Fishtown : Development News

East Girard Avenue in Fishtown has the bones of a great commercial corridor. The blocks between Front Street and I-95 feature a tight knit collection of businesses and great architecture, with easy access to public transit. The booming development in the surrounding neighborhood has led to an influx of restaurants, shops and bars.
 
The New Kensington Community Development Corporation (NKCDC) is working hard to steward that development. Recent tangible accomplishments include a hyper-pedestrian streetscape plan and "Take Me to the River," a gateway feature connecting East Girard to nearby Penn Treaty Park. Now, with two big initiatives in the pipeline, NKCDC looks to improve the intangible: East Girard’s image.
 
The first, LISC Corridors of Retail Excellence -- LISC CORE for short -- is the result of a grant from LISC. According to NKCDC's Angie Williamson, the group will utilize the funds to make "a big impact with small investments" along the corridor.  
 
One example is a Model Block Initiative on visual merchandising, focused on the stretch of Girard between Oxford and Marlborough Streets. Quite simply, NKCDC hopes the campaign will become "an example for others along East Girard to follow." To achieve that goal, NKCDC hired local architects David Quadrini and Brian Syzmanik. They'll work with the block's businesses to improve window displays and facades, and connect pedestrians on the sidewalk with activity inside.
 
"Sometimes it’s as simple as leaving the lights on at night or placing the cash register in just the right place," explains Williamson. "We’re trying to help local businesses develop an understanding of visual merchandising and design, skills they can use years from now."

The Model Block program should be complete by early summer, about the same time the CDC’s other large initiative will be complete. That project, Girard Avenue East District Marketing, is being funded by another healthy grant, this time from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.  
 
"It’s purely a marketing plan," says Williamson, "but there will be quite a bit of urban design components as well." Local firms Letter 27 and Interface Studio LLC, known for their graphic design prowess and branding expertise, have been tapped for the job. They hope to establish East Girard as a destination beyond its immediate neighborhood.
 
Beyond the summer, Williamson and NKCDC have their eye on the ultimate selling point for the corridor: the Front and Girard El SEPTA stop. "It’s a big gateway opportunity for us," says Williamson, noting that its current condition leaves something to be desired. "Once you enter East Girard from the El, we want as nice an experience as possible, so that’s what we’ll focus on improving in the future."
 
So far, no funding has been identified for such an ambitious project, but Williamson remains optimistic that dramatic improvements can be made in the not-too-distant future. 

For more on the NKCDC's efforts in Fishtown, check out our feature on Executive Director Sandy Salzman.

Source: Angie Williamson, New Kensington CDC
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

It’s not every day you meet a developer who sounds more like an urban planner than a real estate man. But the folks over at eco-friendly Postgreen fit squarely in that category—they have two projects coming soon to Frankford Avenue that exemplify a modern urban planner’s ideal: mixed-use, affordable and energy-efficient.

"We’re kind of urban planning geeks," says Postgreen's Chad Ludeman. "We have a strong interest in mixed-use corridors like Frankford and Girard, and want to make sure new development is done intelligently."

This pair of projects near the East Kensington/Fishtown border exemplify that ethos. The larger development, dubbed FRANK, will bring 10 condos (most likely in the mid-$200K range) and one or two commercial spaces to the 2400 block of Frankford Avenue adjacent to Philadelphia Brewing Company. The other as-yet-unnamed infill project will bring four apartments and a “date night” restaurant to the 2000 block of Frankford.

As with all of Postgreen’s developments, the buildings will highlight energy-efficient, modern green building practices, but remain moderately-priced. "As a developer, we’ve found a niche in providing eco-friendly, well-designed homes that are also affordable," explains Ludeman, who started Postgreen with his wife and another business partner in 2008. 

When it comes to the condos, he says "the mid-$200k's is a sweet spot in the market." By being smart with design choices and designing energy-efficient buildings, savings are passed on to the buyer. "We're proof positive you can build sustainably at a decent price," he adds.

As of now, architectural firm ISA is tweaking the final designs for FRANK, and Ludeman and company are working out tenant agreements for the commercial spaces. The other project already has a restaurant concept lined-up, put together by the team behind Memphis Taproom. Both projects are expected to officially break ground in the coming months.

Source: Chad Ludeman, Postgreen
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

The City Planning Commission recently approved the Penn Street section of the Central Delaware River Trail. Paired with current improvements being made to the Washington Green section of the trail, this represents a major step towards implementing new design standards for the multipurpose trail. 
 
The Washington Green trail, built in 2010, was laid with basic asphalt and meant to be temporary. Now folks with the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation are taking the next steps to make it permanent. "The route is being straightened to bring it closer to the river," explains Karen Thompson of the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation. "We’re cleaning up the area and removing invasive species to make the trail more user-friendly."
 
Thompson says these improvements are incremental and will bring that portion of the trail more in line with the new Delaware River Waterfront Corporation design standards for the entire trail.   
 
Those final design guidelines will be showcased in the Penn Street portion of the trail. "We’re taking all the recommendations from the Waterfront Master Plan and building it here," says Thompson. "To that effect, sustainable design elements include trail-side rain gardens and solar street lights."
 
The Penn Street trail will connect the future Spring Garden Street greenway to the Central Delaware, where it will run along Delaware Avenue, connect to Penn Street and run though the Sugarhouse Casino parking lot. The Casino has agreed to build the section of the trail through its parking lot, connecting it to an existing trail on the property. 
 
The Commission’s approval was a big milestone for the project because it has allowed the Waterfront Corporation to move forward with implementation. "The project will go out for construction bid in the next few months," says Thompson. "We hope to start construction at the beginning of 2013 and have it finished by Memorial Day." 

Source: Karen Thompson, Delaware River Waterfront Corporation
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Are you a craft publisher wannabe?  Or maybe you just need an affordable, quiet environment to write?  Well if you’re either, or both of these people, you’re in luck – up-and-coming local publishing company The Head & The Hand Press has officially signed a lease at 2031 Frankford Avenue to open a workshop dedicated to providing a space for those who appreciate literary aesthetics. 

“The space is for anyone who wants to come and write,” says Nic Esposito, founder of The Head &The Hand.  “If you are a freelancer who needs a quiet getaway or you’re a story teller looking to get a book published, the work shop is for you.” 
Nic, a writer himself, says the new space will be for two general purposes.  First, it will provide a membership driven collaborative and creative space for local writers. Second, the workshop will be home to the Press' publishing operations to support novelists and story tellers.   

“We’re particularly excited about attracting that person who has a story to tell but doesn’t have the means to do it,” explains Esposito, who recently wrote his own book on urban farming. “The workshop offers all the traditional aspects of publishing – everything from writing, editing, graphic layout, but will involve the writer in a hands-on approach in a way big publishing companies can’t.” 

Esposito decided to start The Head & The Hand primarily because of the difficulties he saw in the publishing world when he wrote his book.  “I saw the upside of having a publisher help market your material,” explains Esposito. “When I was searching for a publisher, I quickly saw there weren’t many local publishing companies in Philly.”

So he started his own.  After a year of a lot of research and pulling together a committed team, The Head & The Hand was born.  The company officially bills itself as a craft publisher that treats writing as a craft and considers writers to be artisans. Esposito and the new company is influenced and inspired by the movement in Philadelphia and beyond to revitalize the manufacturing sector into locally based, handcrafted industries. 

The new work shop will share be sharing the space with Sarah Anderson, proprietor of the eclectic vintage shop Two Percent to Glory and join other recent Frankford Ave. favorites such as Pizza Brain, Little Baby’s Ice Cream, The Rocket Cat Café, and The Pickled Heron. 

“We’re very excited about the location,” says Esposito, “there are a lot of positive things happening along Frankford Ave. and being in the heart of Kensington fits the artisanal manufacturing aesthetic we’re going for.” 

Esposito and his friend Jim Zeppieri are currently in the process of building the desks for the workshop, hoping to have most, if not all of the work shop built out by November’s First Friday on the Avenue.  From there, expect a lot of events catered to the writing and publishing communities.  “The workshop won’t be static.  We’re going to be involved in the community,” says Esposito, “anything from the basics of writing to lectures on influential writers should be expected.”

Esposito and company will definitely be done by Nov, 16 when they hold an official launch party for The Head & The Hand at Johnny Brenda’s at 8 pm. 

Source: Nic Esposito, founder of The Head + The Hand Press
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

When it comes to sustainable transportation around Philadelphia, pedestrians have been without an active group speaking on their behalf since PhillyWalks ended about a decade ago. While bicyclists have enjoyed advocacy from the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia and mass transit riders have been represented by the Delaware Valley Association of Rail Passengers, pedestrians have not found a similar voice recently. That is, until now. The Clean Air Council has just formed a pedestrian advocacy group, and is in the process of creating an agenda for those who travel with two feet on the pavement.

This new group, dubbed the "Pedestrian Advocacy Project," has met twice so far and has crowdsourced its agenda through the hundreds of people who are on its listserv, according to Dennis Winters, a trails associate at the Council who is leading the project. Winters says e-mail participants indicated the biggest problem facing pedestrians is that "red-green lights (are) not synced right." In other words, traffic lights around the Philadelphia area often favor motorists over pedestrians.

At the project’s second meeting, the 10 or so attendees largely agreed with the e-mail survey. They discussed intersections in Philadelphia, such as 20th and JFK Blvd., that are not as pedestrian-friendly as they believe they should be. Attendees arrived at the conclusion that pedestrian countdown signals and corresponding traffic lights should be re-timed to equalize the playing field between drivers and walkers. By the end of the evening, a committee had formed to study pedestrian countdown signals, and how they could be improved.

One prevailing question for the nascent advocacy group is whether pedestrian countdown signals themselves are to blame for diminishing the pedestrian experience, or whether bad behavior on the part of motorists is to blame. Deborah Schaaf, an employee of the City Planning Commission and a walker herself, says that police enforcement of aggressive driving had to be cut short due to lack of funds. In fact, police overtime money that was supposed to go to the "Give respect, get respect" campaign targeting vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian infractions instead went to Occupy Philly coverage.

The Pedestrian Advocacy Project’s online members also indicated that the presence of outdoor seating and other obstructions blocking sidewalks, traffic laws not being adequately enforced, and aggressive drivers turning left were other impediments for pedestrians. Most members of the listserv attended the Academy of Natural Sciences forum "Walkability: Philadelphia Strides into the Future," which was where the pedestrian advocacy group was unveiled. Given that just about everyone in Philadelphia walks, even if it is just to get to their car or train, this group could help a lot of people.   

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Source: Dennis Winters

The Pennsylvania Convention Center Annex was filled with the redolent scents of artisanal cheese, creamy gelato, freshly-baked bread and biscotti, and premium steeped tea last Sunday. These scents formed the aromatic calling card for the Philly Farm and Food Fest, which was co-organized by Fair Food and the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA). One of the highlights of the convention was a panel discussion on the Green Space Alliance’s recent study “Transforming open space to sustainable farm enterprises.”

The panel discussion started with an outline of Green Space Alliance’s (GSA’s) findings, which include recommendations on public outreach, zoning and planning, and urban areas. One of the chief findings is that GSA should extend an arm to local governments, land trusts, and conservancies to generate knowledge about sustainable farming. Under zoning, the study concludes that specific ordinance definitions should be drafted, says Justin Keller, an architect with Simone Collins Landscape Architecture, which prepared the study for GSA. 

Finally, the study advises that incentives be created for urban farms that bolster stormwater management through the elimination of impervious surfaces. It specifically pinpoints urban farms as sources of sorely-needed nourishment in food deserts and job creators in neighborhoods with rampant unemployment. GSA found that the city of Philadelphia has nearly 2,500 acres that can be used for farming, which could yield a crop value between $6.4 and $10.8 million, says Peter Simone, also an architect with Simone Collins.

After Simone Collins presented the study, three panelists offered conference-goers some feedback. Nic Esposito, who farms at East Kensington’s Emerald St. Urban Farm, is interested in the study’s examination of municipal land, as his farm is owned by three different city agencies. While the study looks at both CSAs and farms that donate food, Esposito makes sure to mention that Emerald St. donates all the food it generates from chickens and bees. He also adds that Councilwoman Sanchez and Councilman Green’s land bank resolution in City Council would be an asset for urban farming on vacant land.

Another panelist was Joan Blaustein, chair of the Philadelphia Food Policy Council and a director in the city’s department of Parks and Recreation. Blaustein, who grows food in her own backyard garden, emphasizes the practical nature of urban gardening. Urban gardens “should satisfy the social needs of people in the city,” says Blaustein. She proceeds to give the city a pat on the back for emphasizing urban farms in its Greenworks plan and mentioning it in its new zoning code. 

The third panelist was Fred DeLong, a project director at the Willistown Conservation Trust and Rushton Farm in Chester County. DeLong differs from the other panelists in that his farm certainly isn’t urban. Nonetheless, he has a similar goal to the study and his fellow panelists. “Willistown Conservation Trust wants to connect people to the land,” says DeLong. He adds that within the trust is the Rushton Farm, which is a natural community-supported agriculture (CSA) within an 80-acre nature preserve.   

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Sources: Justin Keller, Peter Simone, Nic Esposito, Joan Blaustein, and Fred DeLong, panelists at Philly Farm and Food Fest

Illustration courtesy of Philly Farm and Food Fest   

Abandoned lots in Northern Liberties are hard to come by, especially on bustling 2nd St, which is home to both The Piazza and Liberties Walk at Schmidt's. Inexplicably, a parcel at 2nd and Brown Sts. has been left behind, and is currently a vacant lot. However, this could soon change, as a developer is looking to build 10 apartments and commercial space on the site. 

In fact, developer and real estate agent Chris Richetti has been in front of the Northern Liberties Neighbors Association to discuss his plans to convert the vacant lot. Richetti hopes to construct a six-story apartment complex with 10 apartments, 10 parking spaces, and ground floor commercial. His plans are supported by the Northern Liberties Neighbors Association (NLNA), according to Larry Freedman, the zoning chair for NLNA. "We support it and hope he [Richetti] finds a nice commercial tenant," says Freedman. 

Freedman says the proposed development of the 2nd and Brown lot is just the latest news in a frantic month for Northern Liberties. He highlights this point by saying his zoning committee is reviewing as many agenda items as it was during the area's economic boom in the early-2000s. This is despite a dip in activity during the recession. "There was a minor lull during the economic crunch, but it didn't last long here, and things are seriously popping again," says Freedman. 

There is still a lot of work that needs to go into Richetti's plan. Freedman says that a final design needs to be formulated for the development, which will likely be presented when the realtor meets with NLNA's urban design committee. Also, Richetti has yet to go in front of the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA). 

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Source: Larry Freedman, Northern Liberties Neighbors Association

The Philadelphia Zoo might be the nation’s oldest zoo, but it’s ahead of its time when it comes to sustainability.

The zoo began work a few months ago on a new LEED-certified, indoor children’s zoo called the Hamilton Family Children’s Zoo and Education Center, which will house animals hard to find at U.S. zoos. In addition to rare animal breeds, the zoo hopes to include animals that are currently, or are likely to be, affected by climate change.

The zoo is planning to offer a panoply of exotic animals for children, some of which will teach lessons about environmental decay. "There will be a great variety [of animals], providing opportunity for our youngest visitors to engage with animals," reports Dr. Andy Baker, the zoo’s chief operating officer. These animals will represent rare breeds of livestock, sheep, goats, and miniature horses. According to Baker, the youth zoo will also emphasize animals affected by climate change, such as Australian parakeets, tropical butterflies and fish, high-elevation frogs, ants, and even dreaded rats.

The Hamilton addition will include the first LEED-certified zoo building in Pennsylvania. Baker is excited about the zoo’s environmentally friendly approach to teaching children. First of all, he says the project will be sustainable because it will re-use an existing structure, the former pachyderm house. While some new structures will have to be built, they will come equipped with green roofs. Third of all, the children’s center will include a "significant geothermal field" for heating and air conditioning, says Baker. Finally, the facility will utilize rain gardens, and re-use graywater for restrooms.

Baker also hopes to make the new children’s zoo accessible to all types of children, including those with communications and physical disabilities. "Signage will include pictures for autistic kids," says Baker. He also assures that Braille and sign language will be made available for children who are visually- or aurally-impaired. The children’s zoo and education center will also be situated near the entrance of the zoo, which makes it more convenient for children in wheelchairs. Baker makes sure to add that this is part of the zoo’s "tremendous ambition" to enable children to interact with animals.

Expect the Hamilton Family Children’s Zoo and Education Center to open in April, 2013. Baker believes construction will wrap up late this year or early next year, with the remaining few months devoted to opening preparation. Sustainability as it relates to animals and humans will be a central theme, as Baker promises it will include lessons on how people can recycle and use water and energy efficiently.

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Source: Dr. Andy Baker, Philadelphia Zoo

Hope St. between Palmer and Cecil B. Moore in South Kensington is currently cloaked in abandonment, aside from the trash and weeds that call the block home. Yet, the street may finally live up to its name, as Independents Hall, the popular Philly coworking space, is looking to construct a sustainable cohabitation space between Hope and Howard Sts. This house, called a "K'House,” just received the blessing from the South Kensington Community Partners neighborhood group at a meeting on Thursday, and now awaits an endorsement from the local city councilwoman and the City Planning Commission.

Indy Hall has teamed up with the noted sustainable construction pioneers Postgreen Homes and the architectural firm Digsau to build the K'House. Postgreen plans to build six housing units, designed for both romantic couples and roommates. Each unit will come equipped with its own kitchen and living quarters. Yet, the real story lies in all the shared space between the units, which will be comprised of an industrial kitchen and dining area, a media center, a basement, and a roof deck with a Center City vista. 

As with other Postgreen projects, sustainability will be a guiding principle in the construction of the K'House. This means the house will include "super insulated walls, triple pane windows, Energy Star appliances, high efficiency HVAC, low-flow water fixtures, [and] low VOC [Volatile Organic Compounds] everything,” says Chad Ludeman, the president of Postgreen. Ludeman adds that the location was purposely chosen for its proximity to SEPTA's Berks El stop and walkability. Thus, along with the sustainable elements on the inside, the house will also promote sustainable transportation.

Postgreen and Indy Hall feel as though South Kensington is an ideal neighborhood for the K'House. Ludeman, who lives in the community himself, says that residents can walk to either Northern Liberties or Fishtown, or take a relatively quick train ride to Center City and University City. In addition, "this neighborhood is very much an up-and-coming fringe neighborhood that has passionate residents, both old and new,” points out Ludeman. Finally, Postgreen's president lauds South Kensington for its safety and affordability.

The developers' recent experience with the South Kensington Community Partners only served to bolster their morale in the community. Ludeman is happy to report that the preponderance of feedback from the meeting was supportive or neutral of the K'House, even though the plans call for further density with no further parking. There were some queries about street lighting and fallback plans if the K'House hits a snag, as residents wanted to see the developers' maintain a long-term presence in their neighborhood. Indy Hall's Alex Hillman says that they will continue to listen to their neighbors.

Ludeman is happy with the reaction from the Community Partners, but is already tracing the Postgreen's and Indy Hall's next steps. He says they will next pursue the support of their local councilwoman, Maria Quinones Sanchez, and the City Planning Commission. After that, he anticipates going in front of the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) to get a variance for type of use, a shortage on the open space requirement, and lack of parking. For those of you looking for a place to live, the good news is Indy Hall is still accepting applications to join the K'House.

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Sources: Chad Ludeman, Postgreen Homes and Alex Hillman, Independents Hall

For those who drive on or around I-95 in Port Richmond and/or Fishtown, it's time to face the inevitable. After decades of shin-splintering abuse from cars, trucks, and buses, the highway and its surrounding streets will have to be re-constructed. This construction has already begun on Richmond St, which is a popular highway detour and neighborhood street in Port Richmond.

PennDOT's ambitious efforts to improve Richmond Street are now underway. Elaine Elbich, PennDOT's project manager for the highway re-construction, says that Richmond St. will be made more practical to drive, bike, or walk along, and more beautiful to look at. She says the street will be widened to accommodate one auto lane in both directions, one bicycle lane in both directions, and a center turn lane. This work is necessitated by new access points to I-95 from Richmond that will be built during the course of the interstate's overhaul.

Elbich also points out that Richmond St.'s aesthetic appeal is a top priority of the transportation department. This includes enhanced lighting and the planting of new trees. There will also be an intriguing public art component to this, which the Port Richmond community insisted upon. Elbich says the community decided to showcase the fabled Cramp heavy metal shipyard building, which ironically was demolished to make way for a new highway interchange with Richmond. According to the project manager, PennDOT is working with the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation to identify an artist.

PennDOT is currently in the very preliminary stages of its work on both Richmond St. and I-95. At the moment, they're removing the SEPTA trolley wire and boring through soil at the site of Conrail bridges that will eventually be replaced. As for the interstate, Elbich says that construction will commence in early autumn at the earliest. The highway lane closures that drivers despise might go into effect early next year, although they will be confined to overnight, weekend, and possibly off-peak midday periods.

Chuck Davies, PennDOT's assistant district executive for design, underscores just how hungry the highway is to be re-constructed. "There are long-standing safety problems on the highway connected to the geometry of interchanges,” advises Davies. Furthermore, the age of I-95 is a driving force behind the need for repair. Davies points out that some of Southeastern Pennsylvania's most severely structurally deficient bridges rust along 95.

The good news for motorists is that PennDOT will have multiple avenues of keeping drivers informed during the construction on Richmond St. and I-95. The department maintains a website called 95revive.com, which features primers on the various stages of the project, current construction, traffic conditions, and a construction newsletter. Also, drivers, or better yet passengers, can call 511 to receive traffic information. For those drivers who don't have hands-free phones, variable message boards, travel time readers, and other Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) will be employed on I-95.

Sources: Elaine Elbich and Chuck Davies, PennDOT
Writer: Andy Sharpe

Food and energy cooperatives have certainly gained steam in the Delaware Valley in the past few years. Odds are you’ve heard of Weaver’s Way Co-op in Northwest Philadelphia, and you may have even heard of Mariposa and the Energy Co-op. Yet, there’s one you may not have heard of that’s working with federal and city lawmakers to pump up the clout of local co-ops. This co-op is the Kensington Community Food Co-op (KCFC), which was founded in 2008.

One of KCFC’s top priorities is to get the United States House of Representatives to pass the National Cooperative Development Act, according to Peter Frank, the vice president of KCFC and the campaign coordinator of the movement to pass the act. While this is national legislation, Frank is unequivocal that the passage would be a great thing for the Philadelphia-area. “Philadelphia also has a good 'co-op infrastructure' in place to support further co-op development,” says Frank.

This would explain the November launch of the Philadelphia-area Cooperative Alliance (PACA). Along with KCFC, the Alliance counts members from Weaver’s Way, Mariposa, the Energy Co-op, and credit unions. Frank says PACA is orchestrating a cooperative conference at Drexel University in June, which is being organized by the grandson of former mayor Richardson Dilworth on Drexel’s behalf. One of PACA’s first tasks will be to work with Philadelphia City Council to pass a resolution recognizing the social and economic windfalls of cooperatives in the city. 

KCFC’s Vice President is so passionate about the National Cooperative Development Act and PACA because of the positive impact they can have on Kensington. For one thing, KCFC has been looking to open up its own grocery store for some time now, but has not had the funds to do so. The proposed bill could turn the key for this grocery store. Going beyond just KCFC, Frank lauds cooperatives as a chance for decent jobs, vital grocery and banking services, and a means of keeping money in and around Kensington.  

The myriad local benefits of cooperatives justifies why local representative Chaka Fattah wrote the Act, while fellow local Reps. Allyson Schwartz and Bob Brady co-sponsored. Specifically, the bill would provide capital funding for co-ops, along with free technical assistance and training, says Frank. The bill was officially introduced to the U.S. House as H.R. 3677 a couple of weeks ago. No word on when it will go up for vote.

Source: Peter Frank, Kensington Community Food Co-op
Writer: Andy Sharpe

Despite a budget shortfall, SEPTA will be able to resume purchasing hybrid diesel-electric buses thanks to two grants from the US Department of Transportation. For the first time ever, SEPTA will purchase hybrid 60-foot accordion buses, which are the longest buses in the system. SEPTA’s current assortment of hybrid buses is about 30 percent more fuel efficient than equivalent clean diesel buses.

SEPTA is the beneficiary of $15 million in federal funds to cover the difference in cost between hybrid and clean diesel 60-foot buses. Luther Diggs, who’s in charge of operations at SEPTA, says it will stretch out the acquisition of these longer buses over four years, with the first year’s purchase entirely hybrid. Over the four years, SEPTA will be replacing 155 longer buses, with an option for 65 more. The percent of these that are hybrid will depend on how much more grant money becomes available. 

This opens the possibility that additional bus routes might see these longer buses. "We have some additional need for 60-foot buses," confirms Diggs. He suggests that the Route 47 bus, which was the subject of the failed skip-stop pilot and more successful attempts to speed it up, might end up seeing longer buses. Also, he hints that the extremely well-traveled Route 17 bus, which runs up and down 19th and 20th Sts. in South Philadelphia and across Center City, might be another new candidate for the 60-footers.

Shortly after the $15 million grant was announced, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced another grant of $5 million to pay for additional hybrid 40-foot buses, the most prevalent of SEPTA's fleet. This is welcome news for many local environmentalists, who earlier this year were dismayed to hear that funding difficulties meant SEPTA would cease acquiring standard-size hybrid buses. According to Diggs, SEPTA will resume purchasing these hybrid buses in 2013, and only purchase hybrid 40-foot buses in 2014. 

Diggs is convinced that hybrid buses represent the most financially sensible way for SEPTA to green its bus fleet. Diggs says SEPTA did examine running buses using compressed natural gas (CNG) in the mid-1990s. However, hybrid buses were ruled more effective than their CNG counterparts because of "infrastructure, residential neighborhoods, and cost," says Diggs. While some transit agencies in California and Texas use CNG, there are legitimate concerns about the cost of putting in CNG infrastructure and the health risks associated with natural gas.  

Source: Luther Diggs, SEPTA
Writer: Andy Sharpe 

Philadelphia’s Zoning Code Commission unveiled a new timeline that they hope will lead to a modernized zoning code during a six-hour public hearing in front of City Council. The public certainly got to weigh in, as 40 different people signed up to testify, split into thirteen panels of three or more people at a time.

The barrage of public comment not withstanding, the Zoning Code Commission (ZCC) announced its strong desire to pass a new zoning code in City Council by the end of the year. Perhaps no one is more eager to see a new zoning code before the year’s end than Eva Gladstein, the Executive Director of the ZCC. Gladstein is cautiously optimistic about the odds of success. "A number of members of City Council expressed their interest in passing a new zoning code before the end of the year, and we believe that while the timeline is tight, it is achievable," says Gladstein.

From the look and sound of the hearing, City Council members and public testifiers -- including community group leaders, developers, and environmentalists -- support most parts of the zoning code update. However, there are a few sticking points among City Council and the public that might impede the ZCC deadline.

Councilman Bill Green, who many believe may run for mayor some time in the next decade, has raised many of the questions and concerns on City Council. He clarified his concerns by releasing a set of 10 amendments that he feels are necessary for the proposed zoning code re-write. At the hearing, Green complained that his office had not received a revisable copy of the zoning code proposal. Both Gladstein and Alan Greenberger, Acting Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development and a member of the ZCC, claimed they did send the document. 

One of Green’s concerns is that the proposed zoning code does not adequately restrict potentially harmful industry from going into residential neighborhoods. Some of the community groups present seemed to agree with this, as well as other aspects of Green’s amendments. Another complaint, voiced by the East Falls Community Council, was that there was insufficient, albeit improved, participation from community groups in the re-write.

With this in mind, the politicians and the public seemed ready to proceed with an improved zoning code. Speaker after speaker seemed to delight in commending the ZCC for its hard work in drafting sorely needed zoning reform. Even hesitant City Council members, like Green and Brian O’Neill, acknowledged that the zoning code needed to be modernized. Thus, it's not if, but when the zoning code reform will pass. Many hope it will be by year’s end, but that’s not a guarantee.

Source: Eva Gladstein, Philadelphia Zoning Code Commission
Writer: Andy Sharpe