South Philadelphia : Development News

While the residential neighborhood around it has taken off, the intersection of 12th and Lombard has found itself caught in the chokehold of The Pain Center.  The Pain Center was a medical facility recently shut down after a grand jury investigation revealed the doctors had been defrauding insurance companies out of $5 million. Yet, a local developer seems to have some non-painful news for the area, as he hopes to convert the facility into six townhouses. 

The community seems intrigued by developer Virgil Procaccino’s preliminary plans to tear down The Pain Center and build single-family units, says David Fante, VP for planning and development at the Washington Square West Civic Association (WSWCA).  Fante reports that Procaccino went in front of the civic association’s Zoning and Governmental Affairs committee in early March with some plans. The committee seems impressed. The "townhouses are well-designed, attractive, and in keeping with the residential scale of the neighborhood," says Fante.

While WSWCA’s committee was generally excited about Procaccino’s plans, they did have a few recommendations. Fante says they felt as though the developer should reduce the building’s height in accordance with the city’s new zoning code and offer a gate to provide access to the complex’s proposed parking lot. Fante is happy to say that the developer seems ready to accept the recommendations. 

Fante and other members of the civic association are breathing a sigh of relief that something will be done with The Pain Center. Fante complains about the drug-dealing and prostitution that have moved to 12th and Lombard in the wake of the building’s closure.  Also, he sees litter and a lack of activity in front of the building as problems. Fante adds that new residential would lead to enhanced street lighting and increase the neighborhood’s density, which he sees as a good thing. 

If you have an opinion on The Pain Center re-development, make sure to attend a future WSWCA meeting.  The Zoning and Governmental Affairs Committee meets the fourth Tuesday of every month at Jefferson University, while the overall Board meets the second Tuesday of every month in the same location.   

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Source: David Fante, Washington Square West Civic Association

For months, things did not look good for Manton St. Park in South Philly’s Pennsport neighborhood. The city refused to designate the lot as a park, instead selling it to U.S. Construction, a private developer. U.S. could have easily built on top of the park, which would have given the developer room for two more houses. Instead, the firm decided to build three rowhouses next to the pocket park, and allowed the community to keep their beloved pocket park and community garden.

U.S. Construction has shown a willingness to work with neighbors in the 4th and Manton St. area that houses the pocket park, says Mark Berman, the president of the Friends of Manton Street Park and Community Garden. "They said initially they didn't want to start out in the community on a bad foot," he says. Berman continues that they’ve been approachable and cooperative. They've gone so far as to agree to pay for some of the supplies in rehabbing the park. Neighbors seem to be happy at the three new residential units, citing the large amount of abandoned lots in the neighborhood.

Now that Manton St. Park has been awarded a new lease on life, Berman has plans to bring it back to life. He hopes to get it listed on the Parks and Recreation Department’s inventory of parks, and turn it into a landscaped leisure area, perfect for picnics. The Friends also hope to continue the park’s current use as a community garden, which holds 10 beds and boasts a passionate bunch of volunteers. 

Berman says his group works closely with other community groups, but wants a better relationship with the city. He says his group has an intimate relationship with the Pennsport and Dickinson Narrows Civic Associations, and Friends of Jefferson Square Park. However, Berman still has a bitter taste in his mouth about how the city treated his park. He recounts poor communication from Councilman Frank DiCicco’s office and Parks and Recreation. However, the Friends have received support from the current councilman, and are optimistic about a better relationship with the city. 

The Friends of Manton St. Park anticipate that U.S. Construction’s new rowhouses will be ready in just a couple of months. Berman is excited that whoever moves in will soon have a landscaped pocket park and community garden right next door. He realizes that South Philadelphia "traditionally gets a bad rap for being full of litter and concrete." Thanks to the cooperation between U.S. Construction and The Friends, this won’t be true for the neighborhood around 4th and Manton.  

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Source: Mark Berman, Friends of Manton St. Park and Community Garden

Photo courtesy of Friends of Manton St. Park and Community Garden 

Greater Philadelphia is rapidly becoming more of a hub for urban farming and community-supported agriculture (CSA). Just look at the recently expanded Mariposa food co-op on Baltimore Ave., the active Kensington Community Food Co-op, and the Creekside Co-op groundbreaking in Montgomery County. Another organization that hasn’t received as much publicity is West Philadelphia’s Neighborhood Foods, which is transitioning from just an urban farm to a CSA and is teaming up with other local food venders at Rittenhouse Square.

Neighborhood Foods will be using three different sites in West Philadelphia this year to cultivate fresh food. The main site is Polselli Farm, a two-thirds acre lot at 53rd and Wyalusing at which the group has been farming snce 2010, according to Dylan Baird, the business manager. He adds that his organization annexed two smaller farm sites last year, and will be growing from them starting this year. One site is the popular Walnut Hill Farm, which thrives in the shadows of SEPTA's 46th St. El stop. 

Baird is excited to announce that his urban farm will also feature a CSA this year, which he claims is the city’s first urban farm-based CSA. Members of this CSA will enjoy locally-cultivated fruits, vegetables, and grains, with all proceeds being returned to Haddington, Walnut Hill, and other sections of West Philly. According to Baird, the CSA will run for 22 weeks from the middle of May to October, and more include very affordable prices. Neighborhood Foods is currently looking for members.  

The CSA is now working with other local food sellers at the Rittenhouse Square Farmers’ Market every Saturday. "We are broadening beyond just urban farmed produce and we will be incorporating all kinds of Philly produced products," says Baird. Some examples of this include canned goods from South Philly’s Green Aisle Grocery, bread from West Philly’s Four Worlds Bakery, and jellies from Fifth of a Farm Jams. 

Proceeds from the Rittenhouse stand enable Neighborhood Foods to continue to grow and sell fresh food at a steep discount in West Philly. "Our business model is such that we sell our food at a premium around the city so that we can subsidize the price of food at our community farmers market as well as our community programs," says Baird.  

Neighborhood Foods is a product of The Enterprise Center CDC and Urban Tree Connection, and features produce that is grown naturally and without chemicals. Baird says that the urban farm benefits from a large local population of senior citizens, who understand the value of fresh vegetables from their early years in the South. 

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Source: Dylan Baird, Neighborhood Foods

Photo courtesy Neighborhood Foods     

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   

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    

What do New York City, Washington D.C., Boston, Baltimore, Spartanburg SC, and Hollywood FL all have in common? Hopefully you’ll have an answer by the time I’m finished with this sentence. If you don’t, these are all East Coast cities that offer bike sharing. Notice that Philadelphia is not in there. With this in mind, a team from the University of Pennsylvania is looking to put our city on par with the likes of Spartanburg by establishing Liberty Bike Share, which aims to bring bike sharing to Center City, University City, South Philly, and the Temple University-area.

Liberty Bike Share is the product of three Masters degree candidates at UPenn who closely analyzed the 2010 Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) “Philadelphia Bike Share Concept Study,” says Dylan Hayden, who’s helping to organize the bike share concept. Hayden says Liberty is hoping to make 2,500-2,700 bicycles available to be shared at a cost of abougt $15 million. He adds that Liberty has the support of the Center City District and certain members of City Council. At this point, his group is waiting for the city’s Office of Transportation and Utilities (MOTU) to issue an RFP. 

As is usually the case, the cost of setting up operations is one of the biggest challenges Liberty faces. Hayden emphasizes that his team is looking to solicit pledges from local hospitals, universities, insurance companies, and other private sector entities willing to chip in. He does admit that securing financial contributions in the Philadelphia-area can be “like squeezing a turnip.” On this note, MOTU has identified the up-front costs of bike sharing as one of its biggest worries. 

Hayden says his team hopes to implement Liberty Bike Share in two phases, with the first concentrating on Center and University Cities and the second extending the program up to Temple. Liberty has two companies in mind, Alta and B-Cycle, to operate the bike share. Alta operates the bike sharing programs in New York City, D.C., and Boston, while B-Cycle is responsible for bike sharing in Spartanburg, Chicago, Denver, and elsewhere. Hayden envisions charging members an annual fee of anywhere between $75 and $90.

The UPenn team hopes Liberty Bike Share will complement mass transit in Philadelphia. “We’re looking to deal with last-mile issues,” says Hayden, who’s talking about the distance between a transit or rail stop and someone’s final destination. Indeed, the Penn senior envisions a future where someone can (as an example) take a train to Market East Station and share a bike to get to their final destination. Hayden hopes to work with SEPTA to incorporate bike sharing in with their upcoming New Payment Technology.

Locally, only one borough offers bike sharing. That would be Pottstown, a borough with around 22,000 people in Western Montgomery County. Bike Pottstown, Pottstown's bike sharing program, is run by Zagster, which launched its bike sharing consultancy in Philadelphia under the name CityRyde before moving to Cambridge, Mass last year. Bike Pottstown is a free bike share, which has filled the streets of the borough with 15 eye-snatching yellow bicycles. 

Hayden is unequivocal about the benefits of bike sharing. “Bike sharing is a policy Swiss army knife,” he says. By this, he means it ameliorates a host of policy issues, including healthcare, sustainability, and mobility. He also says that the city already has much of the infrastructure in place to support bike sharing, including the 215 miles of bike lanes he cites. Bike sharing would provide Philadelphia an opportunity to catch up to other American cities, large and small.  

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Source: Dylan Hayden, Liberty Bike Share

Ten years since launching here, PhillyCarShare (PCS) is still rolling along with innovation, with some recent maneuvers that make their service more convenient, sustainable and in tune with the city it serves.

The company opened up a much more convenient office and customer service center on a stretch of Chestnut St. left vacant by the Borders closing. It has also completely revamped its auto line-up with late model cars and added American-made electric vehicles to their fleet.

The agency opened up an easily-accessible office last month at 13th and Chestnut Sts., in an area that's been punctuated by the shuttering of Borders Books. Previously, PCS members had to trudge up 10 stories at 9th and Sansom Sts. to pick up key fobs or speak to an agent in person.

"The office remains convenient to mass transit but is conducive to walk-in customers so we can better serve immediate customer needs," says Lisa Martini, a spokeswoman with PCS' owner Enterprise Holdings.

Along with PhillyCarShare's new and more visible office, the agency is acquiring new cars that command attention. Martini says the firm is renting four Chevy Volts, which are $39,000 American-made electric cars. All four of the Volts are available to share at 11th and Filbert Sts., which is by SEPTA's Market East Station and Reading Terminal Market.

"PhillyCarShare Volts are being introduced in anticipation of the City of Philadelphia's installation this spring of 18 charging stations in nine locations," continues the spokeswoman. 

Enterprise confirms it's interested in dramatically expanding the portion of the PhillyCarShare fleet that is electric. Martini says she hopes the electric vehicles will tantalize current PhillyCarShare users and lure new people to join the car sharing network. She says the number of electric vehicles that are ordered depends on member feedback. If you're a PhillyCarShare member and you like the Chevy Volt, make sure to let the agency know about it. 

In addition to the electric cars, the resurgent car sharing business has replaced all of its autos and added new pods in Philly. In contrast to many of its older cars that lined city streets just eight months ago, the agency now uses 2011 and 2012 cars, vans, SUVs, and pick-ups. Martini highlights some of the new pods across the city, which were added to Market East, the Navy Yard, Mantua, and Cedar Park. All pods have been removed from SEPTA train station parking lots for the past month while both sides renegotiate their contract. Martini is unable to say when those pods will be restored.

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Source: Lisa Martini, Enterprise Holdings

I-95 is one of the country’s most prolific highways, running between Maine and Florida. For the most part the highway runs uninterrupted, except for a small gap in the Trenton, NJ-area. With this in mind, a movement to remove the highway from the Delaware River waterfront landscape between the Ben Franklin and Walt Whitman Bridges is gaining steam. The idea of reclaiming the city’s waterfront by removing the highway, or merely burying it, was discussed at the Re-Imagining Urban Highways forum last week at the Academy of Natural Sciences.

Speakers at Re-Imagining Urban Highways came from across the country, and represented the municipal, academic, and journalistic spheres. They include Aaron Naparstek of the transportation planning website StreetsBlog, Peter Park of Harvard’s Graduate School of Design, Thomas Deller of Providence, RI’s Department of Planning and Development, and Ashwan Balakrishnan with the South Bronx River Watershed Alliance. They discussed successful and current efforts to remove urban highways around the world, and the realized and potential benefits of removal.  

The final two speakers were Diana Lind, the editor in chief of Next American City, and Andrew Stober, the Chief of Staff for Philadelphia’s Office of Transportation and Utilities, both of whom gave a local perspective. Lind was the chief proponent of creating a dialogue about removing or burying I-95, as she cited other highways and arterials that motorists could detour on to avoid the highway. Unfortunately, some of these highways are as far away as South Jersey and the western suburbs. Lind revealed that she’ll be circulating a petition to PennDOT in favor of altering I-95 this week.  

As one of the most influential people in Philadelphia’s Office of Transportation and Utilities, Stober had one of the evening's more interesting points of view. While willing to discuss the merits of burying or removing I-95, he concentrated on other improvements that could be made to the city and region’s transportation network. Stober’s main focus was on mass transit, which he called “an incredible endowment from previous generations.” He showcased the city’s proposals for Columbus Blvd., which include a light-rail line running down the median.

Stober preferred to concentrate on transit access because it “gives us more bang for the buck than dealing with the highway.” The chief of staff also lamented the unwillingness of some state and federal lawmakers to fund transportation and infrastructure, given that it’s not a glamorous topic for many voters. He cited the multitude of constituent feedback to puppy mill legislation, and compared it to the relative silence from voters on transportation legislation. Apparently, bridges and trains will never be as cute as pug and Labrador puppies.   

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Source: Andrew Stober, Philadelphia Office of Transportation and Utilities

For years, the neighborhood around Kensington and Allegheny (K&A) has been pockmarked by drugs, vacant property, and homelessness. That has not deterred local filmmaker Jamie Moffett, who’s spearheading an effort to transform vacant properties into owner-occupied homes. Moffett is the pioneer behind Kensington Renewal, which is looking to raise enough money to begin its home ownership mission.

According to Moffett, Kensington Renewal has already identified its first property to resuscitate. "There's an 'abandominium' on Rand St we're ready to purchase & rehab," says Moffett with a glint of pride. This part of Rand St. is mere blocks away from Potter Street, where the producer spent seven years spent living and he currently owns an office across the street from. These blocks are the heart and soul of Kensington, just a short jaunt from the Allegheny El stop.

Kensington Renewal’s biggest priority is raising money to start its campaign of putting Kensington residents into houses. To do this, Moffett is actively seeking donations and selling t-shirts. Moffett calls this "crowdfunding" a house, and is actively using the Internet to raise money. He offers supporters the chance to donate using Helpers Unite and through PayPal on his own website. Also, the filmmaker has partnered with the arts non-profit Positive Space to generate money through film, photography, and gallery showings. 

Moffett is beyond passionate about the transformative effects home ownership could have on Kensington. "Home ownership correlates with crime statistics; the higher the home ownership, the lower the crime," he says, citing a University of Nebraska study. He explains that this is because homeowners are more financially and socially invested in maintaining their properties and neighborhoods.  

The filmmaker’s target market for home ownership is Kensington residents who’ve never previously owned a home. These are locals who Moffett believes have been victimized by slumlords, who let profit get in the way of maintaining rental properties. He’s also taking a stand against redlining, which has caused banks and mortgage companies to flee the area. Finally, he hopes to educate the Kensington citizenry about the responsibilities associated with home ownership. 

The mission to encourage home ownership in Kensington has received support from other community groups and government officials. Moffett commends the New Kensington CDC (NKCDC) and Impact Services for imparting information to the campaign. He also points out the district Councilwoman, Maria Quinones Sanchez, as well as the 24th District police and L&I have expressed support for Kensington Renewal.    

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Source: Jamie Moffett, Kensington Renewal

Photo: Jamie Moffett

If you’ve savored some French cuisine at Bibou, inhaled some hot chocolate at Rim Café, or purchased a wedge of cheese from DiBruno Brothers, you know that South Philly’s Italian Market is a delicious neighborhood.

How would you like to live next to the Italian Market? In fact, you might be able to find a sustainable townhouse in the Italian Market neighborhood later this year, as CITYSPACE Realty is selling four soon-to-be-built sustainable townhomes.

Rachel Reilly, a listing agent for CITYSPACE, anticipates construction to begin on the Olive Townhomes in four to six weeks. As has been the trend with some new residential construction in Philadelphia, the townhomes will be built using modular construction. “Since these homes are modular instead of stick-built, the first phase of construction begins in a controlled warehouse setting, and then the boxes are delivered and stacked on site,” explains Reilly. She says that the construction period will last for four months, with construction of the final three units hinging on how quickly they go off the market.

One of the most notable features of Olive Townhomes will be its minimal footprint on the environment. Reilly makes it clear that she expects the townhomes to be certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold, which is the second highest LEED certification possible. According to the agent, the development will be the first LEED Gold multi-unit complex in Bella Vista. The environmentally friendly features that are planned include Energy Star appliances, bamboo flooring, low VOC (volatile organic compound) paint, and roofs that can accommodate solar panels. 

Reilly adds that the location itself, on the 800-block of Carpenter St., is sustainable because of its walkability and access to mass transit. “It's steps to a slew of great restaurants (many of the BYOs), the Italian Market, great coffee shops, boutiques, and public transportation,” she exclaims. In addition it’s a manageable walk to and from Passyunk Avenue shops. Nearby mass transit options include the Routes 23, 47, and 47M buses, along with the Broad Street Subway. 

The three biggest townhomes will be 2,690 square feet apiece, each containing 3 bedrooms and 3.5 baths. Each townhome will include four stories, with an outdoor patio, large windows, and the option of adding a fireplace. The fourth townhome will be 2,540 sq. ft., with a basement, deck, and fireplace. The four townhomes will surround a lush outdoor courtyard. Single-car parking will be on-site for two of the residences, while the other two townhomes will have parking at a lot a block away. CITYSPACE’s Rachel Reilly is listing the property along with Sarah Robertson. 

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Source: Rachel Reilly, CITYSPACE Realty

It's simply amazing the juggernaut that Facebook has become, as you can now check into businesses, comment on Flying Kite articles, and reconnect with (or laugh at) long-lost family and friends. Yet, there's even more, especially for university students in Philadelphia. Campus Apartments, which holds properties in University City, now allows its student tenants to pay their rent through Facebook Connect. Campus Apartments unveiled this service in late January, and is excited with the response, albeit a little afraid of being poked.

Campus Apartments is able to utilize Facebook through a partnership between their existing online payment system, SmartClick, and the social network. Previously, the only way to access SmartClick was by inputting an e-mail address and password, says John Ailor, senior Director of Web and Wireless Technologies at Campus Apartments. Yet, in a sign of how ubiquitous Facebook has become, Campus Apartments decided it would be easier for many residents to simply remain on Facebook to pay their rent.  

Ailor outlines all that students can do via Facebook. They can "make payments, view (the) tenant ledger and submit service requests easily and more quickly than before,” he remarks. Ailor assures that it's far from a complicated process to sign up for the privilege of Facebook rent payment, as it should drag on no longer than a minute. 

While the Facebook perk came only went live just a couple of weeks ago, Ailor boasts that already a few hundred residents used it to pay their February rent. No word on how many of these social networkers live in Campus Apartments' Philadelphia properties. According to Ailor, these several hundred users are among 27,363 active SmartClickers across the country. SmartClick also allows students to pay rent through their app on Android phones. 

Campus Apartments has over a hundred apartments in University City that house pupils at Penn, Drexel, USciences, the Restaurant School at Walnut Hill, and the JNA Institute of the Culinary Arts. Nationwide, Campus Apartments offers student housing in 23 states, including California, Texas, and Michigan. 

The student housing provider reports no complaints about Facebook Connect among the few hundred who have used it so far. For the student Luddites among us, Campus Apartments still offers residents the chance to pay rent by check. Expect to see other student housing firms follow suit with a Facebook payment option. No dislike button needed for this. 

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Source: John Ailor, Campus Apartments

For the past few decades, a mammoth building has sat decomposing on South Broad St., in a neighborhood that has otherwise been a beacon for redevelopment. This building is the former Third Regiment Armory at Broad and Wharton, which was last used by the National Guard in the 1980s. Since that time, the building has lay relatively dormant, embroiled in a dispute between the state Department of General Services and the local Tolentine Community Center and Development Corporation. Yet, state Senator Larry Farnese is hoping to change this, and spur redevelopment of the building.

Farnese recently authored Senate Bill 1368, which calls on the state to give Tolentine more control over the Armory by removing onerous restrictions. Tony Mannino, chief of staff for Sen. Farnese, says that the state Department of General Services mandated that the Armory could only be used for community services and could not be sold. Thus, the state senator wants to see these restrictions removed.

According to Mannino, one of the main problems with the Armory is that Tolentine doesn't have the money to adequately fix it up. "The condition of the building is so bad," admits Mannino. This includes the floors on the Broad St.-side of the building, which have partially collapsed. Ostensibly, the state didn't even grasp how poor the condition of the building was. "The building is in a more deteriorated condition than the Department of General Services had previously understood it to be," Mannino adds. 

Still, Farnese's office says the building is structurally sound to the best of their knowledge. Tolentine Community Center has been working with the city's Department of Licenses and Inspections in recent years, and made substantial repairs to the Armory's roof in early 2011. 

While Farnese wants to clear a path to re-development for the Third Regiment Armory, there has yet to be a solid plan as to what the rebirth should look like. "We want a re-development consistent with good use for the community," says Mannino. Mannino offers a revelation when he says the parcel seems to be zoned R-10A, which means residential. So, parties will likely have to pursue a variance for anything else. 

Apparently, Farnese's office has only had preliminary meetings with the Passyunk Square Civic Association and South Broad Street Neighbors about the Armory so far. They're currently concentrating on getting SB 1368 passed in the state Senate and House, so thoughts of how specifically to redevelop the space will have to come later. The bottom line is, Farnese is "trying to balance the interests of the community, state, and Tolentine," says Mannino. Hopefully, this balance will lead to further re-development on S. Broad sooner rather than later. 

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Source: Tony Mannino, Sen. Farnese's Office

Since 1889, the intersection of Grays Ferry Ave. and Fitzwater St has been graced by a church. For decades, the St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church occupied the crossroads, until the Greater St. Matthew Baptist Church moved in soon after the start of this century. Yet, Greater St. Matthew recently had to sell the building, which might mark its conclusion as a place of worship. In fact, Center City developer Ben Weinraub is looking to convert the church into luxury apartments.

Weinraub, the owner of Vintage Residential Management, is keen on "adaptively re-using" the church to create one- and a few two-bedroom apartments. This means "saving the interior and exterior [of the holy place] as much as possible," he points out. One way in which Weinraub hopes to do this is by carving a patio out of the roof and parapits. He also seeks to utilize the former church's tower as an overlook space, although that would depend on the fire code. 

The building is comprised of two facilities, which are the erstwhile sanctuary and rectory of the church. The developer is proposing 29 apartments to be built where the sanctuary used to stand and eight apartments where the rectory was housed. Weinraub is currently hoping to get a variance from the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) for converting the sanctuary into apartments. 

The developer is passionate about maintaining the character of the holy place. He endeavors to use a great deal of stone in constructing the apartments, and hopes to create wrought iron balconies. Weinraub is also skeptical about creating off-street parking for the units. Some neighbors have suggested he include basement parking, although that would mean he would have to significantly alter the interior of the building, thus hindering the efforts to preserve the church's character. 

In lieu of parking, Vintage Management hopes to encourage residents to bike, carshare, and walk. Weinraub hopes to invite PhillyCarShare and Zipcar to turn two of the old church's anointed parking spaces into pods. He also hopes to provide ample bike storage. In addition, the developer anticipates that many residents will be graduate students or workers in University City, meaning a relatively short pedestrian commute over the South St. Bridge.       

Writer: Andy Sharpe
Source: Ben Weinraub, Vintage Property Management

Anyone who's been to Bartram's Garden or traveled through Philadelphia to get to the airport can attest that the neighborhoods around the lower Schuylkill River are quirky places. In many cases, the land doesn't comprise neighborhoods, but rather heavy industry, transportation infrastructure, and parkland. The Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) has begun to examine the Lower Schuylkill River area, and is looking for public feedback.

Kate McNamara, PIDC's project manager for the Lower Schuylkill Master Plan, says the study area comprises "3700 acres of historically industrial land in South and Southwest Philadelphia." The eastern boundary is the intersection of I-95 and 76, while Lindbergh Blvd. forms the western edge. The area flexes as far north as the southern rim of University City.

The PIDC begins the study with the realization that this area has challenges. McNamara laments that 68 percent of the city's poorly-used and abandoned industrial land blights the Lower Schuylkill. In addition, there's the 400-pound gorilla in the closet, which is the impending sale or closure of Sunoco's Philadelphia refinery in June. 

With the challenges in mind, the area around the Lower Schuylkill River wields considerable potential. McNamara alludes to two studies, PIDC's "Industrial Land and Market Strategy" and the City Planning Commission's "Philadelphia 2035," both of which laud the area as being ripe for economic development. The project manager rattles off a list of attributes there, which include relatively enormous parcel sizes, access to transportation infrastructure, and accessibility to the Schuylkill River.

McNamara gives a few goals for the Master Plan, although specifics won't be possible until after public input and study. She wants to see the Schuylkill River Trail extended to help link Center and University Cities with Bartram's Garden and other destinations. From a business development standpoint, McNamara wants to see the area "positioned to attract new businesses, private investment and quality jobs."

The Master Plan is currently in its infancy, with plenty of opportunity for you, the public, to comment. PIDC will be holding two open houses this week, the first of which is Wednesday evening at the Richard Allen Preparatory School, and the second of which is Thursday evening at St. Gabriel's Roman Catholic Church on Dickinson St. In addition, there is a 40-member advisory group, which has met twice thus far, says McNamara. PIDC is working on the Master Plan in conjunction with the architecture and urban design firm Chan Krieger NBBJ.

Source: Kate McNamara, Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation
Writer: Andy Sharpe Photo by Michael Weaver