Development News

The Philadelphia-based music label Data Garden will be launching their idiosyncratic brand of music and visual art in a most unusual location for DesignPhiladelphia. This unveiling will take place at Bartram’s Garden, in what is being called "The Switched-On Garden."

Data Garden is the progeny of local musicians Joe Patitucci and Alex Tyson, and web designer Ian Cross. Within Data Garden are a number of musicians and visual artists, with names like Tadoma, Ray, and the Prisms, Cheap Dinosaurs, Cosmic Morning, and DJ Ryan Todd.

Because of the diversity and eclectic nature of Data Garden’s artists, it’s next to impossible to pigeonhole them into any particular genre of music or artwork, says Patitucci. "For instance, Cheap Dinosaurs uses Game Boys and 8-bit sounds, but there’s so much more to their music than what you would normally see classified as 'chiptune' or 'chip' music," elaborated Patitucci.

Yet, the true news of Data Garden’s release will be the convergence of music, nature, and sculpture. To set themselves apart from other labels, Data Garden will highlight their "Switched-On Garden" with "bio-interactive sound sculpture where people can interact with plants and each other to make music," said Patitucci.

To be sure, respect for nature will be high on the agenda for "The Switched-On Garden." To demonstrate this, Patitucci, Tyson, and Cross will be printing download cards on seed paper with water-based ink. This way, attendees can recycle the cards, which will eventually be planted at the garden, after they've downloaded Data Garden's offerings. 

Data Garden is certainly confident that they chose Bartram’s Garden. Tyson explains that the event will specifically highlight many of the garden’s natural gems, including its native plant species, meadow, pond, and trail that runs up to and along the Schuylkill River. Patitucci doesn't hesitate to add that there’s an area on a hill that acts as a "natural amphitheater." He suggests guests bring a blanket and relax on the hill.

The trio also didn’t give a second thought to releasing their album as part of DesignPhiladelphia. "Like Data Garden, DesignPhiladelphia is about finding the unexpected, combining disparate forms of design into an experience that can inspire people to create art themselves," says Cross.

The "Switched-On Garden" will unfold on Sunday, Oct. 16 from 3-8 p.m. at Bartram’s Garden. Admission is free, and the event is wheelchair accessible.

Sources: Joe Patitucci, Ian Cross, and Alex Tyson
Writer: Andy Sharpe

The Center City District's work on three Center City parks have drawn an IDA Merit Award from the International Downtown Association, a global advocacy group for livable urban centers.

With the help of more than a dozen city and state agencies, foundations and neighborhood groups, CCD made $4.57 million in improvements at Aviator Park and Three Parkway Plaza/Cafe Cret along the Ben Franklin Parkway and Chestnut Park at 17th and Chestnut St.

Aviator Park's new design created a "town green" for gatherings of all sizes. Three Parkway Plaza's renovations included paving, a granite seating wall, benches, plantings of trees and seasonal flowers, pedestrian-scale lights and a 1,200 square foot cafe and information center. Chestnut Park's original gates and concrete tiered fountain were conserved and landscaping was improved.

The award was presented at IDA's annual conference in Charlotte, NC last week.

Source: Linda Harris, Center City District
Writer: Joe Petrucci

SMP Architects helped transform a parking spot on the 1600 block of Walnut St into a coffee garden, just one of over 30 parking spots in Philadelphia transformed into parks for the fourth annual Park(ing) Day. Indeed, the aroma of coffee penetrated the air around 16th and Walnut, all to generate awareness of the perceived negative impact of cars on a city.

SMP certainly demonstrated its commitment to Park(ing) Day, as they had their display percolating from 8:30 a.m. until at least 3:30 p.m., says architect Scott Ritchie. To be sure, the coffee theme was a unique one on this day. “Ground is essential to a city, so we collected coffee grounds from local shops,” said Ritchie, who was eager to explain his firm’s eclectic choice. All told, the spot contained scores of cups filled with coffee grounds from area coffee shops.

Ritchie explained that his firm pounced at the chance to participate in Park(ing) Day because of its history of sustainable design. “We want to be a part of the dialogue that makes the city greener,” says Ritchie. When asked about the primary benefits of the day, the architect mentioned discussion about pedestrian conditions, as well as the effect of autos on a city.

By far, most of the one-day parks were located in Center City, although University City, Mount Airy, Manayunk, and North Philadelphia all had participating spots. Organizations that came out for the day included city and regional planning agencies, other city government bodies, architecture and design firms, alternative transportation advocacy groups, and community development corporations.

Park(ing) Day began in San Francisco back in 2005, the brainchild of an art and design firm called Rebar. It has blossomed into a worldwide phenomenon, with events in 183 cities spanning six continents. In the U.S., cities that saw parks temporarily sprout up included Memphis, New Orleans, Raleigh, and Salt Lake City.

Of course, there was no tally of how many angry drivers inched by the newly formed parks. At the 1600 Walnut St. park, Ritchie saw a few miffed motorists. However, putting it in perspective, Ritchie says it was a negligible impact for one day -- a day set aside for those not driving in downtown areas. 

Source: Scott Ritchie, SMP Architects
Writer: Andy Sharpe

Philadelphia’s Zoning Code Commission unveiled a new timeline that they hope will lead to a modernized zoning code during a six-hour public hearing in front of City Council. The public certainly got to weigh in, as 40 different people signed up to testify, split into thirteen panels of three or more people at a time.

The barrage of public comment not withstanding, the Zoning Code Commission (ZCC) announced its strong desire to pass a new zoning code in City Council by the end of the year. Perhaps no one is more eager to see a new zoning code before the year’s end than Eva Gladstein, the Executive Director of the ZCC. Gladstein is cautiously optimistic about the odds of success. "A number of members of City Council expressed their interest in passing a new zoning code before the end of the year, and we believe that while the timeline is tight, it is achievable," says Gladstein.

From the look and sound of the hearing, City Council members and public testifiers -- including community group leaders, developers, and environmentalists -- support most parts of the zoning code update. However, there are a few sticking points among City Council and the public that might impede the ZCC deadline.

Councilman Bill Green, who many believe may run for mayor some time in the next decade, has raised many of the questions and concerns on City Council. He clarified his concerns by releasing a set of 10 amendments that he feels are necessary for the proposed zoning code re-write. At the hearing, Green complained that his office had not received a revisable copy of the zoning code proposal. Both Gladstein and Alan Greenberger, Acting Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development and a member of the ZCC, claimed they did send the document. 

One of Green’s concerns is that the proposed zoning code does not adequately restrict potentially harmful industry from going into residential neighborhoods. Some of the community groups present seemed to agree with this, as well as other aspects of Green’s amendments. Another complaint, voiced by the East Falls Community Council, was that there was insufficient, albeit improved, participation from community groups in the re-write.

With this in mind, the politicians and the public seemed ready to proceed with an improved zoning code. Speaker after speaker seemed to delight in commending the ZCC for its hard work in drafting sorely needed zoning reform. Even hesitant City Council members, like Green and Brian O’Neill, acknowledged that the zoning code needed to be modernized. Thus, it's not if, but when the zoning code reform will pass. Many hope it will be by year’s end, but that’s not a guarantee.

Source: Eva Gladstein, Philadelphia Zoning Code Commission
Writer: Andy Sharpe

Last week, the University of Pennsylvania made an effort to bridge the gap between itself and Center City by opening a newly-constructed 24-acre park. Penn Park, which combines a former postal service parking lot with university property, is bounded by Walnut and South Sts. to the north and south, and rail tracks to the east and west.

One of Penn Park’s most notable qualities is the opportunities it provides for pedestrian connection to Center City. According to Anne Papageorge, Penn’s Vice President for Facilities and Real Estate Services, the park is "knit together" by three pedestrian bridges. One bridge connects the park with Walnut St. just past the Schuylkill River, while another bridge enables pedestrians going to or coming from downtown to access the park from the South St. bridge.

Another of Penn Park’s accomplishments is that it transformed a parking lot into something sustainable. Papageorge was proud to list some of the park’s environmentally friendly components, including "cisterns, energy efficient lighting, and native plants." What this means is that 548 local trees were planted in the park, all of which can be irrigated using recycled rainwater from cisterns. Also, energy-efficient lighting should save the park 300,000 watts of energy per hour. 

Penn Park is expected to become a pivotal part of Penn’s athletic system. The park is graced by three multipurpose NCAA-worthy fields, including one that seats 470 spectators, as well as 12 tennis courts, which can accommodate another 200 sports fans. Steve Bilsky, Director of Athletics at the university, believes the park is a leap forward for athletics. "Because it's a park, more and more people will visit the athletic facilities," says Bilsky. He adds that it will be a worthwhile, albeit contemporary, addition to the famed Palestra and Franklin Field.

The park cost $46.5 million, paid for by the university and donors, and created 233 local jobs. Penn celebrated the park’s opening last Thursday by offering everyone a free picnic with hotdogs and soda and setting off fireworks at dusk. Onlookers on the Walnut St. bridge were treated to an up-close showing of the fireworks, which were set off from a parking lot below. In keeping with the theme of connecting with Center City, the fireworks were also clearly visible from the Schuylkill River Trail.
  
Source: Anne Papageorge, University of Pennsylvania
Writer: Andy Sharpe

Don’t let Chester, Delaware County’s suburban location fool you; it’s a patchwork of neighborhoods afflicted by crime and poverty. Just in the past couple of weeks, Chester saw six people shot and a man commit suicide after a traffic stop by ingesting cocaine. With those woes in mind, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) recently undertook a study analyzing how a train station can connect fans of the Philadelphia Union soccer team that plays there, office workers, and perhaps even future Chester residents.

The DVRPC study, called the “Chester Riverfront and Community Rail Access Study,” researched how Chester’s currently struggling Highland Avenue Station can better serve residents, visitors, and workers. Presently, “Highland Avenue is one with (a) very low number of boardings (84 boardings per day in 2009) and might be considered a candidate for closure under other circumstances,” says Dr. Joseph Hacker, manager in DVRPC’s Office of Transit, Bicycle, and Pedestrian Planning.

Yet, the Union’s soccer stadium, PPL Park, stands in the way of closure, as does the recently built office complex Wharf at Rivertown. Due in large part to these destinations, DVRPC looked into rebuilding a station at Highland, or moving the station to one of two nearby locations, Townsend/Engle Streets or Flower Street.

Hacker thinks a rebuilt or relocated Highland Ave. train station could be a catalyst for some new housing development, which is something not often heard of in Chester. Specifically, Hacker points to Rivertown as an area that could be ripe for new housing. “It is my understanding that SEPTA would be eager to partner on a new station if there was a coterminous development supporting a new investment,” said DVRPC’s manager. “A $27 million investment (the cost to build a new station) is not warranted by the weekly soccer ridership.”

According to DVRPC, distance and accessibility to PPL Park and the Wharf at Rivertown are two of the greatest factors that went into the study. Accessibility is defined as “the legibility and the safety of the path between the station and the respective destination,” in the words of Hacker.

In fact, DVRPC’s current Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) addresses the Chester study. Both the Flower and Townsend/Engle St. sites have improved pedestrian crossings over a freight line leading to the PPL Park and Rivertown programmed into the TIP. As for the Highland Ave. site, there is a TIP item concerning signage and streetscaping there, to make for a better walking environment.

While Chester continues to be plagued by high crime and low incomes, a train station might lay down the track for the resuscitation of the suburban city. While a rebuilt or relocated Highland Ave. Station would be a good thing for Union fans and office workers, it could be a marvelous thing for residents. 

Source: Dr. Joseph Hacker, DVRPC
Writer: Andy Sharpe

If Temple University students, faculty, staff, or neighbors are looking for a local java alternative to Starbucks and Saxby’s, they are about to get it. In just a few weeks, Mugshots Coffeehouse and Café will open its third location, in the lobby of the Beech Interplex at 1520 Cecil B. Moore Ave.

Mugshots’ owner, Angie Vendetti, is thrilled to be opening up a location on Temple’s campus.

“I’m super excited to be at Temple, and so are a lot of the staff who are either recent grads, or still at Temple studying,” says Vendetti. She is especially proud to be moving into the recently built Beech Interplex. She touts the building, which is used as an international student dormitory, as a success story for improving the campus and the neighborhood around it without displacing residents.

Vendetti compares the incoming Mugshots to the existing location in Brewerytown. This means "all the food preparation and baking is done off-site at the Fairmount location and brought in fresh daily," beamed Vendetti. She added that the same menu items, including sandwiches, wraps, salads, gluten-free and vegan deserts, and of course coffee, will be available at both the Temple and Brewerytown shops. Mugshots' Manayunk location was closed last month.

Speaking of coffee, Mugshots will be featuring its recently debuted Counter Culture Coffee (CCC) at the Cecil B. Moore location. As part of this change, the coffeehouse will include a “pour-over” coffee area at Temple, which should mean a fresher brew for patrons. On a sophisticated note, "staff has gone through espresso training at CCC's training center in New York City, and quite a few of them are on their way to becoming certified baristas," said the owner. 

Vendetti is also looking at creative payment methods for the Temple coffeehouse. For one thing, she is intrigued by Temple’s alternative currency, Diamond Dollars. She hopes to accept Diamond Dollars, although is not quite sure how compatible it will be with her equipment. Before, or possibly instead of, accepting Diamond Dollars, this location will allow Temple parents to unload money onto their students’ Mugshots cards, which imitate debit cards and give users credit toward free beverages.

It looks like Mugshots is pumped to be opening a location at Temple University. Vendetti says the success of the Temple location might spur her to launch additional locations at other area colleges or universities. As for Temple students and others, it will only be a few weeks until they can begin to kill time in a brand new coffee shop.

Source: Angie Vendetti, Mugshots Coffeehouse and Cafe
Writer: Andy Sharpe

If you ride SEPTA buses or trolleys, you have likely experienced what it feels like to be stopped at a red light block after block after block. The great news for you is that Philadelphia and SEPTA are working together to help alleviate your headache. In as little as 18 months, three select SEPTA bus or trolley routes within the city will be able to move a little faster, thanks to the planned re-timing of traffic lights to prioritize SEPTA vehicles.

Andrew Stober, chief of staff for the Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities (MOTU), explained just what traffic signal prioritization means. For instance, if a light cycle for a given intersection with no participating SEPTA routes passing through is 60 seconds, each direction would get 30 seconds of green. However, the city and SEPTA plan to utilize transponders atop buses and trolleys to alter traffic light timing so that a street’s lights will remain green for 40 seconds when a mass transit vehicle approaches.  

Currently MOTU is working with SEPTA to determine which bus or trolley routes are most deserving of traffic light prioritization. According to Stober, the five routes being debated for light re-timing are the routes 6, 52, and 60 buses, the route 13 trolley, and the route 66 trackless trolley. Stober described some criteria for the choice of routes. “All run along a single arterial with a lot of traffic signals,” he said. It is important to note that the prioritization will occur along the entirety of the three routes chosen, not just parts of them.

Interestingly, none of these routes go through Center City, which is not an accident. Stober justified these routes because they feed the Broad Street or Market-Frankford lines, which can subsequently be used to get downtown. With that in mind, the routes seem to represent many other parts of the city, including Southwest, West, North, Northeast, and Northwest Philadelphia.

Stober glorifies the transit prioritization by pointing out the many perceived benefits. The prioritization will "improve flow on capacity-constrained streets," boasted Stober. "The improvements will help increase transit modeshare." Not leaving out non-transit drivers, he added that other vehicles traveling in the same direction as the chosen buses or trolleys will also benefit from the lengthened green light.

This is all made possible by a $3.5 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration (FHwA). The city and SEPTA expect the transit preference to begin in 18 months to two years. This is just the latest collaboration between the transit agency and the city it serve to speed up transit vehicles. It comes on the heels of the removal of half the stops for the route 47 bus between Market Street and its South Philadelphia endpoint.

Source: Andrew Stober, Philadelphia Mayor's Office on Transportation and Utilities
Writer: Andy Sharpe

In an International competition to create a truly sustainable city--the Living City Design Competition--a Philadelphia-based landscape architecture firm held its own with an innovative redesign of the often-overlooked Brewerytown neighborhood.

OLIN Studio earned the “Cities that Learn” award for their Patch/Work design entry this past spring. The award highlighted the project’s sensitivity to the cultural realities of the existing neighborhood and the emphasis on social equity. Indeed, the team chose the Brewerytown neighborhood in part because it already had such a strong cultural identity. The Patch/Work design that won the award utilized the historic industry that Brewerytown was built upon as well as its proximity to public transit and the open space of Fairmount Park to create a design that opened access to green space and urban agriculture. Though the plan itself was hypothetical, OLIN Director of Research Skip Graffam believes this sort of plan for Philadelphia, and in Brewerytown especially, is, if not entirely pragmatic, something the city can definitely take steps towards in the future.

The Living City Design Competition had a set of very stringent guidelines pertaining to greenspace and sustainability. Graffam stated that one of his team’s main goals was "not to destroy anything that was already there," so the design played off of the existing structures of the Brewerytown neighborhood. Aspects of the winning design included retrofitting and renovating existing row homes with solar panels and turning empty lots into agricultural and pedestrian areas.  An emphasis on reintroducing industry to the area and easing the commute to green spaces and local agriculture incorporated a plan to refurbish an existing brewery as space for local agricultural commerce. Open-air locavore markets were sprinkled throughout previously abandoned lots. The team gave the transformation a 25-year timeline, in which economic incentives would encourage the changes. Graffam suggested such measures as tax incentives for green, environmentally friendly building.

Graffam says, "Specific criteria wouldn’t work everywhere, but changes in the spirit of the competition could definitely be implemented everywhere."

Source: Skip Graffam, OLIN Studio
Writer: Nina Rosenberg

At a press conference this past week, SEPTA announced that its Board will be voting on an ambitious plan to modernize the Regional Rail fare structure in September or October. This comes after the Regional Rail Fare Policy Advisory Group, which consisted of 14 suburban and urban transportation planners and transit activists and had been meeting since May, released a report concerning SEPTA’s New Payment Technologies proposal.

However, before the Board votes on reforming Regional Rail payment, SEPTA wants more input from riders. To this end, SEPTA has placed a brief survey soliciting opinions about New Payment Technologies on its website. The authority has also promoted the survey in stations and vehicles. John McGee, SEPTA’s chief officer of New Payment Technologies, is eager to see rail riders participate in the survey. This survey "really impacts what we’re doing," said McGee. "It will help us lay out the foundation of a gated railroad system."

For Regional Rail riders, conductors, and engineers, the installation of turnstiles in the five designated Center City stations, which are Temple University, Market East, Suburban, 30th Street, and University City Stations, may be the most noticeable proposed change.

Because of this, the addition of turnstiles is also proving controversial.

"Turnstiles are both a physical and psychological barrier to riding the train," said Matt Mitchell, a director at the Delaware Valley Association of Rail Passengers (DVARP) and a vocal member of the advisory group. "They slow down people as they’re rushing to catch the train." Yet, SEPTA remains eager to install turnstiles and gates. "We’ll buy gates soon after the Board vote in September or October," pointed out McGee.

Another notable aspect of New Payment Technology concerning Regional Rail is that, if approved by the SEPTA Board, riders to some stations closer to Center City will have to pay for traveling further, and then collect a refund when they disembark the train. McGee looked to brush off skepticism about this for riders paying with credit or debit cards. "The refund will be instantaneous for contactless credit and debit card users," reassured McGee.

It is important to add that many of these proposed changes are still at least a couple of years away. Also, some of the changes are not even etched in marble yet. "We’re still open," said McGee. "That's why we’re asking for wider input."

This means that debates over whether fares will be collected in one or both directions and what to do about paying with cash and transferring vehicles are not over. 

Source: John McGee, SEPTA
Writer: Andy Sharpe

The Philadelphia City Planning Commission is planning to conduct a blight recertification of the Germantown Avenue corridor between 2nd and Oxford Streets in South Kensington, but not everybody is thrilled about it. One group that is skeptical of the recertification is the Kensington South Neighborhood Advisory Counsel, which composed a “letter of non-support” to the Planning Commission.

The NAC is especially concerned that the blight declaration will enable developers to ignore community input and act heavy-handedly. One of the community group’s greatest fears is that this could lead the way to eminent domain. “The American Street Empowerment Zone in its heyday used blight recertification to enact eminent domain,” mentioned Erika Tapp, the director of the Kensington South NAC.

The Counsel is also rankled that two historically significant buildings were not included in the recertification. One factory is the Pieri Factory, which manufactured lamps from the intersection of Front and Oxford Streets. The other building is the Gretz Brewery at the corner of Germantown Avenue and Oxford Street. Tapp is especially enamored of the latter, calling it a “really cool older building.” Also, the neighborhood group frets about unforeseen consequences for community gardens, which are a source of pride for South Kensington.

Yet, the City Planning Commission counters that blight recertification is necessary to encourage development around the corridor. At last month’s planning commission meeting, planner David Fecteau bemoaned that 43 percent of the properties in the affected area are vacant.

Tapp said that Fecteau has done a good job of discussing the recertification with her group. She said he made it clear that the review process for blight recertification would be much stricter and firmer than previous ones, including the American Street Empowerment Zone.

Despite the efforts of the City Planning Commission to assuage neighborhood concerns, Tapp summed up why so many residents are skeptical about the blight recertification. “It’s a mistrust of the political system,” relayed Tapp.

Unfortunately, people in this community have seen similar situations in the past, and are not happy with how they turned out.

Source: Erika Tapp, South Kensington Neighborhood Advisory Counsel
Writer: Andy Sharpe

There's more than one way to build community, and arts and culture provides ample opportunity to do just that. Living in a hotbed for such activity, it seems entirely appropriate that the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance has teamed up with the Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations.

The organizations are co-presenting Arts and Community Development: Dynamic Partners, a workshop and panel discussion set for Thursday, Sept. 8 from 12:30-2:30 p.m. at Asian Arts Initiative (1219 Vine St., Philadelphia). The program will include opportunities to learn about best practices of community development organizations, artists and cultural groups working collaboratively to advance revitalization strategies, locate space, and develop community programs. Special attention will be paid to partnership building, new funding sources, and smart use of data.

Guests include Maggie Mailer, co-founder of the Pittsfield Storefront Artist Project, a nationally recognized model that uses arts as an economic catalyst in a distressed area of Western Massachusetts. The loss of 10,000 General Electric jobs there has had a major impact on the Pittsfield area's economy, population and morale. Now a weekly summer street festival attracts 10,000 people downtown on a regular basis as Pittsfield has become "the Brooklyn of the Berkshires."

Register here. Cost is $15 for PACDC and Cultural Alliance members, $10 for each additional staff person, and $25 for non-members.

Source: Pamela Bridgeforth, Pennsylvania Association of Community Development Corporations
Writer: Joe Petrucci

Philadelphia's 30th Street Station is the second busiest train station in the country, but you wouldn't know it by the sparse pedestrian traffic on adjacent Market Street, a spot surrounded by two historic buildings and within 1,200 feet of more than 16,000 jobs. While a steady stream of cars zip in and around 30th Street Station, there is little to recommend hoofing it anywhere but to a friend's idling car.

That is poised to change with the transformation of the station’s outer parking lane along Market Street into a 40-foot wide sidewalk. The project, expected to be completed by Labor Day and a collaboration of Councilwoman Jannie L. Blackwell, the Planning Commission, the Streets Department, Amtrak, Brandywine Realty Trust, the Schuylkill River Development Corporation, and a host of University City institutions, is part of a broader PennDot initiative.

The University City District also sees this project as a foundation for the creation of an inviting and animated public space, one that would provide amenities like abundant and comfortable seating, sun and shade, and trees and plantings. In the spirit of public placemaking, UCD is holding a contest to name Philadelphia’s newest public space. The winner gets a $500 gift certificate to Amtrak and pretty rare bragging rights.

To enter, submit your suggested name, reasons for choosing it (up to 150 words), your name, phone number and email to [email protected] by midnight on Sept. 30. A winner will be chosen by a 10-person jury that has yet to be selected. Winner will be announced on or around Oct. 19.

If you’re looking for hints – UCD's work on this space will be informed largely by the Project for Public Spaces’ "lighter, quicker, cheaper" placemaking interventions. According to a news release issued by UCD, a future phase of development that would include food kiosks, plantings and a permanent buffer from Market Street is likely. First, however, movable tables and chairs and seasonal plantings will set the stage. Also envisioned are activities that will draw people to the space, like yoga classes or music performances.

Source: Lori Klein Brennan, University City District
Writer: Joe Petrucci

A small borough in Delaware County is looking to celebrate its heritage in the upcoming 7th annual OcTrolleyFest. OcTrolleyFest is a unique fete of Darby Borough's rich history, which examines transportation, desegregation, and Darby's relationship with surrounding boroughs and Southwest Philadelphia.

OcTrolleyFest is the pride and joy of husband and wife John and Jan Haigis, who are widely known for their love of singing, history, and Darby Borough. These passions helped to inspire OcTrolleyFest, which "brings more attention to history and brings people together," John Haigis points out. His wife gushed "people can reconnect with Darby and people who've moved away can see there's still stuff going on in Darby."

The festival's calling card is the use of an old fashioned trolley, which provides free rides between Darby and Southwest Philadelphia the day of the festival. The rides act as rolling history lessons, as docents aboard the trolleys discuss the many historic buildings en route. Some participants, naturally including the Haigis duo, also impersonate historical figures important to Darby.

OcTrolleyFest is remarkable for Darby, since the low-income, high-crime borough is not used to festivals. The borough has been widely known for its crime, political bickering, and severe flooding for decades. Haigis' festival gives residents a chance to forget about all this for at least a day, and as the pair would eagerly say, hopefully instills a sense of civic and historical pride in borough denizens.

John and Jan Haigis have a lot of heartwarming memories from previous celebrations. John's favorite memories are punctuated by the time rock-and-roll chart-topper Charlie Gracie performed. As for Jan, she relishes the "150th anniversary of the horse-car line (now the Route 11 trolley) from Philadelphia to Delaware County" in 2008. She also fondly reflects on last year's event, which honored the century anniversary of the formation of the Darby Hilldales, which was a wildly success Negro League baseball team.

As for this year's OcTrolleyFest, scheduled for October 15, there are still some question marks as to what the Haigis couple will do. "There will be scarecrows for kids and a pumpkin parade," says Jan Haigis. However, the trolley route is still to be determined, especially since SEPTA is doing construction on the preferred route between Darby, Yeadon, and Southwest Philadelphia. John and Jan definitely want to reach out to local cemeteries in Collingdale and Southwest Philadelphia to recognize the work of African American visionaries who are buried there. With these uncertainties in mind, John Haigis promises there will be "music, fun, and surprises."  

Sources: John and Jan Haigis
Writer: Andy Sharpe

The design firm Bryan Hanes Studio has begun to embark on a study that could make a long-supported but perpetually stalled Philadelphia project move forward. This study is examining how to design a park on the abandoned railroad tracks up high on the Reading Viaduct in the city's Callowhill neighborhood.

Specifically, the design study concerns the SEPTA-owned portion of the tracks. This is actually just a spur of the viaduct, as the rest is owned by the Reading Company, which has left the rail business and now dabbles in film in California.

The group that has perhaps been the most vocal in support of developing a park is the Callowhill Reading Viaduct Neighborhood Improvement District (CRVNID), which is effusive in its praise of a park. "A park would make the neighborhood more livable," points out John Struble, a cofounder of the Reading Viaduct project with CRVNID. "There is no green space and no park in our neighborhood, (so with this) people can enjoy the outdoors."

This design study is the second phase of examination for the proposed Reading Viaduct park. A year ago, an environmental impact study gave a favorable review to the idea of a park. According to Struble, the design study, which is financed by the William Penn Foundation, is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Struble, who calls himself a "neighborhood advocate" eagerly pinpoints other cities like New York (the High Line in Manhattan's Lower West Side) that have succeeded with similar parks. "This caught on in Milwaukee, Chicago, and Atlanta."

The one shortfall of the Reading Viaduct park proposal is that funding sources have not currently been confirmed. Struble did make sure to add that Poor Richards Charitable Trust might provide some capital. Despite the financial question mark, it looks like Philadelphians might be looking up in the sky for their newest park.

Source: John Struble, CRVNID
Writer: Andy Sharpe