museum in Philadelphia
•Eastern State Penitentiary
•Franklin Institute
•Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
•National Constitution Center
•National Museum of American Jewish History
•Philadelphia History Museum
IVCC September 2016 Press Clips
•Philadelphia Museum of Art
•Rodin Museum
Just show a valid college ID to gain access. The wristband also takes care of transportation.
Students can ride Philly PHLASH buses to the museums.
Everything is free besides food and drink, which will be available for purchase at the event.
CollegeFest 2016
Saturday, Sept. 10
Beginning 10 a.m. | Free
Dilworth Park
1 S. 15th St.