With Temple University in the midst of its
20/20 vision plan--an
ambitious development proposal that will bring renovations across the
North Philadelphia campus and renew North Broad Street's commercial
corridor--it is easy to forget about the neighborhoods surrounding
Temple. But while Temple prepares for millions of dollars in student
housing and resident services centers, one nearby corridor was quietly
getting a facelift of its own.
This week,
Columbus Property Management announced completion of
Temple 1, a LEED-certified rehab of 22 town homes on N. 16th Street between
Cecil B. Moore and Montgomery. The renovation converts 58 low-income
rental units with features like low-flow bath fixtures, high-efficiency
heating and cooling systems, energy-saving windows and new insulation.
The project has been given the LEED Gold certification and will re-open
later this month.
"There is a lot of construction going on in this immediate area of North
Philadelphia," says Columbus Director of Construction David Hahn. "All
of these projects are working together to restore some of the blighted
areas across this part of North Philadelphia."
The all-union, local construction continues as Columbus begins Temple 2,
bringing energy efficiency to an other 40 units on the 1500 block.
Beyond the new construction bringing more people to the developing area,
Hahn hopes this project will generate revenue for nearby commercial
corridors.
"By lowering living expenses, it gives our tenants a few more dollars in
their pocket, which they can then in turn spend in the neighborhood,"
says Hahn. "More than just a stable building, we want to create a stable
neighborhood. So when people go spend that money at the laundromat or
the pizzeria, they are adding to that stability."
Source: Dave Hahn, Columbus Property Management
Writer: John Steele