Bart Blatstein Develops Piazza Parking Lot, James MacAvoy, Holland Taylor, Eddie Alderson, & Meek Mill

November 2, 2017 by HughE Dillon

Bart Blatstein Develops Piazza Parking Lot, James MacAvoy, Holland Taylor, Eddie Alderson, & Meek Mill

Hello Thursday. Last Saturday I was at Hound-O-Ween at Schmidt’s Commons at the Piazza and I noticed the parking lot across the street was fenced off. So I text Bart to ask him, and coincidentally I ran into him later that evening at Philly Fights Cancer as well.

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This is what he wrote me back when I asked if he was developing the property: Bart said he was working on concept for this amazing parcel of land.
He said it would be complementary to the amazing Piazza.

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He said don’t worry about parking if you’re heading to Wahlburgers, which is in a building still owned by his company Tower Investments, inc. the glass building on the left. On the right is The Schmidt’s Commons at Piazza, which he previously owned and it was called The Piazza at Schmidts. Here’s my write up of the opening night. So crazy to read it, 2009

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There’s a free parking lot across the street catty-corner on a smaller parcel of land still owned by Tower Investments, specifically for Wahlburgers . The parking lot that he is creating a great concept on is the brown parcel of land. On the east-side of the “Piazza Parking Lot” is where The Schmidt’s Commons built a residential parking garage for their residents that live in the apartments. There’s still plenty of parking nearby, and I hear Schmidt’s Commons is in talks to partner with a nearby parking facility. I can’t wait to see what the visionary Blatstein is going to create on the Piazza Parking Lot.

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Glass movie update: This past weekend Sarah Paulson and her girlfriend, who I adore, Holland Taylor visited The Barnes Museum right before heading to Shyamaween . Maybe on a tip from Samuel L Jackson who stopped by last weekend. We probably won’t see them out and about in Philadelphia for a few weeks, as they’ve headed to Allentown to film for a few weeks in The Allentown State Hospital. According to Sharon Pinkenson, Executive Director of Greater Philadelphia Film Office, all three main characters are filming there – Samuel L Jackson, Bruce Willis and James McAvoy.

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All three have been spotted about and about in Allentown. McAvoy posed for a photo with a Lehigh Fitness Trainer and was seen pumping serious iron. Jackson grabbed a bite to eat at and posed with a worker; While Willis , McAvoy and Shyamalan were all seen at the Allentown Brew Works. Earlier in the day Willis was generous with a tip according to a bellhop. Rumor has it they’ll be back in town to film a few more scenes near Center City, maybe that subway shot at Snyder, and wrap shortly after Thanksgiving, just in time for the Creed 2 production office to open.

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Congrats to my friends Kristen Alderson and her brother Eddie Alderson who participated in the LLS #lightthenight walk in Philadelphia last Saturday night to raise much needed funds for life saving research to battle blood cancers. Eddie has been battling cancer for the past year. It’s great to see him out, and doing better. Sorry I missed it.

Meek Mill was at the Sixers game tonight, but last night he was bothering my favorite candy lady. Looks like this is on Walnut Street, he kept trying to get her to give away her candy since it was Halloween. He’s been spotted all over town recently filming music videos.

Check out PhillyChitChat Friday for more photos from Shyamaween 2017

Philadelphia

M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘Glass’ Starts Filming – The First Week Update

October 6, 2017 by HughE Dillon

The First Week of M. Night Shyamalan’s’s Movie Glass in Philly

Good Friday. Hope you guys had a great week. The weather this weekend is going to be unbelievable. My recommendations for a fun time: The Midtown Village Festival on Saturday in and around 13th Street bordered by Walnut and Chestnut. Besides the great beer and food, there’s a meet and greet with Philly Union Players. Best spot – McGillin’s. Old City Fest on Sunday – Third Street , Market to Race Streets. Philly.com has the run down. Plus it’s Outfest on Sunday in the Gayborhood. 12 – 6 PM centered at 13th and Locust St.

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M Night broke the internet on Monday. In an uncharacteristic manner Night, who is usually super secret, has tweeted about the upcoming Glass movie, from location scouting to hints on film plots but nothing blew up the internet like the above tweet he did on Monday. I answered back wondering where he made this tweet, knowing he was filming inside the Guerrin Rec Center in South Philly. Night
Then I remembered the film truck had wooden floors. So I’m going to guess that’s where it was taken. I took this shot Tuesday as they unloaded the camera’s in Old City where they were filming a scene at the comic book store Brave New Worlds.

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The Old City Set on Tuesday. None of the major characters were on site, but two of M Night alumni from Split and Unbreakable were seen.
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Actress Anya Taylor-Joy (Split) is seen on set of ‘Glass’ carrying a bag of comics. They’re not using real comics, but art work from local Philly artists found through Bluestone Fine Gallery in Old City.

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Extras outside the comic store, Brave New World 55 N 2nd St,. The guy in the green shirt is a Production Assistant (PA)

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Anya Taylor-Joy would come out of the comic store, and then run into the building next door, basically to avoid the paparazzi camera’s. Rather odd for a minor actor.

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Actor Spencer Treat Clark (Unbreakable) was just added to the cast last week, and appeared on set the 2nd day of filming. I like how he brings his own “cast chair”

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Then it was lunch time and Anya Taylor-Joy headed for her car to take her to her trailer. In the background is her stand in. Note the PA on the left stopping traffic on 2nd Street.
Hot Production Assistant literally stopping traffic

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Last night to tease my weekly appearance on WOGL I noted how I wasn’t disappointed that Bruce Willis wasn’t on the set Tuesday since the PA was not too shabby. You know every once in a while I’m on the look out for a guy for my readers.
Metro Philly Online wrote a little about him.

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And it turns out I was right, folks agreed he was something else. I have since learned his name is

Chris Wright Jr. shared your post. 14 hrs · Chad Hamilton, (I picked Chad as the Hot Crowd Control Guy last year on the It’s Always Sunny in Philly Set [google it it comes up} we have something in common now Show Attachment Chris is single.

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Tuesday night the film headed over to Dinic’s ie dive bar. It was fairly hard to grab shots my friends told me, as the windows were closed probably to keep the light even inside on the set. (I was covering the Mad Rex opening.)

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Nearby Taproom on 19th was supplying a clean bathroom for crew

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Bruce didn’t make an appearance at Taproom on 19th but Michael Strauss got this shot.
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MNightShyamalan continues to film in South Philly near Melrose Diner. It’s not much of a secret anymore as each night the neighborhood lines the street, sits on stoops and gathers on porches.
This is a scene from 19th and Ritner where they filmed in a private residence. Wednesday they filmed in a “security store” across from Melrose Diner. Today look for them in the same area.

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Thursday night M Night filmed extras and stunt doubles at the 15th and Snyder Broad Street Line stop. The trains stopped there, and a very nice strap handler sent me this photo – thanks!!

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I was covering the Bartram Garden’s Twilight Gala. It’s social season after all. Can’t wait for Creed to come, it films in the winter when Social Season is slow. 10-5-2017 11-40-52 PM (Custom)
Check back on Sunday as I have more Glass movie tidbits. Hope to see you tonight at

Brauhaus Schmitz Oktoberfest at the Armory.

Philadelphia

Dollar Store General Concept to Piazza; M∙A∙C Returns To Rittenhouse, Bruce Willis Spotted

August 11, 2017 by HughE Dillon

Hello Friday, August is just zipping by; BTW if you’re reading this before 830AM I’m on WOGL for another sing a long today with Marilyn Russell, and my pick for event of the weekend – it’s a killer. That’s a hint. Here’s another edition of #PCCBuzz (yes I know I changed the day again; Friday is a good day for gossip cause you need fun chitchat for the weekend, dinner and the beach) Last week I went to the 2nd Street Festival, it was fun. It wasn’t a client event so I got to really take my time to look around, and guess what I found a very interesting story.

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I saw this awning at The Schmidt’s Commons – DGX Philadelphia. Inside the space was still being built out. I check it out online to see what kind of business it was and it’s a subsidiary of Dollar Store General. According to a story in the Tennessean: Dollar General has a new demographic in mind with its smaller-format store concept DGX: millennials. .. There are similarities between a traditional Dollar General store and DGX, but the smaller-format store features a more modern design, a curated selection of goods and a brewed coffee station for metropolitan shoppers.

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It’s very similar to a convenience store with chips, a fountain machine with a variety of sodas, grab and go sandwiches and many of items to serve city dwellers.
“We are excited about our new smaller store concept and the opportunity to serve busy, city-dwellers with everyday low prices on the essentials they need in a convenient, easy-to-shop format,” Todd Vasos, Dollar General’s CEO, said in a statement. “The DGX format is geared to meet the needs of the millennial shopper, which is an emerging and important part of our customer base and will help us broaden our appeal to attract a new segment of urban customers who put a high premium on value and convenience.” (source) I asked around last Sunday and nearby neighbors told me at the end of August.

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Yesterday I was walking up Chestnut street and saw that Campers Shoes (1734 Chestnut St) had closed and in it’s place was this store window full of an explosion of fantastical colors but what did it mean. I did some research, and it turns out that it’s a new campaign connected with the launch of M∙A∙C Cosmetics stores opening around the world. The Chestnut Street store is opening in the Fall of 2017,

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and for what I’ve seen on the internet the store openings are a lot of fun. I can’t wait to shoot it. How awesome that M∙A∙C Cosmetics will have another stand a lone store in Rittenhouse

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Speaking of Rittenhouse Square, Bruce Willis who was in town prepping for M Night Shyamalan’s movie “Glass” was spotted @ Barclay Prime for dinner arriving at 7PM and leaving at 9:30PM, b4 heading across the park to Scarpetta for nightcap last nite. He’ll be back in September along with the rest of the cast of Glass – James McAvoy, Samuel L. Jackson, and Anya Taylor-Joy along with franchise newcomer Sarah Paulson. Samual Jackson said in an interview in Collier “We start rehearsal on [September] 18th and I start shooting on the 25th.”. They’ll be filming for 8 weeks, with many weeks of the shooting happening on the streets of Philadelphia, a bit in the studio and the rest outside of the City. Paparazzi HughE is ready. Filming is scheduled until Thanksgiving, with a movie release date of January 18, 2019. Heery Loftus Casting can help you become a star, or at least an extra on this movie. Glass is a direct sequel to Split and Unbreakable, bringing together the casts of both movies helmed by Shyamalan.

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Check out Gina Gannon tonight on 6ABC News during the crucial 4PM and 5PM newscasts.

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Crazy, Greg Seitter gets back from a relaxing vacation, then spends a day getting pies thrown in his face for charity. Sweet.
“I will be hosting a pie in the face fundraiser tomorrow afternoon to raise funds for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society‘s #LightTheNight campaign. A $20 (or more) donation will entitle a colleague of mine to throw a pie in my face in your honor. Make a donation now: http://pages.lightthenight.org/epa/Phi17/gseitter
#PieInTheFace #Charity #Fundraiser”
His supporters raised over $1000. I wonder if he’ll take more pies for more money?
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Save The Date

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Nina Tinari, Chairwoman of The Marian Anderson Award, announced today that five-time Grammy winner Dionne Warwick will receive the 2017 Marian Anderson Award on November 14, 2017, during the eagerly anticipated Gala and Concert at The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.