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In November, Mayor Michael Nutter and members of the Metropolitan Caucus representing Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties launched a new initiative to help business and home owners save energy. EnergyWorks is an informational program and website that helps explain energy rebate programs, tax incentives and home energy audits. One month this 5-county program, it has received hundreds of requests for information. As the program refines its message, EnergyWorks officials hope to create educational programs, outreach efforts and online campaigns  to bring new building management solutions and development projects to the region.

"We realized we had to make this a one-stop shop like when you take your car to a mechanic and he fixes the tire and the brake pad and the axle so the whole system runs right," says Philadelphia Deputy Chief of Staff for Economic Development Andy Rachlin. "Building management is very complicated and oftentimes people won't know what is wrong. They know that they are cold in the winter, hot in the summer and their energy bills are sky high. So we help them improve energy usage from start to finish."

The process begins with a complete energy assessment to determine the energy leaks where simple solutions like insulation may do the trick. Program instructors also recommend switching to energy efficient light bulbs and setting thermostat timers. If you own a business and you want to go bigger, EnergyWorks can help you find rebates for everything from energy efficient appliances to six- and seven-figure loan financing for construction projects designed to expand your business in a sustainable way. But the most important thing, says Rachlin, is that people understand the importance of energy.

"At a local level, these things help lower people's bills and make them more comfortable," says Rachlin. "But this is more than just a local issue. Climate change is something that won't be affected without everyone working together."

Source: Andy Rachlin, EnergyWorks
Writer: John Steele

Architect Frank Gehry is known for his shiny, curvaceous designs like the Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. His latest project is decidedly less glamorous but still adds his name to a piece of architectural history. Gehry is working with the Philadelphia Museum of Art to add an underground wing complete with loading dock and art handling facility. After hiring Gehry in 2006, the Museum has secured his services for a 10-year master plan, which will add underground gallery spaces for the museum's Contemporary American Art and Asian art sections, as well as rotating exhibitions. The project will add 80,000 sq. ft. of space to the historic Philadelphia landmark.

"Some may see this first phase of the project as simply practical, yet it is a critical component to the entire design, which really will transform the museum," says Museum President and COO Gail Harrity.

For architecture buffs, the more important feature of Gehry's design may not come from where he is building but where he is not. The new loading dock and art handling area will return the old loading zone--a vaulted walkway that runs through the length of the museum and has been used for shipping and receiving since the 1970s--to its original purpose as a street-level visitor entrance, adding yet another touchstone to Philadelphia's most famous architectural landmark.

"By creating a new art handling facility, we are not only bringing our museum up to state-of-the-art, best-practice standards, we also free up this historic space that will be reopened and restored as another entrance to the museum," says Harrity.

Source: Gail Harrity, Philadelphia Museum of Art
Writer: John Steele

When the Obama administration announced the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act two years ago, Philadelphia Housing Authority General Manager of Community Development and Design Michael Johns set to work getting applications in for as many projects as he could. From fixing blight in Mill Creek to the construction of the Mantua Square development in West Philadelphia, many of PHA's wishes have since been answered. This week, PHA cut the ribbon on 340 rehabbed housing units scattered across the city. The development is PHA's largest stimulus-funded project to date and provides homes for people once living in shelters or on the street.

"PHA has over 1000 vacant properties so in terms of that inventory, this is a significant step forward in addressing our scattered sites portfolio," says Johns. "In addition to that, this project makes a statement to the city and to the communities that we are in that we are committed to addressing their concerns about public housing."

Not only were the homes substantially rehabbed, 71 of the homes were made handicap-accessible, complete with ramped entrances and chair-lifts, allowing handicapped residents the opportunity to live on their own. In accordance with the Stimulus funding they received, PHA brought all homes to greater energy efficiency through sustainable improvements including improved insulation, energy efficient air and water heaters, doors, windows and Energy Star appliances and fixtures.

"In these older homes, energy is always a concern and we were ready to meet the energy criteria outlined in the stimulus funding," says Johns. "We worked with caulking, insulation, and weather stripping to seal those leaks and reduce the amount of energy lost in these new units."

Source: Michael Johns, Philadelphia Housing Authority
Writer: John Steele

When the planners of Penn Praxis designed the Civic Vision for the Central Delaware, they envisioned a bustling commercial waterfront loaded with restaurants, shopping, and, above all, green space. As development plans have begun, projects like the Race Street Pier and Pier 53 have brought parks to areas previously disconnected from green space, raising property values and public health in the process. Penn Praxis returns this week with its latest plan, Green 2015, an action plan designed to add 500 acres of open space to Philadelphia by 2015.

Green 2015 is a response to the Greenworks Sustainability Plan, issued by the Nutter Administration, to add 500 acres to the equity of the city, giving special focus to those areas without proper park access. Penn Praxis unveils this plan at the today's Urban Sustainability Forum at the Academy of Natural Sciences.

"In the report, we try to address people who might ask why we would invest in something like this during such tough economic times," says Penn Praxis Executive Director Harris Steinberg. "How do we serve those areas who are underserved? By adding those economic as well as social, environmental and public health benefits of green space."

Even with these considerations, cost is a concern. So the plan focuses first on using city-owned land to reduce acquisition costs, focusing on school yards, rec centers and vacant lands in under-greened neighborhoods, giving planners more than 1,000 acres to work with. The plan also examines storm water management goals set forth by the EPA, adding funding to these initiatives. Mayor Nutter and Parks and Recreation Commissioner Michael DiBerardinis will be on hand Tuesday to mark the official start of this action plan.

"There is a lot of collaboration across many different agencies, which I think bodes very well," says Steinberg. "It is always hard during tough economic times because you have to strike a balance between existing resources and getting the most out of your work but we expect a positive response overall."

Source: Harris Steinberg, Penn Praxis
Writer: John Steele

As an alum of Yards and the creator of the brewery's famous tasting room, Johnny Della Polla is no stranger to a good bar. So when he moved to Queen Village a few years back and stopped in to neighborhood mainstay the Lyons Den, he knew it was a great spot in need of an upgrade. While the Den was good for a shot and a beer, Queens Villagers were starting to expect a little more. So when it became available, Della Polla got his chance. Along with partner Ashley Bohan, Della Polla created Kennett, a LEED-certified, artisanal-style eatery complete with burgers, wood-oven pizzas and, of course, a dynamite beer list. The restaurant opened for business this Saturday.

"Over the last ten years, the neighborhood has kind of changed where families moved in and people started having kids," says Managing Partner Johnny Della Polla. "The Lyons Den deserves a lot of credit. They were here for ten years and when they came in, they were exactly what the neighborhood wanted. But For Pete's Sake is right down the street, the New Wave is right up the street. We wanted to do something different."

After deciding on a sustainable, craft tap-room feel, Della Polla explored the building and saw that the name Kennett was carved into the keystone out front and decided it would be the namesake of his new venture. Soon after announcing the restaurant, Ted Kennett reached out, saying his grandfather, a Ukrainian immigrant, had owned the building in 1924 as a boarding house where he brewed moonshine in the basement. That speakeasy theme informs the cocktail list, developed by Noble bartender Christian Gaal. Della Polla hopes touches like these will endear him to this evolving neighborhood.

"We tried to tie everything together," Della Polla says. "It's this green certified restaurant that also has this prohibition-era cocktail theme and this local food, craft beer theme. They all sort of just stuck."

Source: Johnny Della Polla, Kennett
Writer: John Steele

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

When it comes to trees, the folks at Center City District don't mess around. The group maintains about 750 street trees and, with their redesign of Dilworth Plaza set to get rolling after the first of the year, that number is about to get a whole lot bigger. But that hasn't slowed them down one bit. This week, the group announced the first event in the Plant! Philadelphia series, a planting initiative designed to increase green space and involve Philadelphians in creating it.

On Thursday, Dec. 2, a group of students from Abraham Lincoln Academy's Environmental Academy program met with CCD officials to help plant two new trees. The first set down in front of Thomas Jefferson's famous Graff House, where he wrote the Declaration of Independence. The other went on a treeless block at 6th and Chestnut. Along the way, the students learned some history of the area as well as the value of tree planting.

"There can never be enough trees because they do so much for our urban environment," says CCD VP of Planning Nancy Goldenberg. "But beyond what private developers do, this program is specifically for street trees. Those are something that every tourist, every visitor, every resident, every employee benefits from."

The program came through a donation from the Dow Chemical Company, helping CCD buy, plant and maintain the two young Hackberry trees. Goldenberg hopes other businesses follow suit to help improve on CCD's current planting schedule and get the city to more healthy green levels.

"We plant about 60 new trees each year because of drought or they get hit by trucks or whatever," says CCD VP of Planning Nancy Goldenberg. "Plant! Philadelphia is an effort to involve Philadelphia people and businesses in that effort and help the city reach its goal of planting 300,000 trees by 2015."

Source: Nancy Goldenberg, Center City District
Writer: John Steele

While the Philadelphia City Planning Commission (PCPC) remains hard at work on the Philadelphia 2035 plan--a strategic, long-term document focused on creating a stronger future for Philadelphia's transit and development--another group of planners have gotten in on the act. What these planners lack in knowledge, they more than make up for in experience living in Philadelphia and observing the functionality of city design and services.

These concerned community members are part of a pilot program called the Citizen's Planning Institute (CPI), an educational program working to empower citizens to make their voices heard in the planning process. Funded by the William Penn Foundation, CPI offers basic lessons in everything from land use to zoning issues, placing extra emphasis on under-represented communities around Philadelphia, in the hopes of creating more dynamic, city-wide development.

"We targeted specifically neighborhoods not as experienced with the process to be more active and effective with a focus on a "planning 101 approach," says CPI Director Donna Carney. "So they could see that they have the power to change their neighborhoods through this process."

The pilot program attracted 100 applicants, of which 30 were chosen to represent their neighborhoods. The resulting panel contained over 850 years of Philadelphia residency and helped shape a planned expansion to the program in 2011. The current students "graduate" when the courses conclude on Dec. 6 but plans are already in the works to add elective topics such as urban design, historic preservation, marketing and finance.

"As we expand on the program going forward, a whole variety of outreach activities could be handled by the Citizen's Planning Institute in the future," says PCPC Director of Planning and Policy Alan Urek.  "We would look to it to help inform some of the recommendations on the comprehensive plan."

Source: Donna Carney, Citizen's Planning Institute
Writer: John Steele

For architects like Jibe Design Principal Juliet Whelan, sometimes the most innovative work is better enjoyed as a work of art. So for her most recent design--a completely energy independent house retrofitted into recycled shipping containers--she made artistry the focus, enlisting photographer Stu Goldenberg of Goldenberg Photography and frequent collaborator Naquib Hossain to design a model for a photo retrospective.

After buying a Fishtown lot at an auction, craftsman Martin Lautz enlisted Jibe to design a sustainable, off-the-grid oasis built out of shipping containers. The house, Lautz said, would test the limits of sustainable living in a modern, urban setting. Meanwhile, Goldenberg was looking for his latest muse. When Whelan brought them all together with builders Allison Carafa and Jason Flax, the team created a scaled model called Free Agent House, a test center for sustainable design elements and the subject of a unique photo collection.

"Most un-built architecture projects are only viewed as two-dimensional computer renderings and many iconic completed buildings are only seen by the masses as photos," says Whelan. "I liked the idea of Stu playing with the intersection of a real photo of a real model and a rendered image of an un-built project."

Complete with solar panels, vacuum-insulated wall panels, efficient natural lighting design, passive heating and cooling systems and a solar-thermal water heater, the model creates a complete home without the aid of outside energy producers--a model that may become popular as Pennsylvania rate caps expire at the end of this year. Lautz recently requested a larger home design and Jibe is working to keep the efficiency measures in tact for a larger structure.

"Every project I design belongs on a continuum of my development as an architect," says Whelan. "The Free Agent House fixes some mistakes I've made on other projects, particularly in regards to separating floors vertically for heating efficiency. The innovations in this home will certainly inform my future work."

Source: Juliet Whelan, Jibe Design
Writer: John Steele

In the past decade, traffic on US Route 422 has increased by 50 percent. The highway spur that connects Hershey to King of Prussia has seen many efforts to reduce traffic--from narrowing lanes to adding a third lane in some sections--go nowhere. After publishing a master plan for 422, which included an extension to SEPTA's R6 as well as several roadway improvements, municipalities were stuck on the issue of tolling, a measure many municipalities originally opposed.

To explore the tolling possibility, a group of local and regional government agencies created the 422plus Project, an outreach campaign to create awareness and get public reaction. For their latest effort, project officials tapped former Fox 29 features reporter Gerald Kolpan to create a video survey gauging public reaction to tolling and the proposed 422 improvements.

"When people hear the word 'toll' they are generally upset and don't want to pay it," says Kolpan. "But one of the things we found out was that, if you ask the question correctly, people really weren't averse to paying. If the money that is raised on 422 stays on 422 and doesn't end up in some project in Western Pennsylvania, Harrisburg or Washington, only one person we talked to said they would be opposed."

Talking with business leaders and everyday drivers, Kolpan gets a man-on-the-street view of everything from traffic to tolls. Beyond where the money is going, Kolpan says, citizens worry that toll booths will further congest traffic and prefer some sort of automatic system, like high-speed EZ-Pass transponders for all drivers. The video survey and the 422plus Project's other efforts will culminate in a final report on the pros and cons of tolling, which will be released in 2011.

"One of the biggest problems that people have is that they don't have any alternative to driving, unless you want to take a horse or a bicycle," says Kolpan. "Fixing 422 is very important to them and they are waiting to see what the findings are."

Source: Gerald Kolpan, 422plus Project
Writer: John Steele

It may seem ironic for a brand like Mitchell and Ness to relocate its flagship store at 1318 Chestnut Street to a more modern location. After all, the brand is rooted in nostalgia, offering fans all the old-school apparel money can buy, celebrating the history of teams both local and national. But sure enough, M&N announced that they will be opening a new store at 1201 Chestnut Street this week, in time for the holidays. The original flagship store will remain open through the first of the year as well. President Sean McKinney believes that, while they are not moving far, the new store will signal a "rebirth for the brand."

"Our products are great but when you go into our current location, the layout and the customer experience is really not that much different than most sporting goods stores out there, and I think it does our product a disservice," says Mitchell and Ness president Sean McKinney. "In the new space, you can understand the relationship between an old, wool baseball jersey hanging in an old wooden locker. The product will be displayed and showcased much better, connecting the Mitchell and Ness history with sports history and our vintage products."

Artistically designed with wood accents and exposed brick, 1201 Chestnut will feature antique-style clubhouse lockers as display cases and, on the second floor, features a repurposed basketball court. But McKinney assures us that they have not lost nostalgia completely. The building was once a bank, complete with regal latticework in the ceilings and polished railings that fit nicely in the refurbished Mitchell and Ness. McKinney believes the combination of history and modernity is what Mitchell and Ness is all about.

"With our brand being around since 1904, we definitely wanted a building with some history to it," says McKinney. "A lot of the architecture and the character of the building is going to remain. We have refurbished in some cases but we loved the history that the building had."

Source: Sean McKinney, Mitchell and Ness
Writer: John Steele

When Disney's California Adventure unveiled 'World of Color,' the park's massive water-and-light animation show, officials hoped to create a focal point for nightly visitors to end their evening on a high note. The Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas has a similar show, where synchronized fountains create an aquatic ballet for visitors. But those are tourist destinations, where spectacle and showmanship are included in the experience. How would such a show be greeted in a highly-trafficked urban center like Philadelphia?

The principals at Philadelphia-based WaterMagic LLC hope the city will appreciate a little showmanship as they attempt to bring a similar fountain show to the Schuylkill Banks area by 30th Street Station. The installation, created by 'World of Color' designer Robert Nonemaker, would include a 70-foot water screen displaying digital images and a solar array to power all fountains and lights. WaterMagic has received $3.5 million that it must match with private funding in order to move forward. With support from city officials like Deputy Mayor Rina Cutler and former Governor Ed Rendell, principals John Randolph and Rob Stuart started the push for private financing this week.

"We hope this will extend the hours of useful life along the Schuylkill to include the nighttime hours," says Randolph. "And it will add to the image of the river as a gateway between Center City and West Philadelphia."

After talking to park users and residents, the most common complaint about the area was the noise level of traffic from nearby highway entrances and thoroughfares. WaterMagic hopes its installation will provide a noise barrier and a distraction from automotive noise.

"The water screen acts as a noise blocker and the plumes act as a masking with pleasant noise of falling water, that people find relaxing," Stuart says. "Our sense is that this will be something that will bring people to Philadelphia and keep them here at night to witness this phenomenon."

Source: Rob Stuart, WaterMagic LLC
Writer: John Steele

With the Race Street connector streetscape project already underway, city officials gathered with Mayor Michael Nutter and Delaware River Waterfront Corporation president Tom Corcoran last week to break ground on the Race Street Pier park project. The pier is to act as a pilot project for waterfront greenways that feature heavily in the Master Plan for the Central Delaware.

"With this park, we have created a public space that we hope will leverage private investment along the waterfront," says DRWC VP of Operations Joe Forkin.

The park features a rising, boardwalk-style platform, allowing for views across the river, next to greenspace and tree-lined pathways. Park designers secured mature trees left over from the World Trade Center building project, giving the park an aged look from the start. The pathways and railings are all lit with solar-powered LED lighting to give the pier a modern feel during the day and at night. The project is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2011.

"It's day and night enjoyment," says Forkin. "During the day, you can sunbathe, you can walk, you can complete the circuit from Old City, down the connector to the waterfront. And then at night, we've added a lighting component in a random pattern through the pavers and then the bridge above you, creating a spectacular light show at night to play off the location under the Ben Franklin Bridge."

Source: Joe Forkin, DRWC
Writer: John Steele

While often seen as intractable bureaucracy, zoning matters. And it isn't just city officials who think so. When the issue of creating a more accessible zoning code went to a vote in 2008, it received nearly unanimous support. Since you can't build so much as a doghouse in Philadelphia without examining the zoning code, the Zoning Code Commission created a list of criteria that even the least savvy builder could sift through, holding numerous public meetings and taking suggestions online for how to make things clearer. Now, with the plan entering its final draft stage, the ZCC is making one final call for suggestions, notes and edits before the code goes before the City Council in December.

"We have changed the structure so it is much more apparent what is located where, including maps and charts and graphic illustrations throughout the code," says Zoning Code Commission Executive Director Eva Gladstein. "We have heard from so many citizens. We heard from concerned parents worrying about daycare standards. We have heard from a number of architects who felt that the original design standards were too prescriptive. There are so many examples."

Over the last two years, the Zoning Code Commission has attempted to explain the importance of zoning with ZoningMatters.org, the online home of the new zoning code where citizens have been making suggestions and helping shape the new code. The ZCC will continue to accept suggestions through November 12 with the hopes of having a new code in place before the first of the year.

"Our zoning code last had a comprehensive update in the early 1960's so the world has changed drastically since that time," says Gladstein. "What kind of uses could be next to you or down the street? Where can you put a pizza shop or a theater? Where can offices or manufacturing be located? It affects your front yard, your backyard and where you live and work."

Source: Eva Gladstein, Zoning Code Commission
Writer: John Steele

Do you know of a new building going up, a business expanding or being renovated, a park in the works or even a cool new house being built in the neighborhood? Please send your development news tips here.

There are a few things every neighborhood needs close by; a grocery store for food, a bar for nightlife and, for the caffeine-addicted among us, a local coffee shop. So when Mugshots owner Angie Vendetti went looking for her third location, she knew it had to be a neighborhood seriously jonesing for java. She settled on Brewerytown, Girard Avenue's west end that has seen strong development in the last two years. As Brewerytown's main commercial corridor begins to take shape, Mugshots hopes to be there to add a little cream and sugar. The shop, located at 2831 Girard Ave., celebrated it's grand opening on Halloween and served its first customers this week.

"We decided to have a grand opening on Halloween because of the timing, so we could get the kids to come in," says Vendetti. "It was actually a really good turnout. There were probably 150 people there, most of whom I didn't know so that's awesome. It wasn't all my friends and family."

Rehabbed by local development group MM Partners, the space was previously a hat shop that relocated to the other end of the block. Vendetti kept the original stained glass along the top of the facade but updated the lighting and the appliances for sustainability standards. Mugshots has long been a sustainable business focusing on fair trade coffee and reducing waste. But for now, Vendetti says, she will settle for being accepted into the Brewerytown community.

"Ever since we opened in Fairmount, we have been on that fence of trying to educate people without shoving it down their throats," says Vendetti. "We don't want people to feel like they are being preached at so we always make these options available--we offer 10 percent off for people with travel mugs, we don't give bags automatically if you only order one thing, things like that--so that they might catch on."

Source: Angie Vendetti, Mugshots Coffeehouse
Writer: John Steele

Do you know of a new building going up, a business expanding or being renovated, a park in the works or even a cool new house being built in the neighborhood? Please send your development news tips here.