Development News

The Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) recently announced their plans to sell the land of the former Liddonfield Homes public housing site in Upper Holmesburg to a private developer, ABS, in partnership with Holy Family University.  And then, in late July, they officially went through with these plans, moving the redevelopment of the 32-acre vacant site one step closer to reality. 

This officially brings an end to the competitive proposal process that PHA initially issued last year.  The RFP deadline came and went in January and since then, PHA has been going over bids and narrowing down their options, eventually landing on the ABS – Holy Family University proposal.  In the end, ABS paid $4.2 million for the entire site. The final deal is still subject to approval by  the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

"PHA is excited to take this first step and begin negotiating the details with the developer," said Estelle Richman, the one and only member of PHA’s Board of Commissioner. "It is a wonderful opportunity for the community."

ABS was formed specifically for the redevelopment of the site.  Members of the group include AP Construction, Inc., BSI Construction LLC and Synterra, Ltd.  Their winning proposal calls for athletic fields, student housing and affordable senior housing.  Another interesting aspect of their proposal is their plan to offer upwards of $1 million in scholarships to PHA students at Holy Family University as well as spend over a half million on job opportunities for the city’s low income residents. 

"ABS submitted a very compelling and competitive proposal,” said Kelvin Jeremiah, PHA's Interim Executive Director.  “Under their plan, seniors will have affordable housing opportunities in the Far Northeast, PHA residents will have the opportunity to attend Holy Family and some of the city's neediest residents will be able to land jobs in a tough economy."

Not as well known across the region, Upper Northeast residents know the Liddonfield site well, and not for good reasons.  Liddonfield was initially developed in the 1940s for military barracks purposes.  In 1955, PHA acquired the site and put it to use by way of public housing. 

But by the 1990s, the site had become synonymous with neglect, crime and was typically blamed for the deterioration of the surrounding area. That, coupled with a federal housing policy paradigm shift underway via HUD’s Hope IV and Choice Neighborhoods programs, Liddonfield quickly became seen as outdated and poorly designed.  By the beginning of 2011, all of the site’s 58 buildings were demolished to make way for the new development, something ABS and Holy Family hopes to get underway as soon as possible.  As of now, no official groundbreaking has been set.    

Source: Estelle Richman, PHA Board of Commissioner; Kelvin Jeremiah, Philadelphia Housing Authority
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Pedestrianizing spaces once dominated by auto users is not a foreign concept to modern American cities.  Pop-up cafes, parklets and the well-known PARK(ing) Day jumpstarted nationwide movements aimed at improving the pedestrian experience in cities and caused numerous city leaders to implement similar, more permanent solutions in their respective cities.  Today, New York City has their now infamous pedestrian plazas in Times Square and Herald Square, San Francisco has their Pavement to Parks initiatives and Indianapolis went on a significant road diet with the completion of their innovative Cultural Trail.
 
The City of Philadelphia, too, has joined in on the movement with their Pedestrian Plaza Program, which seeks to reclaim unused stretches of asphalt and concrete by turning them into new public plazas and parks.  And now, over in University City, at 42nd and Woodland, the first plaza to be created under this Program will be unveiled later this week, with the help of Mayor Nutter and the University City District (UCD). 
 
Last year, the City awarded three grants through its Pedestrian Plaza Program. UCD was the recipient of two of those grants; next year, expect another pedestrian plaza to be unveiled at 48th Street and Baltimore Avenue.  This improvement, along with the under-construction, University of Pennsylvania-funded Spruce Street Plaza at 33rd and 34th Streets and The Porch at 30th Street Station, signifies University City gets what other cities do nationwide: there is an ever-increasing demand for pedestrian amenities in our urban cores. 
 
But the demand for creating pedestrian plazas in Philly far exceeds what these three grants cover.  And not every neighborhood can benefit from large institutions like Penn to cover the associated costs.  At the neighborhood level, groups along Passyunk Avenue have been working for years to implement or improve pedestrian plazas, with setbacks sometimes outnumbering progress. 
 
Along Grays Ferry Avenue in Graduate Hospital, the Triangles on Grays Ferry Avenue Gateway Project was formed to promote pedestrianizing traffic triangles along Grays Ferry Avenue at 23rd and South Streets as well as Bainbridge Street.  According to Tanya Seaman, Former Chair of the Grays Ferry Triangle group, the goals are in line with other pedestrian plaza efforts across the city: increase neighborhood identity, improve the pedestrian experience and spur economic development.
 
But without the backing of a citywide Pedestrian Plaza Program and no significant examples to point to, the group’s efforts have thus far been slow in progress and met skeptical critics. 
 
Seaman hopes that will soon change and believes the University City plazas will help shift the paradigm.  “The University City plazas will provide successful examples that we can point to when trying to implement our own improvements,” explains Seaman, “they will help increase awareness and excitement about what we’re trying to do in Graduate Hospital.”
 
According to Seaman, the group is in the schematic design phase of their efforts.  Once that is completed, they will take their ideas to local businesses and the community to elicit support and make the case for why pedestrian plazas will improve the Grays Ferry Corridor and the neighborhood in general.  Without the City’s Plaza Program’s help, Seaman is hopeful that if successful, the group’s efforts can be used as a model for how to implement pedestrian improvements at a neighborhood, grass roots level. 

Source: Tanya Seaman, Former Chair, Grays Ferry Triangle Group
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Come this September, Center City’s shopping scene is going retro with the opening of Bettie Page Clothing at 1605 Walnut Street.  The traditionally west coast boutique has seen incredible growth since opening its first store in Las Vegas five years ago, opening numerous additional stores in places like San Francisco, San Diego and, coming this fall, Philadelphia.

Based in Vegas, the boutique, backed by publicly traded Tatyana Designs, Inc. specializes in designs inspired by the 50s and the iconic pin-up queen Bettie Page.  Launched in 2007, the company has grown dramatically since, posting $8 million in revenue in 2011, with sales up 55 percent for the first five months in 2012.

Beyond the U.S., the Bettie Page Clothing brand has started to go global, with boutiques in 57 countries around the world selling its products. According to Jan Glaser, co-owner of Bettie Page Clothing, the line is very popular in Australia, Europe and Canada. 

The company has been looking to expand their global reach with an eye on the East Coast as its next venture.  With plenty of world class cities to pick from, the owners ultimately thought Philly was the clear choice for their first East Coast store.  “The residents are fashion conscious and urbane, with Philadelphia boasting a huge number of art museums, music venues, top flight restaurants and a merging of cultures from around the world,” comments Jan Glaser – co-owner of Bettie Page Clothing.

Lead designer Tatyana Khomyakova, shares this sentiment: "I think that my designs fit the 'Big city lifestyle.'  Ladies in Philadelphia like to dress up and be seen as feminine but with a definite sense of confidence. I try to portray that strength of femininity in the Bettie Page boutiques.”

Glaser and Khomyakova apparently mean what they espouse – Bettie Page has signed a 10-year lease at their new Walnut Street digs, signifying they are committed to making it work in Philly. 

The new Bettie Page store will be open in September, something Glaser in particular is looking forward to.  “This location has a special meaning for me,” he explains.  “I was born in Philadelphia and have always had a great fondness for this city.”             

Source: Jan Glaser, Co-owner of Bettie Page Clothing; Tatyana Khomyakova, Tatyana Designs, Inc.
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The City’s latest One Percent for Fine Arts project was recently unveiled, this time featured on Carl Dranoff’s latest new construction project at Broad and South Streets.  LightPlay, created by artists Mags Harries and Lajos Heder’s, will adorn the Southstar Lofts – an 80-unit residential building with ground floor retail that promises to become a significant gateway to Center City for travelers from the south.      
 
While LightPlay was announced as the winner of the competitive process a while back – earlier this year the fixture was chosen through a selection process conducted by the One Percent for Fine Arts Program of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority from well over a hundred applicants nationwide – renderings were recently unveiled and the piece’s function has come into light.     
 
According to the artists, they wanted to complement the theatrical events and art schools in the neighborhood, all while creating a dramatic lighting effect through the use of vertical prism sheets.  “Working with light and shadow insures that the piece will be constantly changing, surprising and remain fresh,” explains Lajos Heder.  “The orientation of the Broad Street Facade facing directly west makes it remain in full shadow until mid-day and then in full sun in the afternoon.”
 
According to Dranoff, his team was looking for an art installation piece that hit home -- exactly what Heder and Harries delivered.  “The Avenue of the Arts is one of Philadelphia’s liveliest, most flourishing neighborhoods, and we were looking for a work of art that would showcase the streets’ vibrancy, and compliment the aesthetics of Southstar Lofts,” explains Dranoff, “and the installation created by Mags Harries and Lajos Heder exceeded our expectations and has captured the energy that radiates from the thriving mix of entertainment, dining and living offered on South Broad Street.”
 
The artists did not forget about one of the installations' main purposes: acting as a gateway to Center City.  To incorporate this function, they utilized the nearby subway stop and featured it in the design.  “The sidewalk in that area is very lively, lots of students passing by, people coming in and out of the SEPTA station. We wanted to make the arrival at the station and walking along the sidewalk more memorable.”  According to the artists, there will be a glazed canopy over the subway entrance using the same light refracting prism sheets that are being used on the building, protecting from the rain and creating a bright light event for passengers emerging from the subway.
 
Once complete, developers of the Southstar Lofts are promising improved urban vitality and more eyes on the street.  The artists behind LightPlay firmly believe their work will have transformative effects as well and “enhance the urban environment and make better places for community activity.”  With lofty ambitions in front of them, Dranoff and company look to break ground in October, with an expected completion date of late 2013, although that has not been officially confirmed. 

Source: Carl Dranoff, Lajos Heder
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Flanked on both sides with Philly’s tallest skyscrapers, Market Street West is best known for its urban canyon qualities.  Lately, these characteristics have reached new heights with the addition of a number of towers and institutional buildings along the corridor.  This trend seems to be continuing further west, this time at the northeast corner of 38th and Market in University City.  The development, an 11-story, 272,700 square foot tower is a joint venture between the University City Science Center and Wexford Science + Technology.
 
Penn Presbyterian Medical Center will take up the bulk of the building, occupying approximately 155,700 square feet for orthopedics and outpatient medical facilities.  Good Shepherd Penn Partners will occupy an additional floor and a half.  The Science Center and Wexford will control the remaining 88,000 square feet. 
 
Currently, the Science Center is largely known as the largest urban research park in the United States.  Adding Penn Presbyterian onto their campus strengthens this reputation, and according to James R. Berens, Chairman, Wexford Science + Technology, LLC, it also advances the idea of establishing University City as a world class Meds and Eds hub.  “The project, as a mix of clinical, research and office uses, is a perfect match to the Science Center’s mission and Wexford’s capabilities -- and is a great opportunity to cultivate University City and Philadelphia’s innovation cluster,” says Berens in a press release statement. 
 
Solidifying University City as a tech hub isn’t the only benefit from the project.  Expect improved access to medical care for much of West Philly, says Michele Volpe, CEO of Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in a press release statement.  “This expansion will provide PPMC faculty and staff with the infrastructure necessary to better serve the Powelton Avenue, West Philadelphia, and even the Greater Philadelphia communities.”    
     
Cranes should rise this September, with an expected completion date of June 2014.  Once finished, the building is anticipated to receive LEED Silver certification.    

Source: James Berens, Wexford Science + Technology
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Poor urban design choices happen all the time.  When it comes to new development, what might sound like common sense (creating active, vibrant, storefronts along commercial corridors and attractive streetscapes along residential ones) too often does not come to fruition.  Just ask residents of Northern Liberties, a neighborhood known for its high profile, successful development schemes (i.e. Tower Investments' the Piazza at Schmidt’s) but increasingly for its unfortunate urban design outcomes that threaten neighborhood identity. 

There are few things that irk planners and urban designers more than woefully implemented urban designs, no matter where they occur.  In Northern Liberties, none are more obvious than the Family Dollar store that recently opened underneath the Superfresh at 2nd and Girard in another one of Tower’s large redevelopment projects. 

If you take a walk down 2nd Street starting at Girard Avenue, the gateway to Northern Liberties, you’ll quickly come across a new, not-so-shiny, Family Dollar store.  If you’re looking for a place to enter the discount chain, you’re in the wrong place.  Along its unforgiving frontage that seems to stretch clear down to Spring Garden Street, you’ll instead see signs directing you to the interior parking garage entrance.  In the place of front doors, you’ll notice the store’s shelving units turning their back to the 2nd Street public realm.  In a classic case of common sense being overlooked, Family Dollar made their store’s front the back and only provided access via the parking garage.  In doing so, they sowed the seeds of the sidewalks death, taking with it a coherent pedestrian realm along this portion of 2nd Street.

Maintaining a thriving and cohesive pedestrian realm is particularly important along 2nd Street, the neighborhood’s commercial corridor that in many ways, with its bars, restaurants, bodegas and shops, has come to symbolize the neighborhood’s resurgence and identity.  Plus, the current Northern Liberties Neighborhood Plan places a high priority on “re-establishing 2nd Street as the heart of Northern Liberties, reflective of local character and equipped to meet neighborhood needs.” 

You would think the neighborhood would look to build off this appeal in every way possible, ensuring new development meets the standards already set in place by the traditional Main Street feel of 2nd Street.  But thanks to a host of players and stakeholders, including Family Dollar, Tower Investments and the Northern Liberties Neighborhood Association (NLNA) these principles are clearly not being promoted to the degree they ought to be.

According to Matthew Emerson, the Urban Design Committee Chair for NLNA, the first to blame are the store owners and developers.  “The decision to face the garage only was a Family Dollar decision and the responsibility of the retailer and Tower Investments,” explains Emerson. 

This is true, but ultimately the neighborhood sets the vision and steers the course for its future.  A place’s built environment is a reflection of its value system and what residents see as important.  This holds true in any neighborhood or city across the country.  With this in mind, NLNA, the vision setter for the neighborhood, also shares some blame for Family Dollar’s misstep, lacking foresight and not using the tools available to adequately prevent this urban design failure from occuring.  

In hindsight, Emerson believes there is more NLNA could have done, notably adding provisos to the original zoning motion to force retailers to face the street, although he is unsure if Tower would have been on board.  Considering this experience a lesson learned, Emerson hopes to prevent this problem from occuring in the future.    

Moving forward, NLNA does plan to reach out to Family Dollar to remediate the situation.  But thinking beyond immediate fixes and attempting to understand how things like this can be avoided; the neighborhood should adopt full-blown urban design guidelines that will set a comprehensive vision and provide a road map for what new development will look like in Northern Liberties.  Urban design guidelines are just that - recommendations that developers have no legal obligation to follow.  But considering how much development is expected to happen in the foreseeable future, it isn’t farfetched to assume developers will play nice and go along with the guidelines so long as they have a chance to grab a piece of the area’s increasingly pricey real estate pie. 

Source: Matthew Emerson, Northern Liberties Neighborhood Association, Urban Design Committee Chair
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Philadelphia hospitality sector is having a big year – a really, really big year.  During the first six months of 2012, Center City hotels reveled in a state of 75% occupancy – the highest clip of any year dating back to 2000 when data became available.  And with new hotels opening up seemingly every few months, additional arrivals in the pipeline and record daily rates being met, outside investors are taking a second look at the City of Brotherly Love, something local boosters welcome with open arms. 

A number of factors are contributing to Philly’s record numbers, all of which seem to have serendipitously come together at once.  “Philadelphia is an overnight sensation,” explains Meryl Levitz, president & CEO, Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC), who believes a lot of public and private investment in the leisure and hospitality market are finally paying off.  “People began believing in hospitality as they saw its effects. Now we have partnerships with universities, law firms and other corporations who see it as an advantage to promote Philadelphia to their audiences.”

Since then, Philadelphia has been reaping the benefits, seeing record visitation (38 million domestic visitors in 2011), increased marketing efforts nationally and internationally, and better restaurants, museums, attractions and activity. 

The cause-and-effect relationship at work here is simple, explains Levitz.  “With more attractions, more marketing and more conventions comes more hotels -- and they bring national advertising and national reservation systems. The same holds true with airlines.  Virgin America and Alaska Airlines are the latest to start bringing business into PHL.” 

To keep with momentum, Center City hotels have, at once, all seemed to improve themselves as well.  Notable examples of this include the landmark Latham Hotel which reopened after a total renovation of all 139 guestrooms and lobby, the rebranding of the Crowne Plaza into the Sonesta Hotel Philadelphia, and the Sheraton Society Hill Hotel’s full overhaul, all completed within the past few months.

What does this all mean in terms of economic development for Center City and the region?  According to Levitz, there are billions of answers to this question.  “In 2011, the Greater Philadelphia tourism industry generated $9.34 billion in economic impact, an increase of 7.5% from 2010,” adds Levitz “this equates to visitors generating an economic impact of $26 million a day.”   Plus, all of this spending supports 86,498 jobs, with a total paycheck of $2.85 billion.  

That’s big numbers for Philly and GPTMC, who hopes to keep the hospitality market humming.  Levitz believes to do so is imperative for a higher quality of life in Philly.  “The success of the hospitality market touches so many aspects of life that residents care about—culture, transportation, dining.  It boosts the intangibles, like the city’s image, and optimism about the future.”

With the addition of the boutique Hotel Monaco Philadelphia in October and Home2 Suites Philadelphia next year, it seems the future has never looked better.   

Source: Meryl Levitz, GPTMC
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Acts of solidarity and partnership took the form of loud beating drums last night in Francisville as local school marching bands led groups of community members and civic leaders on a walk through city streets for Lower North/Central North Philadelphia’s National Night Out Stroll.

In its 29th year of existence, the National Night Out campaign involves citizens, law enforcement officials, civic groups, and other stakeholders from over 15,000 communities in all 50 states who band together and heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, as well as generate support for, and participate in, local anti-crime programs.  In Philly’s Francisville, Fairmount, Strawberry Mansion, and Greater Brewerytown neighborhoods, neighbors and partners showed their solidarity by leaving their porch lights on and strolling the streets together, beginning at the Arts Garage in Francisville and ending at Mander Recreation Center in Strawberry Mansion. 

But this year, Philly’s stroll brings an extra oomph of significance, showcasing the area's ability to work together for common goals. The following organizations joined forces for Night Out: Francisville Neighborhood Development Corporation, Fairmount Communty Development Corporation, Greater Brewerytown Community Development Corporation, Strawberry Mansion Neighborhood Action Center, Strawberry Mansion Community Development Corporation, West Girard Community Council, Project H.O.M.E., and the Arts Garage.

According to Naomi Robertson with the Fairmount Community Development Corporation, this collaboration is what sets their event apart from similar events across the city and nationwide. 

“The fact that we were able to get so many community organizations together makes our event very unique.  All of the organizations serve as community beacons, so it was extremely important to have them involved, as they would be the ones to garner support from their respective communities.”  

Event organizers believe the collaboration between neighborhoods will go a long way towards many positive outcomes, including making residents feel safer and more connected to their neighbors.  “While Philadelphia is called ‘the city of neighborhoods’ there are times when those distinctions can make it seem like every neighborhood is an island of its own,” says Robertson, “and we wanted to show that that's not the case.  It’s a way for us all to celebrate together, to walk with each other, have our children talk to each other, and break down some of the barriers we've placed up.” 

For Lower North/Central North Philadelphia, crime prevention and awareness won't stop here.  Robertson and other civic leaders hope the collaboration continues at unprecedented levels, starting with assigning responsibility and disseminating information among residents.  “A big piece of National Night Out is developing and supporting Block Watch and Block Captain initiatives, and we believe empowering block captains is the most effective way to engage the rest of the community.”    

Writer: Greg Meckstroth
Source: Naomi Robertson, Fairmount Community Development Corporation