Kensington/Port Richmond : Development News

The experimental urban agriculture organization Greensgrow Farms has been operating for nearly two decades in South Kensington where it not only runs a CSA program and a community kitchen, but also educates Philadelphians about sustainable living, and attempts to convince other communities to replicate aspects of its urban farming model.  
 
A little over a week ago, West Philadelphia became an extended member of the Greensgrow family when a gardening center, Greensgrow West, opened on the 4900 block of Baltimore Avenue at the former site of the Elena's Soul jazz club.  
 
The gardening center will remain at the Baltimore Avenue site for at least two years. They will sell plants and fruit trees, and eventually offer workshops similar to those held at the Kensington location. Greensgrow West will also be home to a farmer's market accepting SNAP and WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) benefits.
 
According to Greensgrow's Ryan Kuck, himself a 15-year West Philly resident, the organization saw the neighborhood "as really fertile ground," and an ideal location to further explore its mission of creating livable communities on underutilized urban land.

"We know we have a lot of support [in West Philly], and we know there's a market for greening," says Kuck, who adds that Greensgrow's mobile markets, which offer fresh food to underserved communities, are often based in West Philly. "It's also just a really interesting place for us to explore what Greengrow's future model might look like."
 
It's currently unclear what will happen to the site when Greensgrow's lease ends in April 2016.
 
Source:  Ryan Kuck, Greensgrow Farms
Writer: Dan Eldridge
 
Mobile Market photos by Jennifer Britton
Remaining photos by Bryn Ashburn

It's been four long years since Postgreen Homes, the sustainable development company, made public its intention to construct a contemporary 14-unit Fishtown project with the unlikely moniker of "Awesometown."
 
In late March, during a public launch party at Lloyd Whiskey Bar, Postgreen announced that the ultra energy-efficient project is finally going to happen. ISA is the architectural firm responsible for the design.
 
According to Postgreen's Chad Ludeman, the process of financing Awesometown has been a bit of a departure for the company. As the result of a partnership with the New Kensington Community Development Corporation (NKCDC), Postgreen is pricing four of the 14 customizable townhomes at a discounted rate, making them affordable for moderate-income families.
 
Unlike with most collaborations between for-profit and nonprofit developers, the funds for Awesometown -- which will sit between Thompson and Moyer Streets -- are coming entirely from private sources.

"We're just treating this like a normal project," says Ludeman, "and using the proceeds from the sales of the market-rate units to subsidize the moderate-income units." (Moderate-income residents of Awesometown will be required to have incomes below 100 percent of the city's median income rate.)    
 
Awesometown's market-rate townhomes are selling for $399,000. The company hopes to acheive LEED platinum status for the project -- each of the units will come stocked with eco-friendly appliances, an Energy Star HVAC system and triple pane windows.
 
Postgreen also worked with the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) to develop a stormwater management plan for the site, 95 percent of which will be permeable, thanks to eco-friendly paving and green roof decks constructed atop each home.   
 
Visit the Postgreen Homes blog for more details on the project and to view an Awesometown promo video. 

Source: Chad Ludeman, Postgreen Homes
Writer: Dan Eldridge

These days, warehouse-sized reuse centers selling old construction supplies and development detritus seem to exist in nearly every major metropolitan area. But in Philadelphia, The Resource Exchange -- currently located on the corner of Cedar and East Cambria streets in Port Richmond -- operates with a slightly different mission. 

Sure, it resells salvaged building materials and housewares, but it also offers donated and salvaged film props and set pieces, along with arts and craft materials, making it popular with artists, makers, DIY-types and other members of the city's creative class.  

That popularity has led to an issue.

"Right now, we're kind of tucked into a residential neighborhood," says Resource Exchange founder and Executive Director Karyn Gerred. That makes it difficult for budget-conscious customers to reach the shop via public transportation. 

So Gerred decided they needed a change. The Resource Exchange will close for the month of February, then reopen at a slightly larger and much more accessible location on the corner of North 2nd Street and Cecil B. Moore, only six or seven blocks from the Berks Station on the Market-Frankford Line.     

"Just in terms of creating a great, welcoming, creative reuse center in a way that I've always imagined, it's a much better building," says Gerred. "It's much better suited to what we are. It lends itself more to being able to have the workshop-and-event part of what we do."

The new-and-improved Resource Exchange plans to open its new 4,500-square-foot location on March 1. 

Source: Karyn Gerred, The Resource Exchange 
Writer: Dan Eldridge

After spending more than two years on a frustrating search for the ideal urban location in which to open a small-batch craft brewery, Tim Patton finally settled on a historic building with beer in its bones. Now, he’s only a few short months from opening Saint Benjamin Brewery.

Located in South Kensington near the corner of North 5th Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue, the three-story, 14,000-square-foot building Patton bought for $395,000 was originally home to the Theo Finkenauer Lager Beer Brewery, which went out of business sometime around Prohibition. Technically, the space was home to the brewery's carriage house and stable, so Patton has been spending much of his time lately (not to mention his money; the project is largely self-financed) rehabbing the space. 

"The building itself was actually in very good shape," he says. "This was the first clean and dry building I had actually seen when I was looking at spaces." 

Still, certain infrastructure upgrades were necessary. The former carriage house has been outfitted with new electrical circuits, a sprinkler system, new sewer lines and a two-inch gas line, to name just a few of the recent improvements. And, as Flying Kite reported in April, Patton used crowdsourcing to fund a facade rehab.

The brewery hopes to officially open for business in early spring, distributing beer to pubs in Fishtown, Northern Liberties and Kensington. Saint Benjamin's will also offer the occasional brewery tour and tasting, and customers will be able to fill growlers onsite. 

Patton also has plans to eventually add a brewpub. Unfortunately, that step is still probably another year or two away.

Writer: Dan Eldridge
Source: Tim Patton, Saint Benjamin Brewery

A couple months ago, Flying Kite covered the opening of the glimmering co-working palace 3rd Ward in Kensington. The Brooklyn transplants hoped to graft their success up in Williamsburg onto a historic building in a changing neighborhood, offering desks for rent, maker classes and flexible spaces for a variety of creative uses.

Now, it seems founder Jason Goodman may have overextended his business. 3rd Ward announced late last week that they would be abruptly shuttering not only the Philadelphia space but the Brooklyn one as well. There will be no refunds for class tuition or co-working fees.

In Brooklyn, members are organizing to save their spaces (the building's owner seems amenable), but things are a little hazier in Philadelphia. 

As of this summer, 3rd Ward had already ceded management of their third floor coworking space to Impact Hub Philly, part of a global network of coworking spaces. According to a July story on Technical.ly Philly, 3rd Ward hoped this deal would free them up to focus on classes and events.

Impact Hub bills itself as a "member-driven community taking collaborative action for a better world." They are in over 60 locations around the world on six continents. Before the announcement, the organization was already planning to redesign the co-working space to line up with their philosophy. As of now, despite the demise of 3rd Ward, they are still operating. (Flying Kite publisher Michelle Freeman's company Witty Gritty Marketing & Events has space at Impact Hub Philly.)

"What has happened with 3rd Ward, which is very unfortunate, has nothing to do with us at Impact Hub Philly," says Impact Hub's Jeff Shiau. "Nothing has changed. We're still moving forward. Now we have the new possibility of, what can we do with the whole building?"

Fortunately, 3rd Ward didn't own the building -- they leased the space -- and Impact Hub Philly is in the process of reworking their agreement with the owner, extending their reach to the other two floors. Though they offer shared workspace, they don't consider themselves members of the coworking movement.

"We're not in the co-working market," insists Shiau. "We're here to really inspire and advance member success -- members who are really interested in building the good economy. They're interested in social entrepreneurship, and building good companies and organizations that can build a better world in some ways. The physical space happens to be a resource we believe in."

Meanwhile, despite the struggles at 3rd Ward, the Philadelphia co-working boomlet shows no sign of abating -- Transfer Station in Manayunk is currently crowdsourcing funds for a permanent location and there are rumors of another gestating co-working space in Fishtown, courtesy of a notable local brand.

It seems a safe bet that the gorgeous work 3rd Ward did updating the building will not go to waste. The space might even eventually foster exactly the kind of activity Goodman and his team hoped for -- events, community building, affordable and flexible workspace -- it just won't be under the name 3rd Ward.

LEE STABERT is managing editor of Flying Kite.

On July 20, folks from the New Kensington Community Development Corporation (NKCDC) will join the Philadelphia Water Department, the Department of Parks and Recreation, Mural Arts Program and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to celebrate a slew of new features now open on its "Big Green Block." Councilman Mark Squilla, State Representative Mike O’Brien and a representative from Councilwoman Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez's office will also attend.

When Flying Kite last checked in with NKCDC and the others behind the "Big Green Block" initiative, they were prepping for a Volunteer Day to help complete some of the project's Phase Two features. With those now complete, the project's supporters are going to celebrate in style.

"We're having a celebration, ribbon-cutting and tours starting at 11 a.m.," explains Diana Jih with NKCDC. There will also be a resident-driven sustainability workshop on DIY rainbarrels.

Tours will showcase the site's new green features, including the newly opened Mural Arts Spray Park, basketball courts with an innovative stormwater drainage system and a grand re-opening of the Palmer Doggie Depot.

In addition, the Climate and Urban Systems Partnership (CUSP) will offer a presentation on the relationship between green infrastructure and climate change.

The "Big Green Block" initiative has been around for over two years; the area is defined by Front Street, Frankford Avenue, Palmer Street and Norris Street, and includes the Shissler Recreation Center (next door to the Kensington High School for Creative and Performing Arts). Within Sustainable 19125 -- an NKCDC initiative working to make the zipcode the greenest in the region -- the site has become a model location for green infrastructure and sustainable education.

Source:  Diana Jih, NKCDC
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

For Tim Patton, owner and founder of local nano-brewery Saint Benjamin's Brewing Company, it only took a year to find the perfect warehouse space in which to expand his small-scale operation. He ended up with a historic gem on North 5th Street -- the former Theo Finkenauer Brewing Company, built in the late 1800s.
 
"I was specifically looking in South Kensington for the brewery's permanent home," says Patton, explaining that the neighborhood's price points fit his budget. "[The site's] history combined with its location -- north of Northern Liberties and west of Fishtown -- drew me to the building. It was everything I wanted."
 
Kensington has a rich history as a center for brewing not just in Philly, but on a national scale. The neighborhood has changed since then, and so too has its brewing tradition: In the 1900s, many breweries left or closed for good.
 
In recent years, a resurgence in local beer culture combined with a plethora of vacant warehouse facilities has reignited the brewing tradition in a major way. Patton hopes his move is part of that movement. Once complete, the brewery will use organic and sustainable ingredients as much as possible. There will also be a 30-to-35 seat pub selling locally sourced foods on-site.

"I'm hoping to start construction this year and complete the brewery by fall," says Patton. "The pub will open shortly after that."
 
To get there, Patton is crowdfunding the restoration of the building's historic facade. He is using Lucky Ant and hoping to raise $20,000 in 21 days (the campaign ends May 8).
 
Lucky Ant offers specific rewards and deals to the local community in exchange for donations. In Patton's case, contributors will receive free merchandise, free food, major discounts and other perks.
 
Visit luckyant.com/saintbenjamins to donate.
 
Source: Tim Patton, Saint Benjamin's Brewing Company
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

A new live-work development for educators is holding its official groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday in South Kensington, bringing the innovative development concept -- the first-of-its-kind for the region -- that much closer to reality.

Local developers Gabe Canuso and Greg Hill of D3 Real Estate (formerly of Brown Hill Development), in collaboration with their Baltimore-based partner Donald Manekin, are responsible for bringing the idea to Philly from Baltimore. Billed as an educational nirvana, the $35 million mixed-use development will offer Philadelphia teachers a 25 percent reduction in rent while commercial spaces will be outfitted for nonprofit, education-focused organizations.

According to Canuso, anchor tenant Teach for America has already committed to leasing 13,000 square feet of space. As for the rest of the 160,000-square-foot development -- which spans two buildings -- expect additional commercial space, over 100 apartments, shared amenity/break-out rooms, courtyards, a café and free parking.

When Oxford Mills opens in April of next year, it will be the first time Manekin has tested his concept outside of Baltimore. There, he has been successful creating a site-specific community of educators, providing the customized physical space necessary for such an ecosystem to take hold.

Canuso and Hill, who in the past have focused more on luxury properties, were looking to do more "socially conscious" work and were intrigued by the concept. "We loved the idea," says Canuso. "It helps support an industry of people who are doing great work."

The development team looked at over 20 buildings in the region before landing on the Oxford Mills site between Oxford and Jefferson Streets in South Kensington. One of the buildings, a former a textile mill, dates back to 1875; the other was built around 1915. Due to the site's history, the developers were able to land historic tax credits and new market tax credits. Those financial perks enabled the for-profit developers to follow through with the rent reduction guarantee for educators.

Canuso says that in addition to Teach for America, there has been exceptional interest in the other commercial spaces from education nonprofits, local schools and the School District. The response from the education community has been so positive that Canuso and Hill are already thinking of bringing the idea to West Philly in the future.

For now, Canuso and company are focused on getting the word out on Oxford Mills. The groundbreaking ceremony will include an appearance from Mayor Nutter along with music, food, drink, and performances and art work from local students.

Source: Gabe Canuso, D3 Real Estate
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

When the $43 million Kensington School for the Creative and Performing Arts (KCAPA) was completed in 2011, it became the first public school in the country to earn LEED Platinum certification (the highest designation under LEED). Fortunately, the school was just the first in a series of eco-friendly projects that have transformed nearly 20 acres of land adjacent to the Berks SEPTA stop in Fishtown.
 
Dubbed the "Big Green Block," the site is defined by Front Street, Frankford Avenue, Palmer Street and Norris Street, and includes the Shissler Recreation Center (nextdoor to KCAPA). Within Sustainable 19125 -- a New Kensington Community Development Corporation (NKCDC) initiative to make the zipcode the greenest in the region -- the site was identified as a model location for green infrastructure and sustainable education.

NKCDC worked with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) and the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) to develop a green infrastructure master plan for the block. Sold on the project's potential, the Department of Parks and Recreation and Mural Arts were quick to provide additional capital support through partnerships that have resulted in $2 million worth of investment overall.

Pedestrian pathways connecting to the Berks Market-Frankford Line stop, rain gardens, tree trenches, land stabilization, an improved sports field and educational murals have all been developed at the site. According to NKCDC's Shanta Schachter, these improvements have kept "90 percent of the site’s stormwater out of sewer pipes" -- and that's just from the first round of improvements.

For phase two of the Big Green Block, more than 60 residents participated in vision sessions to identify the community's needs. PHS translated the ideas borne from that process into a landscape plan. Through NKCDC’s ongoing strategic partnerships with the city and other stakeholders, phase two construction is underway.

The improvements reflect the space's history as a former rail yard -- new benches are being made locally to reference sealed railroad ties and the long-buried cobblestones from the site have been re-exposed. The vacant lot on the south end of the block is also being reimagined as a playfield for young kids and improved dog park, complete with additional seating and plantings.

Just weeks from completion, "the space already looks really great," says NKCDC's Diana Jih. "The improvements build off how the community user groups (Palmer Doggie Depot and Fishtown Athletic Club) we partnered with were using the site and adjacent land already.”

On April 20, NKCDC will hold a volunteer day from 10am-1pm to put the finishing touches on the playground and dog park. The day's agenda includes planting native species, and spreading mulch. The ongoing maintenance of the site is all volunteer run, so there’s a need for  as much support needed as possible.

No official ribbon-cutting date has been set, but NKCDC expects it will occur in early June. "The site will be open at the beginning of May," adds Schachter. 

Moving forward, even more improvements are planned. The site's basketball court will be reconstructed to better capture stormwater runoff from the rec center's roof and an improved spray park with education elements will be built thanks to Mural Arts and PWD.  

Source:  Diana Jih and Shanta Schachter, NKCDC
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

It’s been a few short years since Postgreen Homes made headlines with their award-winning 100K House. Since then, they’ve held true to the project’s defining principles, delivering eco-friendly new construction housing that is also affordable. The developers are now introducing a new home model to the Philly market: the Snapback Project in East Kensington.

Designed by award-winning contemporary architecture firm Interface Studio Architects, Snapback delivers a powerful punch despite its smaller than average stature.

In Philadelphia, most new construction townhomes are three stories tall, at a minimum. The Snapback units are two stories, but with an added bonus: a basement that’s five feet higher than standard. This allows more light and air to enter and gives homebuyers more flexibility with the space.

According to Chad Ludeman, president of Postgreen Homes, the idea is to deliver a flexible house with three floors worth of potential space for the construction cost of two. "The concept was solidified when we consulted for a developer in Chicago who brought to our attention that most new homes in the Windy City are constructed this way," says Ludeman.

With a higher-than-average ceiling height, the basements offer the homebuyer the opportunity to customize the home. Ludeman believes families can grow into the house, leaving the space unfinished at first but, over time, finishing it out as a spare bedroom for children, a home office or guest suite.

The homes, which are currently being framed, are selling for $300-$350 thousand, a price tag Ludeman says would have been much higher had they built traditional three-story homes. "The buyer is probably saving forty to fifty thousand dollars with this two-story model," he explains.

Ultimately, that’s what it’s all about for Ludemann and Postgreen: building new construction units with price points attainable at the Area Median Income of a Philly household. For market rate homes in the city, that number is $200-$450 thousand.

With other projects like Duplexcellence in South Kensington selling for as low as $250 thousand, Postgreen now has 14 units of affordable market rate housing under its belt. Building where land is cheap, keeping homes small and using basic finishes keeps costs low, while still allowing the projects to have a modern feel and sleek design.

"We’re not a non-profit," says Ludeman. "We still have to make money, but we’re constantly looking for ways to pass savings on to homebuyers."

Source:  Chad Ludeman, Postgreen Homes
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

The renovation at 178 West Huntingdon Avenue in Kensington is a compelling story: A large former manufacturing plant in a neighborhood that’s seen better days, transformed into high-end apartments for the upwardly mobile.

But, while our recent story on the ambitious development project described the site as lacking a civic asssociation, Candace McKinley and the folks at the Norris Square Civic Association (NSCA) respectfully disagree. The property at West Huntingdon actually falls under NSCA’s jurisdiction, and McKinley says they are quite active in the community and have been for some time. In fact, they are currently undertaking their largest project to date: developing a community-centric complex near the neighborhood's namesake park.
 
"Norris Square Civic Association has been active in the greater Norris Square community for over 30 years," says McKinley. "We started as a grass roots organization that brought together a group of neighborhood mothers who wanted to work to make their community safe for their children."
 
Through their early efforts, they were able to reclaim Norris Square Park, once known as "Needle Park," as a safe space for their kids to play.
 
Since 1994, NSCA has developed 147 units of affordable housing for both rent and sale while also rehabbing vacant homes. NSCA is currently building and rehabilitating another 30 single-family homes throughout the neighborhood.
 
Now they are tackling the massive rehabilitation and renovation of the former St. Boniface Catholic Church complex adjacent to Norris Square Park. Currently under construction, the project is set to include a school, office space, off-street parking, green space and seven units of mixed-income housing.
 
A brand new community center is also in the works for the site. Once complete, the center will feature sports facilities, a culinary incubator for local residents, vocational training classes, and arts and workshop training.
 
"The [community center] project is the result of a $5 million grant from the Department of Community and Economic Development for the structure’s rehabilitation," says McKinley. NSCA is now fundraising in order to outfit the space with the necessary equipment.
 
The ribbon cutting ceremony for the St. Boniface Project will take place on June 15, during the annual Norris Square neighborhood festival in Norris Square Park.
 
So yes, this part of Kensington might be a far cry from buzz-generating Northern Liberties and Fishtown, but there is good work being done. “Norris Square and the surrounding community are so much more than ‘the badlands,'" says McKinley. "It is a community of neighbors who are organizing their blocks and working to make their community safer."

Source:  Candace McKinley, Norris Square Civic Association
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

With so much attention on waterfront development in Center City these days, the North Delaware seems lost in the conversation. But that doesn’t mean the stretch of waterfront real estate isn’t seeing its fair share of activity.  

Thanks to the Delaware River City Corporation (DRCC)—the organization in charge of spearheading the North Delaware Greenway, an integral part of the much larger East Coast Greenway—trail and open space construction has taken off.
 
In 2008, the nonprofit’s efforts resulted in the creation of the Pennypack on the Delaware Trail, a paved trail connecting Pennypack Park to Pennypack Creek. Then, in October 2012, DRCC broke ground on the Port Richmond Trail, a 12-foot-wide, 1.5-mile asphalt trail that will connect the Port Richmond neighborhood to the waterfront and extend north along the Delaware. Completion is expected within a year.

Looking forward, the two-mile K&T Trail (planned for an abandoned riverfront freight rail line) is in its final design stage, with construction expected in the next two years. Also on the docket is the Baxter Trail, a two-mile northward extension of the trail from Pennypack Creek.

“By 2014, 60 percent of the Greenway will be built,” says DRCC Executive Director Tom Branigan.

There are still gaps in the 11-mile route that will be difficult to connect due to environmental issues, property rights or other constraints, but Branigan is confident that those lapses can be bridged and the North Delaware Greenway can be completed by 2020.

The DRCC also has an eye towards building even more meaningful connections between the waterfront to its adjacent neighborhoods. "Our ultimate mission is to connect the waterfront to neighborhoods and improve access," explains Branigan, who adds that those efforts won’t be able to take off until current projects are wrapped up. 

Source: Tom Branigan, Executive Director, DRCC
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

In yet another example of transit-oriented development (TOD) coming to Philadelphia neighborhoods, developer Ingerman Group plans to build 52 new affordable senior housing units on a site adjacent to the Erie-Torresdale subway station in Frankford. But it's the project’s adaptive reuse story that has folks in Frankford particularly excited—the units will be located in the famed Northeast Catholic School, bringing a large portion of the now-vacant building back to life.
 
In June 2010, due to declining enrollment and rising costs, Northeast Catholic High School shuttered its doors after nearly 90 years of operation. Shortly thereafter, the Mariana Bracetti Academy Charter School bought the campus and began renovations. The adjacent rectory was left vacant. 
 
That’s where the Ingerman Group stepped in. "The school contacted us to do affordable senior housing in the rectory," says Ingerman's Geoffrey Long. "Since it’s always been a residence, it was a natural reuse for the space." 
 
According to Long, the entire rectory will be repurposed and an additional story will be added to make the project financially feasible. Rents will range from $400 to $850 for one and two-bedroom units. 20 parking spaces will be provided on-site, a perk that Long sees as beneficial but not necessary. "The building’s location lends itself to a pedestrian and transit-based lifestyle, so not much parking will be provided," he explains.
 
The project cleared a recent zoning change hurdle and is currently waiting on state financing from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. If and when that comes through, city funding will also be secured and construction documents can get underway. 
 
If all goes according to plan, construction should start in September 2013, with residents moving in 12 to 14 months later. Demand for affordable senior units is particularly high—especially for those with access to transit and pedestrian amenities—so Long believes full occupancy will be achieved within six months of the building opening its doors.

Source: Geoffrey Long, Ingerman Group
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Philadelphia’s barely two-month old zoning code has brought a lot of new rules and different regulations to Philly’s development scene.  And now, the Mayor has created a Civic Design Review (CDR) Committee to advise the City Planning Commission as it reviews development projects thought to have a significant impact on the public realm.  Late last month, the mayor chose the committee members, of which there will be six standing and one rotating.  And today, at 1 p.m., the Committee will review its first project, the St. Francis Villa Senior Housing project in Kensington. 

That development, which is a 3 story, 40-unit independent living residential development at 1917-45 E. Hagert Street, will be for seniors 62 and older. The new zoning code stipulates projects to be reviewed by the committee are determined by such factors as use, size, height, location, and zoning.  The reason why the St. Francis project is up for review has to do with its variance requests for land use and parking – the parcel is currently zoned industrial and the new development is providing less off-street parking than required.
 
While this project is potentially an exciting one for Kensington, expect all eyes to be on the committee to see exactly how it will function and what role it will play in the development process.  According to committee member Nancy Rogo-Trainer, the committee will aim to specify proper ways development can interact with the public realm all while streamlining the development process.  “We’re not going to dictate how development should happen, but we will serve an advisory role to ensure private development has a positive impact on the public realm.” 

She believes this is a great opportunity for the city to take planning that has been done at city and neighborhood levels and ensure it’s appropriately brought to fruition.  “We’re at an important juncture in Philadelphia, with so much development going on we need a mechanism that steps back and looks at how individual projects are shaping the overall public realm .  We’re not there to advice on detailed architectural merits, we’re looking to make sure development makes sense for neighborhoods.”   

As the committee attempts to ensure projects will impact Philadelphia’s public realm in a positive manner, expect a few guiding principles to dictate the committees point of view.  “The committee will be guided by big picture ideas, seeing developments as part of a whole,” explains Trainer,  “but we’re still going to adhere to the intent of the Committee as outlined in the new zoning code.”    

Whatever advice and guiding principles that come out of committee meetings, expect them to be grounded in years of experience and wisdom from professionals in the urban planning, architecture and real estate development fields.

In addition to Nancy, who is an architect and member of the City Planning Commission, the other committee members are: Michael Johns, acting deputy executive director for operations at the Philadelphia Housing Authority; Anita Toby Lager, managing principal at LRSLAstudio; Dan Garofalo, environmental sustainability coordinator and senior facilities planner at UPenn; Anne Fadullon, director of real estate development and investment at the Dale Corporation; and Cecil Baker, architect. 

The seventh seat on the committee is rotating for each project, and will be filled by a representative from a local community organization for each project.  To that end, there will be a formal registry of community organizations to ensure their involvement in the process.

The committee is expected to meet monthly, two weeks prior to scheduled City Planning Commission meetings, where the advice and considerations of the committee will be seriously considered before the Commission approves or disapproves a project.  “This is really a terrific thing for the City,” says Trainer.  “We have a chance to clarify and streamline the development process, and over time we hope the development community and neighborhood groups see it that way as well.”   

Source: Nancy Rogo-Trainer, architect, member of the City Planning Commission
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