Development News

Thanks to the enthusiasm and financial support of West Central Germantown residents, commuters using the Tulpehocken Station can now feel the decades fly backwards as they wait for their train. That's because SEPTA finished the historical renovation of Tulpehocken Station, on the Chestnut Hill West Regional Rail line this summer.

With this in mind, it was not an easy process. From 1978 until recent years, SEPTA constantly told community groups that there was not enough money to repair the station. "From 1978 and on, the building was basically abandoned," says Jeffrey Smith, a man on a mission to preserve Germantown's history. In 1982, SEPTA even tried to demolish the building, although neighbors succeeded in thwarting that.

However, things began to look up in 2007, when the West Central Germantown Neighbors established a committee to salvage the building. This spurred the National Trust for Historical Preservation to come up with a grant to rehabilitate the station. The problem was the grant required a local match. However, "I raised $5,500 from neighbors and apartment owners," says a very proud Smith.

The final step that put the wheels to the rail of the Tulpehocken preservation was SEPTA's federal stimulus funds, of which SEPTA allocated $700,000 to the dated station. This enabled SEPTA to install 2 heavy-duty plywood floors using 60 percent of the structure's existing lumber, according to Smith. In addition, the station received a brand new roof. At this point, "the building was restored to historic standards," boasted Smith, who cited the station shell's approval by the Philadelphia Historical Commission.

With this long fought preservation, Smith is not quite satisfied. After all, it is hard for the man who bought the rights to Germantown's famed historic logo to rest on his laurels. "I'm trying to get a lease from SEPTA to make the building commercially viable," said Smith. Smith hastened to add that SEPTA has been a supportive partner throughout the recent process, pointing out the meetings he had with top SEPTA officials.   

Source: Jeff Smith
Writer: Andy Sharpe

Casino-Free Philadelphia is planning to commemorate the one-year anniversary of Sugarhouse Casino in September with a new anti-gambling campaign. This campaign will focus on the amount of SugarHouse patrons who have taken out a line of credit to support their gambling.

"500 people have taken out a line of credit at SugarHouse," complained Kaytee Riek, the director of Casino-Free Philadelphia, an anti-casino group in Philadelphia that formed in 2006. Riek dramatizes her point by saying that the minimum line of credit is $500, which is quite a sum of money for many Philadelphians.

Casino-Free Philly is calling their campaign "quicksand credit," which is an analogy to how rapidly money can disappear when its gambled. "Quicksand credit drives people to addiction," said Riek. Riek is especially concerned about the affects of gambling on low-income players. "Preying on poor people is not a way to get customers."

This is simply the latest campaign held by the anti-gambling group. In 2010, Casino-Free orchestrated a "reclaim the riverfront" campaign, which focused on safety and jobs. One hallmark of this campaign was the formation of a casino town watch to document SugarHouse's tactics to attract patrons. Before SugarHouse opened, the advocacy group concentrated on convincing investors and elected officials to reject the proposed SugarHouse and Foxwoods casinos.   

The campaign is slated to be unveiled on September 23, which is one year after the opening of SugarHouse. With so many potential low-income Philadelphia gamblers living near SugarHouse, this promises to be an interesting campaign.

Source: Kaytee Riek, Casino-Free Philadelphia
Writer: Andy Sharpe    

In a few weeks, PECO and the art technology outlet Breadboard will once again collaborate to brighten the Center City skyline. This year, PECO will showcase up to three works of visual artistry each Friday from September through December as scrolling artwork atop its building, says Ben Armstrong, Senior Communications Specialist at PECO. This is known as "Art in the Air," and this is the second year it's been done.

What is even more exciting is that PECO and Breadboard have upped the ante this year by putting in a cash incentive for visual artists. In addition to having their message displayed on PECO's building, artists will now be competing to win $1,000 for the "best in show" message, says Armstrong. The winning artist will also have their display featured for a prolonged period in January. Submissions for September are due by Aug. 23 (more submission info here).

PECO and Breadboard are looking to build off of their success last year with "Art in the Air." Last year's visual feast began on July 4 to commemorate the 34-year anniversary of PECO's scrolling messages, the one-year anniversary of PECO's adoption of LED lights, and Independence Day. From then on, the display ran on Fridays through out the year, ultimately featuring "over twenty local artists," said Armstrong.

PECO's LED lights enable the electricity provider to provide this visual art show. "The old lights limited us to 72 characters; letters, numbers, and spaces," said PECO's Communications Specialist. "LED lights let us use full animation and colors." Indeed, the PECO building has become quite colorful and animated in the two years since it switched to LED lights.

PECO has provided the top of its building at 23rd and Market Streets as a place for local non-profits and community groups to spread their message since 1976. Along with that, PECO also uses its scrolling marquee to provide energy-saving tips for customers and tourists alike.  

Source: Ben Armstrong, PECO
Writer: Andy Sharpe

Good news for aspiring artists in South Philadelphia and Center City, as Queen Village is about to usher in a new art center. The Fairmount Art Center will be opening up a second location in September, calling it the Queen Village Art Center. It will be in the old Philadelphia Aids Thrift Store location on the 500 block of Bainbridge St.

"Courses include diverse media, including drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture, knitting, sewing, ceramics, mixed media, and decorative arts," says director Jill Markovitz. The new center will include 3,000 square feet of space, four studios, a kitchenette, and lounge and gallery areas.

"Queen Village will also feature a full after school program with walking pick up at all area schools," says Markovitz. Children will be able to come to the center for anywhere from one to five days a week. Along with art, children can also receive homework help and reading and game time.

This is welcome news for students at local schools, such as the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts and the Academy at Palumbo. Markovitz sees the incoming Queen Village Art Center as a great place for children. She envisions a place where kids can come for school art, camp, and birthday parties.

Source: Jill Markovitz, Fairmount Art Center
Writer: Andy Sharpe 

Despite the poor economic climate for development, Radnor-based Brandywine Realty Trust continues to exceed profit forecasts. This has been evidenced through out 2011, and has been true in the Delaware Valley and across the country. In fact, Brandywine has been able to execute almost 2.5 million square feet of leases through June of this year. As a result, "all operating and financial metrics equaled or exceeded our business plan targets," says Gerard Sweeney, President and CEO of Brandywine.

One major reason for Brandywine Realty's success in attaining leases can be found in Center City. This is where the realty titan inked a long-term lease with Janney Montgomery Scott at Three Logan Square, located on the 1700 block of Arch St. Brandywine "executed a 146,321 square foot, 15-year lease with Janney Montgomery Scott LLC at Three Logan Square," says Sweeney.

While Brandywine expanded its leased space in Center City, it also sold unloaded property in South Jersey. "During the second quarter of 2011, we completed the sale of Three Greentree Center, a 13.9-percent occupied 69,300 square foot office building in Marlton, NJ," says the CEO. The company was able to use considerable profits made on this sale to reduce their credit balance.

Brandywine Realty Trust is one of the largest comprehensive real estate companies in the country. It has properties in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Texas, California, and elsewhere. They are well known for sustainable building practices, as many of their buildings nationwide are either LEED or Energy Star certified.

Brandywine's success shows that developers can still meet profit forecasts, even with the present economic uncertainty. Judging from Brandywine, sustainability seems to be one key to succeeding in leased properties. Another key seems to be the ability to know when to sell unprofitable properties.

Source: Gerard Sweeney, Brandywine Realty Trust
Writer: Andy Sharpe  

It's a park that fits in a pickup truck. Philadelphia's newest public space initiative, The Parklet, made its debut on Aug. 4 in University City. Flanking the sidewalk on 43rd Street at Baltimore Avenue, the 40-foot long decked platform functions as a highly flexible seating area that takes the place of about three parked cars. The seasonal structure, made of Trex, steel and wood, can be disassembled into its 4'x6' component parts and loaded into the back of a University City District truck.

"West Philadelphia in general is open to innovation and new ideas," remarked State Representative James Roebuck, on hand for the dedication. The Parklet experiment is slated to continue, with three more planned in spaces to be determined. According to designer Jules Dingle of the Center City firm DIGSAU, the next one will be on Lancaster Avenue, but the others have not yet been sited.

The intersection of 43rd and Baltimore is heavy with pedestrian traffic, thanks to Clark Park. The popular Green Line Cafe, with its own outdoor seating, is at the same southeast corner as the Parklet, and  the new seating appears to be an extension of the cafe, but officials were quick to point out that the Parklet is open to the public. "It really is a front porch in many ways," said Deputy Mayor for Transportation and Utilities Rina Cutler. The design quotes elements of the new Race Street Pier, added Prema Katari Gupta, UCD Director of Planning and Economic Development. The Parklet idea originated in San Francisco and New York, and UCD put a Philadelphia spin on an imported idea, according to Gupta.

At a cost of $10,000 in materials and a design fee that adds about 10 percent to the total, the Parklet is a quick and easy way to create convivial space. Designer Dingle explained that while the configuration of the present parklet is meant for cafe tables and chairs, potential add-ons include bike racks and fixed tables and benches, which may figure in to future versions.

Source: James Roebuck, Rina Cutler, Prema Katari Gupta, Jules Dingle, UC Parklet
Writer: Sue Spolan

PHOTOS by Ryan Collerd

Consider it crowdsourced city planning. The Delaware River Waterfront Corporation's Master Plan is open for public comment until August 26. Since June 13, when the summary report was released, Master Planning Manager Sarah Thorpe says about a hundred comments have come in, and the entire effort has been a significant public process. "Urban planning has changed a lot over last 30 years," says Thorpe. "Today, people are very interested in how the environment develops. We are addressing different problems and a different demographic."

Essential to the new master plan is access. It's not your 18th century waterfront model. When I-95 was built, the Philadelphia stretch of the Delaware river was an aesthetically bereft industrial zone best left to longshoremen. Interstate 95 is a huge barrier, says Thorpe of the 1960s era public works project that was once considered a beneficial rampart. "People didn't want to live next to a sugar factory or a coal yard." Now, she says, the highway keeps residents from what they want. The main point of the DRWC's master plan is to make 95 less of an impedance.

Philadelphia 2035, the citywide planning effort, is underway, but Thorpe says the waterfront couldn't wait. While there are actually 47 streets that cross over or under the interstate, "it's more of a perceived barrier in peoples' minds."

The new plan creates connections in two ways, says Thorpe: by adding destinations to  the riverbank, and by making connections more attractive through lighting and landscaping. Several early action projects, the Race Street Pier and Washington Avenue Green, were completed during the Master Plan design phase as a way to give the public a glimpse of the future.

As far as feedback, Thorpe says comments have ranged from overarching issues like density, boat access and parking, to small problems like typos in the document. After the August 26 deadline, Thorpe and team will compile public input, make judgement calls on priority, and expect to release the final revised version in October. But, stresses Thorpe, it will be a living document, subject to accommodation and change.

Source: Sarah Thorpe, Delaware River Waterfront Corporation
Writer: Sue Spolan

Philadelphia might very well get its newest skyscraper next month. At least this is what the Chicago development firm John Buck Company says. In fact, it looks like everything is a go for John Buck's proposed 34-story apartment tower at 2116 Chestnut Street.

While support for the tower is relatively widespread, not every supporter is thrilled with the design of the skyscraper. One group that is skeptical about the design is the Center City Residents Association. The association is especially critical of the developer's change in design, pointing to a garage that's being proposed as a negative. "We wanted it to be wrapped in active use, but they removed this with the re-design and added a garage," said Center City Residents Association president Adam Schneider.

With this doubt in mind, Schneider expressed appreciation at how John Buck dealt with interested parties. While they initially seemed reluctant to work with neighbors, "they shifted into a cooperative mode," said Schneider. He attributed the initial reluctance to simply not being used to Philadelphia's level of community involvement. With this in mind, Buck Co. refused to speak to us until September.

Another group that lauded the developer's willingness to work with community members was the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia. "I would like to express appreciation to the John Buck Co. for earlier contribution commitments made to support the needs of the adjacent churches and to a community project selected by CCRA (Center City Residents Association)," says John Gallery, the executive director at the Preservation Alliance.

Interestingly, the Preservation Alliance was initially one of the most opposed groups to the tower, on the grounds that it would result in the razing of the historic Sidney Hillman Medical Center. They were actually in the process of appealing city Historical Commission and Zoning Board of Adjustment decisions that paved the way for the skyscraper. However, they were heartened by Buck's cooperation with neighborhood and preservation causes, and decided to drop the appeals in December, 2010.

Thus, for a city that hasn't seen a new skyscraper since the Comcast Center, it looks like Philadelphia is about to get a little taller.

Source: Adam Schneider, Center City Residents Association
Writer: Andy Sharpe

The 4-percent increase in ridership that SEPTA announced last week isn't surprising considering it follows national trends and that gas prices have surged higher.

However, considering fare increases and little improvement in area unemployment, the increase of 13 million trips in the last fiscal year (July 1-June 30) is encouraging. The total of 334 million trips on SEPTA's buses, trains and trolleys were the Authority's highest yearly total since 1989.

SEPTA had cut its capital budget by 25 percent last year, keeping some improvement plans on ice. SEPTA General Manager Joseph M. Casey cited an increased focus on SEPTA's aging infrastructure and customer-service initiatives as reasons for the positive report.

"We look forward to the possibilities ahead as these conditions improve," he said in a news release.

Regional Rail trips increased by nearly 500,000 and nearly broke a ridership record set in 2008. In addition, passenger revenue exceeded budget projections by $22 million, or 5 percent. A list of all SEPTA's recent reports is here.

Source: SEPTA
Writer: Joe Petrucci

If you're the sort of hard-living live music fan who goes out regularly to see rock, hip-hop or indie bands perform, you may be under the impression that Philly has enough venues to satisfy the needs of every slam-dancer and head-nodder in the city. And yet Avram Hornik, a local nightlife entrepreneur whose Four Corners Management company operates a handful of beloved local bars, begs to differ.

To wit: In less than eight weeks, inside the former Spaghetti Warehouse restaurant at 10th and Spring Garden streets in Center City, a midsize but upscale concert space known as Union Transfer will introduce itself to the city. (A train depot of the same name once operated there.) Hornik is a partner in the venture, as is Sean Agnew of R5 Productions. Agnew will be booking bands with the help of a third partner: the New York-based Bowery Presents. "We had all been aware of each other," Hornik wrote in a recent email, "and were just waiting for the right time and the right space to open a live music venue."

And while Philly may in fact have its fair share of spots to take in touring or local live acts, Union Transfer, Hornik says, will be something truly unique: large enough to handle 1,000 fans, but with ample parking nearby and a central location, convenient to the freeway. In fact, Hornik claims that the project's ultimate goal involves "showcas(ing) bands that have passed by the city because there hasn't been the space to play."

If the architectural renderings and the minor details that have already been released are any indication, that'll be an easy goal to reach. Union Transfer, for instance, which was designed by local firm Fishtank PHL, will be home to a D&B Audiotechnik sound system, professional-level lighting, both a mezzanine and a balcony, and--get this--parking for 150 bicycles.

The party kicks off on Sept. 21, with an inaugural concert featuring Clap Your Hands Say Yeah.

Source: Avram Hornik, Four Corners Management
Writer: Dan Eldridge

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Not long ago, six close friends read in the Philadelphia Business Journal that the number of people raising kids in the city had absolutely exploded over the past ten years. It was certainly a good bit of news to discover, especially considering the friends' new business idea: A 12,000-square-foot Center City destination known as Nest, where children and their parents can play, learn, exercise and grow both intellectually and creatively.

Philly's young families, of course, are the ones who'll ultimately be deciding if the new space is a necessary city addition. The first test will happen on Aug. 11, when Nest--something of an ultimate jungle gym, playground and fun zone for the 6-weeks to 6-years set--opens its doors to the public at 13th and Locust streets in Midtown Village.

According to Stephanie Edwards of Skai Blue Media, which is handling Nest's PR, the six friends behind the venture had grown "tired of schlepping their kids all over the city to attend a music class here, a mommy and me class there and a birthday party yet somewhere else." They figured that combining the best of various kid-friendly locations into one massive fun-and-education zone would be a can't-miss proposition.

Nest, for instance, will offer a bevy of classes: early enrichment, dance, pottery, art, cooking, and more, all led by area experts. A cafe for the grown-ups, along with a portrait studio and a children's salon, will also be onsite, as will as a 3,000-square-foot play space for the younger children, and a toy and clothing boutique selling unique, design-friendly items.

And given that one of Nest's founders is Scott Caplan, a co-founder of Sweat Fitness, visitors to Nest can probably also expect lots of color, lots of positive attitudes, and most likely lots and lots of crowds.

Class enrollment begins Aug. 9.

Source: Stephanie Edwards, Skai Blue Media
Writer: Dan Eldridge

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How perfect is a summer night at a cafe on the bank of the river? "It's a dream come true," says Peg Botto of her newly opened Cosmic Cafe at Lloyd Hall. Located at the beginning of Kelly Drive just across from the Azalea Garden, Cosmic Cafe opened this spring, thanks to a collaborative effort by Botto and Fairmount Park, and it's set to continue operation year round.

"There's always been a cafe at Lloyd Hall," explains Mark Focht, Executive Director of the Fairmount Park Commission. "Peg Botto's sustainable approach to business meshed very well with the Parks and Recreation mission." Botto, whose previous retail outlet was at the Chestnut Hill Farmers Market, also runs Cosmic Catering. With the fully outfitted new kitchen at Lloyd Hall, Botto can run both the cafe and catering operation on site. Botto saw right away that the space would be great for catering, with lower and upper outdoor decks, plus an upstairs room. In all, Cosmic Cafe can hold up to 250 people for private events.

Open seven days a week from 8 to 8, Cosmic Cafe offers the kind of healthy food athletes crave, including organic produce, eggs and poultry, nitrate free bacon and locally baked bread. On a recent visit, smoothies, watermelon gazpacho, baked goods and a full range of sandwiches were on the menu. Several nights a week, there's live music, and Botto also barbecues several times a month out on the deck. "It's right on the river. You can't get any closer than that."

Botto says that she worked on the Lloyd Hall RFP for about 4 months, and she won the contract from a pool of ten applicants. After an $85,000 kitchen makeover and the hiring of about a dozen staffers, business is good. "We pay rent to the city plus a percentage of the gross," says Botto, who adds that these costs are in line with what she would pay for a similar space elsewhere. But nowhere else offers a constant stream of bikers, walkers, joggers, rollerbladers and tourists, whose stars are cosmically aligned for an alternative to the hot dog and ice cream carts of Kelly Drive.

Source: Peg Botto, Cosmic Cafe
Writer: Sue Spolan

For quite some time now, the priest of St. Maron's Roman Catholic Church, which sits on the corner of 10th and Ellsworth streets in South Philly, has had something of a vision--a dream, you might say--relating to the living conditions of his parishioners, more than a few of whom are senior citizens in their 50s and 60s.

"They're presently living in the community," says Bruce Morgan, the president of Paoli's BCM Affordable Housing, "and for a number of different reasons, they don't want to continue living in a house they own or rent, or living with family members. They need a living arrangement that's more conducive to someone who is 55 and older. They're also typically on fixed incomes, and in a lot of ways are getting priced out of a gentrifying neighborhood."

Morgan, as it happens, runs the real estate development firm that was given the green light to construct the solution to South Philly's seniors: Along with the Haley Donovan design-architect firm and the architecture and interior design firm known as Kitchen & Associates, Morgan's company will be building a roughly 71,000 square-foot building for seniors on the 900 block of Ellsworth Street, on the current site of an under-utilized municipal parking lot.

Along with 64 units, a community room, two outdoor patios, a green roof and Energy Star appliances, the L-shaped structure will be constructed according to LEED certification standards. (Due to high costs, however, Morgan doesn't plan to actually apply for the certification itself.) Construction should start sometime near the end of the year, or the beginning of 2012.

Meanwhile, in West Philadelphia's Wynnefield neighborhood, the New Jersey-based Tryko Partners firm has spent $8 million acquiring the Kearsley Nursing Community campus, which has been recognized as the first nursing community in the county, according to Uri Kahanow, Tryko's director of acquisitions (skilled nursing with private and semi-private rooms available).

The three-building campus overlooks the Bala Golf Course and includes a historic property built in 1861. Still, says Kahanow, "We're definitely going to focus a lot on upgrading the services in the nursing facility. We're definitely going to expand on what they have now."

Writer: Dan Eldridge
Source: Bruce Morgan, BCM Affordable Housing Inc. & Uri Kahanow, Tryko Partners

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Back in 2005, when the American economy was still bounding along at a relatively progressive clip, the city of Philadelphia introduced an economic development program for prospective homeowners known as Home Buy Now.

The program, which offered some 211 working Philadelphians the chance to more easily become homeowners, was temporarily curtailed in 2009. But Home Buy Now is once again operational, thanks in large part to Mayor Michael Nutter, who reintroduced the program a little over a week ago during a press conference at Drexel University. Along with the Urban Affairs Coalition, the city will be putting $735,000 toward the purchase of Philadelphia homes for some 240 fortunate locals.

Here's how the program works:

First, companies willing to offer their employees grants or forgivable loans meant to be put towards the purchase of a home must sign onto the Home Buy Now program. The city will then match those funds up to $4,000, assuming the employees in question are willing to buy in a specific, predetermined neighborhood. For those employees who would rather purchase homes outside of the program's predetermined neighborhoods, the city will offer $2,000 in matching funds.

Thus far, over a dozen different employees have joined the program, with Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania being the two largest. As for the predetermined neighborhoods where the matching $4,000 funds will be offered, those will be located near to "major educational and medical anchor institutions" (such as Drexel and Penn), according to the Urban Affairs Coalition.

And according to Mayor Nutter, who explained the benefits of the program during the Drexel press conference, it was the simple desire to retain the city's best and brightest workers that fueled the return of the Home Buy Now program, along with a desire "to create more stable, flourishing neighborhoods," he said.

For more information about how your company can join the program, contact program manager Christopher Waters at the Urban Affairs Coalition.

Writer: Dan Eldridge
Source: Robin Robinowitz, Urban Affairs Coalition

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