Political Deal-Making Expedites Barnes Move to Philly

The Barnes Foundation has cleared another hurdle to its planned move from Merion, PA, to the current site of a youth detention center on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia.

The resistance of Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell to the construction of a replacement detention facility in her West Philadelphia district has magically disappeared, thanks to an agreement to build a $12-million community center in her district, named for her late husband.

Jeff Shields and Dwight Ott of the Philadelphia Inquirer report:

The Barnes is expected to take over the land by May, and has the option to break its 99-year lease with the city if the Youth Study Center isn't gone by then. But the center's temporary move to a site in East Falls was threatened by residents who feared their community would become the center's permanent home.

"I think they will be comforted by the fact that there will be a permanent location," [Mayor] Street said.

So there are still some obstacles---possible community opposition to the temporary relocation of the detention center to another neighborhood until the permanent new facility is built, and a couple of pesky lawsuits filed by Montgomery County opponents to moving the Barnes to Philly away from their neighborhood.