Development News

Philadelphia’s urban complexities can sometimes seem overwhelming, but thanks to the efforts at Temple’s Urban Apps and Maps Studios, grappling with these complicated issues might soon be possible in the palm of your hand. 
 
Over the next three summers, high school and college-age students will take part in a six-week program to learn digital design and business skills, with a dozen of them working year-round to develop apps and maps that solve challenges of urban communities.   
 
A central goal of the program is connecting the students with underserved North Philadelphia communities, engaging them with the design challenges. According to Michele Masucci, professor and chair of Geography and Urban Studies at Temple University, it was this community outreach component of the project that caught the eye of the Knight Foundation—they are providing a $635,000 grant. "The issues to be solved come from community input," explains Masucci. "Knight thought this was fantastic and wanted to get involved."
 
Thanks to the Knight grant—as well as the initial U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration grant that jumpstarted the program last year—the Urban Apps and Maps Studio is fully funded for at least the next three years. Masucci believes the benefits of the program will guarantee funding for years to come. "The youth of this country are one of the largest digital consumer groups," she says. "This program brings them to the table to also be digital innovators."
 
The program also broadens students' educational and professional horizons by connecting them with Temple’s vast resources. In an unprecedented model of collaboration, faculty from Temple’s Fox School of Business, College of Science and Technology, College of Engineering and Tyler School of Art have lent their expertise to the Studio’s efforts to create, implement and eventually sell the apps and maps.   
 
A number of apps and maps have already been created. These include an app for urban farming, an urban health warriors game app that helps increase health awareness and a game to educate youth about personal finance.

Over the next few years, expect even more innovative solutions to emerge from the Studio. Accoring to Masucci, the University will continue to work with the Philadelphia School District and the Philadelphia Youth Network to identify and recruit students from North Philadelphia to take part in the Studio. Over the coming years, they are aiming to expand the program to other parts of Philadelphia as well.

Source: Michele Masucci, professor and chair of Geography and Urban Studies, Temple
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

As Flying Kite detailed back in late November, Avenue of the Arts, Inc. (AAI) partnered with the Pennsylvania Horicultural Society (PHS) to launch the "New Vision for South Broad Street" competition. The participants' mission was to continue the thoroughfare's original purpose as an arts and entertainment district but with a modern take. Ten architectural and landscape firms submitted ideas, and four were chosen as finalists. Now the list has been narrowed once again. From PlanPhilly:

A judging panel, overseen by Avenue of the Arts, Inc. (AAI) Chairman Dianne Semingson, has chosen Bohlin Cywinski Jackson and Jonathan Alderson Landscape Architects, Inc., to participate in Phase II of the “New Vision for South Broad Street” Request for Proposal (RFP) project. The two teams, selected from four finalists (the other two were LRSLA Studio and Cairone & Kaupp, Inc.) are charged with pushing forward a program to reinvigorate South Broad Street from City Hall to Washington Avenue.

The two firms will present refined proposals in early 2013 and one winner will be selected.

As part of the ongoing effort to re-imagine the Delaware River waterfront as a regional destination, the City of Philadelphia's Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy is bringing a large-scale, interactive art installation to the Race Street Pier.  Thanks to a grant from the national creative placemaking accelerator ArtPlace, the installation—tentatively dubbed NET—is set to open to the public next summer.

"The idea is a series of interconnected nets that people can literally climb into and experience the waterfront from a suspended location," explains Margot Berg, Public Art Director for the City of Philadelphia. "It’s kind of like a public hammock space."

The city is working with Numen/For Use, a Croatian-Austrian design collective, to create the art piece at the Pier. "Our office was familiar with their work and thought it would be appealing to work with them,” explains Berg. "They’ve never done an installation piece outside or in the United States and were looking for such an opportunity. So they were on board with the idea."

A big part of the project's appeal was its location on the Race Street Pier and the waterfront in general. "The waterfront is a place where a lot of planning attention is being funneled—where the City is trying to connect people to the place,” says Berg.  "NET will serve as a way for people to experience the waterfront in a new way and make them want to come back over and over." 

Berg is hopeful that NET, in conjunction with the new headquarters of the Live Arts/Philly Fringe across the street and the nearby “Race Street Connector” public art piece, will create a ripple effect of investment along the waterfront. "The idea is to capitalize on the momentum in the area and show how art and culture can do that," she adds. 

Berg and the artists, in conjunction with the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation, are still finalizing details and ironing out the assembly logistics for the massive installation (a 30-square-foot cube). The team plans for a June 2013 unveiling and a three month-long exhibition.    

Source: Margot Berg, Public Art Director for the City of Philadelphia
Writer: Greg Meckstroth   

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

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

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

Borne out of the ongoing Central District Plan, the Planning Commission has decided to pursue BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) for City Branch in Logan Square, an old submerged railbed that has been underutilized for years.

While not a new idea on the world stage, this would be Philly’s first foray into BRT. A mode of transit not unlike light rail (but without the rail part), BRT utilizes special buses in dedicated lanes to move people around. In true Philly fashion, the proposed BRT is getting its own spin: the Commission is billing it as a "Cultural BRT," connecting some of the city’s most important arts and civic institutions along its route. 

According to Laura Spina of the City Planning Commission, the current proposal would run buses from the Please Touch
Museum and Mann Music Center, eventually connecting to Girard Avenue where it would cross the Schuylkill and connect to the submerged City Branch cut at 30th and Poplar Streets. Eventually the line would reemerge and run along Race and Arch Streets to link up with the future transit lines along Columbus Boulevard (proposed in the adopted Waterfront Master Plan).

But before any of this happens, a lot of public education needs to take place. “This isn’t your typical SEPTA bus,” says Spina,  pointing to BRT examples in Los Angeles and Cleveland as prototypes for Philly’s new line. “It will run on a much higher frequency in dedicated lanes with enhanced stations.” 

Spina also argues that City Branch is the perfect place for implementing BRT: “It is already a dedicated right-of-way that is separate from the grid, so this cuts down on implementation costs, making it one third the cost of building light rail at a similar scope.”

City planners expect the Cultural BRT to cost about $75 million in total, but it isn’t the price tag that has some groups riled up over the Commission’s plan. “There are two groups of people who are upset over the BRT proposal,” explains Spina, “those that want to use City Branch for light rail and those that want to turn it into a park.” 

ViaductGreene is the most organized group advocating to turn the submerged City Branch landscape into open space that would connect to the long-awaited Reading Viaduct park, but they would have to convince SEPTA, the current landowner, to turn it over for such a purpose. As of now, SEPTA seems to be on the side of BRT. “SEPTA is very much in support of BRT here,” says Spina. “They want to find the best way to utilize City Branch and they want to grow their system.  For them, it’s a win-win.” 

Spina says a lot of the details still need to be hammered out through the Central District Plan, but expects Philadelphia to welcome BRT sooner rather than later. “A big part of the bus line is right there and ready to use," she explains. "Once we finalize the route and gain community support, we want to get BRT up and running to improve transportation choices in Fairmount, while connecting some of the best cultural institutions Philly has.” 

Source: Laura Spina, City Planning Commission
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

It's been almost 20 years since the Avenue of the Arts, Inc. (AAI) was founded to oversee the growth and development of Broad Street from Washington Avenue to Glenwood Avenue. As successful as the organization has been in creating a dining and entertainment destination centered on performing arts, there’s been a growing consensus that the area's image needs an update. 

To do this, AAI has partnered with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) to launch a "New Vision for South Broad Street" competition. The goal is to continue the thoroughfare's original purpose as an arts and entertainment district but with a modern take. Ten architectural and landscape firms submitted ideas, and four were chosen as finalists. Those firms showcased their ideas last week at the Bellevue.    

The final teams—Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, Cairone & Kaupp, Inc., Jonathan Alderson Landscape Architects, Inc. and LRSLA Studio—were tasked with developing contemporary, implementable plans for improving the Avenue’s streetscape.  They were asked to specifically consider innovative uses of light, sound, transportation, navigation, ecology, and economic and residential development. While the goals were the same, the firms’ ideas weren't.

For Jonathan Alderson, founder of Jonathan Alderson Landscape Architects, putting forth an implementable vision was the crux of his firm’s plan. "We wanted to put forth ideas that can happen soon—that are actually do-able," says Alderson, whose vision features the low cost installation of moveable, locally manufactured planters, pop-up performance squares, LED lanterns, bike lanes and mobile light displays. 

For Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, thinking big was the priority. "We saw this competition as a chance to put forth a plan to unite all neighborhoods along Broad Street, from the Navy Yard to Cheltenham Avenue," explained L.B. Young, an associate with Bohlin. "For this reason, our proposal features a number of small and big moves that together create a cohesive identity, so that no matter what part of Broad Street you’re on, you know you’re on Broad Street." Bohlin’s ideas ranged from creating open spaces and rethinking the Avenue’s branding to installing light wells that connect to the underground subway and tying in side streets with lighting and pedestrian connections. 

There were a number of ideas that all four teams seemed to agree on—chief among them activating the Avenue with art.  "It’s called the 'Avenue of the Arts' yet all the art is inside," said Ashley DiCaro of the Cairone & Kaupp, Inc. team. To mitigate this issue, DiCaro’s team (along with the other three) presented plans for turning the buildings inside out, bringing the art to the street. Pop-up performance spaces, large art installations and outdoor concerts were common features in each team’s vision. 

With the public’s interest now piqued, the four teams will officially present their visions this Wednesday, November 14 to a panel of judges and AAI representatives.  A winner will be announced six days later, and by the start of 2014, AAI hopes to begin implementing the winning design. 

Source: Jonathan Alderson, founder of Jonathan Alderson Landscape Architects; L.B. Young, associate at Bohlin Cywinski Jackson; Ashley DiCaro, Interface Studio
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

In 2009, after nearly 70 years in operation, the famed Frankford Y at Arrott and Leiper Streets closed its doors due to funding woes. The past three years have been a struggle—the Y has switched owners more than once, been vandalized numerous times and faced the threat of foreclosure. But now, thanks to the Northwood Civic Association and its vice president Frank Bennett, the historic building is experiencing new life. If all goes according to plan, the Frankford Y will reopen its doors and reclaim its status as a neighborhood institution. 

Even with all the optimism, there are significant hurdles to clear before the building can welcome the community. After years of neglect, some basic necessities need to be taken care of. "Fixing the leaky roof is our top priority," explains Bennett. "That, and getting the electric turned on. The goal right now is just to stabilize the building.”   

Bennett is a long-time member of the Northwood Civic Association and understands the importance of bringing the Y back. "It’s been on the Association’s radar for a while," he explains. "I took a tour of the building and saw the extensive damage caused by vandals, but I still wanted to take it over because it’s such an important asset here." In conjunction with the Civic Association, Bennett was able to take control of the building and form a new board of directors. 

The New Frankford Community Y is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to develop programs that use the facility in a manner that benefits everyone. "We want to activate parts of the facility, including getting a day care tenant, utilizing the weight room as a multi-purpose room, offering GED courses and training, and a whole host of other activities centered on enabling individuals to achieve more than what they have today," say Bennett. If this initial plan proves successful, Bennett and the board want to eventually reopen the pool.

Figuring out the long-term plan for the Y is extremely important; Bennett says that if the board can put together a strong business plan, the bank will forgive a current outstanding mortgage of more than $200,000 on the property. This would be a significant boon for the board and the facility, which currently lacks the resources to tackle a financial burden this steep. 

For now, Bennett and the board are focused on that leaky roof and securing insurance for the property. "There’s still a lot of work to do," says Bennett. "Slowly but surely though, the Frankford Y is coming back to life.” 

Source: Frank Bennett, Northwood Civic Association
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

When it comes to Gay Philadelphia, there’s a lot to be proud of.  After all, the city features one of the country’s most recognizable, tightly knit ‘Gayborhoods’ in Center City, acting as the focal point of GLBT civic life for the region.  Building off this identity, City, State and gay leaders will later this week officially break ground on the William Way residences, a one of a kind, $20 million gay-friendly senior affordable housing project on 13th Street, smack dab in the middle of the Gayborhood.        

“There is only one other type of facility like this in the nation. That’s in L.A.,” explains Mark Segal, who is the publisher of the Philadelphia Gay News and has spearheaded the project thus far.  He says that what makes the William Way residences so unique because of how it has been funded.  “It’s the first effort to use traditional ways to finance and build an affordable GLBT-friendly housing project.” 

By 'traditional,' Segel means 'public' - the project is being financed with a multitude of city, state and federal funds.  One of the funding sources, the Dr. Manus Hirschfeld Fund, is a GLBT advocacy group that was formed in 2004 to support the gay community.  They received an $11 million grant from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency earlier this year.  This money, combined with $8 million in already allocated government grants, allowed the project to move forward to where it is today.    
 
The new 6-story structure will feature 56 one-bedroom units, a 5,000-square-foot enclosed courtyard, and multipurpose spaces that residents and the community can use. Plans also include roughly 2,000 square feet of retail space that will front 13th Street. 

Living in the residences will be geared towards seniors in the gay community so they have a place to comfortably live without possible stresses of being discriminated against in other public housing.  Even though affordable housing laws dictate that eligibility to live in public housing based on sexual preference is illegal, the building is able to market itself as ‘gay friendly’ to draw special interest from GLBT seniors.  But the facility will be open to anyone that is at least 62 years old and earns less than 60 percent of the Philadelphia median income. 

Due to Hurricane Sandy pushing construction timetables back (the original groundbreaking was set for Oct. 29th), the official groundbreaking is now set for later this week on Friday, Nov. 9 at 11 a.m. at 249 S. 13th Street.  Mayor Nutter will be in attendance and will unveil the official name of the new building.  He will be joined by former Governor Ed Rendell, numerous city and state officials as well as a number of high profile GLBT civil rights pioneers.  Segal believes the project will take up to 15 months to complete and should be ready for occupation in early 2014.        

Source: Mark Segal, Philadelphia Gay News 
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Thanks to a number of public funding sources and the efforts of Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez, the entire 4600 block of Frankford Avenue is set to receive $200,000 in targeted façade improvements as part of the Commerce Department’s Storefront Improvement Program.  The funds are allocated, business owners have signed on, contract bids are out, and work is set to begin in earnest in January. 

“We want to make a big bang,” says Tracy O’Drain with the Frankford CDC. “That’s why we’re targeting the 4600 block of Frankford Ave.  It’s in the heart of the business district, has the highest concentration of businesses and has the potential to catalyze additional revitalization efforts nearby.” 

O’Drain says not every building will receive improvements because, quite simply, not all need it.  But for those that do, new awnings, windows, painting, signage and some good old façade scrubbing is how the money will be spent.  “We’re working with the business owners to identify exactly what they need and how best to utilize the funds we have.”    
  
O’Drain believes the most important aspect of the façade improvement program is its integral role in the much bigger effort to improve Frankford Avenue.  “Mural Arts is in the process of developing a series of murals along the Avenue, we’re in the process of rolling out an ‘art in vacant spaces’ initiative and since September, we’ve been implementing a commercial corridor cleaning program with funds from the Commerce Department,” she said.  “We know that a cleaner Frankford Avenue will lead to increased commerce and safety, and add to the sense of pride that we should all take in Frankford.”

The cleaning program is a one-time, yearlong event, so O’Drain and the CDC hopes to make the effort last and thinks the façade improvement initiative is a way to do that.  “In the future, the commercial corridor manager, Michelle Feldman, can use the façade improvements as an example of how other blocks can implement similar changes and keep the blocks clean for a more sustainable Frankford Avenue.” 

Source: Tracy O’Drain, Frankford CDC
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

JBJ Soul Homes, formerly known as Fairmount Gardens, unofficially broke ground in early October at the intersection of Fairmount and Ridge Avenues in Francisville.  And two weeks from today an official groundbreaking ceremony with Mayor Nutter and Jon Bon Jovi will commemorate the construction of a new project that is being heralded as one of the most important along the burgeoning North Broad Corridor and promises to act as a catalyst for future investment. 
 
So why all the excitement over JBJ Soul Homes?  “It’s the ultimate win-win,” says Joan McCann of Project H.O.M.E , the non-profit homeless advocacy group behind the new four-story, 75,000+ square foot facility.  “The project brings together affordable housing, mostly geared towards the homeless, office space for Project H.O.M.E, and retail space for the neighborhood.”   Make that a win-win-win.   
 
Specifically, the facility will include 47 efficiency apartments and eight one-bedrooms, minimal parking due to the nearby subway stop, and 12,000 square feet of retail space that can accommodate one user or be split into three spaces.    
 
Laura Weinbaum of Project H.O.M.E says the group had their eye on the tract of land for a long time and wanted to build affordable housing there.  “We wanted affordable housing in close proximity to our offices at 1515 Fairmount Avenue and thought this site was perfect.  The Fairmount health center is nearby, the subway is right there and the neighborhood has a lot of amenities to offer.”
 
So they approached another prominent non-profit in the neighborhood, People For People, which owned the land. “They didn’t want to sell the land, but agreed to lease it to us so long as the project included retail space that catered to the needs of the community,” explains Weinabum who says as part of the agreement, People For People will manage the retail space.      
 
Weinbaum says one of the goals of the retail space is to re-establish Fairmount and Ridge Avenues as commercial corridors in Francisville.  To that effect, the commercial storefronts will be located on the first floor of the building along both Ridge and Fairmount Avenues and Ridge Avenue and Fifteenth Street, and is expected to establish a strong visual gateway into the neighborhood.    
 
The official groundbreaking ceremony is taking place Tuesday, Nov. 13^th, from 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.  After that Weinbaum expects construction should last for roughly one year and be open sometime next fall or early winter.

Source: Joan McCann and Laura Weinbaum, Project H.O.M.E.
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

“Creative Urban Renewal” – that’s the mantra behind Twenty Nineteen, LLC, a new, first of its kind, center for social innovators who have an itch to work on the social and environmental problems that Philadelphia faces.    

“The new center is for those who can't just take off a year or six months without income, yet have really cool, viable ideas or working ventures for improving urban problems,” explains Martin Montero, one of the forces behind Twenty Nineteen.  He says the center is mostly aimed for folks in their 20s who “still have a lot freedom to pick up and move to start something new on a shoestring.”

Montero thinks the new center, which is located at 2019 College Street in Brewerytown, will help better connect individuals to Philly’s civic issues, bringing about engagement in ways that aren’t currently possible.  “By default, folks with money, family connections or political influence are those best suited to make social change,” says Montero.  “One of the goals of Twenty Nineteen is to open that opportunity up to others and give them resources and connections they might not otherwise have.”    

A big part of that opportunity will come by way of the center’s physical location.  The model calls for three connected row houses that will house 18 people with an open communal space on the first floor for hosting community events or having visitors.  Rent will be $450/month, but three to six of those folks will get room and board stipends for one year In exchange for a full-time work commitment (50-60 hours a week) to launch or join a social venture that directly benefits Philadelphia. 

An interesting caveat to Twenty Nineteen is that the social innovators who move into the house have to commit to three years of living in Philadelphia.  “This is a unique aspect of the house as compared to similar ventures across the country,” says Montero.  “We want to make sure Philly really benefits from the ideas being generated here.”   

So what kind of ideas the team hoping will come out of Twenty Nineteen?  “Anything from nutrition, health care, green energy to improving civic engagement,” says Montero.  “The goal of the house is to solve some of the City’s greatest urban problems.” 

To help make this goal a reality, Montero and his collaborators are teaming up with Girard College.  “The house is located next door so it makes perfect sense to utilize the College’s campus resources,” says Montero.  “In return, Girard students will have access to the social innovators for an after school/weekend option for apprenticeships centered on several Philly centric civic engagement/social innovation projects.” 

Montero hopes the young adults will serve as role models for the students and catalyze increased civic engagement in a neighborhood that could use some increased attention. 

Twenty Nineteen is ready to kick off a one year pilot project with six social innovators from local organizations here in Philly.  “We actually handpicked the first round of innovators,” says Montero who explained they did so to create an initial healthy ecosystem and ensure diverse ideas were represented.  During the next year, Montero hopes to work out the kinks of the house, finish lining up sponsors and put them in a position to fully launch with 18 innovators come next fall.    

Source: Martin Montero, Twenty Nineteen, LLC
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

These days, Philly’s problems surrounding vacant land, urban decay and property neglect aren’t just getting the attention of city officials. Local artists, too, see the issue as paramount in Philadelphia’s existing urban context.  Nowhere is this viewpoint better exemplified than ‘RUST 3’, a recent and particularly innovative sustainable art installation coming soon to the Mt. Airy Arts Garage starting Nov. 10.  

Put together by local artists Andy Walker and Andy Heisey, the piece calls attention to the problems of urban renewal and abandonment in Philly.  But the display goes beyond these topics, also raising awareness on big picture issues including sustainability, reuse/rebuilding of our cities, the need for investment in urban areas and how new construction materials impact the environment. 

The installation’s primary work of art is the “Renewed Urban Studio Tent” which is where the idea of ‘RUST’ all started.  Made out of recycled materials found in the city - anything from photographs on clay shells, cigarette butts, glass bottles and recycled cement - the structure was built for the original RUST in August of this year. 

According to Andy Walker, they built the tent on South Broad Street in Center City as a studio for local artists and community members to create recycled/reused collages out of materials found from around the City.  Walker says these collages were then placed on the tent to form the skin of the structure.  "It was a real group effort and that's exactly what we wanted," says Walker. "The idea was to see how art rehabilitates the urban realm.  With artists and community members creating architectural pieces out of recycled materials, we wanted to challenge the notion of what urban building can be." 

RUST 2 came about the following month and showcased the collage pieces created during RUST.  And now, RUST 3 is set to open and will be the last hurrah of the series.  The basic elements of the original RUST will be on display, signifying the final recycling of the project while continuing to show how artists and the community can work together to create beauty out of reuse.

According to MAAG President and Cofounder Linda Slodki, while this is the final installment of RUST, MAAG wants the message to live on.  To this end, a citywide panel, “Artists Taking Back Philadelphia—Brick by Brick” will be on Sunday, Nov. 11 at 2 p.m. at MAAG. This panel will feature the Andys, Gary Steuer—Chief Cultural Officer for the City of Philadelphia, and Shari Hersh/Dre Urhahn—Philly Painting (a project of the MuralArts Program).

Topics covered include urban renewal and how artists fit into the conversation.  According to Slodki, MAAG hopes this discussion will help “bring out more artists interested in the topics at hand while assisting in making changes that need to be made in the future.” 

On that same Sunday, Nov. 11 at 10 a.m., Slodki says the Andys will host a workshop discussing the techniques they used to make their tent and showcase the various ways one can use recycled materials in artwork.

These events and a number of others are all happening at the Mt Airy Art Garage at 11 West Mt Airy Avenue and will run through Dec. 7 when RUST 3 closes up for good.      

Source: Linda Slodki, President and Cofounder of MAAG; Andy Walker, RUST
Writer: Greg Meckstroth