West Philadelphia : Development News

In some cities, land use planning and zoning are the last places you’d look for news on cutting edge innovations. Here in Philly, we know better. This April, the Philadelphia City Planning Commission (PCPC) will receive a Best Practice Award from the American Planning Association (APA) for their innovative efforts integrating planning and zoning processes.

PCPC recently coordinated three distinct planning efforts simultaneously: the Citizens Planning Institute, Philadelphia 2035, and a zoning code and map revision.  

"I’m not aware of any other comparable city doing such a comprehensive planning treatment in such a brief period of time," says CPC Executive Director Gary Jastrzab.

Jastrzab and his staff began tackling these projects nearly four years ago. "The last comprehensive plan or major zoning revision was in the 1960s, so it was time for a modernization," he explains.

Four years and countless public meetings, hearings, drafts and re-drafts later, Philadelphia now has a regulatory environment featuring those three profound tools. The Citizens Planning Institute, PCPC’s education and outreach entity, encourages leadership and participation among residents, educating them on urban planning in their communities. Philadelphia 2035, the city’s first comprehensive plan in over 50 years, includes 18 specific district plans either completed, underway or about to get started. Lastly, the city’s zoning reform included both a rewrite of the city’s 50-year-old code and multiple zoning map revisions as recommended in the ongoing Philadelphia 2035 district plans.

"In any city -- let alone one as large and politically complex as Philadelphia -- undertaking either a comprehensive plan, zoning code rewrite, or citizen planner leadership program, would have been a major accomplishment," explains APA Pennsylvania Awards Committee chairman Dennis Puko in a press release. "Philadelphia through 2011 to 2012 did all three, and integrated them to achieve the most positive outcomes."

The Best Practice award for Philadelphia’s Integrated Planning and Zoning Process will be presented at APA’s National Planning Conference in Chicago on Tuesday, April 16.
 
Source: Gary Jastrzab, Executive Director, City Planning Commission
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

With places such as Globe Dye Works and The Loom, Northeast Philly does reclaimed-industrial-spaces-turned-artist-studios well. Come February, with the opening of the Cedar Works, West Philly will stake its claim in that ever-expanding market .

A former car dealership, the 15,000-square-foot facility is located in the Cedar Park neighborhood of West Philly. Once complete, the space will feature 23 studio workspaces, community meeting spaces and other common areas. "We definitely want to have a community aspect to the facility," explains Andy Peifer, carpenter and cofounder of the Cedar Works. "We’ve included meeting spaces with the idea that neighborhood groups and nonprofits have direct access."

The meeting spaces are already a hot commodity: Training for Change, an activist training group dedicated to peaceful social change, has booked space, and plans to hold roughly 40 to 50 sessions there next year.

Despite the communal nature of the Cedar Works, it's not a co-working space. "The studios are more individualized," explains Peifer. The idea is to attract a diverse set of artists and local businesses to use the space how they see fit. "We’ve had a great response so far; we’re now 75 percent occupied with a diverse crowd," he adds. Fine artists, printmakers, professionals, physical therapists and potters have all signed on as tenants.

Peifer credits the great response to the West Philly location—it's an area that has been underserved when it comes to this sort of flexible space."There’s a handful of places like this in the city, but most are found in former warehouses in Northeast Philly," he says. "We were lucky to find this place in West Philly, where big abandoned warehouses are rare."

Of course, the vibrant West Philly arts scene will be a huge factor in the Cedar Works' success. "We see ourselves as an extension of the arts and craft culture that’s already here," says Peifer. "We hope to build off that momentum."

The space is currently in the final throws of renovation. Tenants will begin moving in in early February. Once everyone is settled, the Cedar Works will host a grand opening. 

Source: Andy Peifer, Cofounder, the Cedar Works
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Friends of the St. Bernard Community Garden let out a collective sigh of relief last month after the city stepped in and saved their garden.

As we reported in mid-December, the parcel of land at 1010 S. St. Bernard Street unexpectedly went up for sheriff’s sale on December 19, opening up the possibility of a developer buying up the property and kicking out the gardeners. Members quickly mobilized and began raising money to buy the land. They also convinced the city—with help from Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell—to bid on the property, ensuring it would remain part of the community garden.

With a few contingency plans in place, garden members were confident of a positive outcome going into the sale. Despite some very tense moments, the sale ended up being a huge victory for the community.

The bidding started at $1,000 and quickly reached $50,000—more than the city was prepared to pay. City officials didn’t seem interested in placing a bid at that price point, but thanks to garden members shouting frantically, the auctioneer put the process on hold and moved on to other parcels. When the property came back on the block, the city quickly put down a $71,500 bid; the sale closed shortly after. The garden members had won their ideal outcome.

But the story doesn’t end there: With the city now in full ownership of the parcel, garden members hope to see the plot transferred to a land trust so it can remain a community green space and asset in perpetuity.

In another wrinkle, the garden’s second parcel (1008 S. Saint Bernard) is owned by a private entity, and still has to be secured. When that property goes up for sale—something expected to happen in the next year or so—garden members will be ready. The money they have raised so far will be saved, and more fundraising efforts will be put together to ensure St. Bernard Community Garden is preserved in its entirety.

Source: Trevor McElroy, St. Bernard Community Garden
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Fifteen years ago, a group of West Philly neighbors banded together and convinced the city to demolish two burnt-out adjacent buildings on their block. The St. Bernard Community Garden sprung up in their place. Located between 49th and 50th Streets, between Springfield and Warrington Avenues, it quickly became a neighborhood institution and gathering place for residents. 

But on December 19, in an unexpected move, the larger of the two lots will be auctioned off at a sheriff's sale. Now, once again, the West Philly community is banding together to protect the fate of their community garden.
 
According to Trevor McElroy, a member of the community garden, he and other members heard the site was going to be auctioned off just a few days before it was to be sold in October. With the assistance of Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, the group was able to postpone the sale and convince the city to bid on the property. 

That is exactly the plan. According to McElroy, the City has pledged to bid the maximum amount it can, roughly $48,000, which is the amount owed in backed taxes.

"Best case scenario is that no one bids against the city and they are awarded the land," explains McElroy. "If that happens, the land would likely be turned over to a neighborhood gardens association and the garden would stay as is."   

The gardeners hope to buy the other parcel outright and have been trying to raise money to do so, holding a fundraiser at Dock Street Brewery this past Saturday.

"The event went well," says McElroy. "We had a good turnout, and we ended up selling almost every item up for bid, but now our focus has turned to the sheriff sale on Wednesday."

McElroy admits that a number of scenarios could still unfold—the future of the garden is very much in limbo. But regardless of what happens, he hopes a positive outcome for the community is in the offing.

"If a developer does end up buying the land, we want open communication with them about what happens with the garden," says McElroy. "We don’t want to get kicked out of the property right away, only to see the land sit vacant for years. We want what’s best for the community." 

Source: Trevor McElroy, St. Bernard Community Garden
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Philadelphia is blessed with solid bicycle, transit and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure in and around the city’s streets. True, there are always amenities on our wish list—a robust Bicycle Sharing program comes to mind—but on an American scale, Philly is well positioned when it comes to multi-modal accessibility. 

This past week, the transit picture just got a little richer with the long-awaited passage of the Complete Streets Bill by the Philadelphia City Council. 
 
The Bill is momentous for every Philadelphian who uses city streets on a daily basis. Whether you bike, walk, drive, use transit or get around on a wheelchair, this bill is aimed to benefit you and your long-term mobility.
 
"The Bill accommodates all users of the street," explains Alex Doty of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. "Look at Spruce and Pine Streets. Since the bike lanes were built, auto accidents have gone down and pedestrian safety has increased. It’s been beneficial for everyone."
 
Doty says the bill itself has two purposes. In the short-term, the bill will rationalize Philadelphia's traffic code regarding bicycles and bike lanes. This means better fining procedures and clearer communication to both the public and enforcement officials as to the actual details of the law.
 
In the long-term, it will require all public and private developments to consider their impact on streets and sidewalks. The Streets Department is currently fleshing out a Complete Streets checklist that each project will have to adhere to, ensuring all users of the street are accommodated by new developments or street improvements.    
 
"It’s a big step towards getting some place even better," says Doty on the prospects of Philadelphia streets becoming friendlier for all users. 
 
And according to Doty, that "place" is only a few months away. "The Streets Department is in the process of finishing the checklist" he says. "It will have to go through a public comment period and then be ready for final approval."

Source: Alex Doty, Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

A few weeks ago, over one hundred professionals from the fields of design, public policy and neighborhood leadership came together with area high school students to take part in a design charrette, envisioning a new and improved intersection at 46th and Market Streets.

Called the Urban Remix Design Charrette, the event was put on by a number of West Philly stakeholders, including the Community Design Collaborative, LISC Philadelphia, AIA Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Water Department and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

According to Beth Miller of the Community Design Collaborative, the mission was clear: Use the recently renovated subway station at the intersection as a catalyst for new investment and growth. With the improved transit asset, a number of key institutions close by and a significant amount of real estate prime for development, the opportunities gave the charrette participants plenty to work with. But there were also formidable limitations: This section of West Philly is fractured by superblocks of institutional buildings and public housing, an unusual amount of topography and the elevated subway system cutting right through it. 

To turn these opportunities and constraints into design solutions for the neighborhood, the charrette teams were assigned to three different section of the district—two north and one south of Market Street. An additional team was in charge of connecting the different areas through a network of open and public spaces.

Miller says the designs that came from the teams were diverse. Significant ideas include sustainability features, green promenades, artwork under the El, infill development, and public realm cohesion. Some of the plans included options for early action, while others had an eye on longer-term partnerships and development.

One notable idea to come out of the process was the creation of a new health and human services district at the intersection. With the future headquarters of the Philadelphia Police Department, the new Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Karabots Center, the Youth Study Center and West Philadelphia High School joining community institutions like the Enterprise Center in the area, Miller says the idea has some legs.
 
That idea and many others are in the process of being refined and will eventually be published in a final conceptual master plan. From there, LISC will be able to shop the plan around, gaining community-wide buy-in and lining up potential investors to turn the planning work into results.   

Source: Beth Miller, Community Design Collaborative
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

As part of the annual DesignPhiladelphia festival last Wednesday at the Center for Architecture, 11 presenters from different creative backgrounds fast forwarded through 20 slides at 20 seconds each (that’s a quick 6 minutes, 40 seconds) to answer a question that is typically reserved for the long-winded among us: What’s next for Philly? 
 
This is what the first annual Fast Forward Philly was all about; presenters were asked to talk, quickly, about their big ideas for the future of the City. And they were asked to do it fast in an effort to keep interest high and energy levels higher. 
 
Ideas were incredibly diverse; anything from ‘Silicon Philly! City of Innovation & Opportunity’ to ‘Making a Gardenpark in the City’ and ‘Promoting a "Maker" Economy’ were discussed.  But according to event organizers Kathy Lent and Erike De Veyra, enthusiasm was equally shared.  “We never had fewer than a hundred in the audience throughout the evening, and they all seemed quite engaged,” says De Veyra.  “We noticed that attendees sought out the presenters during intermissions and stayed long past the end of the official event to continue their conversations.”
 
“It was definitely successful.” exclaims Lent. “Despite the untested format and considering the number of other great DesignPhiladelphia events going on that night, the room was full the entire time.”   
 
The organizers received overwhelmingly positive feedback from both audience members and presenters.

“More than anything, they wanted to know how to find out more about the ideas brought up,” says DeVeyra.   

Michael Burlando and Alex Feldman's presentation on "Philadelphia Summer Olympics 2024" was particularly popular among attendees.
Ultimately, initiating the conversation on big ideas like these was the goal of Fast Forward.  “We hoped to inspire audience members to learn, connect, and maybe make some of these ideas actually happen,” says Lent. 
 
Earlier in the year, Lent and De Veyra, both of whom are architects in training, came to the conclusion that there were far too many big ideas going unnoticed in Philadelphia.  “There is a hub of creatives in this city with different perspectives and experiences,” explains De Veyra, “and it would be fantastic if they talked more to each other.”  And so, to facilitate the conversation, Fast Forward was born. 
 
Erike and Kathy both anticipate that, since Fast Forward was so popular, it will turn into an annual event.  Next time, expect an even greater set of multidisciplinary presenters and ideas.  “By the end of the event, it was clear that nearly every presenter was either an architect or trained in architecture,” remarks Lent, who says that was an unintended consequence.  For next year, she says their goal is to “attract many diverse perspectives on ‘What’s Next for Philly?’”
 
By appealing to a wider cross-section of forward-thinking Philadelphians, De Veyra and Lent believe this will help differentiate Fast Forward as a forum for up-and-coming doers and thinkers to pitch their vision for the future of the city.  “The world is always changing and needs new, fresh ideas,” says De Veyra. “This is one place we hope to continue sharing that energy and enthusiasm.”    

Source: Kathy Lent and Erike De Veyra, Fast Forward Philly organizers
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

The Philadelphia Water Department is once again raising the bar with their green infrastructure/sustainability initiatives, this time partnering with the US Environmental Protection Agency and Community Design Collaborative with the launch of Infill Philadelphia: Soak It Up!—a design initiative to increase awareness on how green stormwater infrastructure can revitalize urban areas.

Green stormwater infrastructure has been receiving a lot of attention in Philly in recent years – it is the key strategy behind Green City, Clean Waters, the city's nationally renowned and environmentally sustainable plan to improve the region’s waterways.

“As we evolve Philadelphia into America's most sustainable and green city, the opportunities ahead will be limited only by the confines of our imaginations and the extent of our determination,” says Howard Neukrug, Commissioner of the Philadelphia Water Department.

Seeing Philly as an early adopter of green stormwater infrastructure programs on large scales, the EPA decided to partner with the Water Department on Soak It Up! to encourage and assist the City in their ongoing efforts to improve water quality and sustainability.    

Infill Philadelphia: Soak It Up! is an offshoot of Infill Philadelphia, a program created by the Community Design Collaborative to help urban areas re-envision their neighborhoods and address specific concerns unique to urban places.   

Soak It Up! feeds off that program, and will host exhibitions, talks, design charrettes and a national competition to explore the vast potential of green infrastructure tools—rain gardens, green roofs, rain barrels and more—and figure out how they can enhance Philly's built, economic and social environment.

Currently, an exhibition of over 40 projects from Philadelphia and other cities including Cleveland, Detroit and Pittsburgh is on display through Oct. 19 at the Philadelphia Center for Architecture, at 1218 Arch Street.  The exhibition provides a sampling of smart, innovative green stormwater project ideas, ranging from simple and small to visionary and large.  The exhibition is open to the public from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon – 5 p.m. on Sundays.   

The exhibition and the other programs currently ongoing are cumulatively aiming to bring together city leaders, designers and community stakeholders and give them the platform to discuss how they can put green infrastructure best practices to work locally.  

“In our work, we’ve already seen how designing with green stormwater infrastructure can transform a park, a block, or even an entire neighborhood,” says Beth Miller, executive director of the Community Design Collaborative. “Infill Philadelphia: Soak it Up! will help produce greater awareness, advocacy, and collaboration around green tools—and the next wave of green projects in the city.”

Source: Howard Neukrug, Commissioner of the Philadelphia Water Department; Beth Miller, executive director of the Community Design Collaborative
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

In the coming years, increased bicycle connections, amenities and parking will be coming to transit stops across the Greater Philadelphia Region.  If the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia has its way, which stops get what will be entirely up to you, the avid cyclist or bicycle enthusiast, to help SEPTA, PATCO, and NJ Transit prioritize their finite resources.

Thanks to Open Plans, the Bicycle Coalition recently created a crowdsource map that asks the general public to recommend which transit stops across Philly need better bike facilities.

The goal is noble: encourage people to bike to transit, park their bike, and then continue onto their final commuting destination.  The method is simple: visit this map and offer your opinion on which transit stops need better bike facilities.  The feedback is critical: the more data the map receives, the more accurate the results will be and the more likely commuters will utilize the new amenities.

The crowdsource map is part of a larger, more regional effort to increase trails to transit commuting.  According to Sarah Stuart, the Policy Director with the Bicycle Coalition, the group has been talking with SEPTA for some time about improving bike facilities at transit stops.  “This has been an ongoing conversation,” says Stuart, “but the challenges have been figuring out where to implement the improvements and how to better connect people to them.” 

With these unanswered questions lingering, SEPTA began collaborating with the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) to conduct a ‘Trails to Transit’ study.  Stuart says once this partnership was forged, the Coalition put the two groups in contact with Open Plans, a group she was familiar with through their successful bike share crowdsource maps. 

“I was familiar with Open Plans’ crowdsourcing efforts around bike sharing locations in Philly and New York and thought a similar effort could be conducted for the ‘Trails to Transit’ study.”

Stuart says DVPRC was on board with the idea, but asked that PATCO and NJ Transit be included in the effort.  Stuart agreed, Open Plans signed on, and the map was born.  Collaboration at its finest. 

From here, Stuart says the DVRPC will gather the map’s data, analyze it, and add it to a number of contributing factors to determine which transit stops receive bicycle parking and where trails/bike lane gaps can be filled.  This will then inform the three transit agencies about how to allocate their resources in implementing transit stop amenities. 

Stuart also sees broader implications for the Coalition as well.  “Through all of this data, something we will also have access to, the Coalition will gain a better understanding on how to better advocate for improved bicycle infrastructure for quite some time.” 

The map will be up until Dec. 1, 2012 so be sure to visit the map and advocate for better bicycle infrastructure where you see fit.

Source: Sarah Stuart, Policy Director, Bicycle Coalition
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Food ventures officially returned to 310 S. 48th Street in West Philly when the much anticipated Center for Culinary Enterprises (CCE) had a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday to celebrate the pending opening of their new space - a former grocery store that had sat vacant for over 10 years. 

Backed by local business accelerator The Enterprise Center, CCE is being billed as one of the nation’s premiere commercial kitchen centers.  Essentially, it is a culinary incubator aimed to help jumpstart Philly food entrepreneurs by providing them space, resources and contacts in the industry.  To meet those ends, the space will include four state-of-the-art commercial kitchens for rent to culinary entrepreneurs, an eKitchen Multimedia Learning Center and retail spaces.

Since we last reported on this project, a lot of positive progress has been made.  First off, CCE was able to leverage an initial $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) into millions more in state and local grants, private funding, and corporation funding to really jumpstart the commercial kitchen aspect of the project.

CCE also helped initialize a business incubator program called Philly Food Ventures, where CCE’s entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to receive technical assistance for their culinary endeavors. The center has also developed a key partnership with Bon Appétit at the University of Pennsylvania. The food service management company will purchase roughly $500,000 of products from CCE entrepreneurs each year.
 
Through these successes, attracting entrepreneurs and retailers to the Center has been relatively easy.  According to Delilah Winder,  Director of the Center, 30 clients have officially committed to being part of the Center, with hundreds more expressing interest.  And according to Naked Philly, Desi Kitchen, an Indian/Pakistani restaurant, will occupy one of the retail spaces, with coffee shop Café Injera taking the other.
 
With so many milestones achieved over the past few years, the CCE has begun to receive national acclaim, creating interest from other cities around the country who are interested in starting something similar in their respective cities.      
 
But the work doesn’t stop there -  Winder expects the Center to officially open in the next two weeks.  From there, she expects the incubator to launch or move forward 10 businesses each year.  Additionally, they expect anywhere from 54 to 81 full-time jobs will be created in its first year of operation, and nearly 150 over three years.

Source: Delilah Winder, Director, Center for Culinary Enterprises
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

The 40th Street area between Market Street and Lancaster Avenue will look a little brighter in the coming weeks.  The street, which serves as a link between the West Powelton and Mantua neighborhoods, is undergoing an enhancement that is being called The 40th Street Beautification Project.

“This will be a good way to showcase the area and give it a unique identity,” said Zac Sivertsen, who is co-manager of the project and the manager of neighborhood initiatives and resource planning for the Community Development Corporation, the real estate division of People’s Emergency Center.

PECCDC's focus on enhancing the neighborhood with greenery and art is moving forward thanks to the Vital Neighborhoods Initiative grant from the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia. The greenery portion of the project was completed last fall with tree plantings along the area’s sidewalks.   

Art is the final element of 40th Street’s rejuvenation. Local artists will paint the green SEPTA trolley poles with bright, vibrant colors. Weeds and shrubs surrounding the lots in the area will be replaced with flowerbeds.

A unique piece of art - specially designed for the 40th Street project - made of steel and mosaic glass will grace the fenced area near Pro Gulf Automotive Service and Repair between Baring and Spring Garden streets.  The sculpture, designed by local artists Emilie Ledieu and Bill Capozzoli, represents a tree.  

One goal is to encourage people to walk down the street and explore the Lower Lancaster avenue corridor, which PECCDC is working toward revitalizing.

“We want to draw people down the street both ways,” said Sivertsen.

James Wright, commercial corridor manager at PEC and co-manager of the 40th Street Beautification project, said that although there are many well-maintained homes on the block, the area needs a “little bit of love.”  

Source: Zac Siversten and James Wright, People's Emergency Center Community Development Corporation
Writer: Zenovia Campbell

Biking along Walnut Street is about to get a heck of a lot easier thanks to a new left hand, buffered bike lane that will soon appear on Walnut Street from 22nd Street to 63rd Street.  As it stands today, Walnut Street already has a right, curb side bike lane that serves parts of Center City and the biker-oriented communities of UPenn and Drexel.  But thanks to the efforts of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, The Streets Department and the Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities, the bike lane is getting a serious upgrade, just in time for the beginning of school.

The main crux of the improvement is found in its one-of-a-kind status:  the bike lane is the city's first buffered bike lane next to a parking lane, as opposed to Spruce and Pine and 10th and 13th, which are next to the curb line.  This will greatly affect students and other bikers who already utilize Walnut Street for their biking needs.  According to Nicholas Mirra of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, users should immediately notice the differences. 

“It will eliminate conflicts with buses and traffic turning right on the Walnut Street Bridge to the Schuylkill Expressway,” he says. “It will also make the left turn from the 22nd Street bike lane easier for bicyclists. It should also slightly reduce conflicts with car doors since the bike lane will be next to the passenger side of cars.”   

While this leaves plenty for bike enthusiasts to be excited about, auto users, too, should be at ease over the planned improvements.  According to Mirra, the lane is being installed without the removal of a travel lane or parking. Space was made by simply narrowing the existing parking and travel lanes. 

Getting this improvement implemented was a relatively routine process and a refreshing example of cooperation at its finest. 

“The Streets Department and the Mayor's Office of Transportation and Utilities have been considering moving the bike lanes from the right side of the street to the left side of the street as part of the routine resurfacing of Walnut Street [which is currently underway],” says Mirra. “The Coalition met with them and proposed that there was enough road space to expand the bike lane.” 

In January, armed with this knowledge, the Streets Department approached PennDOT to incorporate the improvement into the resurfacing project, and they obliged.  Nine months later, this September, the bike lane will be open and ready for public use. 
 
While there are no anticipated existing bike lane improvements slated for 2012, Mirra hopes similar enhancements will be made in the years to come as other road resurfacing contracts are announced.

Source: Nicholas Mirra, Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Branding your city, whether through logos, trademarks or historical importance, helps convey a place’s cultural values, but is also essential in competing for desirable tourism and investment dollars.  When communicating this brand, the details matter, right down to the signage systems employed at neighborhood levels.  Philadelphia already has high quality, unified walking and vehicular wayfinding signage systems that were long ago established.  More recently, the Central Philadelphia Transportation Management Association (CPTMA), in partnership with regional transit service providers, set to increase visibility of and access to Philly’s multi-modal, regional transit system as well, and visually link it to the City’s existing wayfinding systems. 

CPTMA’s goal was simple: create a single brand of Philly’s transit systems by highlighting and unifying access to underground transit in Center City.  The ‘highlighting’ part has come in the form of visually intriguing, green back-lit “lollipop” signs that mark entrances to Philly’s 3.5 mile underground concourse system that links together the subway, trolley lines and regional rail.  The ‘unifying’ part has come in the form of the “lollipop” signs, but also information at the surface as to which train lines users can access at each stop; information about the Walk! Philadelphia and Direction Philadelphia sign systems that can be followed by pedestrians and cars; and below the surface, maps of the 3.5 mile underground concourse as well as attractions found above ground around each stop.  By the end of September, after years of implementation efforts, the signage system will officially be complete.

Selling the brand wasn’t always easy, according to Paul Levy, President and CEO of Center City District (CCD).  When CCD originally approached SEPTA and PATCO about creating a unified signage system to be shared by the two transit authorities, all parties were on board.  But, as Levy describes, neither party wanted to erase their individual identity.  Through a series of negotiations and back and forth conversations, the transit authorities and CCD eventually reached a compromise to retain each transit providers brand, but on unified physical signs.  Thus the green “lollipop” and associated directional signage came to be.  All parties: pleased; a unified brand: defined.    

Today, with nearly 90 percent of signs installed, Levy owes a great deal of thanks to a number of property owners and their “willingness to share the cost of installing the system adjacent to their buildings,” likely because they understood the benefit of the unified system.  And he hopes more potential partners will come on board in the future.  “We’ve shared the system with Temple, Drexel, Penn and the University City District and have encouraged them to extend it.” 

Source: Paul Levy, President and CEO of Center City District
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Much has been said about major infrastructural changes recently undertaken around the Schuylkill River, University City, and surrounding environs.  Recent projects such as the new Grays Ferry Crescent Park, the Porch at 30th Street, continued trail connections along the Schuylkill Banks, and the Walnut Street Bridge Enhancement have made dramatic improvements, in very big ways, towards better physically and emotionally connecting Center City to its westerly neighbors.  The Atlantic Cities has taken notice, recently praising the Philly for its efforts at the Porch, taking space previously promised to automobiles and turning it over to pedestrians. 

With major projects funded, the City is now hammering out the details along the river to improve aesthetics and overall quality of life.  A recent example comes to us from the Schuylkill River Development Corporation (SRDC) and Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, who plan to landscape the west side embankment of the Schuylkill River along I-76 between Chestnut and Market Streets.

Improving quality of life is the name of the game for this development.  “The traffic on I-76 produces an audible and visual intrusion on Schuylkill Banks. This is especially true in the area of Market Street. The hope is that this would alleviate some of the noise and partially hide the traffic,” explains Lane Fike, Director of Capital Programs with SRDC.  “The area from Market to Chestnut has a concrete slab that offers an opportunity to install planters and screening.”

The group’s plan goes beyond screenings and plantings though, and includes sustainability and beautification measures such as green roofs and green wall features, planters with native trees, shrubs and meadow grasses and walls for climbing vines.  SRDC hopes these improvements will create a more pleasant vista and experience from the Schuylkill Banks across the river while creating a new habitat for migratory birds and other urban wildlife.     

While not as glamorous as the recent major moves, and likely not worthy of the Atlantic Cities’ attention, this smaller ticket item, and others like it, stand to have a big impact for the people who actually use the river corridor on a daily basis: residents.     

On a broader scale, small moves like this mean a lot, especially when you take a step back and look at how public spaces represent the city they reside in.  Finessing the details not only shows a desire to improve quality of life, but implementing excellence to the last detail shows the value system of a city, something Philadelphians should be proud that our civic leaders are rightfully expressing along the Schuylkill River.

A start date for the project has yet to be determined, but state funding is already lined up and Pennoni Associates is already developing schemes and putting together designs to meet expectations.  Once underway, construction should take about 3 months to complete. 

According to Fike, expect similar, smaller scaled improvements along the river in months and years to come.  “If the project proves to be successful, other areas along I-76 could be considered for treatment. However, because of varied existing conditions, treatments other than planters and screening may have to be investigated.” 

Source: Lane Fike, Schuylkill River Developmet Corporation
Writer: Greg Meckstroth