Design : Development News

The stretch of North 5th Street that runs through Olney is brimming with over 200 businesses and situated in the heart of one of the city's most diverse neighborhoods. For business owners there, it's imperative to stand out in the crowd. Now, help is on the way -- during the month of May, the North Fifth Street Revitalization Project (N5SRP) is partnering with Drexel's Design and Merchandising Program to completely revamp storefront windows.
 
Since its inception in 2005, N5SRP has been dedicated to improving the physical environment and increasing economic activity along North 5th Street. The Drexel partnership -- now in its second iteration -- is an exciting tool, offering fresh ideas to help beautify the corridor and directly assist merchants in the process.
 
One of the college’s longest-running community engagement programs, the visual merchandising studio has provided students the opportunity to design window displays for more than a decade.

"In the recent past, similar projects took place in Old City and Northern Liberties," explains Philip Green, interim director of N5SRP. "It's exciting to once again bring the project up north."   

Olney's initiative will officially kick-off on May 14 with a background presentation to the participating Drexel students on the corridor and businesses. "From there, student groups are responsible for contacting their assigned businesses and setting up a meeting to discuss the window concepts," explains Green.
 
The four participating businesses -- T-House (a t-shirt shop), 5th Street Furniture Outlet, Advanced Family Dentistry and Gibson School of Music and Arts -- are a varied bunch. "We're very excited to see what the students come up with," says Green. "We're hopeful the ideas are as diverse as the businesses participating."

After the students have developed sketches and identified the materials necessary to make their designs a reality, installation will begin on May 28. Students, businesses owners, N5SRP staff and community members will then meet on-site to give a final critique.

Source:  Philip Green, Interim Director, North Fifth Street Revitalization Project
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Tacony, a planned community in Northeast Philadelphia, has a lot to offer -- great access to Center City, historic building stock and a traditional "main street" along Torresdale Avenue. Planners and community advocates are pinning the neighborhood's hopes on that commercial corridor. Thanks to the hard work of Alex Balloon, commercial corridor manager for the Tacony CDC, years of vacancy and neglect are giving way to rebirth.
 
Balloon has helped spearhead a number of initiatives in the past year, including tree plantings and a marketing campaign highlighting the great things Tacony and Torresdale Avenue have to offer.
 
The most ambitious effort is a Facade Grant Program, unveiled last year. The program operates in coordination with the Commerce Department's Storefront Improvement Program, providing business and property owners captial for exterior improvement projects. Many local communities take advantage of this program, but Tacony has a leg up.
 
"We are lucky enough to offer a grant that covers 85 percent of a project's cost," explains Balloon. "Typically, the Commerce Department's program offers 50 percent. The response has been encouraging. Over 20 businesses expressed interest. Since then, some folks have dropped out, leaving us with 17 storefronts that are part of our program."
 
The Tacony CDC worked with the business owners and the Community Design Collaborative to put together designs for the storefronts. The partners held a Design Day late last year to bring the two parties together.

Of those 17 projects, one is complete -- Sannutti Funeral Home on the corner of Torresdale and Princeton Avenues -- and another is under construction: DeNofa's Deli, one of the corridor's anchor businesses. So far, improvements have included removing aluminum, improving signage and windows, and working to reveal the historic character of the corridor's commercial buildings.
 
"There’s been a universally positive response," says Balloon. "DeNofa's owners say customers are already praising the improvements."
 
Fifteen more storefront improvement projects will begin in June of this year; those contracts are currently out for bid.
 
Ultimately, Balloon sees the storefront program as one piece in a larger effort to revitalize Torresdale Avenue. He hopes to leverage the relationships fostered with local businesses, assisting them with visual merchandising and improving product offerings.
 
"It takes more than design to revitalize a commercial corridor," says Balloon. "We need to do a better job marketing ourselves and the assets we have."

Source:  Alex Balloon, Commercial Corridor Manager, Tacony CDC
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

When The Philadelphia School (TPS) opened its brand new Ellen Schwartz and Jeremy Siegel Early Childhood Education Center at 2501 South Street last September, the project received praise for transforming a neighborhood eyesore into a multipurpose space for students and community gatherings. The hype was channeled mostly towards the building's concept -- a country classroom in the city -- but now, after earning a LEED Silver rating, the project has solidified its sustainability bonafides.
 
TPS, a K-8 educational institution, was founded in 1976 in an old pie factory at 2501 Lombard Street. Local parents were concerned about families fleeing the city for better education opportunities elsewhere. Since then, the school has grown in leaps and bounds, expanding into the entire pie factory.
 
In the late 2000s, still in need of space, TPS looked to an adjacent South Street property with aspirations of creating an education campus for up to 450 students. Now complete, the Schwartz Siegel Building houses four ground-floor classrooms, two for preschool and two for kindergarten.
 
"The new campus is a physical translation of the school's progressive education philosophies," explains Tom Purdy of Purdy O’Gwynn Architects, the firm behind the design.
 
The campus features a 3,100-square-foot eco-friendly school garden, outdoor play spaces that are easily accessible from the classrooms, flexible-use L-shaped classrooms, working gardens, porches to bridge the gap between inside and out, a shared art room and lots of natural light.
 
"We feel we produced a really nice building," says Purdy. "We wanted to be a good neighbor, but still create something clearly different and modern."
 
Construction managers Wolfe Scott & Associates didn’t stop there with smart design principles. The school's sustainable strategies include a large stormwater retention basin under the parking lot, geothermal wells beneath the gardens that heat and cool the building, recycled and regional material usage and stringent waste management practices.
  
Source: Tom Purdy, Purdy O'Gwynn Architects
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

William Penn's vision for a gridded five-square city may have laid the original groundwork for Philadelphia, but it was Edmund Bacon, another urban planner, who shaped much of the city as we know it today.

On May 16, writer Greg Heller will discuss Bacon at the Philadelphia Center for Architecture -- he is author of the first biography on this beloved yet controversial figure.

To people outside planning, architecture and urban enthusiast circles, the name "Edmund Bacon" might not ring a bell. And that's a shame -- as director of the Philadelphia City Planning Commission from 1949 through 1970, he oversaw the planning and implementation of dozens of redesigned urban spaces, included the restored Society Hill, Penn Center and the shopping center at Market East.

Following his public office tenure, he became well known as an outspoken urban advocate. In 2002, at the age of 92, he skateboarded across LOVE Park to protest the city's ban on boarding in the park. 

In 2005, Bacon passed away at the age of 95, leaving behind a legacy that extended beyond his professional accomplishments.

"When he passed away, there were a lot of interesting articles that came out about his life," says Heller. "It was clear people perceived him as something more than just a governmental figure. He was a local legend."

Heller didn’t want the biography to be "totally academic," acknowledging that despite his iconic status to some, there are many potential readers who are not familiar with Bacon. The biography begins with exploration of Bacon's significance to modern day Philadelphia. Heller then delves into his two-decade tenure as city planning director, a period of great change in urban areas and significant federal investment.

Heller also paints a personal portrait of a man determined to transform planning ideas into reality in Philadelphia. Heller spent a lot of time with Bacon, and saw his dedication firsthand.

When Heller was in college working on his thesis, he wrote Bacon a letter, hoping to gain insight into his research topic. After interviewing Bacon a few times, Heller was invited to take a year off from college to help the retired planner write his memoirs. Heller agreed.

"After he passed away in 2005, I was approached by a publisher to write this biography," adds Heller. That was in 2007. Six years later, the book is finished and the legend of Ed Bacon lives on.

6 - 7 p.m. May 16 at the Center for Architecture (1218 Arch Street); free but registration is required. The new book will be available for sale at the event and Heller will sign books after his talk.

Source:  Greg Heller
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

When it comes to stormwater management strategies, there's "smart" and then there's Camden SMART. The city's progressive strategy -- the acronym stands for "Stormwater Management and Resource Training" -- is a public-private partnership created to grapple with the area's severe flooding issues.

This week, SMART is partnering with the City of Camden to sponsor a series of events in honor of Earth Day 2013. Throughout the week (which runs through April 27), activities will enlist the community to help clean up, rebuild and strategize plans for a more sustainable Camden. Monday, the kick-off took place at Camden City Hall, where Mayor Dana L. Redd led a tree planting in honor of late Camden School Board President Aletha R. Wright.

Then, on Wednesday, April 24 at 10 a.m., folks from SMART are partnering with the Camden Board of Education to plant a rain garden at Pyne Poynt School, located in the heart of North Camden.

Other activities include a clean-up of Woodrow Wilson High School and Dudley Grange Park (Friday, April 26, 9 a.m. to noon), an environmental movie screening and several neighborhood greening events.

Earth Week is just the latest in a long list of milestones and triumphs for Camden SMART. Since 2011, the program has garnered numerous partners and major stakeholders, including the Coopers Ferry Partnership, the City of Camden, Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority, Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program, the New Jersey Tree Foundation and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
 
In 2012, SMART received the 2012 New Jersey Governor's Environmental Excellence Award, in part for constructing 19 rain gardens throughout the city, an effort that has lead to 1.5 million gallons of stormwater staying out of the sewer system each year.

"Unlike Philadelphia, Camden isn't mandated by the federal government to control our combined-sewer outflows," explains Meishka Mitchell, vice president of the Coopers Ferry Partnership. "Instead, Camden SMART is a community-led effort to combat the city's serious flooding issues."

To continue its fight against flooding, SMART has a busy agenda for 2013, including more rain gardens, rain barrel systems for residents and separating stormwater pipes from sewer pipes in certain neighborhoods.
 
"With the city being recently certified through the Sustainable Jersey program, Camden is becoming recognized as a sustainable city," says Mitchell. "That's important because [stormwater management and environmental stewardship] is a paramount issue facing our city."
 
Source:  Meishka Mitchell, Vice President, Coopers Ferry Partnership
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

In an effort to soften the sometimes hectic Chelten Avenue commercial corridor, the business district is getting a makeover.

In March, we reported that the City Planning Commission (CPC), led by Northwest Community Planner Matt Wysong, was working to improve Germantown's primary business district. The planning staff completed the Central Germantown Business District Beautification Plan last September and now implementation details are emerging.

"We’re starting with a model block," explains Wysong. "It will be Chelten Avenue between Greene Street and Germantown Avenue."

First up will be the planting of mature street trees, a project run by the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Department -- and coming out of their operating budget.

"The beautification improvements of the model block are meant to be the connector between Maplewood Mall and Vernon Park," explains Wysong, referencing two major neighborhood landmarks.

Street trees will also be planted along Greene Street this fall; that project is being managed by Germantown Tree Tenders.

Then, in spring 2014, the City will shift its focus directly to the Chelten and Greene intersection. The Department of Public Property will work with the Coleman Library to enhance its corner entrance.

"We want the library to be an example of what an open and transparent building is meant to be along the model block," says Wysong. "We’ll remove the existing fence and improve its curb appeal so people are more aware it's open."

The plan's most ambitious project also focuses on the Chelten and Greene intersection -- at the northwest corner, immediately adjacent to Vernon Park, CPC plans to renovate the outdated bus plaza. Due to its complexity, Wysong is saving this improvement for last (Summer 2014) and, because of cost restraints, CPC is hoping to turn the project into a DIY effort of sorts.

Parks and Rec will be tapped to supply soil and materials, and CPC is currently looking for partners to either donate funds or dedicate time and labor to help construct the new platforms. The new plaza will act as a gateway to Vernon Park (Mural Arts is also being enlisted in this effort) while providing a needed transit improvement and public space amenity for Chelten Avenue.

Source:  Matt Wysong, Philadelphia City Planning Commission
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

When the $43 million Kensington School for the Creative and Performing Arts (KCAPA) was completed in 2011, it became the first public school in the country to earn LEED Platinum certification (the highest designation under LEED). Fortunately, the school was just the first in a series of eco-friendly projects that have transformed nearly 20 acres of land adjacent to the Berks SEPTA stop in Fishtown.
 
Dubbed the "Big Green Block," the site is defined by Front Street, Frankford Avenue, Palmer Street and Norris Street, and includes the Shissler Recreation Center (nextdoor to KCAPA). Within Sustainable 19125 -- a New Kensington Community Development Corporation (NKCDC) initiative to make the zipcode the greenest in the region -- the site was identified as a model location for green infrastructure and sustainable education.

NKCDC worked with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) and the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) to develop a green infrastructure master plan for the block. Sold on the project's potential, the Department of Parks and Recreation and Mural Arts were quick to provide additional capital support through partnerships that have resulted in $2 million worth of investment overall.

Pedestrian pathways connecting to the Berks Market-Frankford Line stop, rain gardens, tree trenches, land stabilization, an improved sports field and educational murals have all been developed at the site. According to NKCDC's Shanta Schachter, these improvements have kept "90 percent of the site’s stormwater out of sewer pipes" -- and that's just from the first round of improvements.

For phase two of the Big Green Block, more than 60 residents participated in vision sessions to identify the community's needs. PHS translated the ideas borne from that process into a landscape plan. Through NKCDC’s ongoing strategic partnerships with the city and other stakeholders, phase two construction is underway.

The improvements reflect the space's history as a former rail yard -- new benches are being made locally to reference sealed railroad ties and the long-buried cobblestones from the site have been re-exposed. The vacant lot on the south end of the block is also being reimagined as a playfield for young kids and improved dog park, complete with additional seating and plantings.

Just weeks from completion, "the space already looks really great," says NKCDC's Diana Jih. "The improvements build off how the community user groups (Palmer Doggie Depot and Fishtown Athletic Club) we partnered with were using the site and adjacent land already.”

On April 20, NKCDC will hold a volunteer day from 10am-1pm to put the finishing touches on the playground and dog park. The day's agenda includes planting native species, and spreading mulch. The ongoing maintenance of the site is all volunteer run, so there’s a need for  as much support needed as possible.

No official ribbon-cutting date has been set, but NKCDC expects it will occur in early June. "The site will be open at the beginning of May," adds Schachter. 

Moving forward, even more improvements are planned. The site's basketball court will be reconstructed to better capture stormwater runoff from the rec center's roof and an improved spray park with education elements will be built thanks to Mural Arts and PWD.  

Source:  Diana Jih and Shanta Schachter, NKCDC
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

The South Philadelphia High School campus features little green space and few outdoor play areas. This means that there are limited opportunities for hands-on learning outside of the classroom and few options for community gatherings.

To remediate the situation, the Lower Moyamensing Civic Association is partnering with the school to make the grounds more green and less gray. On April 9, they are launching a Greening Master Plan crowdsourced fundraising campaign. The organizers promise to transform the school's campus into a model of sustainability for both students and the community at large.

The campaign -- which is being hosted on Projexity.com -- aims to raise $26,300. That money will fund the planning process as well as a garden coordinator position at the school. Philadelphia-based design and engineering firm Roofmeadow will be in charge of developing a cohesive vision for the campus.

When completed, the renovated space will feature ground-level rain gardens, street trees, expanded vegetable gardens and a rooftop farm that will serve as an interactive educational platform. The salaried garden coordinator will maintain the improvements and lead programming for both students and the community.

According to Kim Massare, president of the Lower Moyamensing Civic Association, the fundraising drive arose out of necessity. "The school yard is already informally used as a park in the neighborhood," says Massare. "The Master Plan will formalize that activity."

The fundraising campaign will last 60 days, and be followed by a one-month design process led by Roofmeadow. Once that work is complete, grants and other funding opportunities will be sought.

For more information or to make a tax-deductible donation, click here.

Source:  Kim Massare, Lower Moyamensing Civic Association
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

This spring, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) is bringing together prominent landscape architects and civic horticulture enthusiasts for a three-day conference showcasing Philly landscapes. The event will launch Friday, May 17 in Center City.  
 
The conference, Civic Horticulture -- which is being held in conjunction with the Cultural Landscape Foundation -- will feature nationally recognized speakers discussing how Philadelphia has used civic horticulture (a discipline that bridges aesthetics, economics and ecological systems) to successfully shape the city's urban resurgence.
 
"The conference builds off what we've done to transform the city's public spaces," says Drew Becher, president of PHS. "A lot of the speakers have never been to Philly, so this gives us an opportunity to show how other places can learn from our example."
 
Free expert-led tours will follow the conference. Dubbed What’s Out There Weekend, this series of tours will showcase more than two dozen significant examples of Philadelphia's standout landscape architecture, including hidden gems in Fairmount Park, on the grounds of the Rodin Museum and at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.  
 
The conference will take place in tandem with the unofficial unveiling of a draft form of PHS’s new civic landscapes plan for Philadelphia, developed with PennPraxis. The plan is the first of its kind in over 20 years.
 
"In the late '80s or early '90s, a plan was completed that laid out landscape projects in and around Center City," explains Becher. "More recently, we looked at the plan and said, 'Wow, we completed a lot of the projects.' We decided a new plan was needed."
 
The new plan, which is still months away from being completed, includes proposals that are divided into three categories: image makers, place makers and partner makers.

With place and partner makers, improvements will be made to specific neighborhoods or significant plazas -- this is where small moves and neighborhood partnerships can make a big difference. Implementing a pocket park or a streetscape improvement program are examples of work in this category.
 
Image maker improvements, meanwhile, aim to improve the look and feel of major transportation areas and corridors in the city. Areas of interest include Philadelphia International Airport, Amtrak’s northeast corridor rail line in North Philadelphia, Girard Avenue over the Schuylkill River, Vine Street in Center City and Broad Street from Passyunk Avenue up to Temple University.
 
For these corridors, improvements could include illumination enhancements, gateway and signage improvements, art and object installations, planting and surfacing improvements, or landform creations and creative screening.
 
"[At the conference in May], we will introduce the many ideas in the plan and begin to reach out to the public for feedback," adds Becher. "From there, we’ll put together a cohesive plan and begin its implementation." Extensive public outreach is expected to begin in earnest in September.

Source: Drew Becher, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

What do you get when the the American Institute of Architects Associate Committee fights hunger in Philadelphia? Colossal structures made out of canned goods, of course. Now in its seventh year, the CANstruction Competition asks local designers to create structures out of canned food, taking the idea of a food drive to new heights. Literally.
 
All the food used in the competition is donated to Philabundance, the Delaware Valley's largest hunger relief organization. Last year, the event provided over 87,000 meals to those in need. The 2013 installment looks to improve on that impressive feat -- 14 teams from across the region will display their works in the rotunda of the Shops at Liberty Place (1625 Chestnut Street) April 13 through 21.
 
The building starts on April 12, but teams have been hard at work planning their complex designs. There are certain restrictions: structures can be no larger than 10-by-10 square feet and no taller than eight feet.
 
"From there, it's up to the teams to decide how practical, tall and creative their structures are," explains CANstruction Event Chair Jared Edgar McKnight, an architectural designer.
 
Designs will then be judged on seven different categories.  
 
"We have awards for everything from structural integrity and aesthetic choices, such as best use of labels," says McKnight. "We also have fun awards like Best Meal, which looks at potential meals that could be made from each teams' structure of cans, and People's Choice, which is voted on by the public throughout the weeklong exhibition."
 
The awards will be given out at a reception on April 13 (tickets are still on sale) with all proceeds benefitting Philabundance.
 
"Internationally, this competition puts a spotlight on the issue of hunger in America and around the world," says McKnight. "Locally, the competition allows creative people in the Philadelphia design community the opportunity to make a difference and be catalysts for positive change in our own backyard."
 
Source: Jared Edgar McKnight, CANstruction Event Chair
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

In 2008, after two years of transition and multiple moves to make way for the Convention Center expansion, the Asian Arts Initiative moved into their current home at 1219 Vine Street. Now, nearly five years later, AAI is still looking for ways to make their presence known in "Chinatown North" (an area also referred to as the Loft District, Callowhill or Eraserhood).
 
AAI’s recent attempts to solidify the neighborhood's identity are rather ambitious -- the community-based arts center is aiming to revitalize four blocks of Pearl Street, an alleyway that runs from Broad to 10th just north of Vine Street. The goal is to turn the street into a public space, outdoor gallery and gathering spot, bringing together the area's diverse communities.
 
Currently in the early planning stages, the Pearl Street project has been on AAI's radar for a number of years. "Since we moved into this space we’ve been staring at Pearl Street outside our windows," says AAI Executive Director Gayle Isa. "The alleyway is a place you don't want to be right now. It has a reputation as dark and dangerous."
 
Until recently, the project was little more than an idea. "We were actually approached by a funder who was interested in partnering with us on one of our pet projects," says Isa. "We pitched the Pearl Street renovation and they were on board."
 
AAI is hiring Oakland-based landscape architect and artist Walter Hood -- he was in town recently collecting feedback from stakeholders along the alley. Hood will be back in Philadelphia this summer to conduct further research. Final designs are expected in the fall.
 
That group of stakeholders is exceptionally diverse: there's the homeless shelter Sunday Breakfast Mission, folks from the Philly Streets and Planning Departments, the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation (the group behind the upcoming Eastern Tower Community Center) and Post Brothers, the developers behind upcoming luxury condos along the alleyway.

"The constituents really reflect the diversity of the neighborhood," says Isa. "The alleyway is a chance to tie them together.... Everyone we've met with has had an overwhelming sense of enthusiasm. There is a lot more openness to working together than I would have expected."
 
Few details have been worked out, but the overall vision involves improved public space, public art, lighting improvements and multi-sensory programmed activities meant to enliven the street. Green features will also be included, with the hope of eventually connecting Pearl Street to the long-envisioned Reading Viaduct project.
 
Source: Gayle Isa, Executive Director, Asian Arts Initiative
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Easter Seals of Southeastern Pennsylvania Bucks County Division has an impressive new home. The former Temple Shalom synagogue in Levittown features 19,000 square feet of space -- double that of Easter Seals’ old location -- and boasts six times more land, which means more educational programs and services for kids who need them most.

Easter Seals of Southeastern Pennsylvania provides a broad range of educational and therapeutic services to over 4,000 children, teens and young adults with physical and developmental challenges. The Bucks County division provides services for nearly 400 families. That number is sure to grown -- many of the center's programs and services had a long waiting list.

Last year, the group decided that their current facility on Trenton Road could no longer meet their needs. That led to the acquisition of the nearby synagogue. The building's grounds already featured beautiful outdoor areas ideal for Seals programs. All the organization needed was some creative thinking to turn the synagogue into a state-of-the-art educational facility for the disabled.

Local architects at Havertown's Casaccio Yu Architects were up for the challenge. The firm created a design informed by Easter Seals' mission.

"We took very seriously the importance of the Brooks Center to the community," says says George Yu, principal with Casaccio Yu. "We wanted to design an environment that would be warm, nurturing and family-oriented. We incorporated natural light, soothing colors and airy open spaces that are flexible and adapt to the changing needs of students and staff."
 
The renovated building boasts several classrooms, speech therapy treatment rooms, wide corridors for wheelchair access, skylights and a two-story clerestory spine that fills the interior with natural daylight.
 
“When I walk through the building, I can see and feel the dedication, compassion and love the Easter Seals teachers have for the children," says Yu. "It is overwhelming and wonderful to think that our design makes these relationships even more rewarding."
 
After a month in their new facility, the Easter Seals staff are equally overwhelmed. "We are still pinching ourselves when we come to work every day," exclaims Adrienne Young, Bucks County division director, in a recent blog post. "Our new building is more amazing than we could have ever dreamed!"

Source: George Yu, Principal, Casaccio Yu Architects
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

A historical society satellite office - brewery combo, a showcase for incremental stormwater strategies, an opportunity for façade renovations for small businesses -- these are just a few of the many ideas generated at last weekend's urban design charrette, co-hosted by Flying Kite at the Germantown Mennonite Historic Trust.

Flying Kite partnered with the Young Architects Forum (YAF), the Germantown United Community Development Corporation (GUCDC) and Philly Office Retail to make the charrette a reality. Over 40 designers and community members came together to generate ideas for improving the 6100 and 6200 blocks of Germantown Avenue -- a stretch of Germantown's commerical corridor that borders Mt. Airy.

"Even though I know YAF has a talented group of designers to pull from, the level of ideas attained in a few short hours still amazes me," says YAF's Jeffrey Pastva. "The group was able to quickly assess the state of the area and offered multiple ideas on how to engage the community on a path forward."

Solutions ranged from grand schemes to small fixes. It was the small ideas -- those that can easily overcome traditional barriers such as cost, implementation and community buy-in -- that particularly interested folks from GUCDC.
 
"There were great ideas for short-term uses -- gardens, temporary plazas for outdoor movies -- and creative, art-focused uses, like an art/bus stop with a green roof that could bring energy and vitality to the area," says Garlen Capita with GUCDC. "Those ideas can definitely gather enough momentum to become real projects."
 
Capita was also impressed with the designers' focus on transit and sustainability. "There was a strong push to have a more green, sustainable approach to redevelopment that was more sensitive to the needs of walkers and transit users, and not just focused on more parking and auto-oriented users,” she explains.

The energy and enthusiasm in the room during the charrette was palpable. "It got a lot of people talking," says Liz Einsig Wise, executive director of the Mennonite Historic Trust. "It encouraged folks to meet new neighbors, strengthened partnerships with institutions like Settlement Music School, and [pushed people] to have more conversations towards wherever this takes us." 

"Our next step is to present some of the initial concepts to members of the local business alliance, historical organizations and faith-based organizations, and to meet individually with the business owners and organizational leaders," says Capita. "We’ll discuss the vision for the corridor, priorities and action items that we can work to support and eventually implement."

Source: Jeffrey Pastva, Young Architects Forum; Garlen Capita, Germantown United CDC; Liz Einsig Wise, Executive Director of the Mennonite Historic Trust
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

The Ambler Boiler House is a paragon of adaptive reuse. After a century as an asbestos production plant -- followed by a period of vacancy and a short stint as an EPA-classified brownfield site -- the site has achieved a complete turn around, earning LEED certification in its new life as a multi-tenant office building.
 
The transformation was 10 years in the making for the iconic structure, which sits adjacent to Ambler’s SEPTA regional rail station. After years of financial setbacks and false starts, in late 2011, the folks at Summit Realty Advisors found the final piece of a complex monetary puzzle needed to make the $16 million project a reality  -- they earned a $2.5 million EnergyWorks grant through the regional EnergyWorks program.

This was the first commercial loan awarded through the program, which up until then promoted energy-efficiency improvements in housing and urban development projects. 
 
"Ambler has experienced a substantial rejuvenation over the past 15 years," says Matthew Heckendorn, principal at Heckendorn Shiles Architects, lead designers for the renovation. "The Boiler House was an abandoned eyesore and shell with environmental contamination issues. It now has a new life as a successful commercial property."
 
The project employs numerous sustainable design strategies: it's transit-oriented, an example of adaptive reuse, a case for brownfield redevelopment and a showcase for creative financing. With its new LEED certification, energy efficiency can be added to the list. LEED-mandated features include a geothermal well, high-efficiency glass, and a reflective roof system.
 
The architects were particularly happy to preserve the plant's historic heritage. "What we take most pride in is the preservation of rough, industrial details married to a clean and contemporary office design," says Heckendorn.

Two of six tenants have already moved into the 48,000-square-foot facility, with one tenant space under construction and three others under design. The next round of tenants are expected to move in this spring and summer. 

Source: Matthew Heckendorn, principal, Heckendorn Shiles Architects
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

With support from local developers, community groups, residents and now the zoning board, the Waldorf School of Philadelphia is picking up and moving. They are taking over the long-abandoned St. Peter's Episcopal Church at Wayne Avenue and Harvey Street, right in the heart of Germantown.

The move has been a long time coming. The 16-year-old school outgrew their New Covenant campus and is in need of more space.
 
"The church had been on our minds for a few years," says Cristina Shiffman, School Chair of Waldorf. "We researched a number of ways to acquire it, but found we couldn't purchase and renovate the property ourselves."
 
The school approached Ken Weinstein's Philly Office Retail, hoping they would buy the property and then lease it back to Waldorf. A major developer and stakeholder in Germantown, Weinstein and his company obliged.

"It's a Frank Furness design," exclaims Weinstein. "If we didn’t do something the buildings would have to be torn down in five years."

After a few years of negotiating and planning -- including an application for a special use zoning exemption (the property was zoned for residential use only; the exemption is now in place) -- Weinstein will purchase the church for $435,000.

Plans for the four buildings on the historic church's two-acre site include extensive renovations to add classrooms, redoing the aging roofs and adding floors inside the sanctuary. The building's façade will be entirely preserved. Weinstein says the project's cost will hover around $4 million. They expect to break ground this fall.

Shiffman says initial reception from the community has been encouraging. The school is already working with the Friends of the Wissahickon to take stewardship of a portion of the park adjacent to the new school grounds. They hope to use the green space for nature walks and educational activities.

In the years to come, Shiffman expects other adult education activities and community events to become the norm on school grounds. "We’re really pleased with how everything has come together so far," says Shiffman. "We’re excited to see what’s possible in Germantown."

Source: Cristina Shiffman, School Chair, Waldorf School of Philadelphia
Writer: Greg Meckstroth