University City : Development News

University City District (UCD) is moving forward with its plans to revitalize the 40th Street Trolley Portal. The project is being led by Prema Gupta, the organization's director of planning and economic development.

If you've ever been to the 40th Street trolley stop, you probably know it’s not the most inviting or vibrant place in University City. That will soon change with the introduction of The Plaza, the first component in UCD's creative reimagining of the transit hub.

The Plaza will boast chairs, tables, benches, trees and planters, and even boulders for climbing and play. Designed as an amenity for local students, residents and SEPTA passengers, the space will also host ongoing UCD programming and events.

The second component of the portal, The Apron, will improve pedestrian access and replace surfaces around the tracks with seating walls bordering heaps of wildflowers and native plants selected to attract butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinators.

Gupta originally announced the project this past spring, and it looks like UCD will begin construction earlier than planned after raising an additional $1.4 million in funds for the effort.

"Because we’ve raised such significant funding, we’re really able to see this come to fruition sooner than we anticipated," says UCD representative Lori Brennan.

"Our work is what happens at ground level," adds UCD Policy and Research Manager Seth Budick, who is currently working on an ambitious public space survey. "We look to constantly make improvements to all the areas and spaces between developments and transit."

It's likely Budick's findings will lead to numerous project tweaks, as he continually oversees improvements to existing public spaces in University City.

"We’re studying in great detail how people are using these [public] spaces and what they’re doing there," he explains. "It’s an approach we’ve really taken to heart."

Writer: Dan Eldridge
Source: Lori Brennan and Seth Budick, University City District
 

On Wednesday, October 15, University City District (UCD) will present its annual State of University City report to a select group of representatives from neighborhood institutions, real estate development groups, small business owners and residents.

In over 70 pages worth of eye-catching charts, graphs and text, the report tells the story of a vibrant and growing submarket that continues to attract a steady stream of educated individuals, innovative startups, creative entrepreneurs and civic-minded businesses.

Some highlights of this year’s report include an explosion of multi-family residential development, an unprecedented 96 percent office occupancy rate, a growing interest in transportation and transit, investment by the University of Pennsylvania in both research facilities and community placemaking destinations, and significant growth in Drexel’s innovation neighborhood near 30th Street Station.

The report also expands on the development plans for the 40th Street Trolley Portal, including the success of UCD fundraising efforts to create a pedestrian-friendly park there.

To create the document, policy and research manager Seth Budick compiles vast amounts of data from UCD’s institutional and business partners, alongside its own in-depth studies and analysis of pedestrian counts, retail occupancy and public space usage.

"What we’re really seeing is a flocking of people and businesses who recognize the value of being close to the density of innovation that’s going on in University City," he explains.

As in previous years, printed reports will be distributed to institutional partners, real estate professionals, local organizations, government representatives and residents, who, according to UCD's Lori Brennan, "use [it] as a recruitment tool for filling office vacancies, and attracting retailers and restaurateurs to open up spaces [in University City]."

The report will be available online on October 16.

Writer: Dan Eldridge
Sources: Seth Budick and Lori Klein Brennan, University City District
 

On September 12, the 51-year-old University City Science Center celebrated the latest addition to its ever-expanding West Philadelphia campus, now home to more than two million square feet of lab and office space.
 
Known as 3737 Science Center and located at 3737 Market Street, the 13-story glass tower was developed jointly by the Science Center and Wexford Science & Technology. The $115 million building is already at 82 percent capacity.
 
Indeed, interest in the space from potential life-science and healthcare tenants was so consistently strong throughout construction that an extra two floors (over the originally-planned 11) were added to the plan.
 
Spark Therapeutics, a gene therapy startup, is occupying the building's top floor. With Penn Medicine as the anchor tenant, other residents include the Penn Institute for Rehabilitation Medicine and, in the tower's ground-floor retail space, the Corner Bakery Cafe, which is expected to open by the end of this year.
 
3737 Science Center is the campus' 16th building. At nearby 3601 Market Street, the Science Center is currently constructing a 20-story, $110 million residential tower, which broke ground last year. That high-rise, according to President and CEO Stephen Tang, is part of the campus' current philosophy "to be a place to live, work and play," he says. "Not just work, which is quite frankly what we've been doing for most of our 51-year history."  
 
"We're trying to become a world-class innovation center across University City and not just across the Science Center's campus," he adds. "We really want to be a vibrant center. And that includes attracting smart, creative and innovative people to our campus to live, as well as to work."

Writer: Dan Eldridge
Source: Stephen Tang, University City Science Center

The University City Science Center has partnered with Flying Kite to showcase innovation in Greater Philadelphia.

As you step outside your home or office this Friday, September 19, don't be surprised if you see your neighbor lounging where their car would normally be parked.

In fact, don't be surprised if an antique coffee table is perched on the sidewalk next to them, or if a working lamp, bookshelf or mini-fridge is alongside in the gutter.   
 
Every year here in Philadelphia -- and throughout the world, for that matter -- on the third Friday of September, an unusual celebration of public spaces occurs at dozens of metered parking spaces throughout the city.
 
Known as PARK(ing) Day, the nine-year-old event was first launched in San Francisco, where a single metered parking space was transformed for two hours into a miniature public park by members of an architecture firm. A photo of the temporary installation soon went viral, and by 2011, PARK(ing) Day was being celebrated in 162 cities on six continents.
 
Here in Philly, more than 50 diminutive pop-up parks will be installed in Center City, Queen Village, Germantown, Fishtown and North Philly, to name a few. An interactive map of the planned parks can be accessed online.
 
As Erike De Veyra of Zimmerman Studio, which organizes the event locally, points out, the purpose of PARK(ing) Day Philadelphia isn't solely to raise awareness of public spaces. It's also to suggest that public spaces, which bring communities together, don't necessarily need to be large or even particularly expensive in order to serve their purpose.
 
From 5 to 8 p.m., the Center for Architecture will host an after-party featuring photos from the day. Click here to reserve a spot.  

Insider's Tip: According to De Veyra, a Center City architecture firm historically hosts one of the event's best parks. It's located near the corner of Broad and Walnut.

Writer: Dan Eldridge
Source: Erike De Veyra, Zimmerman Studio

As one of 79 regional chapters under the umbrella of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the Delaware Valley Green Building Council (DVGBC) certainly doesn't mince words when it comes to its mission -- there it is, in 16-point type atop the "Strategic Plan" page of its website: "Green Buildings for All."
 
Here in the Delaware Valley, the execution of that vision translates to outreach and public policy work intended to transform the community through environmentally responsible building.

DVGBC also hosts an annual awards ceremony designed to recognize green development projects "that are really cutting-edge and transformational," says Janet Milkman, the Council's executive director. "We've always tried to celebrate the thrust in green building practice in our region," she adds, explaining why this year's ceremony is being referred to as the Groundbreaker Awards.
 
Six finalists have been chosen out of 20 total nominations. The three winners will be announced during a September 18 awards ceremony at Center City's Suzanne Roberts Theater modeled after the Oscars; attendees will enter on a green carpet.
 
"Honestly, we had 20 wonderful submissions," says Milkman. "They were all terrific, so the jury had a hard time."

Ultimately, the six finalists were chosen because of their uniqueness in the region, and because of their potential to be modeled by future developement projects.  
 
UPenn's Shoemaker Green, which is managing stormwater with vegetative infrastructure approaches, is one such project. So is North Philadelphia's residential Paseo Verde, a mixed-income transportation-oriented development (TOD) project, and the first in the country to achieve Platinum status under the LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) designation.
 
Other finalists included KidZooU at the Philadelphia Zoo and the Camden Friends Meeting House and Social Hall in Delaware.

Writer: Dan Eldridge
Source: Janet Milkman, DVGBC
 

Following two years of fundraising, brainstorming and community meetings, Drexel University is celebrating the grand opening of its Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships. On June 12, the school cut the ribbon on the 1.3 acre site.
 
The genesis of the three-building complex -- located at 35th and Spring Garden Streets -- was a $10 million donation from Dana and David Dornsife, an active philanthropist couple. (Dana is a Drexel alum.)

According to Lucy Kerman, the school's vice provost of university and community partnership, university extension centers -- in which the collective expertise of a school is used to solve problems and otherwise assist the local community -- have a rich history dating back to the late-19th century. The Dornsife Center has the potential to become "a place where every single college and school [at Drexel] could be engaged with the community in shared problemsolving," she says.
 
Programming has already begun. Drexel’s law school students, for example, have been fulfilling their pro bono requirements by offering free legal services at the Dornsife Center. And, as Kerman points out, "We've got folks in English who could be running a writers house. We have folks in engineering who might do weatherization. We have a wonderful set of health sciences programs, and we could be doing screenings."
 
In the meantime, a community advisory council that was formed prior to the site’s renovation is continuing to meet monthly; its input will play a role in the programs and services offered in the future.
 
"[At Drexel], there are lots of different kinds of expertise," explains Kerman. "Working together with community partners, we feel that we have an opportunity to do something really special."

Writer: Dan Eldridge
Source: Lucy Kerman, Drexel University
 

As part of the Lower Schuylkill Master Plan (LSMP), a long-term revitalization blueprint released last year, the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corportation (PIDC) has announced an RFP for a feasibility study of a proposed river road in the district. According to PIDC Senior Real Estate Manager Kate McNamara, "It's not your typical PennDot project."

The bottom line, she explains, is that both the city and PIDC are united in their understanding that the Lower Schuylkill, once a hotbed of heavy manufacturing and innovation, is today "a place that [is] really in need of some serious redevelopment attention." In fact, when the final version of the LSMP was published, it recommended splitting the Lower Schuylkill into three separate "campuses" in an effort to drive the next generation of growth. 

The 512-acre campus adjacent to University City -- known as the Innovation District -- is where the majority of the LSMP's early projects will be taking place. According to the RFP, roadways on the west bank of the District, roughly between Grays Ferry Avenue to the north and Passyunk Avenue to the south, are "indirect, circuitous, and non-intuitive." And because so many of the businesses that once operated in the area were largely served by the river, quality road infrastructure is lacking. 

A budget of $200,000 has been set aside to see if the north-south connector road proposed in the Master Plan is feasible, and to explore possible alternatives.

"You really need another north-south arterial to bring businesses in, and just to bring regular citizens down to the river," says McNamara. "That's where the new extension of the Schuylkill Banks Trail is going to be." 

The resulting study should be complete within six to nine months. And after that? Another study, of course, but with much more detail and a steeper price tag. Fortunately, the upside is tremendous. West Philly is home to a number of companies that are getting too big for University City -- they could become new residents of the Innovation District.

"They don't have the space they need, and so a lot of [them] go to the suburbs," says McNamara. "And we would prefer to keep them."

Writer: Dan Eldridge
Source: Kate McNamara, Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC)

Recently, Flying Kite has covered a surge in residential and mixed-use development in University City. The University City District's 2012 Annual Report showed an increase of 22,000 new jobs over the last decade, with a 10 percent population increase projected by 2015. Successful new outposts of popular brands, such as Yogorino and Shake Shack, have followed this trend and opened in the neighborhood. 

The area's latest delicious amentity? Fried chicken. On October 28, chefs Alan Segel and Dave Clouser opened Wishbone at 4034 Walnut Street and sold out of food within hours. That pattern continued for the first few days, but resolved when Clouser began placing chicken orders exceeding 300 pounds.

"Penn students come from over 100 countries, and every culture and cuisine has some form of fried chicken," says Erica Hope, general manager at Wishbone. "It's something everyone gets."

Wishbone's location -- at the former site of neighborhood institution Lee's Hoagie House, which closed in July after 28 years -- is integral to its business plan. Both Drexel alums, Segel and Clouser hope to model Wishbone's relationship to the community after its predecessor. 

"Lee's was a huge member of the community, not just due to their food but also because of the people behind the counter," recalls Hope, also a Drexel alum. "They set the standard for interaction, which we strive to meet and exceed."

One of the most direct ways that Wishbone will carry on Lee's legacy is in hiring Donald Klipstein, who worked at the sandwich shop for 27 years. Klipstein's experience has made him an "irreplaceable" employee; he creates Wishbone's housemade juices, teas and dipping sauces, and will be kickstarting its delivery service in the near future.

Wishbone is also fostering a relationship with Penn's Greek community, offering complete buy-outs of the restaurant for their private special events.

For Segel and Clouser, the decision to open in University City felt natural, especially after successful stints in fine dining on the Main Line. "We are all from Philly, so we want to stay in Philly," says Segel. "With Wishbone, we get to indulge our creative culinary side, while also building a lasting local presence."

"We feel like freshman entering a new semester in school -- we are eager to meet our new neighbors and exchange ideas," he adds. "Beyond just great food, we are looking forward to being a local hangout. We have a lot of cool ideas up our sleeve that we will roll out bit-by-bit.”

Wishbone is currently hiring. Interested candidates should call (215) 921-3204 or email [email protected].

Writer: Nicole Woods
Source: Erica Hope, Wishbone

After shuttering dozens of local schools this fall, the Philadelphia School District has placed many of those buildings up for sale. Following months of speculation (including some by Flying Kite), the search for buyers is on. Quite a few have serious residential development potential and some are in up-and-coming neighborhoods such as East Passyunk Crossing and University City.

The media has been abuzz with gossip on the potential sales: Passyunk Post reported on the buildings in its purview, including Bok, Vare and Smith. City records put Bok's market value at $17.8 million dollars.

Bok Technical, an imposing art deco monster, is 338,000 square feet over eight floors on a 2.2-acre site. The information provided notes its proximity to Passyunk Avenue and the Snyder Avenue subway stop (about half a mile each). "Surrounding the Avenue is a surging residential and development market." True.

The New York Times also covered the school properties, confirming our information that Drexel is eyeing University City High School. Turns out they are not the only local college getting into the vacant school game"

But Drexel University has said it wants to buy University City High School for an undisclosed price, and restore it as a public school. Temple University has expressed an interest in the former William Penn High School, close to its Temple campus on the north side of central Philadelphia. Buyers interested in the eight properties undergoing an expedited sale have until Dec. 17 to respond to a request for qualification, the district said. For the other properties, buyers must submit an expression of interest by that date.

As disruptive as the school closings were for neighborhoods, it is a good sign that the city is moving forward with putting the buildings up for sale. In the end, a vacant behemoth is far worse for communities than a large redevelopment project.

Writer: Lee Stabert
Source: Passyunk Post; The New York Times 

On November 1, construction is set to begin on 3601 Market, a project that will help transform the streetscape of University City. Located on the Science Center's campus, it will be the first residential project in that organization's history. 

"We changed the plan a bit," explains Dustin Downey with developer Southern Land. "We decided to add two more floors as penthouse two-bedroom units, which actually drove the number of units down, back to 362. In 28 total floors. We were approved for zoning about three weeks ago."

The neighborhood has been very supportive of the project. The height is not too dissimilar from other buildings on west Market Street and there is a high demand for residential units in the area. During the zoning process, neighbors did request some minor site changes, including a pick-up/drop-off space for residents.

The building is hoping to draw graduate students and young professionals by featuring affordable, stylish, efficient spaces.

"There was some concern about some of our studios being down in the 420 to 450 square foot range," says Downey. "We feel strongly that, across the country, smaller, nicer units are becoming much more popular -- especially as prices in the rental markets continue to rise. I'm also seeing a lot of younger people wanting to live out on their own and not have a roommate."

To mitigate the small size, the designers are including in-wall storage, murphy beds and eat-in kitchens. Plus, all units will feature an entire wall of windows, making them feel less cramped.

On the ground floor, the developers hope to attract either a quality restaurant or a small-to-medium sized prepared foods and grocery store.

"We're hoping that it brings a 24-hour element and improves the overall feel of Market Street, by putting people on the street and adding activity to the sidewalks," explains Downey. "We're looking for retail tenants that will also do that. With the success of Domus only a couple blocks away, we feel we can continue to pull young professionals and grad students to live in University City, and pull them out of other living situations either in Center City or further out."

The first units will be completed in 18 months; the leasing office should be open in May 2015. In 24 months, the last units come online.

"There are so many jobs right there in West Philly and no places for people to live," says Downey. "We feel by that by adding 364 residents, you attract more residential services to the area: dry cleaners, grocery stores. We feel like it will hopefully start a cycle to make the area more residential."

Writer: Lee Stabert
Source: Dustin Downey, Southern Lands

The University City Science Center has partnered with Flying Kite to showcase innovation in Greater Philadelphia through the "Inventing the Future" series.

The Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics is doling out $20,000 worth of grants to foster art and design-based projects that address civic challenges or improve public space. Among the winners are Flying Kite favorites such as the Public Workshop, the University City District and Friends of Maplewood Mall in Germantown. The awardees are as follows: 

Public Workshop will receive a $6,000 grant to fund "Choose Your Own City Hall Adventure," a new signage initiative in City Hall that will help individuals navigate the serpentine public space more efficiently.

University City District will receive a $3,900 grant to create "Tree Seats," a functional art project providing seating in naturally shaded areas across the neighborhood.

The North 5th Street Revitalization Project will receive $5,100 to support the "Gateways to Olney: Where Local is Global" project, a collaborative partnership that transforms key bus stops along corridor into small-scale visitor centers.

The Friends of Maplewood Mall will receive a $5,000 grant to make physical improvements to Germantown's historic Maplewood Mall; the grant will also support arts-related programming.

The Challenge Grants Competition is a partnership between the Office of New Urban Mechanics and the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy. Funding is provided by the Knight Foundation and managed by CEOs for Cities.

The fate of Philadelphia's shuttered schools remains up in the air, but there is a glimmer of hope in West Philly. Last week, heavy internet chatter implied that Drexel University was interested in purchasing the University City High School site (the school was one of 23 closed this fall due to budget constraints). It's a huge property in the heart of a rapidly evolving neighborhood, and the deal could have a tremendous impact.

For now, the university is staying relatively tight-lipped. "Drexel is strongly committed to public K-12 education in Philadelphia and particularly in Powelton Village and Mantua," said Drexel Director of Media Relations Niki Gianakaris in an email. "The University is sincerely interested in the future of the University City High School site and will continue to be involved in discussions about the development of the site."

Flying Kite was able to connect with Kira Strong from the People's Emergency Center (PEC), a nonprofit and community development organization working in the West Powelton, Saunders Park and Mantua neighborhoods. They are also watching the situation closely.

One possible option is that Drexel would open a university-assisted school, similar to nearby Penn Alexander. That project has provided stellar education to residents, while also producing a large (and not uniformly welcome) spike in property values within the school's catchment -- home prices have quadrupled since 1998.

"Since it's such a large site, it has such potential to shift so much in our neighborhood," says Strong. "We want to guarantee that there's a community voice in the planning from the outset. How do we steward a really open process?"

Strong also mentions some of the infrastructure issues that could be remediated under Drexel's stewardship.

"When that site was developed -- when they put Drew Elementary and University City High School there -- they closed off the street grid," she explains. "You could argue that it has impacted Lancaster Avenue, and the ability of Lancaster Avenue to remain a connected, vibrant commercial corridor. Is there a way to re-engage the street grid and provide those connections?"

All this speculation certainly speaks to the vibrancy of University City and the wealth of willing partners in such an ambitious project. And while the outcome remains to be seen -- and buying a publicly-owned property is not as simple as putting in an offer -- the deal could be truly transformative. 

"A rising tide lifts all boats," says Strong. "If there is opportunity -- job opportunities, educational opportunity -- for youth who live in that area, that could be a really positive outcome."

The University City Science Center has partnered with Flying Kite to showcase innovation in Greater Philadelphia through the "Inventing the Future" series.

LEE STABERT is managing editor of Flying Kite.

On June 17 at the Center for Architecture, representatives from the Philadelphia City Planning Commission (PCPC) will be joined by the Citizens Planning Institute, local developers and public officials to discuss "Visions for our Metropolitan Center."
 
A large portion of the conversation will center on the recently completed Central and University Southwest District Plans, which cover the area between the Delaware River and 40th Street, and from Girard Avenue to Washington Avenue. With 335,000 jobs and 120,000 residents, it's the largest job center in the region and the third-largest residential downtown in the country.
 
With 18 district plans in some stage of development as part of the Philadelphia 2035 comprehensive planning process, planners were looking for a chance to highlight their latest ideas. 

"The [district plan roll-out] process can get a bit repetitive," says Laura Spina, Center City Planner for PCPC. "For the Central and University Southwest District plans, we wanted to make the presentation a little more lively."

The program also includes a talk by Pearl Properties’ Jim Pearlstein and the graduation of another class of Citizens Planning Institute students, the education and outreach entity of the PCPC.
 
Doors will open at 5:30 p.m.; the program begins at 6 p.m. Click here to secure your ticket.

Source:  Laura Spina, Center City Planner, Philadelphia City Planning Commission
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

For those anxiously awaiting the new SimCity's March release, Philadelphia city planners have an alternate fix. As part of a broad effort to engage more Philadelphians, the Planning Commission has adopted a fun, easy, interactive way to solicit public feedback for their ongoing district plans. Dubbed Philadelphia2035: The Game, the new tool is being used in conjunction with the ongoing University/Southwest District Plan.
 
By utilizing these new web tools, planners can reach a much bigger audience than with public meetings alone. So far it looks like efforts are paying off -- according to the Planning Commission's Clint Randall, 650 to 700 people have already registered to play. "The high interest hopefully means people are learning more about planning and projects coming to their neighborhood," says Randall.

The structure is simple: Players register online and then complete challenges featuring questions such as "What is Beautiful?" and "What Doesn’t Work?" In addition, players can post ideas for making their neighborhood a better version of its current self. Participants can also drop pins on a Google map, identifying what type of new development they’d like to see and where. 
 
Those without Internet access can play the game from any of the city's KEYSPOTs, free computing centers that are now up and running in the district.
  
The game also has an off-line impact. "As players earn coins for correct answers during the game, they can donate them to real-life causes, all based within the University/Southwest planning district," explains Randall. 
 
With seven causes currently under consideration, a donation toward the greening of the Lea Elementary School is the early frontrunner.
 
But not to fret, there’s still time to sign up and fight for some coin for a cause you care about. Players have the opportunity to donate their coins at the end of each of the three week-long missions. At the close of the game (February 18), the top three causes will each receive a $500 donation. 

Source:  Clint Randall, City Planning Commission
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Thanks to Greenworks Philadelphia, the city’s ambitious sustainable action plan, Mayor Nutter is committed to making Philadelphia the greenest city in the country by 2015. Thankfully, he has a major partner in Veolia Energy North America, a leading operator and developer of efficient energy solutions with a big local presence. In January, the company completed a multi-million dollar investment in its Philadelphia district energy network, converting it to 100 percent "green steam."

The green steam project will reduce the carbon footprint of Philadelphia by 70,000 metric tons each year. When combined with the company's other green initiatives, that number jumps to 430,000 -- or the equivalent of removing 70,000 cars from the streets annually.

According to Veolia's Elinor Haider, that reduction singlehandedly "helps the city achieve 10 percent of its [20 percent Greenworks] goal."

It’s no surprise that a company like Veolia can have such a large impact on a citywide initiative. Its Philadelphia district energy network is the third largest energy system in the United States. "We provide steam to 500 buildings with 100 million square feet of total space," explains Veolia's Michael Smedley. Most of their clients are located in University City and Center City.

In fact, the University of Pennsylvania is the company’s largest customer, responsible for 40 percent of their business. Veolia is in negotiations to renew that contract, adding Penn to the list of institutions -- including Thomas Jefferson University, the Barnes Foundation and Drexel -- that have either recently renewed or agreed to long-term lease agreements.

While big clients with long-term contracts are the global firm’s primary targets, Smedley and Haider say smaller-scale work also drives their green market edge. "We feel very responsive to customers' desire for green living," explains Haider.  

Source: Elinor Haider and Michael Smedley, Veolia Energy
Writer: Greg Meckstroth