January 9–16, 1997

hit and run

The Deal Of The Art

The backers of the Head House Square cafe proposal continue to modify their controversial plan, this time making room for the annual summer weekend art show.

Liz Eaby, an organizer of the Creative Collective Craft and Fine Arts Fair, met recently with Ross House co-owners Wayne Spilove and John Torsella to discuss sharing the Shambles, the historic arcade on Head House between Pine and Lombard, with theplanned outdoor cafe. Spilove, Torsella and their partners — Dickens Inn owner Michael Harwood and The Artful Dodger owners Jose Pumarada and Joe Misunas — hope to open in the spring.

Eaby is not thrilled with the idea, but sounds resigned to cooperating.

"If we have no choice," she said, "we will have to do that to preserve our show."

Her greatest concern right now, however, is timing. Artists plan their summer schedules months in advance; if the details aren't settled by Feb. 1, she said, the best and most popular vendors will be unavailable.

Torsella said that won't be a problem. In the next few weeks, he and his partners expect to pitch a revised plan to Eaby and to the ad hoc cafe task force formed recently by South Street Neighborhood Association, Society Hill Civic Association andother area community groups.

The partners also appear to be backing off the most contentious element of their plan, closing both sides of South Second Street between Pine and Lombard during cafe hours. Among the alternatives under consideration, said Torsella, are closing justthe east — or northbound — side of Second, or closing the west side and a portion of the east side, to allow local traffic to pass.

"I think one of these things is going to work," Torsella predicted. "I think something will happen this year along these lines."

— Frank Lewis