Sean McMonagle, the legislative assistant for Central Delaware Zoning Overlay author First District Councilman Frank DiCicco, said Monday he does not think a cash-for-gold store is allowable. “We are currently seeking more information.” “We have already been in touch with community leaders to voice concern about the possibility of such a business opening at that location,” said an official statement provided by SugarHouse spokeswoman Leigh Whitaker. And we were told from the beginning this would not happen, that the overlay protected us.”Īt least three neighborhood organizations, Fishtown Neighbors Association, FACT, and Northern Liberties Neighbors Association, are trying to determine exactly what the business is and if it can operate under the provisions of the Central Delaware Overlay District, a stop-gap overlay with provisions designed to protect the Central Delaware from development contrary to the city’s vision for its redevelopment, and SugarHouse’s Commercial Entertainment District, which prohibits certain types of nuisance businesses from operating within close proximity of the casino.Īcross Delaware Avenue, people at SugarHouse noticed the green signs, too.

But they had virtually the same reactions to the appearance of the cash for gold signs. Maggie O’Brien and Heiko were on opposing sides of the casino issue – O’Brien’s organization, Fishtown Action, aka FACT, wanted the casino for the jobs and recreation opportunities. “We had been told, and shame on us for believing, these kind of uses would not be allowed.” This is just the kind of use his organization predicted casinos would bring, he said, and the kind he – and other neighborhood activists from various organizations – worked to ban from the area through zoning legislation, Heiko said. You can still see the first frame in the video below, but you can no longer watch it.Īs soon as the green neon “Cash For Gold,” signs lit up the windows of the rowhouse-size building across Delaware Avenue from SugarHouse Casino, neighbors began trying to find out how the business could exist at that spot.Ĭasino-Free Philadelphia activist Jethro Heiko was driving to Boston with his wife and family for Passover when he first saw them. NOTE: When PlanPhilly first posted the YouTube video about this property, it was public.

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