South Philly Review

Boundaries: 25th to Broad streets, Washington Avenue to Mifflin Street.

Origin of Name: The earliest references to Point Breeze date to 1895. Point Breeze Avenue became the road that cut southwest to provide access to the spot on the west side of the Schuylkill River from what was at the time Philadelphia proper. The avenue is a major artery for the community now known as Point Breeze.

Brief history: Prior to World War II, Point Breeze’s thriving business district was filled with restaurants and stores. As the decades went on, the businesses suffered from neglect and Point Breeze’s population dropped, losing 10 percent of residents between 1990 and 2000. Lacking enrollment, St. Charles Borromeo School, 2019 Montrose St., closed.

Universal Companies, based at 15th and Catharine streets, took on the mission of revitalizing the blighted areas in the mid-’90s. Universal founder Kenny Gamble’s Point Breeze Estates offered 18 single-family homes for low- to moderate-income buyers and it replaced four vacant properties and 35 blighted lots on the 1500 and 1600 blocks of Federal Street.

Universal also oversees West Passyunk's Edwin H. Vare and South of South's Edwin M. Stanton and Universal Institute Charter School.

The Point Breeze Performing Arts Center opened at 1717-21 Point Breeze Ave. 20 years ago and has professionally trained scores of dancers. The Point Breeze Youth Development Educational Center, 1530 Point Breeze Ave., opened in 2009.

Famous Residents: LA Clippers forward Rasual Butler, from 20th and Manton streets; dancer Anthony Burrell, 22nd and Dickinson streets, is a product of the Point Breeze Performing Arts Center; jazz musicians the Heath Brothers — tenor saxophonist Jimmy, drummer Albert and bass player Percy; community activist Mamie Nichols; Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter, lead vocalist/rapper of Grammy-winning band The Roots, from 23rd and Watkins streets; H. Patrick Swygert, former president of Howard University, from 15th and Wharton streets; Anna Verna, a native of the 2200 block of Dickinson Street; Dwight Grant aka Beanie Sigel, from 22nd and Sigel streets

Major Landmarks: The Point Breeze Performing Arts Center; the Mamie Nichols Center, 1529 S. 22nd St.

Architecture: Rowhouses and townhouses.

U.S. Congressional District: 2nd, Chaka Fattah (D)

U.S. Senators: Bob Casey (D); U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey (R)

Pennsylvania Governor: Tom Corbett (R)

State Senate District 1st, Lawrence M. Farnese Jr. (D), 8th, Anthony H. Williams (D)

State House District: 184th, William F. Keller (D); 186th, Kenyatta J. Johnson (D)

City Council District: 2nd, Council President Anna Verna (D)

Ward: 36th

Police District: 17th, Capt. Anthony Washington; Community Relations Officer Horace Gibson; 17th District Police Advisory Council

Civic Groups: Concerned Citizens of Point Breeze; Neighbors In Action; Point Breeze Civic Association, Point Breeze Avenue Business Association; Point Breeze Community Development Coalition; Point Breeze District Alliance; Point Breeze Pioneers; South Philly HOMES Inc.

Library: Queen Memorial, 1201 S. 23rd St.

Schools: Delaplaine McDaniel Elementary, 1801 S. 22nd St.; Smith Academics, 1900 Wharton

Places Of Worship: Bible Way Missionary Baptist Church, 1705 Point Breeze Ave.; Christian Compassion Baptist Church, 1608 Point Breeze Ave.; Christian Fellowship Baptist Church, 1925 Tasker; Church of the Redeemer, 1440 S. 24th St.; El Shadai Church, 2019 S. 19th St.; Faithful Few United Baptist Church, 1326 S. 21st St.; First Pentecostal Church, 1505 S. 20th St.; Friendship Baptist Church, 18th and Wharton streets; Galilee Community Baptist Church, 1164 S. 18th St.; Gospel Temple Baptist Church, 1327 S. 19th St.; Grace Covenant Community Fellowship Church, 2413 Wharton St.; Grace Harvest Christian, 1841 S. 21st St.; Greater Bethlehem Baptist Church, 2300 Tasker St.; Greater Deliverance Temple, 1333 S. 21st St.; Holy Ghost Byzantine Catholic Church, 2310 S. 24th St.; Holy Ground Church 1426 S. 23rd St.; Indonesian Christian Church, 1738 S. 19th St.; King David Baptist Church, 1133 S. 20th St.; Martin Isaiah Revival, 2221 Pierce St.; Mount Olive Primitive Baptist Church, 2061 Mountain St.; Mount Zion, 1224-26 Point Breeze Ave.; Mount Sinai Baptist Church, 1228 S. 21st St.; New Antioch Baptist Church, 1244 S. 22nd St.; New Bethany Baptist Church, 1415 S. 23rd St.; New Birth Baptist Church, 1710 S. 20th St.; New Gethsemene Baptist Church, 2301 Wharton St.; New Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church of South Philly, 1639 S. 20th St.; 19th Street Baptist Church, 19th and Titan streets; People's Mission Church, 2356 Wilder St.; Point Breeze Cong-Jehovah’s, 2037 Ellsworth St.; Second Nazareth Missionary Baptist Church, 1800 Tasker St.; Solid Rock Baptist Church, 1836 Federal; St. Edmond's, 2130 S. 21st St.; St. James AME Zion Church, 2001 Reed St.; St. Mark's Baptist Church, 1238 S. 23rd St.; St. Paul Chapel Baptist Church, 1217 S. 21st St.; St. Simon the Cyrenian Church, 1401 S. 22nd St.; St Stephen’s Baptist Church, 1627 S. 21st St.; Tasker Street Baptist Church, 2010 Tasker St.; Trinity Lutheran Church, 2300 S. 18th St.; True Way of Jesus Christ, 1254-56 S. 18th St.; Twentieth Street Baptist Church, 1215 S. 20th St.; Unity Baptist Church, 1522 S. 22nd St.; Word of Life Church Ministry, 1208-14 S. 23rd St.; Word of Truth Christian Church, 1414 S. 22nd St.; Zion AME Church, 1600 S. 21st St.

Rec Centers: Dixon House, 1920 S. 20th St.; Mamie Nichols Center; Point Breeze Performing Arts Center; Marian Anderson Rec, 17th and Fitzwater streets, in South of South; Vare Rec, 26th and Morris, in Grays Ferry

Parks/Playgrounds: Chew Playground, 19th Street and Washington Avenue; Wharton Square, 2300 Wharton St.; Warringer Post, 24th Street and Snyder Avenue.

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