Center City piano "almost part of the community" after a few weeks on Lombard Street, neighbor says
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Parked on the sidewalk at 12th and Lombard streets in Philadelphia's Washington Square West neighborhood is an upright piano.
Actually, it's an "upright grand," according to a plaque, its 88 keys open and waiting for attention.
"It brings me so much joy," said Nikki Beden, who is one of the neighbors often treated to random concerts, the warm sounds filtering into her home nearby.
"People come by and play all hours of the day, in the middle of the night, and it doesn't matter if it's a few notes or banging on the piano," Beden said.
The instrument has been the talk of the block.
Neighbors were eager to talk about the family that moved out several weeks ago.
"They left the piano here. I guess they couldn't fit it into the truck or they didn't want it anymore," Lauren Cozzi said. "Probably too difficult to move."
Cozzi took piano lessons as a child.
The music, for her, is an inviting soundtrack in a busy neighborhood
"Honestly every hour or two, someone is playing a song," Cozzi said. "And it's nice to listen to."
Yet, as she discovered Thursday, the piano has suffered some bad luck in Philly's winter weather.
"This is crazy because I played it two or three weeks ago and all the keys worked," she said.
Neighbors are torn about the charming piano that is now on its last legs.
Some think it's time for the instrument to go. But others have enjoyed the random notes of passersby.
One person even wrote a note: "Save this piano!"
"Every so often — all day long — people come and play the piano, so we are getting free music in our house," Howie Wiener, who lives in Washington Square West, said.
Wiener said he saw a group of people trying to move it.
"They put one of these dollies for moving a sofa four wheels on plywood and lifted the piano and slid it underneath," Wiener said.
"Somewhere down the block, the dolly snapped," he said.
Glenn Grafton, of Grafton Piano and Organ, said pianos of this age often hold little value.
"The cost of moving and tuning exceeds what it is worth," he said.
He estimated the Philadelphia-made Lester Piano dates back a century.
CBS News Philadelphia reached out to the city sanitation department to see if staff is aware of the piano and is waiting to hear back.
For now, neighbors say the piano is no bother.
"It's almost part of the community now," Cozzi said. "It is a Philly thing."
