Residential Buildings Along The Parkway Trying To Plan For Papal Visit
By Kristen Johanson
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Mayor Nutter announced more details Thursday about the security plan for the Pope's September visit, affecting area condo and apartment buildings near the Art Museum.
Federal officials have been in touch with property management about measures they are taking.
"The only thing that they said to us was to relay to our residents that if they wanted to get into that zone, with their vehicles, that they had to be into that zone by 6 p.m. Friday," says Chuck Homler works for CityView Condos near 20th and Hamilton.
Homler says the staggered information has made it more confusing:
"Ideally, what I would love, would be a joint communication from Homeland and the Mayor's office saying, 'forget everything you have heard, this is it'."
Homler and building staff have issued their own plan, implementing registration and pictures for all residents and guests prior to that weekend, adding more guards and getting new entrance badges.
He says they are trying to be as prepared as possible, but hope for more defined details:
"It would be really nice if they could customize it for the different zones, to say, people living in Fairmount/Art Museum, this is what you are going to have to worry about."
He adds they are going to take every precaution to protect the residents, and to treat Pope weekend like it's a worst case scenario.
