Development News

Philadelphia, already one of the country's most bike-crazy cities, is going to have to learn to share.

The City of Philadelphia recently completed the Philadelphia Bike Share Strategic Business Plan; they have now opened up the floor to station location suggestions and potential hosts. This is another huge step on the road towards Philadelphia joining New York City, Washington, D.C. and countless other cities around the world in the bike share game.

The proposed plan calls for 150 to 200 bike sharing stations (housing 1,500 to 2,000 bikes) serving the urban core, from the Delaware River into West Philadelphia, from the Navy Yard through Center City to North Philadelphia. 

The estimated cost is between $10 and 15 million. Those funds will come from state and federal transportation grants, and private sponsors. If all goes according to plan, the system should generate enough income to operate without continued public investment. Planners anticipate nearly two million trips per year by residents, commuters, students and visitors.

Locals are encouraged to visit phila.gov/bikeshare. Not only will you see pictures of Mayor Michael Nutter in a bike helmet, you can also suggest station locations or join some of the city's biggest employers and offer to host one.

LEE STABERT is managing editor of Flying Kite; follow her on Twitter @stabert.

Earlier this month, the Zoning Board of Adjustments (ZBA) gave the mixed-use Ridge Flats in East Falls the official go-ahead. Slated for the former Rivage site, a prominent local intersection, the project will be the largest "passive" development in the country.
 
Passive projects -- structures built to an exacting zero-net energy-efficiency standard -- aren’t a new concept in Philly; neighborhoods such as Bella Vista and Northern Liberties have seen new construction homes built under the guidelines throughout the past year. The scale of Ridge Flats is what sets it apart. Once complete, the five-story structure will contain 146 apartments, 1000 feet of commercial space and 120 above-grade parking spaces. The building will also feature green roofs and a rain garden.
 
"It's a model project for the country," says Gina Snyder, president of the East Falls Development Corporation (EFDC). "It will bring more people, retail and add more excitement to the neighborhood. It's the project we've been looking for on Ridge Avenue."
 
The site has been under the control of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority since the late '90s -- it wasn't until a year-and-a-half ago that EFDC found what they were looking for; local green developer Onion Flats made the winning pitch.
 
Since then, EFDC has been working with Onion Flats to make sure the project will be a win-win. They have fully supported the developer during the ZBA variance process.
 
Now that the ZBA has officially signed off, construction should begin this winter.

Source:  Gina Synder, East Falls Development Corporation
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

When walking by a vacant lot, it's easy to see only an eyesore. With her latest site-based sculpture, The House That Was Here, local artist Maria Möller hopes to shift that perception, reminding us that there's more to vacant land than stories of neglect.

Thanks to a grant from the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority's new Fund for Art and Civic Engagement (FACE), Möller -- along with neighborhood youth and community members -- created a piece at 2025 Federal Street that evokes the history of the house that once stood there. Point Breeze is a part of town with its fair share of vacancy that is now experiencing an intense wave of gentrification.

Multiple sculptural recreations of the former home stand in the narrow lot. Four of them tell the house's story from 1877 through the 1960s when it burned to the ground. The four pieces incorporate original source material, neighborhood memories and a little bit of historical fiction to tell the space's history.

The fifth house has been created using three open houses -- the public was invited to share their own thoughts, memories of life in Point Breeze, and their hopes for the future of the neighborhood -- adding the community's voice to Möller's exploration of neighborhood change.
 
The exhibit runs through the end of August. If you can’t make it, check out thehousethatwashere.tumblr.com for photos and additional information. 

Source:  Maria Möller, local artist
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

At 20th and Market Streets, in the heart of Center City's business district and just south of Logan Square, Brandywine Realty is poised to break ground on a 28-story 278-unit apartment tower. Meanwhile, at 23rd and Race Streets, a parking lot will become Edgewater II, a 22-story 240-rental unit tower. These projects are the latest in an ongoing high-rise construction boom in Logan Square that should bring an injection of residents and an increase in density. According to the folks with the Logan Square Neighborhood Association (LSNA), this is all according to plan.

On July 16, the neighborhood association heard proposals for three more projects within Logan Square. The first, Museum Towers II, will be built at 18th and Hamilton Streets, just north of Baldwin Park. Developer Forest City is looking to build 270 residential units in a 16-story tower, along with 16 two-story townhomes. 
 
The second proposal is from Cross Properties. They hope to develop an 11-story building with 250 apartments at 2100 Hamilton Street behind the Rodin Museum. The third proposal -- 339 apartments in two buildings at Broad and Callowhill -- was made by Hanover Properties and the Parkway Corporation.
 
Since then, details for the much-anticipated Rodin Square development have also been released. That project features 293 residential units in two 10-story towers above a 60,000-square-foot Whole Foods store at 20th and Callowhill, replacing a run-down Best Western Hotel.
 
Considering that all of these projects are within a few short blocks of each other -- and that they will all bring new residents, parking demands and retail needs -- it's clear that Logan Square is about to go through quite the growth spurt.
 
“We live in a hot area for development,” says Ed Panek with LSNA. “We are making sure new development abides by the neighborhood plan.”
 
That plan, completed in 2009, laid out a vision for the neighborhood that preserved its character while allowing for appropriate infill development.
 
"There is a lot of density to give here; a lot of empty lots," adds Panek. "We're excited for the [proposed] new developments in Logan Square."

Source:  David Searles, Ed Panek, Logan Square Neighborhood Association
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

It was 2008 the last time The Merchants Fund partnered with the Department of Commerce to offer ReStore Retail Incentive Grants for upgrading or establishing retail along neighborhood commercial corridors. West Philly's Mariposa Food Co-Op was one of the lucky recipients, successfully utilizing the funds to fill financial gaps and make the project a reality. Since opening, the Baltimore Avenue grocery has quintupled in size, created 30 jobs, remediated a food desert and helped stabilize a commercial corridor. That same level of success is what The Merchants Fund is after with their next round of grants; a Request for Proposals opens August 14.

According to Patricia Blakeley with The Merchants Fund, this year's round of grants is "more of the same" -- applicants must have at least two primary partners: a community non-profit and a future or current retail business owner or arts organization (for-profit or non-profit). Grants of up to $50,000 are available.

"We're looking for shovel-ready projects," explains Blakeley. "We want to sweeten the pot so projects can be completed by summer 2014."

To accomplish that, the ReStore Grants are being offered in tandem with a new program called InStore, a Department of Commerce and Office of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy forgivable loan program designed to help businesses with interior improvements. The retail locations must serve a low-to-moderate income population to qualify for the $15,000 to $50,000 grants.

In total, the two programs are offering $800,000 to help establish high-quality retail, encourage business attraction and aid commercial expansion in Philly neighborhoods. While some recipients could potentially benefit from more than one grant, Blakeley says the money will be divided up in a fair and strategic way.

"We haven't figured out the details of who will fund what, but we want to reach all corners of the city," she explains.

A briefing about the two programs will be held on at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, August 14 at 1515 Arch Street, 18th Floor, City Planning Room (18-029). 

Source:  Patricia Blakeley, The Merchants Fund
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

There's good news for those clamoring for more corner commercial spaces in Graduate Hospital -- Ready to Hand: Saori Philadelphia is set to open at 22nd and Fitzwater along the neighborhood's burgeoning commercial corridor. Local artist and textile expert Leslie Sudock is behind the new venture, which she envisions as a community textile studio. Eventually, the storefront space will be open five days a week for people who want to make art.
 
"I've been looking for almost eight years to open something like this," says Sudock. "There really isn't much in Philly right now quite like it."
 
Initially, the studio will hold five to six classes per week for all ages -- toddlers to kids to adults. Programs and classes will also cater to the local homeless population. Sudock is known locally for her homeless advocacy. Her past venture, Arts Street Textile Studio: Handmade with the Homeless (ASTS), was a South Street storefront that taught the homeless and those transitioning from homelessness to weave, knit, sew, crochet and quilt wearable and useable art.

With that storefront now closed, Sudock is looking to bring its energy and ideas to the new space. And, as the name suggests, she plans to offer Saori, a practice of free-form hand weaving not currently taught in the area.
 
"I really believe in Saori," says Sudock. "It is amazingly therapeutic."
 
When Saori and other classes aren’t in session, Sudock plans to display and sell the art created in the studio. She will be open monthly during First Friday.

The sustainability-minded firm Greensaw Design is currently completing interior work. A grand opening is planned for late September.  

Source:  Leslie Sudock, Ready to Hand: Saori Philadelphia
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

In April, GlaxoSmithKline officially opened its new double LEED Platinum certified facility in the Navy Yard. Designed by architect Robert A.M. Stern, the building has been widely praised for its creativity and modernity. To compliment the aesthetic, a public art sculpture, Five Standards (Dazzle), now stands just outside the building's main entrance. The piece is the first large-scale, permanent outdoor work by Philadelphia artist Virgil Marti.

"My work has often examined how art is understood and utilized in interior spaces," explained Marti in a press release. "In this piece, I was challenged to think about how art functions in exterior spaces in relation to architecture as an adjacent object, like the ships docked nearby."

He references those ships directly in the piece; the name itself pays homage to dazzle, a type of early twentieth century naval camouflage. The sculpture is comprised of five sixteen-by-seven-foot powder-coated steel and mirror-polished stainless steel structures resembling looking glasses; the design fits seamlessly alongside the GlaxoSmithKline facade, crafted to recall a large transparent ship docked in the Navy Yard.

According to the artist, the shadows and reflections of the sculpture produce a sense of flowing water underneath, creating the perfect compliment for the large ship.

The sculpture is managed by the Mural Arts Program and is now on permanent display at 5 Crescent Drive.

Source:  Virgil Marti, Philadelphia Artist
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Established in 2007 after years of inactivity (and formerly known as PhilaPride), Keep Philadelphia Beautiful (KPB) works to build and sustain vibrant communities through sustainable initiatives. Now, with a new director on board and a federal campaign helping channel funds, the organization is poised to tackle more complex programs.
 
KPB is the local affiliate of the federal non-profit Keep America Beautiful, a network of more than 1,200 organizations. The national office recently launched "I Want to Be Recycled," a campaign that encourages people to recycle. In Philly, that means continued funding for litter prevention, recycling education and waste reduction.
 
KPB has already helped collect thousands of pounds of trash, removed thousands of tires and generated thousands of pounds of recycling. Those are impressive feats, but new Executive Director Michelle Feldman (former Commercial Corridor Manager of the Frankford Community Development Corporation) wants to amp up KPB's local presence.  

"We're working on partnerships with various city agencies and offices, trying to launch new programs and make organizing community beautification efforts easier for residents," explains Feldman. "We want to encourage innovative ways to keep areas clean."
 
One example is an "art to trash" scholarship program.

"Registrants would submit a piece of artwork made from recycled materials, or materials that would have been thrown out," explains Feldman. "The winner would receive a scholarship for a class -- at an art school, perhaps, depending on who we end up partnering with."
 
The program, which is still in its infancy, would also create a temporary pop-up gallery. "We'd love to involve art in our future efforts, however we can," says Feldman. "We are working on an art and sustainability project coming soon to West Philly.”
 
"We want to keep doing what we have done," she adds. "Be a resource to those looking to spearhead community beautification projects, spearhead our own community beautification projects and be a partner to the City and the Streets Department however we can."

Source:  Michelle Feldman, Keep Philadelphia Beautiful
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

In its first year, Flying Kite's On the Ground program has embedded the publication in four neighborhoods, occupying vacant storefronts for 90 days each. Community engagement, positive reporting and reimagining underutilized commercial spaces are pillars of the effort.
 
Now one of our On the Ground storefronts has landed a permanent tenant. After three months of events and outreach at 322 W. Chelten Avenue in Germantown, the folks at Philly Office Retail were able to rent the property to Rose Petals Café and Lounge, a BYOB concept new to the area.  
 
According to Noah Krey with Philly Office Retail, before Flying Kite's On the Ground program, there was no tenant expressing serious interest in the storefront (former home to a regional Obama campaign office). 
 
"Enlivening the space made it an easier sell to prospective tenants," says Krey. That new energy, coupled with Philly Office Retail's commitment to bringing a quality tenant to this stretch of Chelten Avenue, is what helped attract Rose Petals Café.
 
The space is now under construction. Owners Desmin and Jania Daniels, a Mt. Airy couple launching their first restaurant, hope to open by the end of July. 
 
The BYOB ("bring your own bottle"), which Krey calls "a great concept for this part of Germantown," will offer breakfast, lunch, pastries, specialty smoothies and 10 different waffle options. Dinner will be served Friday and Saturday evenings (6 - 10 p.m.) and feature a fusion of Latin and Soul cuisines.
 
The café and lounge will also feature wireless internet and a small stage for live music. The couple eventually hopes to renovate the backyard, adding additional seating and possibly a tiny dog park.
 
Source:  Noah Krey, Philly Office Retail
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

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

The Ralph Brooks Park at 20th and Tasker Streets will undergo an ambitious $275,000 renovation, transforming the basketball court into "Rucker Philly," modeled after the famed court in Harlem. But this isn’t just a project to fix up a basketball court -- if Jeffrey Tubbs and his nonprofit Urban Roots get their way, the project will be the first phase of a much larger neighborhood-wide revitalization effort.

The project's first phase is a head-to-toe makeover of the park, complete with the addition of a rain garden and a community garden, all thanks to donations totaling about $241,495 from the City, the Philadelphia Water Department, Urban Roots, the ACE Mentor Program, I.am.SP and Ritter & Plante Associates.

On May 29, Urban Roots launched a crowdfunding campaign on Lucky Ant to close the gap needed for the first phase's $275,000 figure as well as raise money for future plans.

The Park honors Ralph Brooks Jr., a seven-year-old boy who was tragically shot a block away in 1988.

With future phases, Brooks' legacy will be expanded beyond the basketball court. "If you don't play basketball it doesn't mean this project won't benefit you," says Jessie Fox with Here's My Chance, an organization assisting Urban Roots with their crowdfunding efforts.

Tubbs is looking to transform other city-owned parcels nearby to bring a variety of much-needed services to the neighborhood. These include an urban farm, a senior pavilion, new play equipment, public art, and sidewalk and street resurfacing.

If enough money is raised, plans for affordable housing, a sporting-goods store and a commercial kiosk that sells fresh produce to the neighborhood could come to fruition. Tubbs says the three additional park renovation phases will cost about $700,000.

"Everyone is really excited for the project and the benefits it will bring," says Fox. "The effort is bringing the community back together."

For more information on the project, or if you’d like to make a contribution, click here.

Source:  Jessie Fox, Here's My Chance
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Wednesday marks a major milestone for Camden's $90 million state-of-the-art Kroc Center  -- City officials and community leaders will gather for the project's official topping-out ceremony.
 
Seen as a key to revitalizing the city's underutilized waterfront in the Cramer Hill neighborhood, the new community center has been in the making for over 8 years. In 2004, the Salvation Army USA announced a $1.6 billion gift from the estate of Joan Kroc (her husband founded McDonald's).
 
Through a competitive process, $59 million of this funding went to Camden to build one of 27 Kroc Corps Community Centers in the country. The remaining $31 million has been raised through philanthropic efforts.
 
Tomorrow's topping-out ceremony hopes to garner even more excitement for the city's newest destination. Once complete, the new center will resemble one in Philadelphia's Nicetown neighborhood, which opened in 2010.
 
Camden's Center -- which Major Paul Cain with the Salvation Army calls "a super community center" -- will be a behemoth. The 120,000 square-foot facility will provide recreational, health, educational, cultural, family and spiritual programming for area residents. Members will enjoy an early-childhood education center, a food pantry, aquatic centers, a worship center, a black box movie theater and dance studios. The Center's grounds will also include a park, outdoor water facilities, sports fields and a playground.
 
"The program model is holistic," says Cain. "The Center will have amenities geared towards the mind, body and spirit."
 
The anticipated membership fee for a family of four is $200; however scholarships will be available for those who cannot afford the fee.
 
"Joan Kroc's purpose for each [Kroc Center] was to provide access to a state-of-the-art facility for underserved communities," adds Cain. "Camden's will live up to that legacy."     
 
For information about joining the new center, visit KrocCenter.org

Source:  Major Paul Cain, The Salvation Army
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Representatives from five Delaware Valley schools were in Washington, D.C. earlier this month to receive a 2013 Green Ribbon Schools award; one school district also received a District Sustainability Award.
 
Similar to the Blue Ribbon Awards for educational excellence, the U.S. Department of Education grants the Green Ribbon Awards to schools that work to reduce their environmental footprint; improve the health and wellness of students and faculty; and integrate sustainability education into the curriculum. The region's winners were among 78 schools and districts chosen nationwide.
 
Notably, all Delaware and Pennsylvania statewide nominees this year were from the Philadelphia region.

"It's clear that there is a lot of local energy and interest for promoting sustainability in our schools," says Lori Braunstein with the Delaware Valley Green Building Council, who helped administer the school's applications.

Each honoree was recognized for different reasons. From newer suburban schools with solar arrays to older city schools boasting unique partnerships with the City of Philadelphia, each worked hard to prove its worth as a leader on sustainablity initiatives. 
 
The winning local schools are Albert M. Greenfield Elementary School (Philadelphia School District); Broughal Middle School (Bethlehem Area School District, Northampton County); Nazareth Area Middle School (Nazareth Area School District, Northampton County); and Westtown School (Chester County).
 
Lower Merion School District (Montgomery County) was awarded the first-ever District Sustainability Award.
 
"It's possible the schools can leverage the award to get additional funding or get to the front of the line for other sustainability initiatives," says Braunstein. "This can just be the beginning."

Source:  Lori Braunstein, Delaware Valley Green Building Council
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Maplewood Mall, a historic shopping center in downtown Germantown, is set to receive $2.2 million in city funds for a complete redesign. Councilwoman Cindy Bass and Kevin Dow, Chief Operating Officer of the Department of Commerce, made the announcement this past Saturday.
 
"In its current state, the Mall's design does not live up to its potential," explains Joseph Corrigan, director of communications for Cindy Bass’s Office. "The space could be a great urban place and an anchor for future redevelopment."
 
The redesign will build off the ideas summarized in the recently adopted Central Germantown Business District Beautification Plan, and input will be solicited through an aggressive community outreach process.
 
"The redesign will be driven by the community," adds Corrigan, explaining that once the vision is fleshed out, an official RFP will be released to hire a consulting firm. If all goes according to plan, final design work should be completed by fall 2014.
 
As part of the outreach process, Germantown United CDC and G-Town Radio are hosting a Re-Imagining Maplewood Mall Night Café and Block Party. The free event will take place on Saturday, June 22, 4 to 8:30 p.m. (a rain date is scheduled for June 29). Expect live music, activities for children and food from area restaurants.
 
Through Re-Imagining Maplewood Mall, the CDC hopes to reintroduce citizens to the area as a place to shop and socialize while garnering new ideas for the big makeover.

Source:  Joseph Corrigan, Director of Communications for Councilwoman Cindy Bass
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

In May 2012, Flying Kite covered the Community Design Collaborative's Transforming Urban Schoolyards design charrette, an event that aimed to rethink Philly's most asphalt-ridden schoolyards. West Philly's Henry C. Lea Elementary was one of the lucky recipients of the charrette's ideas. Now, those visions have a chance to come to life -- Lea is one of 10 finalists for a national $75,000 Green School Makeover grant from Global Green USA.

Julie Scott with the West Philadelphia Coalition for Neighborhood Schools (WPCNS) says the Green School Makeover grant will go towards Lea's ambitious sustainability plans. "We would utilize the grant to get a comprehensive recycling program started for the school," she says. "We’d start with relocating the dumpster off the grounds, which is a huge undertaking."
 
The dumpster would be relocated to the school's north yard to create an area for recycling and compost. This initiative would join other in-progress greening efforts. Last November, through a grant from SCI-West, the elementary school (in partnership with WPCNS) built a 1,400-square-foot planting bed, an early-action project identified during the charrette. Additional walking paths and plantings were added in the spring.

Once complete, the space will reorient the schoolyard as the primary entrance, leading visitors through a garden that would double as an outdoor area for science classes. In addition to the recycling program, the school also hopes to add additional stormwater mitigation features and rooftop solar panels.

The school is still actively searching for other ways to fund its master plan. If you're interested in getting involved in any way, please complete this brief survey or email [email protected] for details. 

Source:  Julie Scott, West Philadelphia Coalition of Neighborhood Schools
Writer: Greg Meckstroth