Not long ago, the intersection of South 17th and Carpenter Streets in Graduate Hospital was home to a trio of underused vacant lots. All three were owned by the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority (
PRA) -- it had been attempting to unload the land for a decade.
Now that intersection is beginning to transform in a major way.
The sustainably-designed mixed-use project known as
Carpenter Square will soon rise there. And due partly to the interest generated by that project, PRA recently released an RFP for the still-empty lot on the opposite side of 17th Street.
Meanwhile, according to the South of South Neighborhood Association's (SOSNA) Andrew Dalzell, that organization is "just waiting on the weather to get good" before moving forward with its plans for
Carpenter Green, a small corner park slated for the intersection's northwest corner.
After signing a lease with the PRA and surveying neighbors to discover which amenities would be most in demand at the parklet (trash cans, lighting, trees and seating were all popular), SOSNA now has to settle on one of three possible designs before raising funds for Carpenter Green's construction.
Also coming soon to the immediate area: A new vision for the playground at the
Edwin M. Stanton School, which sits just two blocks north of the intersection.
"2014 could be a very bright year for 17th and Carpenter," says Dalzell after running down the details behind Carpenter Square, Carpenter Green, the E.M. Stanton School playground, and the potential for new construction on the remaining lot. "With just those four things, suddenly that's pretty transformative for this two-block area."
Writer: Dan Eldridge
Source: Andrew Dalzell, SOSNA