A holiday season without Wanamaker Light Show, Dickens Village
The Wanamaker Light Show and Dickens Village are MIA this holiday season as the historic Center City building undergoes redevelopment . Why it matters: For the first time in generations, the Philly holidays will go without the beloved Christmastime attractions. State of play: The panels of snowmen, reindeer and sugar plum fairies, along with the bulk of the components for the show, remain tucked away in what's known as "Frosty Central" — a sealed hallway in the building behind the Wanamaker Organ. "They're safely stored," Ray Biswanger, executive director of the Friends of the Wanamaker Organ , tells Axios. Plus: The animatronic characters and displays for Dickens Village are housed and preserved on the building's third floor. The big picture: New York-based TF Cornerstone, which owns the Wanamaker, recently revealed a bar and restaurant concept for the Grand Court, home to the famous eagle statue and former site of the light show. Plus: The redevelopment includes converting office space into 600 apartments. Rendering of a potential remake of the Grand Court at the Wanamaker Building, which includes a bar around the eagle statue. Screenshot: Philadelphia Zoning Board of Adjustment What we know: The holiday attractions are paused for at least
