Transportation : Development News

Composting in University City is catching on. In just a couple weeks, the University City District (UCD) will be opening The Dirt Factory composting facility at 43rd and Market, a partnership between UCD and the Pedal Coop, a bicycle-powered disposal service that serves West (like Plotland at 44th and Locust) and South Philly (like Mercy Edible Park) and Center City.

The Dirt Factory represents the most permanent composting facility the Pedal Coop’s ever had, according to Seth Budick, the manager of policy and research at UCD, who says the cooperative is currently forced to compost at community gardens and other short-lived sites, which quickly hit capacity, forcing the disposers to find other sites. The facility will also have limited hours when other University City residents can use it.

"Our hope is that this facility will have sufficient capacity to allow (Pedal Coop) to expand their collection, increasing the number of residents and businesses that are able to compost," says Budick. This will enable Pedal Coop to handle large university functions at UPenn, Drexel, USciences, and other institutions.

West Philly businesses seem excited about the large-scale local composting option, whether or not they contract to the Pedal Coop. Budick says that Pedal Coop clients Metropolitan and Four Worlds Bakeries, both of which serve bread in West Philly, are especially thrilled about The Dirt Factory. Along with that, he adds that an increasing number of local businesses, affiliated and unaffiliated with the Coop, are asking how they can compost at 43rd and Market. 

The Dirt Factory will also have limited hours when University City businesses, non-profits, and residents can compost.

"We hope to begin by opening the site once a week for drop-offs of small quantities of compostables," says Budick. Eventually, the space could open to the public more if the need exists.

The UCD is also planning compost, food, and sustainability workshops for the summer months to be held on-site, says Budick, who promises more details will be announced soon.  Also, the site will have smaller composting classrooms where members of the community can learn techniques for composting at home. Additionally, the Walnut Hill Farm recently planted fruits and vegetables at The Factory using neighborhood compost. 

Other partners in the composting effort include the owners of the property at 4308 Market St. who offered up the parcel, and the University of Pennsylvania, which sold its used "Earth Tub" composting machines at a greatly reduced rate. The public grand opening for the Dirt Factory will be on June 20, and will feature complimentary refreshments by Four Worlds, Little Baby’s Ice Cream, and Dock St. Brewing Company.  

Source: Seth Budick, University City District
Writer: Andy Sharpe

While bike sharing has caught on in American cities as large as New York City and as small as Hollywood, Fla., it has yet to catch on in any large way in Greater Philadelphia. While Montgomery County’s Pottstown and Camden County’s Collingswood do have bike sharing programs, they are two of a kind in the Delaware Valley. Despite the efforts of many, no such service exists in Philadelphia. However, various boroughs and cities in Camden County are looking to build off of Collingswood’s success and offer the first cross-county bike sharing service in the region in a project conveniently known as BikeShare.
 
The Camden County Division of Environmental Affairs is working with the national bicycle advocacy group Rails to Trails Conservancy to expand upon Collingswood’s popular bike share. BikeShare organizers currently have 250 bicycles, although many are in need of maintenance, says Jack Sworaski, the director of the Division of Environmental Affairs. Sworaski adds that a few of the bikes might be beyond salvage, in which case they’ll be used for parts. 

While Sworaski can’t give a definitive timeline, he says that “in the coming months, a few locations will be up and running" and anticipates more growth in the fall and next spring. He’s ambitious, as his overarching goal is to make BikeShare available for all Camden County residents. Sworaski says rates for joining BikeShare will depend on each individual municipality. For example, lower-income communities will have far cheaper rates to join than will affluent neighborhoods. This is to make the program accessible to all neighborhoods, regardless of wealth.

BikeShare will likely be used for recreation in some areas and commuting in other parts of the county. In more affluent  boroughs, Sworaski sees bicycles being used for fun by people who have access to private automobiles or the train. However, “for others, particularly in the City, where many residents do not own cars, a bike will provide the means to get to work, school, or other community events,” he says. The director makes sure to add that this will encourage an active lifestyle, benefit the environment, and save participants money, regardless of why they’re using BikeShare. 

The organizers of the bike sharing service are also working with Camden youth to repair their bikes and teach safety. Sworaski says the timing is ripe with summer around the corner. Also, BikeShare architects are working with the CYCLE program to teach children about bike safety and repair. This is a one-month program that will pair kids with trained bike instructors to make sure that they enjoy riding safely and know how to make repairs.  

Source: Jack Sworaski, Camden County Division of Environmental Affairs
Writer: Andy Sharpe

Photo courtesy of Evan Kalish

It’s a sleepy stretch of Bethlehem Pike that winds through Spring House, a small Montgomery County suburb between Ambler and Montgomeryville. A great deal of through traffic forsakes Bethlehem Pike to use the far faster Route 309 bypass, while too few people who do drive the Pike get out of their vehicles. With this in mind, Lower Gwynedd Township has embarked on a new campaign called “I like the Pike” to draw attention to Bethlehem Pike’s potential for redevelopment and build a sense of community among existing businesses.

One goal of “I like the Pike” is to highlight the recent streetscape improvements that are designed to make the Bethlehem Pike-corridor more walkable and green. So far, sidewalks and enhanced lighting have been installed on roughly half of the corridor, as part of a $1.5 million project, says Kathleen Hunsicker, the chairwoman of the Lower Gwynedd Board of Supervisors. Also, “walking paths have been built to connect adjacent residential neighborhoods to the Pike so residents can walk to eat and shop,” says Hunsicker.

Lower Gwynedd is also looking to make the community more sustainable by expanding Veterans Memorial Park, which can be found at the intersection of Bethlehem and Penllyn Pikes. As of now, a stone wall has been constructed that will include a sign welcoming drivers to Lower Gwynedd. Hunsicker adds that benches, a water fountain, flagpoles, and a rain garden will make the park a much more appealing place for those strolling along the Pike. It is expected to be completed by autumn of this year.

While walkability and parkland are important components to improving the corridor, attracting businesses is paramount. The Supervisors are most hopeful that restaurants and service businesses will be interested in moving into Spring House. As it always does, zoning plays an enormous role in the ability to lure commercial facilities. “The Township understands that developers might need some flexibility with zoning to brings projects to life,” says Hunsicker. In support of this idea, an ordinance is currently in front of the township planning commission that would provide some leeway in zoning.

“I like the Pike” also seeks to retain existing businesses that dot Bethlehem Pike, and create a semblance of community among them. Hunsicker says she hopes that a Lower Gwynedd Business Association will be formed as a result of the campaign. The campaign also looks to impel locals and visitors to frequent the businesses, such as Spring House Tavern, The Flower Shop of Spring House, and Born to Run shoes, along the corridor through the website. In other words, the campaign is intended to create “a buzz in the community” that lets everyone know “we are open for business,” Hunsicker says. 


Source: Kathleen Hunsicker, Lower Gwynedd Twp. Supervisors  
Writer: Andy Sharpe

The Delaware Valley Green Building Council (DVGBC) recognizes the potency of the region's sustainability movement in recent years, and has come out with a challenge pledge in anticipation of the 2013 Greenbuild conference, which will be held in Philadelphia. Specifically, DVGBC is looking for local businesses non-profits, and other organizations to come up with measurable sustainable goals that can be realized by 2013. 

Even though the Council’s pledge has only been circulating for a couple of months, it has attracted the participation of a number of for-profit and non-profit companies vowing to practice even more eco-friendly development. One development firm that was early and enthusiastic in signing the pledge is Brandywine Realty Trust. The Trust has promised to have 75 Energy Star-certified buildings with 900,000 sq. ft. of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified real estate, says Heather Blakeslee, the deputy executive director of DVGBC.

Brandywine is by no means the only developer who has already made a pledge to be more sustainable through Energy Star and LEED. MaGrann Associates, which is an energy consulting and engineering company that started in Mount Laurel, has vowed to certify 1,500 LEED residences, make 5,000 additional homes Energy Star-compliant, and achieve LEED certification for commercial interiors for their Navy Yard and South Jersey offices, says Blakeslee.

DVGBC’s pledge has drawn buy-in from some small local start-ups. Two such companies are Greenable and BluPath, both of which are sustainable building and design companies. “Greenable pledges to get green building products specified and used by architects and builders in 20 new, local green building projects,” says Blakeslee. Meanwhile, BluPath has announced they will work Habitat for Humanity's local chapter to retrofit a rowhouse to the ultra-green Passive House Standard.  

The Asociacion Puertorriquenos en Marcha and the Jonathan Rose Company have jointly promised to do away with 78,840 automobile trips in a year with their Paseo Verde transit-oriented development by the Temple University Regional Rail stop, says Blakeslee. Flying Kite highlighted this development a few weeks ago. 

Also in the transportation sphere, the Valley Forge-based building materials manufacturer CertainTeed and Saint-Gobain has pledged to reduce 10,000 gallons of gas by reducing single-occupancy vehicle commutes by its employees at its Valley Forge and Blue Bell offices. 

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Source: Heather Blakeslee, DVGBC

Picture courtesy of DVGBC

Do you SEPTA?

Yes, you heard right, SEPTA is now a verb. This is one of many messages SEPTA pushes in its new video campaign "I SEPTA Philly," which features SEPTA riders under the age of 35 discussing how safe, clean, simple to use, sustainable, and affordable SEPTA is. The campaign recognizes that young adults are generally opting to ride mass transit more often and live in cities, as well as the city's rising population of young people.

I SEPTA Philly consists of a mix of on-the-street interviews and submitted videos. Many of the on-the-street interviews were conducted at 15th and Market Sts. and the 40th St. trolley portal. The effort kicked off in early-April, and is expected to last until September. Riders who produce their own videos are entered into a contest to win free SEPTA passes, concert tickets, and even a trip to a music festival in Las Vegas. I SEPTA was created in conjunction with a few radio stations, including KYW Newsradio and Radio 104.5.

Rich DiLullo, SEPTA’s recently retired marketing director who created the campaign, is ecstatic about the chance to market SEPTA to a demographic that studies have shown cares about mass transit. The agency is looking to "increase the awareness of SEPTA and its positive attributes among the younger generations," says DiLullo. He adds that SEPTA is especially eager to reach young adults who grew up in the suburbs with "helicopter parents," or those who chaperoned their children everywhere. DiLullo hopes that I SEPTA can encourage these young adults to be comfortable about riding SEPTA. 

The campaign currently features about 50 SEPTA riders between the ages of 18 and 34. The riders are a racially diverse bunch, although it seems like many of them live in Philadelphia, and not in the suburbs. Once again, this is likely SEPTA recognizing the re-localization trend that resulted in the city’s recent population uptick. DiLullo says he hopes to get about 15 more young adult participants in I SEPTA. SEPTA also maintains a Youth Advisory Counsel, which represents college students in the 18-34 bracket. 

According to DiLullo, Philadelphians over the age of 34 are more likely to have fixed transportation patterns. Conversely, younger adults are less likely to be stereotypical 9-5 commuters because of classes and part-time jobs. It also makes sense that adults between 18 and 34 would be more likely to use mass transit for recreation and shopping. 

This website could be “a real wonderful commentary on Philadelphia,” says DiLullo. 

Source: Rich DiLullo, SEPTA
Writer: Andy Sharpe

There are some richly exciting things happening with Center City residential, commercial, and transportation development, but there are also areas that beg for improvement. This was one of the takeaways from last week's panel, "The Next Cycle of Downtown Development," held by the Central Philadelphia Development Corporation (CPDC).  The program was moderated by CPDC and Center City District executive director Paul Levy, and featured executives at Liberty Property Trust, Brandywine Realty Trust, Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT), and the Parkway Corporation.

Levy delivered opening remarks that ought to have provoked optimism. These remarks served to preface the release of the Center City District's "State of Center City Report," which is expected this week. Levy defines the "Center City core" as being the neighborhoods between Vine and Pine St., while he ambitiously defines "Center City extended" as being the communities between Girard Ave. and Tasker St. Levy reports that residential prices in the "extended" Center City zone are quite healthy, with the average value being $310,446. 

The opening remarks contained more points of pride for those who live, work, take classes, shop, or play in the extended downtown. Levy saysthis area is second to only New York City in terms of the number of "cultural institutions." He adds that the hospitality sector is performing strongly in Center City, as job growth in this field "is outpacing the suburbs." Finally, Levy is ecstatic that sustainable transportation is becoming a more and more appealing alternative to driving for downtown inhabitants, as 74% of Center City "core" residents commute to work without a car.  

While the executive director's remarks accentuated the positives in both the core and extended parts of Center City, they also drew attention to the area's bleeding of high-rise office jobs. Levy says that 39% of private sector jobs in Center City are in office buildings, which is the highest percent of private sector employment. Even with population growth in Philadelphia and its suburbs, these Center City offices continue to lose jobs, even while offices in Radnor, Great Valley, and elsewhere are gaining positions.

After Levy wrapped up his report, the executives on the panel began discussing how the city can draw more office jobs. John Gattuso, the senior VP and regional director at Liberty Property Trust, hinted at a new office high-rise to be proposed within the next couple of years. He also mentioned that Three Franklin Plaza, which currently houses GlaxoSmithKline, will be undergoing a "significant" $30 million renovation, with the installation of new bathrooms and elevators, for when Glaxo moves out. This anticipates the building at 18th and Race "will be coming to market in 2014," says Gattuso.   

Joseph Coradino, president of PREIT, also imparted some nuggets of hope on the audience. While he spent considerable time talking about PREIT's suburban development, such as at the Cherry Hill Mall, he also said good things were in store for PREIT's Gallery at Market East. He said Philadelphia Media Network's move to 8th and Market coupled with the new digital sign allowance for Market East could signal a rebirth for the beleaguered strip. He expressed a desire to "activate The Gallery at the street level," which would mean opening sidewalk cafes at the mall. 

Sources: Paul Levy, Central Philadelphia Development Corporation; John Gattuso, Liberty Property Trust; Joseph Coradino, PREIT
Writer: Andy Sharpe

In a neighborhood short on new developments and long on challenges, just about any project is welcomed. In Philadelphia's Nicetown, a transit-oriented development (TOD) project known as Nicetown Court II is being viewed as a key piece in the neighborhood's comeback puzzle as it would bring low-income housing and retail to the community around the Wayne Junction train station.

Nicetown Court II is designed with 50 low-income rental units and ground-floor retail, according to Richard Redding, the director of the Community Planning Division of the City Planning Commission. The complex would be at the intersection of Wayne and Windrim Aves, across the street from Wayne Junction. The apartments would be mostly two- and three-bedroom, with a few four-bedroom units. In addition, Redding adds there would be around 5,000 sq. ft. of retail, which could be frequented by Court residents, other Nicetown residents, or train commuters.

No word on when construction will begin, although it was recommended by the City Planning Commission last week and also has Redevelopment Authority approval. The development is a collaboration between the Nicetown CDC and Kenny Gamble’s Universal Companies.  

While part of the story is that Nicetown Court II will provide development nourishment for a hungry Nicetown, the other part is how this is a prime example of TOD. There will be a stop for SEPTA’s Route 23 bus right outside the Court that can take residents to Northwest, North, and South Philadelphia, and Center City. The complex is also a pebble’s flick away from Wayne Junction. “This is a train station that is being re-constructed,” says Redding, who adds that this development is in line with his agency’s TOD plans for both Nicetown and Germantown.

Nicetown Court II follows the December completion of Nicetown Court I, which contains four stories with 37 mixed-income apartments and ground floor retail, a little further down Germantown Ave. The original Nicetown Court is now fully occupied. 

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Source: Richard Redding, Philadelphia City Planning Commission

When it comes to sustainable transportation around Philadelphia, pedestrians have been without an active group speaking on their behalf since PhillyWalks ended about a decade ago. While bicyclists have enjoyed advocacy from the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia and mass transit riders have been represented by the Delaware Valley Association of Rail Passengers, pedestrians have not found a similar voice recently. That is, until now. The Clean Air Council has just formed a pedestrian advocacy group, and is in the process of creating an agenda for those who travel with two feet on the pavement.

This new group, dubbed the "Pedestrian Advocacy Project," has met twice so far and has crowdsourced its agenda through the hundreds of people who are on its listserv, according to Dennis Winters, a trails associate at the Council who is leading the project. Winters says e-mail participants indicated the biggest problem facing pedestrians is that "red-green lights (are) not synced right." In other words, traffic lights around the Philadelphia area often favor motorists over pedestrians.

At the project’s second meeting, the 10 or so attendees largely agreed with the e-mail survey. They discussed intersections in Philadelphia, such as 20th and JFK Blvd., that are not as pedestrian-friendly as they believe they should be. Attendees arrived at the conclusion that pedestrian countdown signals and corresponding traffic lights should be re-timed to equalize the playing field between drivers and walkers. By the end of the evening, a committee had formed to study pedestrian countdown signals, and how they could be improved.

One prevailing question for the nascent advocacy group is whether pedestrian countdown signals themselves are to blame for diminishing the pedestrian experience, or whether bad behavior on the part of motorists is to blame. Deborah Schaaf, an employee of the City Planning Commission and a walker herself, says that police enforcement of aggressive driving had to be cut short due to lack of funds. In fact, police overtime money that was supposed to go to the "Give respect, get respect" campaign targeting vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian infractions instead went to Occupy Philly coverage.

The Pedestrian Advocacy Project’s online members also indicated that the presence of outdoor seating and other obstructions blocking sidewalks, traffic laws not being adequately enforced, and aggressive drivers turning left were other impediments for pedestrians. Most members of the listserv attended the Academy of Natural Sciences forum "Walkability: Philadelphia Strides into the Future," which was where the pedestrian advocacy group was unveiled. Given that just about everyone in Philadelphia walks, even if it is just to get to their car or train, this group could help a lot of people.   

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Source: Dennis Winters

The land around the Temple University Regional Rail station has long presented a golden opportunity to give North Philadelphia some much-needed development. After all, SEPTA's fourth busiest train station presents the perfect means of travel for a neighborhood accustomed with poverty and reeling with parking woes created by the influx of students at the nearby university. This is exactly what Asociacion Puertorriquenos en Marcha (APM) had in mind when they broke ground on the Paseo Verde residential, retail, and office development on the former PGW lot at 9th and Berks Sts. on Tuesday.

Paseo Verde, which means "green path" in Spanish, is a $48 million development that will include 120 low and moderate-income residential units for rent and 30,000 sq. ft. of office and retail space. The excitement over this sustainable transit-oriented development (TOD) was palpable at the groundbreaking, as Mayor Nutter, Council President Darrell Clarke, state Senator Shirley Kitchen, and David Walsh, the senior vp of Community Development Banking at JPMorgan Chase all delivered optimistic remarks for this slice of North Philadelphia.

APM was clearly ecstatic to be hosting the groundbreaking for Paseo Verde. Nilda Ruiz, the president and CEO of APM, gushed that the TOD exemplifies a "combination of vision, practicality, and beauty." Jonathan Rose, the head of Paseo Verde’s developer, the Jonathan Rose Company, was also on-hand to serenade the development. Rose told the audience the project would likely be completed in eighteen months, and reiterated his company’s commitment to sustainable development in Philadelphia and across the country.

While the mixed-use development will promote sustainable transportation, it will also be sustainable in other ways. "The building will generate 25 percent less energy than today’s code," said Sara Vernon Sterman, the chief lending officer at The Reinvestment Fund, at the groundbreaking. She added that Paseo Verde will include low-flow water fixtures, solar panels, and white, green, and blue roofs. The white roofs will help to cool down the units, while the green and blue roofs will enable sustainable storm water control. Other sustainable perks will include low-VOC paint and energy-efficient windows.    

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Source: Nilda Ruiz, Asociacion Puertorriquenos en Marcha  

Despite being a short owl’s flight away from Temple University, the West and South Kensington and Norris Square neighborhoods in Eastern North Philadelphia have been afflicted with the urban ills seen in other inner-city neighborhoods. Not oblivious to this, Associacion Puertorriquenos en Marcha (APM) has set out to re-define the communities. One way in which they’re looking to do this is by partnering with the Philadelphia City Planning Commission (PCPC) on its Eastern North Philadelphia quality of life plan, "Our Community, Our Ideas."

APM and the City Planning Commission are studying the neighborhoods between Lehigh and Cecil B. Moore Aves., 9th and American Sts., and a small sliver of Ludlow, according to David Fecteau, the Commission’s community planner who’s tasked with studying the area. He adds that this study comes at an appropriate time, as the city is applying for a $30 million federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant for the area. So far, PCPC and APM are reaching out to community members, a process that has included “well over 200 residents and other stakeholders,” says Fecteau.

PCPC is working closely with the enterprising neighborhood group APM to truly understand the region they’re studying. APM is focusing on seven areas, says Jennifer Rodriguez, the deputy vice president for Programs and Sustainable Communities. The areas are:

• Income and wealth 
• Economic development
• Education
• Leadership
• Healthy environment and lifestyle
• Arts and culture
• Children and youth

APM’s focus areas are modeled after the Local Initiatives Support Corporation’s Sustainable Communities Initiative (SCI). Rodriguez says that one impetus for these particular concentrations is that a third of land in their coverage area is vacant. APM hopes to develop this vacant land, without forcing existing residents out. “The neighborhood wants a diverse community of mixed incomes and family make-ups,” says Rodriguez. 

It should surprise no one that environmental sustainability is playing a large role in PCPC and APM’s study. Rodriguez says APM is already partnering with the Water Department, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS), and the School District to provide rain barrels at local schools. Finally, she says that a new transit-oriented development (TOD) will break ground on April 10 along 9th St. at the Temple University Regional Rail station. APM makes it clear that use of and development around rail and transit nodes will be closely studied by the City Planning Commission. 

Sources: David Fecteau, Philadelphia City Planning Commission and Jennifer Rodriguez, APM
Writer: Andy Sharpe