Northwest : Development News

For the folks at Philly Office Retail, renovating vacant, abandoned industrial structures is their bread and butter. When they bought the dilapidated former Kendrick Mill at 6139 Germantown Avenue back in June, they were met with the usual conundrum: historic warehouse, underutilized, in need of investment. But it was the circumstance they hadn’t dealt with before that made this renovation unique: existing tenants.

"The building was maybe 55 percent leased when we bought it back in June," explains Philly Office Retail's Noah Krey. "A lot of the tenants were operating without official leases." 

Unphased, the company got to work adding state-of-the-art studio spaces for lease. They have sunk nearly $400,000 into the historic gem, improving the floors, upgrading the utilities, adding new awnings and façade treatments, installing a new HVAC system and overhauling the space's image, rebranding it as the Lofts @ Kendrick Mill.

Those efforts haven’t gone unrewarded. "Today we’re 75 percent leased," says Krey.

But what about those the existing tenants, some of whom were without official leases? "We didn't kick anyone out but unfortunately we did lose some tenants in the renovation process," says Krey, adding that under Philly Office Retail's management all tenants are required to sign leases.

Making up for those losses is an impressive list of new tenants -- a group characterized by Krey as "mostly artists" -- which includes graphic designers, clothing designers and furniture designers. 

Another major tenant is Rocket Learning, an educational management company, that took over space in late 2012.

With most of the renovations complete and rebranding efforts in full swing, the only significant item on the "to-do" list is to replace all the windows while preserving the building's warehouse look and feel.

Source:  Noah Krey, Philly Office Retail
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

In the coming years, increased bicycle connections, amenities and parking will be coming to transit stops across the Greater Philadelphia Region.  If the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia has its way, which stops get what will be entirely up to you, the avid cyclist or bicycle enthusiast, to help SEPTA, PATCO, and NJ Transit prioritize their finite resources.

Thanks to Open Plans, the Bicycle Coalition recently created a crowdsource map that asks the general public to recommend which transit stops across Philly need better bike facilities.

The goal is noble: encourage people to bike to transit, park their bike, and then continue onto their final commuting destination.  The method is simple: visit this map and offer your opinion on which transit stops need better bike facilities.  The feedback is critical: the more data the map receives, the more accurate the results will be and the more likely commuters will utilize the new amenities.

The crowdsource map is part of a larger, more regional effort to increase trails to transit commuting.  According to Sarah Stuart, the Policy Director with the Bicycle Coalition, the group has been talking with SEPTA for some time about improving bike facilities at transit stops.  “This has been an ongoing conversation,” says Stuart, “but the challenges have been figuring out where to implement the improvements and how to better connect people to them.” 

With these unanswered questions lingering, SEPTA began collaborating with the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) to conduct a ‘Trails to Transit’ study.  Stuart says once this partnership was forged, the Coalition put the two groups in contact with Open Plans, a group she was familiar with through their successful bike share crowdsource maps. 

“I was familiar with Open Plans’ crowdsourcing efforts around bike sharing locations in Philly and New York and thought a similar effort could be conducted for the ‘Trails to Transit’ study.”

Stuart says DVPRC was on board with the idea, but asked that PATCO and NJ Transit be included in the effort.  Stuart agreed, Open Plans signed on, and the map was born.  Collaboration at its finest. 

From here, Stuart says the DVRPC will gather the map’s data, analyze it, and add it to a number of contributing factors to determine which transit stops receive bicycle parking and where trails/bike lane gaps can be filled.  This will then inform the three transit agencies about how to allocate their resources in implementing transit stop amenities. 

Stuart also sees broader implications for the Coalition as well.  “Through all of this data, something we will also have access to, the Coalition will gain a better understanding on how to better advocate for improved bicycle infrastructure for quite some time.” 

The map will be up until Dec. 1, 2012 so be sure to visit the map and advocate for better bicycle infrastructure where you see fit.

Source: Sarah Stuart, Policy Director, Bicycle Coalition
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Philadelphia’s Streets Department is teaming up with community groups in West Oak Lane and Point Breeze and a private food waste disposal company to encourage residents  to use sink disposals to get rid of food, instead of merely throwing it away. The voluntary pilot program, called "Clean Kitchen, Green Community" is another step by the Nutter administration to help fulfill its Greenworks sustainability blueprint and make the city the most environmentally-friendly in the nation.

The food disposal pilot relies on the Ogontz Ave. Redevelopment Corporation (OARC) and Diversified Community Services (DCS) to get the word out to residents in West Oak Lane and Point Breeze, respectively. This is a role that both community organizations are happy to play.

"We pride ourselves on being innovators," says John Ungar, the chief operating officer of OARC. Both Ungar and Cheryl Weiss, the executive director of DCS, say their organizations have been busy going door-to-door in the community, striving to convince residents to give the program a try.

One hundred homeowners in both Point Breeze and West Oak Lane will receive a complimentary sink food disposal system and free installation by local plumbers, says city Streets commissioner Clarena I.W. Tolson. The disposals will be provided by Wisconsin-based InSinkErator. The president emeritus of InSinkErator, Jerry Ryder, spoke at the West Oak Lane press conference and demonstration for "Clean Kitchen." 

This pilot is part of the city’s ongoing efforts to bolster its environmental sustainability. While the city has worked to address greening as it relates to stormwater run-off, recycling, and energy efficiency, this program expands the scope to include food disposal.

"We want to test an opportunity and an issue for us," says Tolson of food waste. Tolson adds that not everyone is able to compost food waste, and for those who can’t, this program serves as a sustainable means of disposal. "Clean Kitchen" is in line with the Greenworks goal of diverting up to 70 percent of city materials from landfills. 

The press demonstration, which was held at Special T’s Events in West Oak Lane, featured an InSinkErator and plenty of chicken wings and vegetables for dignitaries, guests, and members of the media to hurl down the sink. Speakers, including Mayor Nutter, Senator Evans, and InSinkErator’s Ryder all got to dispose of their food in the sink. Attendees seemed impressed by the sink disposal, even if it was a little louder than a trash can. 

Source: Clarena I.W. Tolson, Philadelphia Streets Department
Writer: Andy Sharpe     

One might not expect to hear the U.S. Forest Service and Philadelphia mentioned in the same sentence. Yet, the federal agency has recently taken an interest in studying the city’s tree life, and is working with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) and the Department of Parks and Recreation. Researchers have begun examining trees all across the city, in neighborhoods and in Fairmount and Pennypack Parks, and expect to work through the summer. This is all part of the agency’s new Philadelphia Field Station. 

Specifically, the agency is looking to gather data on the condition, size, and variation of local trees. This will enable the Forestry Service to generate hypotheses on the sustainable benefits of trees.

“We will be defining extent and dollar value for energy conservation, reducing air pollution, and greenhouse gas reduction,” says Phil Rodbell, a member of the Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry unit. Also, the study will analyze local trees’ susceptibility to pest threats and climate change. 

The Forest Service has identified over 400 tree sites scattered throughout the city, 40% of which are in city parks, says Rodbell. “We are in the field now,” says Rodbell, adding that his crew began doing research on 60 such sites last week. PHS has recruited interns for the study, and is housing the federal agency. The partnership between the national and the local was solidified at PHS’ Flower Show last year, when the head of the Forestry Service formally announced his commitment to local trees.

Philly’s Parks and Recreation and Water Departments are also involved. Parks and Rec is educating interns about invasive vines, shrubs, and plants, while the Water Department has handed over home addresses of Philadelphians whose trees get selected for study. Before the Forestry Service can study private trees, they have to obtain permission. 

The Forest Service has started a similar initiative in New Castle County, Delaware, working with the Delaware Center for Horticulture, New Castle County, and PHS, as part of the Plant One Million effort. The Forestry Service’s attention to Philadelphia and Delaware falls under its Northern Research Station, which is based in Newtown Square and covers 20 states in the Northeast and Midwest. 

Source: Phil Rodbell, U.S. Forestry Service
Writer: Andy Sharpe  

Given elementary schools are where we send our children to begin their learning career, it makes sense that these schools should be places that cultivate environmental sustainability. Yet, with Philadelphia children being bullied by a large education budget deficit every year, sustainability isn't often a priority. With this in mind, four teams presented their plans to sustainably transform West Philly’s Lea Elementary and Germantown’s Kelly Elementary at last week’s design charrette held by the Community Design Collaborative.

The first two plans examine ways to transform Lea School, which is a K-8 school at 47th and Locust Sts. in the Walnut Hill neighborhood. The first plan strives at "establishing the schoolyard as the ‘front door’," says Maurice Jones, the president of the Lea Home and School Association, who presented on behalf of the first team. Jones says his team recommends cultivating a garden for an entrance, which would provide stormwater management through rain barrels and a rain garden. The school is already in the process of doing this, using the City's Recyclebank grant money.

The second plan for Lea addresses stormwater, learning, and traffic. This plan calls for turning the asphalt that dominates the schoolyard into a soft porous play surface, says presenter Michael Hickman, a water resources designer for Meliora Design in Phoenixville. Hickman also calls for tree trenches and cisterns to better control rainwater. To bring the educational component back into play, he also wants to create an outdoor classroom and a “secret garden,” somewhat similar to the first plan. Finally, Hickman desires curb bump-outs to calm traffic on Locust and Spruce Sts. 

The other two teams tackled ways to sustainably transform Kelly Elementary, which is a K-6 school in the much less dense neighborhood of Pulaski and Manheim in Germantown. The first plan for Kelly prescribes removing the school’s blacktop, putting in some trees, establishing some raised bed gardens, and possibly constructing a greenhouse, says presenter Dennis Barnebey, who taught in Philadelphia public schools for 32 years. Finally. Barnebey desires an outdoor classroom and rain garden, which would support woodland and other plants.

The final plan for Kelly facilitates “exposing the children with their connection to nature, says speaker Vicki Mehl, the president of the local Hansberry Garden and Nature Center. She is passionate about including different types of habitat at the elementary, such as meadow and wetland. She also proposes a “wellness trail” and an interactive sculpture. Perhaps the most interesting idea to come out of the presentation is that of a “trash-gobbling monster,” which is a trash can that would make it fun to toss out refuse.

Sources: Vicki Mehl, Dennis Barnebey, Michael Hickman, and Maurice Jones
Writer: Andy Sharpe

Sketches courtesy of the Community Design Collaborative

While much has been going on with Roxborough's commercial corridor and historic preservation near the Manayunk Wall, there is also new residential development knocking on the Northwest Philly neighborhood's door. Kingsley Court is proposed for the site of the abandoned and decrepit Ivy Ridge nursing home at Ridge Ave. near Walnut Ln. Kingsley is designed to be a twin home development with a cul-de-sac street to be built. 

Kingsley Court's developer, Stephen Goldner, says the both of the twins will have side and rear yards, four bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and 2,200-2,500 sq. ft. Each house will also have a formal living and dining room, and a country kitchen. The developer anticipates most of the homes will be priced in the low-$300,000 range, while some of the higher-end twins at the cul-de-sac might be closer to $350,000. Each home should come with a tax abatement. 

Not only are these new houses, they will mark a new era for the surrounding neighborhood. The Ivy Ridge Personal Care nursing home was last open in 2008. Since then, "the facility had been languishing in the neighborhood," says Goldner. He adds that it has been victimized by fire and break-ins. In addition, Kingsley Court will add a new street to Roxborough. While City Planning Commission staff recommended a through street to not interrupt the city's grid system, there was very little support for that. Ultimately, the City Planning Commission voted to recommend Goldner's cul-de-sac.

Goldner boasts of strong support for Kingsley in the neighborhood, including from the Wissahickon Neighbors Civic Association (WNCA), local Councilman Curtis Jones, and many of the near neighbors. There were grave concerns in the neighborhood about drivers using a new through-street to get to Ridge Ave. by bypassing Walnut Lane, which would have been creating "a dreadful hazard," says Goldner.

While the City Planning Commission recommended approval for Kingsley Court, Goldner still has a number of steps to take before he can start construction. First of all, the developer doesn't currently own the land, although he says he has "it under agreement." In addition to transferring the land into his name, he still has to go in front of the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA). He assumes he'll have little trouble with the ZBA, as he expects letters of support from WNCA and other community interests. He hopes to begin construction and marketing soon after ZBA approval.

Source: Stephen Mark Goldner   
Writer: Andy Sharpe

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

When you think of neighborhoods steeped in history, you probably think of Old City, Society Hill, and Germantown. Yet, the Roxborough neighborhood of Northwest Philadelphia has plenty of historic homes in its own right, and will now be given a chance to showcase Victorian-era properties on Lyceum Ave., a few blocks up from the infamous Manayunk Wall, between Ridge Ave. and Pechin St. This is thanks to a grant from the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia to rehabilitate the porches and facades of homes on the two-block stretch.

The Roxborough Development Corporation (RDC) is not wasting any time in taking advantage of the $30,000 grant, says James Calamia, its operations manager. "This summer is a target to begin construction, maybe even this spring," he says. The RDC held a forum on the grant this past Wednesday, where they handed out applications for interested Victorian homeowners to enlist. They also put on the first of multiple workshops on "historic porches and wood repairs," adds Calamia. There was an excellent turnout for both the forum and the workshop.

This is just the latest exciting news for Roxborough, which is trying to enhance its Ridge Ave. commercial corridor through walkability improvements and the opening of new businesses. In order to draw more people to live and shop in the area, RDC is trying to accentuate the neighborhood’s rich, albeit often untold, history. "The Roxborough Development Corporation believes in protecting the historical assets and heritage of the Roxborough neighborhood," says Calamia. 

In the past, Roxborough Township was known as a peaceful alternative to the frenetic bustle of Center City, buffered from the downtown by the Wissahickon Creek and the Schuylkill River. Many of the affected homes on the 400-block of Lyceum Ave. were built in the late-1800s to maintain the sense of closely-woven community that made Roxborough such an appealing place.   

Lyceum Ave. home- and business-owners are receiving the grants on behalf of the Preservation Alliance’s Vital Neighborhoods Initiative (VNI). The VNI targets moderate-income sections of the city that could use some additional preservation work. Roxborough and the Penn Knox, Tulpehocken, and Pomona Cherokee sections of Germantown are the only neighborhoods in Northwest Philly eligible for the grants. Recipients of the last round of grants included the Fairmount CDC, the Walnut Hill Community Association, and the Yorktown CDC.

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Source: James Calamia, Roxborough CDC

The Pennsylvania Convention Center Annex was filled with the redolent scents of artisanal cheese, creamy gelato, freshly-baked bread and biscotti, and premium steeped tea last Sunday. These scents formed the aromatic calling card for the Philly Farm and Food Fest, which was co-organized by Fair Food and the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA). One of the highlights of the convention was a panel discussion on the Green Space Alliance’s recent study “Transforming open space to sustainable farm enterprises.”

The panel discussion started with an outline of Green Space Alliance’s (GSA’s) findings, which include recommendations on public outreach, zoning and planning, and urban areas. One of the chief findings is that GSA should extend an arm to local governments, land trusts, and conservancies to generate knowledge about sustainable farming. Under zoning, the study concludes that specific ordinance definitions should be drafted, says Justin Keller, an architect with Simone Collins Landscape Architecture, which prepared the study for GSA. 

Finally, the study advises that incentives be created for urban farms that bolster stormwater management through the elimination of impervious surfaces. It specifically pinpoints urban farms as sources of sorely-needed nourishment in food deserts and job creators in neighborhoods with rampant unemployment. GSA found that the city of Philadelphia has nearly 2,500 acres that can be used for farming, which could yield a crop value between $6.4 and $10.8 million, says Peter Simone, also an architect with Simone Collins.

After Simone Collins presented the study, three panelists offered conference-goers some feedback. Nic Esposito, who farms at East Kensington’s Emerald St. Urban Farm, is interested in the study’s examination of municipal land, as his farm is owned by three different city agencies. While the study looks at both CSAs and farms that donate food, Esposito makes sure to mention that Emerald St. donates all the food it generates from chickens and bees. He also adds that Councilwoman Sanchez and Councilman Green’s land bank resolution in City Council would be an asset for urban farming on vacant land.

Another panelist was Joan Blaustein, chair of the Philadelphia Food Policy Council and a director in the city’s department of Parks and Recreation. Blaustein, who grows food in her own backyard garden, emphasizes the practical nature of urban gardening. Urban gardens “should satisfy the social needs of people in the city,” says Blaustein. She proceeds to give the city a pat on the back for emphasizing urban farms in its Greenworks plan and mentioning it in its new zoning code. 

The third panelist was Fred DeLong, a project director at the Willistown Conservation Trust and Rushton Farm in Chester County. DeLong differs from the other panelists in that his farm certainly isn’t urban. Nonetheless, he has a similar goal to the study and his fellow panelists. “Willistown Conservation Trust wants to connect people to the land,” says DeLong. He adds that within the trust is the Rushton Farm, which is a natural community-supported agriculture (CSA) within an 80-acre nature preserve.   

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Sources: Justin Keller, Peter Simone, Nic Esposito, Joan Blaustein, and Fred DeLong, panelists at Philly Farm and Food Fest

Illustration courtesy of Philly Farm and Food Fest   

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to knock down pins and lose pounds at the same time? If so, you might want to head over to East Falls starting next month. This is when Sweat Fitness will open their first fitness center and BYOB bowling alley in One Falls Center on Henry Ave. This will soon be Philadelphia’s first combination gym and bowling alley and Sweat Fitness’ 10th location in the city and its suburbs. It will be called Sweat Fitness and Frames.

Sweat Fitness hopes to intertwine bowling and working out, according to Scott Caplan, the owner of the gym. To do this, Caplan plans to allow members who use any Sweat gym to bowl for free during off-peak hours, which fall on weekdays in the bowling sphere. The facility will feature 10 bowling lanes with room for private parties. Exercisers can unwind not just from a round of bowling, but also with a drink. Indeed, unlike many bowling alleys, Sweat Fitness and Frames will be BYOB.

While bowling is a unique bedfellow to fitness, Caplan previously owned the Stripes bowling alley at 40th and Locust Sts. in West Philly. Stripes closed in April 2010, but Caplan’s affinity for bowling did not go away. Caplan explains that bowling helps “solidify” relationships, which is important because “fitness is a very social business.” 

Caplan hopes that Fitness and Frames will become an integral part of the East Falls community. For one thing, Sweat will take advantage of a free shuttle that carries Philadelphia University students between their school and housing around One Falls Center. He’s also encountered strong support for the gym alley among the East Falls Development Corporation (EFDC) and other community groups. “So far they’ve been very happy to have us,” says Caplan, who adds that Sweat has become a “focal point” in other communities. 

If Sweat Fitness and Frames proves successful, the gym may open additional bowling fitness centers in the future. Caplan divulges that Sweat is looking to open a few more fitness facilities in the Delaware Valley in 2013, although no word yet if they’ll offer bowling.  

If you’re interested in joining Sweat’s upcoming East Falls location, Caplan says there are still around a hundred pre-sale membership slots available. While the owner can’t give an exact date as to when Sweat Fitness and Frames will open, he says it will likely be in late-April. This means only a month until you can enjoy a vigorous work-out, a round of bowling, and a frosty drink in one location.   

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Source: Scott Caplan, Sweat Fitness  

Illustration Courtesy of Sweat Fitness

Greene Street Consignment has been a fixture among those looking to purchase designer clothing labels at cheap prices. So much so that they have branched out from their original location on South Street and opened six locations, ranging from Princeton to West Chester. It’s soon to be seven locations, as Greene Street will become the latest business to set up shop along Germantown Ave. in Chestnut Hill by the end of the month.

The consignment store will open on the 8500-block of Germantown Ave., near Penzeys Spices, The Paperia gift store, and Chestnut Hill West Station. It wasn’t hard for Greene Street to decide to open in the Northwest Philly enclave.

"Chestnut Hill is such a great community of families, shops and new shops that are opening,” says Casey Drucquer, a marketing director at the consignment shop. Drucquer quickly adds that Greene Street’s owner recently moved back to Chestnut Hill herself.

While Greene Street Consignment is a used clothing store, it’s one with exacting standards. Drucquer reports that her store won’t accept any articles of clothing that are older than two years, and demands that everything sold be in immaculate condition. The store carries adult’s clothing in every size from small to extra large. Drucquer says that the store typically offers Gap, Gucci, Prada, and Anthropologie clothes. For those looking to sell clothes, Greene Street doesn’t require appointments and rewards a 40% commission on items that are sold.  

Drucquer emphasizes that a portion of Greene St.’s proceeds go to a good cause. As a matter of fact, the owner of the store's sister recently founded a fourteen-acre farm in Chester County, called the Greene Street Animal Rescue, dedicated to sick pets.

"Since the opening a few months ago, they have taken in eleven dogs which normally would have been euthanized,” she says. Part of the consignment shop’s profit goes to this, and the store also solicits tax-deductible donations. 

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Source: Casey Drucquer, Greene St. Consignment  

Photo courtesy of Greene Street Consignment 

While you wouldn’t know it from looking at Center or University Cities, Philadelphia has an enormous amount of vacant land scarring the cityscape -- some 40,000 parcels, to be exact.  The scourge of vacant land twists its way through South and Southwest Philly, flexes into West Philly, rolls into North Philly, and extends into Northeast and Northwest Philly. Given the citywide nature of the vacancy problem and its mounting costs, the Nutter administration, City Council, and the state House and Senate all seem eager to address it. In fact, Mayor Nutter appears ready to release a new plan on vacant land, while the state Senate may soon begin debate on a bill to set up land banks to deal with vacant land.

Philadelphia’s managing director is just about done with the city’s new vacant land plan, according to Rick Sauer, the executive director of the Philadelphia Association of CDCs (PACDC). The city’s upcoming proposal only deals with city-owned land (only about 25 percent of all vacant parcels), and thus does not push for a land bank for privately held vacant land. Advocates see the Nutter administration’s plan as a step in the right direction, even if it might not go as far as they would like. “The administration is trying to create a rational process for vacant land,” says Karen Black, the principal at May 8 Consulting, a firm that has worked with PACDC on vacant land issues.

The Nutter administration’s ideas come on the heels of a land bank bill written by Councilwoman Maria Quinones Sanchez and co-sponsored by Councilman Bill Green last month. Black confirms that this bill aims to consolidate ownership of vacant land into one land bank, which means it goes substantially further than the bill being drafted by the mayor’s office. She adds that City Council hearings on Sanchez and Green’s bill might kick off as soon as May.  

There is also support for dealing with vacant land at the state level, with legislation being proposed that is similar to the land bank bill in City Council. Black informs us that the state House passed a land bank bill by Philadelphia Rep. John Taylor in February. She enthusiastically points out that this bill would enable private properties to be sold directly into a land bank, without the city having to change its charter.

Meanwhile, on the state Senate side, there is also some hearty support for land bank legislation. Senator David Argall, a Republican who represents parts of Berks, Lehigh, and other counties north and west of the Philly suburbs, has introduced a bill in the Senate designed to be a companion to the bill that passed the House. Black reassures that the passage of the House bill might mean action in the Senate is imminent. 

Black and Sauer are unequivocal about the neighborhood blight caused by vacant land. “Vacant properties have a significant negative impact on property values,” laments Sauer, who conducted a study with the city Re-Development Authority (PRA) on vacant land in late 2010. Sauer elaborates that the study found a 6 to 20% loss in property values caused by the presence of nearby vacant land. He also lambastes vacant properties as havens for drug activity, arson, and illicit dumping, which entail significant quality-of-life problems. PACDC’s study found that vacant land cost the city $20 million each year in maintenance costs.  

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Sources: Karen Black, May 8 Consulting and Rick Sauer, PACDC    

The Delaware Valley's first coworking space for woodworkers opened earlier this month, and is already proving quite popular. Philadelphia Woodworks is a membership-based co-working arena and educational facility across from the Ivy Ridge train station on Umbria St. in Manayunk. According to Emily Duncan, the business manager at Woodworks, the facility already boasts twenty members, sixteen of which are certified in woodworking. Along with coworking, Duncan says classes are expected to begin in a few weeks.

Philadelphia Woodworks emphasizes that anyone can become a member, as long as they don't have an inordinate fear of splinters. The center is indeed welcoming to professionals and novices alike. "You can do it and we can help you," coaxes Duncan. This is one reason why the workshop will hold classes. Duncan continues by saying members and other people interested in woodworking can even suggest classes. Michael Vogel, who's the founder and president of Woodworks, also emphasizes that classes are run with their students' schedules in mind.  

The woodworker's paradise is concentrating on partnering with local businesses that work with wood. For example, Duncan gives a shout-out to Provenance Architectural Salvage in Northern Liberties, who she says will stock re-used materials. Vogel also points out that some classes will be affiliated with other relevant organizations, including the Center for Art in Wood and the Wharton-Esherick Museum in Valley Forge. The Independence Seaport Museum has even expressed interest in helping with education at Philadelphia Woodworks.

This "gym for woodworking," as Vogel puts it, has all of the latest woodworking tools throughout the 6,600-square foot facility. 4,500 of which are devoted to shop space, which includes professional industrial grade power and hand tools; milling machines that can smooth wood; sanding, shaping, and edging stations; dust collection; and air filters. In addition, the space comes equipped with Golden Boy, the shop manager's adorable pug, who can be found strutting around the shop. Finally, Duncan adds that there will be plentiful locker and cubby space for tool storage.

Vogel and Duncan both stress that the woodworking space is truly unique for Southeastern Pennsylvania. Duncan says the closest place of its kind is all the way down in Rockville, Md. The next closest is a long ride north in Connecticut. Because of this, Vogel chose the location because of its convenience to the entire region. "You can get from Cherry Hill to West Chester in a half hour [depending on traffic] because of our proximity to 76," he mentions. As Duncan points out, not only is it easily accessible by car, but it's also in propinquity to the Schuylkill River Bike Trail and the train.

To complement the shop, Philadelphia Woodworks also features a member's lounge, with a kitchen, TVs, and a "clubhouse atmosphere," says Duncan. There is also a lumberyard and sheetwood store on site. If you're interested in becoming a member, you'll want to act fast as space is filling up. There's currently no cap on the amount of members that can be accommodated, but Duncan and Vogel agree they'll eventually have to find one. 

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Sources: Michael Vogel, Emily Duncan, and Golden Boy the pug, Philadelphia Woodworks

Germantown is a neighborhood that is characterized by the remnants of its past colliding with the challenges of its present. It is definitely one of the most famous historic sections of Philly, right behind Old City in the eyes of many. Yet, this storied history comes with the backdrop of crime, poverty, trash, and neighborhood division on many blocks. This neighborhood division has been manifested by the corrupt Germantown Settlement, which was a social service and community development agency that ran out of money, and a tiff over retail development on Chelten Avenue. 

It's why Germantown residents are even more motivated to redevelop and cultivate a sense of community. In fact, the Germantown United CDC (GUCDC) was formed toward the end of last year to reinstate transparency to the neighborhood. The CDC is currently in the process of selecting its Board, and serves the racially, economically, and religiously diverse area from Chew Ave. to the north, Wissahickon Ave. to the south, Wayne Junction Station to the east, and Johnson St. to the west. 

John Churchville, the president of GUCDC, is passionate about making a difference. "I'd have to say that our first priority is to establish our trustworthiness as an organization in Germantown," says a motivated Churchville. He says this means reaching out to local businesses, residents, civic associations, and developers. The president also detects a hardy sense of optimism among those who are interested in serving on GUCDC’s Board. 

Once GUCDC becomes more entrenched in the neighborhood, one of its priorities will be re-utilizing the historic Germantown Town Hall. Churchville says that the re-use of Town Hall will be a personal commitment of his. He wants to take advantage of the Civil War-era building’s location across from Germantown High School by turning it into a building of learning that will feature post-secondary level science, technology, and math and high-school level "green entrepreneur" training. The building is up for sale by the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC). 

Another GUCDC priority will be to clean up the Chelten and Germantown Ave. business corridors. The corridors form perpendicular Main Streets feature a diverse selection of small businesses, but are pockmarked by trash and other quality-of-life problems. The CDC has already held clean-ups along Chelten, and has proven its intimate concern with the avenue since its days speaking out against the new shopping center at Chelten and Pulaski. 

It’s not hard to guess that GUCDC sees Germantown’s history playing a vital role in the area’s future. Barbara Hogue, the executive director at Historic Germantown, is hoping to assist in this effort. She says her organization has submitted a grant application to the Pew Charitable Trust for "the interpretation of the enduring search for freedom in Germantown." If they receive the grant, Hogue foresees Historic Germantown working setting up pop-up exhibits at vacant storefronts and organizing lectures at local coffee shops in an event commemorating the anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. 

GUCDC held a forum last week to examine CDC best practices in Philadelphia and New York and strategize ways to make a community like Germantown more livable. The forum was keynoted by Colvin Grannum, president of Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation. Other speakers were Econsult economist Steve Mullin, Rick Sauer with the Philadelphia Association of Economic Development Corporations, Historic Germantown’s Hogue, Sandy Salzman at New Kensington CDC, and Andy Frishkoff with Local Initiatives Support Corporation. 

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Sources: John Churchville, Germantown United CDC and Barbara Hogue, Historic Germantown 

Photo courtesy of Dana Scherer