Sustainability : Development News

University City continued to distinguish itself as a viable office and residential alternative to Center City in 2011. In fact, there were a number of exciting groundbreakings and announcements that dealt with new public space, high-rise development, and corridor enhancement between 29th and 43rd Sts, with the promise of more to come in the new year.
 
The past 12 months were especially noteworthy for all the new public spaces in University City. Rail commuters and pedestrians at 30th St. Station got The Porch, which is an outdoor promenade that featured yoga, a farmer's market, life-sized puppets during the month of November. The University of Pennsylvania opened up a new park to help bridge the wedge between University and Center Cities, which offers walking paths and athletic facilities. Finally, the city experimented with a "parklet" in front of the Green Line Café at 43rd and Baltimore, which meant replacing a few parking spots with outdoor seating.
 
University City also found itself in the throes of interesting high-rise development and corridor beautification efforts. University Place Associates finally got the anchor tenant it needed to announce groundbreaking for 2.0 University Place at 41st and Filbert, which is envisioned to be the city's first LEED pre-certified building. Also, public art flourished on Lancaster Ave. from 35th to 40th Sts. as a means to draw attention to the continued re-development of that corridor.
 
If you like what you're hearing, University City District's Prema Gupta should make you hopeful for 2012. Gupta reveals that the University City District received two grants from the city for pedestrian plazas. She says that her group is considering using them at the intersection of Baltimore Ave, Florence Ave., and 48th St., as well as on the University of the Sciences campus at 42nd and Woodland. 

Sources: Prema Gupta, University City District, and all the 2011 Development news-makers in University City 
Writer: Andy Sharpe

In the 24 years since the last brewery shut down in Brewerytown, the neighborhood has struggled with poverty and crime. Yet, for a neighborhood that so many people wrote off years ago, Brewerytown is making a comeback. This is evident in the development efforts underway on and north of Girard Ave. that Flying Kite wrote about in 2011.
 
MM Partners has been at the forefront of much of the development in Brewerytown. The exclusively-Brewerytown developer had a busy year trying to attract new residents and businesses to the neighborhood.
 
On the residential side, MM Partners set up a blog called Brewerytown Living in May to highlight noteworthy happenings for residents throughout the neighborhood. This blog appears to still be thriving with four posts this month about Amazulu, a holiday pop-up shop, Mugshots Café and Coffeehouse, and a toy drive. Also, MM Partners made progress on constructing a new condominium complex at 28th and Thompson Sts., called North 28.
 
MM Partners and Brewerytown also had a decent year for business development along Girard Ave. A new Bottom Dollar food market at 31st and Girard is on its way to reality, with a groundbreaking planned for early March and an opening scheduled for next autumn. In addition, the developer negotiated to get a taqueria to agree to locate along Girard Ave., with an opening date in late winter or spring of the coming year.
 
In the midst of all this development, Brewerytown leaders kept an eye on sustainability. MM Partners quickly adopted Olin Studios’ and Interface Design’s internationally renowned Patch/Work ideas for sustainability. According to MM’s Aaron Smith, Brewerytown might be able to implement some of the bold solar energy and guerilla gardening ideas in as little as six to eight months. Also, Marathon Grill opened an urban farm at 27th and Master to provide food for their restaurants. 
 
Rebecca Johnson, the executive director of the Fairmount CDC, outlined further sustainability efforts in 2011, and beyond. She lauded businesses along Girard Ave. for taking part in a Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) program providing rebates for energy-efficient buildings. She also highlighted some guerilla gardening, where residents or organizations turned abandoned lots into community gardens. She predicted guerilla gardening would remain a trend in 2012, and recommended anyone interested look up abandoned lots on the city Board of Revision of Taxes website.    

Sources: Aaron Smith, MM Partners and Rebecca Johnson, Fairmount CDC
Writer:  Andy Sharpe

Onion Flats is looking to capitalize on East Falls' proximity to the Schuylkill River Trail and Fairmount Park by redeveloping the former Rivage catering hall between Kelly Dr. and Ridge Ave. The Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority just gave Onion Flats the go-ahead to design a sustainable residential and retail complex called The Ridge. Given the property's accessibility and visibility by bike, bus, and car, there's considerable buzz surrounding this redevelopment in East Falls.

The Norris Square-based developer proposes a 5-story 128,440 sq. ft. development for The Ridge. According to Tim McDonald, president of Onion Flats, this will consist of 126 one- and two-bedroom apartments and 8,700 sq. ft. of retail space. McDonald gives some hints as to what kind of retail will be included by saying "ours will be small-scale retail, cafe, restaurant, etc." He adds that The Ridge has the potential to be a retail "gateway" into East Falls, and a complement to existing businesses on Ridge Ave.

Like their previous development in Fishtown and Northern Liberties, including Rag Flats, Jack Hammer, and Thin Flats, sustainability is going to be a distinguishing feature of The Ridge. McDonald hopes the East Falls development will "become Philadelphia's first Passive House Certified and Net-Zero-Energy mixed-use residential/retail community as well as the country's largest." In simpler language, this means all energy needed for water, HVAC, and lighting will be produced locally using solar energy. Onion Flats also aims to emit net zero carbon dioxide at The Ridge.

As it is proposed, The Ridge will also live and die off of a sense of community. In this vein, McDonald doesn't want to see any in-door hallways, but instead out-door passageways that facilitate interaction between neighbors. Also, the second level of The Ridge is modeled to include a community garden space, which will be visible on upper floors through public viewing spaces. For residents, this community garden will act as a doormat, as the second floor is proposed as the main residential entrance. 

The redevelopment of the Rivage by Onion Flats appears to have the initial blessing of East Falls community groups. Unlike previous controversial proposals involving the police department's Special Victims Unit and a high school for troubled youth, neighborhood groups seem to see The Ridge as a development meant to foster community and put an exclamation point on East Falls' propinquity to Fairmount Park. This is not to say that every element of McDonald's plan will meet with community approval, but in general local residents are excited about the redevelopment. 

The Redevelopment Authority's decision to choose Onion Flats for the Rivage property is just the start of an extended process that includes "community meetings, building permits, closing on financing," and other aspects, says McDonald. Should neighborhood groups offer an endorsement, McDonald expects groundbreaking to commence in early 2013. He expects to offer a final design in six months, including all the sustainability and community elements that have so far been proposed. 

Source: Tim McDonald, Onion Flats
Writer: Andy Sharpe

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society has already proven it knows how to pop with three po-pup gardens in Center City over the summer.

Now PHS is applying the concept to holiday shopping. On Monday, PHS launched its first Holiday Pop-Up Shop at the Comcast Center. The pop-up shop will be open from 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. daily through Friday (Dec. 16).

The shop will have a heavy island influence, promoting the 2012 Philadelphia International Flower Show (March 4-11) and its theme, Hawaii: Islands of Aloha. The shop will feature tickets for the show and select PHS merchandise for purchase, like The Gift of a Tree and PHS memberships.

Also available will be "Dig It" t-shirts, PHS scarves and floral arranging cards. There are also daily drawings to win other prizes from stores at The Market & Shops at Comcast Center. Follow PHS on Facebook or use the #PHSPopUp hashtag on Twitter to play along.

Source: Stephanie Edwards, PHS
Writer: Joe Petrucci

2.0 University Place, a new five-story office building is about to spring up at 41st and Filbert St, feeding off of the University City Science Center’s revitalization of Market St. The community won’t have to wait long, as the groundbreaking will likely come in January or February of next year. The real story behind University Place will be its impressive sustainability elements, which combine to make it Philadelphia’s first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum pre-certified building. Platinum is the highest status in the United States Green Building Council’s LEED program.

Scott Mazo, a partner with the development firm University Place Associates, beams when he discusses his forthcoming building’s green technology. For one thing, all 96,135 square feet of tenant space will stay temperate with a "state of the art heating and air conditioning system called chilled-beam mechanical systems," says Mazo. Very few buildings currently use chilled-beam technology, although NASA and Harvard and Stamford Universities have experimented with it. These innovators found energy savings of 30-45% with a chilled-beam system. 

To complement the heating and air conditioning technology, 2.0 University Place will also feature other energy saving techniques. Mazo is proud that the building will be cloaked in energy efficient glass, which will block the sun’s radiant heat in the summer, but attract radiant heat in the winter. This will abate the need for heating and air conditioning. Mazo also reveals that the building will utilize environmentally intelligent elevators, which will capture and re-use energy.

Rainwater filtration and transportation are two other important sustainability components for University Place. The space will be accentuated with a garden on the roof, which will collect rainwater that will eventually be recycled as graywater for the building’s toilets. Mazo lauds the building’s location as a perk to workers who ride mass transit. This development is the "epitome of transit-oriented development," says Mazo. The building is convenient to the Market-Frankford Line’s 40th St. Station and SEPTA buses. The building should also contain shower facilities for bicyclists.

While University Place Associates bared their aspirations for the currently empty lot at 41st and Filbert Sts. a couple of years ago, the stagnant economy delayed any hope of construction. Yet, plans to break ground on 2.0 University Place jolted into motion a few weeks ago when the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced they would relocate to the building. This gave Mazo the anchor tenant that he and his associates needed to proceed. "The USCIS was the catalyst that made groundbreaking possible," says the developer.

In terms of attracting other tenants, Mazo says his firm is in talks with two prospective companies. While he’s bound by confidentiality in discussing who’s interested in moving into University Place, he does say that he’s interested in drawing in technology and life science companies, along with socially responsible start-ups. They would fit right in with the expanding Science Center and universities nearby. 

Source: Scott Mazo, University Place Associates
Writer: Andy Sharpe

For decades, Southwest Philadelphia's Paschall Apartments, located at 72nd and Woodland, was not a fun place to be. The public housing was riddled with poverty, drugs, and violence. However, today is a different tale, as Paschall Apartments has been replaced with Paschall Village, a contemporary, community-conscious, and sustainable public housing neighborhood. The Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA), city council president Anna Verna, and state representative Anthony Hardy Williams cut the ribbon on Paschall Village this past week.

PHA aims to prove that public housing should be fully integrated with its surrounding neighborhood, which Paschall Village exemplifies. Michael P. Kelly, the executive director of PHA, is not satisfied with merely enhanced housing. Instead, he wants to see "better and safer neighborhoods." At the ribbon cutting, this sense of community was about as palpable as the stiff breeze that blew through Paschall that day. In fact, Alphonso Evans Sr., the principal at the Southwest Leadership Academy charter school, spoke about how eager his school was to admit children from the new Paschall Village.

While the PHA prioritizes blending Paschall Village in with the surrounding community, they also hope to sprout a sense of community within. According to Kelly, the Authority made sure to include a 4,000-square foot community center, along with a computer lab. In all, Paschall Village is made up of 100 townhomes, which contain one, two, and three bedrooms and vary in size from 700 to 1,550 square feet. Twenty of the units are handicapped-accessible.

Just like the PHA's recently rebuilt Mantua Square, Paschall Village contains some striking sustainable features. Passersby immediately notice solar panels protruding from each townhouse. These panels help power the development's hot water and Energy Star appliances. Kelly says that the village also sports geothermal heating and cooling and rainwater recycling. PHA was able to include these green advancements through a state Department of Environmental Protection grant. 

Overall, Paschall Village cost $38 million to redevelop. Most of the money came from federal stimulus funds, while Kelly commends Wells Fargo for kicking in $15.5 million in private equity. PHA says construction of the village led to 102 full-time jobs.  It looks like a slew of people and families jumped at the chance to be a part of a community -- Paschall's waitlist has already closed.

Source: Michael Kelly, Philadelphia Housing Authority
Writer: Andy Sharpe

Despite a budget shortfall, SEPTA will be able to resume purchasing hybrid diesel-electric buses thanks to two grants from the US Department of Transportation. For the first time ever, SEPTA will purchase hybrid 60-foot accordion buses, which are the longest buses in the system. SEPTA’s current assortment of hybrid buses is about 30 percent more fuel efficient than equivalent clean diesel buses.

SEPTA is the beneficiary of $15 million in federal funds to cover the difference in cost between hybrid and clean diesel 60-foot buses. Luther Diggs, who’s in charge of operations at SEPTA, says it will stretch out the acquisition of these longer buses over four years, with the first year’s purchase entirely hybrid. Over the four years, SEPTA will be replacing 155 longer buses, with an option for 65 more. The percent of these that are hybrid will depend on how much more grant money becomes available. 

This opens the possibility that additional bus routes might see these longer buses. "We have some additional need for 60-foot buses," confirms Diggs. He suggests that the Route 47 bus, which was the subject of the failed skip-stop pilot and more successful attempts to speed it up, might end up seeing longer buses. Also, he hints that the extremely well-traveled Route 17 bus, which runs up and down 19th and 20th Sts. in South Philadelphia and across Center City, might be another new candidate for the 60-footers.

Shortly after the $15 million grant was announced, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced another grant of $5 million to pay for additional hybrid 40-foot buses, the most prevalent of SEPTA's fleet. This is welcome news for many local environmentalists, who earlier this year were dismayed to hear that funding difficulties meant SEPTA would cease acquiring standard-size hybrid buses. According to Diggs, SEPTA will resume purchasing these hybrid buses in 2013, and only purchase hybrid 40-foot buses in 2014. 

Diggs is convinced that hybrid buses represent the most financially sensible way for SEPTA to green its bus fleet. Diggs says SEPTA did examine running buses using compressed natural gas (CNG) in the mid-1990s. However, hybrid buses were ruled more effective than their CNG counterparts because of "infrastructure, residential neighborhoods, and cost," says Diggs. While some transit agencies in California and Texas use CNG, there are legitimate concerns about the cost of putting in CNG infrastructure and the health risks associated with natural gas.  

Source: Luther Diggs, SEPTA
Writer: Andy Sharpe 

Philadelphia will be getting its first new Quaker meetinghouse in 80 years. Members of Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting (CHFM) have outgrown their current meetinghouse, and want to create a new one that better reflects eco-friendly Quaker values. The new meetinghouse also promises to be a place of tranquility and beauty for everyone across Northwest Philadelphia, regardless of religious affiliation.

The new meetinghouse is intended as a multi-purpose building for Quakers and non-Quakers. Signe Wilkinson, co-chair of fundraising for CHFM, says the building will fulfill all spiritual purposes, but will be suitable for so much more. "It will be a place of contemplation and reflection and peace" for everyone, imagines Wilkinson. Wilkinson also foresees humanitarian uses for the building, which include caring for Nepalese refugees and working with the Northwest Interfaith Hospitality Network to care for the homeless.

The new location will be "a football field and a half" away from the current meetinghouse, according to Wilkinson. It will be constructed behind Mermaid Lane in an oft-ignored part of the Wissahickon Valley by Cresheim Valley Drive. One reason why the Friends decided to build here is because it is convenient to mass transit, vehicles, and pedestrians along Germantown Ave. Also, it is beside a proposed bicycle trail along Cresheim Valley Drive.

Members of CHFM are especially proud of the art installation that will be built within their meetinghouse. They’ve sought out James Turrell, a fellow Quaker, to create a Skyspace light installation, which will allow skylight to illuminate the meeting space. Wilkinson says her brethren was inspired by a similar Turrell Skyspace in Houston, Texas. Realizing that the Skyspace allowed Houstonians to better contemplate, CHFM got to know Turrell about seven years ago.

The Friends are also seeking to hold true to environmentally-friendly tenets of Quakerism with the new meetinghouse. Wilkinson says that they’re striving to conform to LEED Platinum standards, although they don’t actually have the resources to apply for LEED certification. To do this, members are hoping to recycle the asphalt left over from when the site was a quarry. They’re also considering installing solar panels, although that is dependent on how much money they raise.

The funds for construction of the new building have mostly been raised, although supporters estimate that they still need to come up with the remaining 10 percent of the cost. Wilkinson says that members of the meetinghouse have donated during meetings, and neighbors and fans of Turrell have also given munificently. In addition, CHFM was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts grant for the new space. The first shovel is expected to hit dirt in March 2012, while the completion date is forecast for July 2013.

Source: Signe Wilkinson, Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting
Writer: Andy Sharpe

Philadelphia’s Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities (MOTU) and SEPTA have completed a six-month pilot of skip-stop service on the Route 47 bus between South Philadelphia and Center City. They were hoping to speed buses up by having them stop for passengers every other block, instead of stopping at every block. However, supporters did not see the time savings they were hoping for, and in fact found some buses ran more slowly. As a result, they have re-established the bus stops that were taken away. 

Six months ago, the city and SEPTA were dreaming about allowing the Route 47 bus to run seven or more minutes faster, which would enable a bus to make an extra run. Fast forward to the pilot, and the reality was a bus that ran almost two minutes quicker at the most, according to Ariel Ben-Amos, a planner in the MOTU. This was on the northbound side, which saw more time savings than the southbound side. Unexpectedly, southbound service was 1 minute, 12 seconds slower during the afternoon rush hour with the skip-stop service, says Ben-Amos. At other times of the day, the removal of stops only sped the southbound bus up by about a minute.

The Office of Transportation and Utilities has a few explanations for why the service alteration didn't work as well as expected. The Route 47 traverses a "very dense neighborhood with lots of blocks we have to stop at because of stop signs," recognizes Ben-Amos. The planner also blames seemingly omnipresent utility work, which delayed the route by forcing buses to detour. Ben-Amos elaborates by saying there was a detour along the route at some time about every other day.

Another factor to the reversal on the Route 47 pilot was changing rider and community group reactions. Ben-Amos says that some riders noticed a faster trip on their bus, but others did not. This dampened rider support for the pilot. At the beginning of the pilot, there was weighty support from community groups along the bus route. However, at least one civic association expressed skepticism about the removal of a few stops later during the pilot.

Stop consolidation was a major part of the city and SEPTA’s test, but it wasn’'t the only change in service. They also decided to depart buses every six minutes from their terminus at Oregon Ave.'s Whitman Plaza, regardless of what time it was. This change is also being done away with. However, other elements of the pilot are being retained, such as the change in trash collection times to avoid delaying buses during rush hour, backdoor loading at 8th and Market Sts. during the afternoon rush period, and the moving of the 8th and Walnut Sts. stop to the far side of the intersection. 

Another component that will be retained is the newfound cooperation between the city and SEPTA. For decades, it looked like city transportation officials and SEPTA couldn’t get on the same page. Ben-Amos says he’s especially happy that this has changed. This cooperation will again be on display as the city and the Authority work on traffic signal priority for select bus and trolley routes.

Source: Ariel Ben-Amos, Mayor's Office of Transportation and Utilities
Writer: Andy Sharpe

Many Philadelphians would say that University City is one of the hottest sections of the city for development. In fact, it seems like both the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University have grand plans to further development in their pockets of the city. With this in mind, Penn Praxis, the University City District, and Sustainable Communities Initiative- West have teamed up with other community, university, and business interests to form the Friends of 40th St. The Friends held their final public meeting last week to brainstorm ways to enhance the 40th St. corridor between Baltimore and Lancaster Aves.

Harris Steinberg, the executive director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Praxis did much of the talking at the public input meeting. Steinberg makes it clear that transportation is one of the biggest slices of the Friends goals. This includes “thinking of our transit portals as important markers,” says Steinberg. 40th St. is an important transit stretch, as it includes the Southwest Philadelphia trolley portal at Baltimore Ave., the 40th St. Market-Frankford Line Station at Market St, and connections with heavily-traveled cross-town bus routes.

One transit issue that stuck a nerve with the crowd was making the station at 40th and Market Sts. handicapped accessible. Even though neighboring El stations have elevators, 40th St. Station does not, despite being feet away from senior housing. Steinberg confirmed that “universal accessibility for all users” is a big area of study for the Friends.

Yet, some members of the audience didn’t feel like the Friends were pushing hard enough for elevators, as question after question emerged about the accessibility of the station. Finally, a representative of Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell’s office spoke up and promised the councilwoman would convene a meeting between SEPTA and neighbors about constructing elevators at 40th St Station.

It’s important to note that transportation isn’t the only aspect the Friends of 40th St. are concentrating on. Steinberg showed a picture of the pocket park around 17th and Chestnut Sts. as an example of how parks could make the street a more appealing corridor. Two other elements that are being examined are preservation/development and density. Specifically, the Friends are researching whether 40th St. can support greater density to create a more vibrant urban environment.

The idea of greater density made some in the audience uncomfortable. Long-time residents griped about a lack of parking and other quality-of-life issues caused by an increase in student population. They also raised their hands to complain about what they saw as local institutions having too much control over development. Steinberg, poised as ever, responds “as new development happens, quality of the built environment would improve the quality of your life.” That sums up what the Friends of 40th St. are trying to do, which is improve the quality of life of everyone who lives, works, shops, or attends classes along the 40th St. corridor.           

Source: Harris Steinberg, PennPraxis
Writer: Andy Sharpe

Spring Garden St. is one of Center City’s prime east-west arterials, connecting the art museum on one side with the Delaware River on the other. Yet, there is a pervasive feeling that the four-lane artery is not living up to its potential. Because of this feeling, the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC), in conjunction with Sam Schwartz Engineering and Interface Studios, held a public information session last week to discuss how to create a Spring Garden Street greenway that would better cater it to all forms of transportation.

Many attendees of the meeting represented bicycle interests, which PEC was well-positioned to address as a bicycle and pedestrian trail advocacy group. Speakers at the meeting representing PEC, Sam Schwartz, and Interface announced two options that would make conditions safer for bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit riders. Doug Adams, a project manager at Sam Schwartz, revealed that consultants were looking into buffered bike lanes either in the center median of the street, or curbside.

Given this was the first public meeting for the greenway, there were very few absolutes. There were some areas where consultants were strongly leaning towards a course of action. For example, Adams said both alternatives recommended that the forward travel lanes on Spring Garden be reduced from 12 feet each to 10 feet each. Also, both alternatives call for buffered bike lanes, although it is still up for debate as to whether the buffer will be landscaping, like is being proposed for Market St. and JFK Blvd. in Center City, or a parking lane.

The planning team also expressed a desire to improve conditions for pedestrians and transit riders. Adams said that brighter lighting would likely be included for pedestrians, especially along blocks that can currently feel a little intimidating to walk along. Spencer Finch, PEC’s director for sustainable infrastructure, also previewed some potential conveniences for transit riders. “A connection to the (Broad-Ridge) spur subway might be created at Ridge and Spring Garden,” says Finch.

Consultants are also discussing better stormwater management along the street. Adams mentions bioswales, rain gardens, and porous pavement as techniques that the consulting team is analyzing. One of the more controversial ideas being batted around is the option of eliminating vehicular left-turn lanes, which would force motorists to make three right turns instead. This would be helpful if the public and the consultants decide they prefer the median bike lanes.

This meeting was the first public input session of many to be held. It will be a fairly long process, as speakers said the earliest possible completion date for the greenway will be 2014 or 2015. Finch did re-assure the crowd that there was support for making Spring Garden St. more bicycle and pedestrian-friendly from all city council members who represent the area, as well as from various relevant city agencies. With that in mind, just about every part of the greenway is still up for debate. It’s now up to the people who live, commute, work, and/or shop along the corridor to provide the debate.  

Sources: Spencer Finch, Pennsylvania Environmental Council and Doug Adams, Sam Schwartz Engineering
Author: Andy Sharpe

Toole Design and the Philadelphia City Planning Commission held two open houses earlier this month to present an exhausting list of bicycle and pedestrian improvements to West and Southwest Philadelphia. The Planning Commission is recommending that a myriad of different types of bicycle lanes and sidewalk enhancements be created in the west and southwest sections of the city.

Dan Goodman, a senior planner at Toole Design, envisions a West and Southwest Philadelphia where bicyclists and pedestrians are put on an even field with motorists. To achieve this, Goodman plotted buffered bike lanes, non-buffered bike lanes, and specially marked lanes to be shared by 2- and 4-wheeled modes of transportation. The audience at the University City open house was tantalized by Toole's vision for buffered bicycle lanes on Belmont Ave. and Lindbergh Blvd. "Belmont and Lindbergh might have enough room to put a bike lane and buffer," says Goodman.

Goodman says that Toole is also examining putting "sidepaths" on City and Island Aves. What's a "sidepath," you ask? He explains that a sidepath is a sidewalk for bicycles that is ideally constructed on a street so heavily traveled by autos that removing a lane is impractical. The design firm in also researching uphill bicycle lanes and downhill shared lanes on certain West and Southwest streets, such as 65th St. Finally, Goodman reassures bicyclists that West Philadelphia's Vine and Pine Street bike lanes will probably be moved away from the bus lane.

While bicyclists were a large part of Toole's study, the designers also drafted ways to make West and Southwest sidewalks more hospitable to pedestrians. Currently, "sidewalks are in such poor condition in some areas that they're deemed missing," concludes Goodman. Goodman said the Planning Commission is especially interested in fixing sidewalks around train stations and bus hubs.

It's important to note that there's no guarantee anywhere near all of the bicycle and pedestrian recommendations being made by Toole and the Planning Commission will be implemented. At the University City open house, the deputy transportation commissioner in the Streets Department, Steve Buckley, attended to give a realistic assessment of the plan's chances for success. Buckley made it clear that there was no certainty that every recommendation would actually happen. The deputy commissioner did divulge that money gleaned from red light cameras would go toward re-striping bike lanes.

Toole Design and the city are studying West and Southwest Philadelphia as part of the second phase of their Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan. The first phase represents most of the city's population, and covers Center City, South, Northwest, and most of North Philadelphia. The rest of the second phase is comprised of Northeast Philadelphia, communities around the Delaware River, Olney, and East and West Oak Lane. Two additional open houses will be held this week, with one in Juniata and the other in the far Northeast.

Source: Dan Goodman, Toole Design
Writer: Andy Sharpe

This week the City of Philadelphia is wrapping up a pilot to see what impact removing a lane of vehicular traffic on Market St. and John F. Kennedy Blvd. between 15th and 20th Sts. has on traffic flow. The pilot, which began on Oct. 9, has shifted both streets into three-lane arteries by taking out the left-side lane. The city's Office of Transportation and Utilities (MOTU) is working with the Center City District on this as part of a continuing campaign to make streets kinder to bicyclists and pedestrians.

So far, the city has not noticed too much change to traffic flow caused by the lane closures on the well-traveled streets, reports Aaron Ritz, the Active Transportation Coordinator in the Office of Transportation and Utilities.  "We've gotten just a scattering of emails and phone calls," says Ritz. "Our initial observations are that there has been little impact to traffic flow." In fact, the most noticeable impact to traffic flow has likely been how much easier it is for bicyclists and pedestrians to navigate the streets, as they now have a lane of traffic for themselves. 

This is true even in the face of the Occupy Philly protests that have been transpiring during the same period of time, sometimes resulting in traffic disruptions. In fact, both the timing and location of Occupy Philly have been unfavorable to this pilot, as protest-related closures of 15th and Market Sts. at and around City Hall have wrought traffic headaches on both of the skinnier streets. Thus, it's somewhat surprising that MOTU says so few people have complained about the temporarily defunct lanes. Ritz does assure everyone that Occupy Philly gridlock won't doom this pilot.

While Ritz's observations hint that the effort will be successful, the jury remains out as there's still a week left. If the pilot proves fruitful, the city and the Center City District have a dream of creating a buffered bike lane with verdant landscaping separating the bike lane from the other lanes. This would improve the aesthetics of both streets, as well as provide more effective stormwater management. 

If the city decides to go through with the protected bike lane, the major challenge will be procuring funds. Ritz assures that the city and the Center City District will chase any source of funding through PennDOT or the US Department of Transportation. The District does have experience in securing grants for green space, as they were the recipients of a large federal payout for the Dilworth Plaza renovations. 

This experiment is just the latest in an attempt to foster Complete Streets in Philadelphia, which means improving streets so bicyclists, pedestrians, transit riders, and motorists are treated equally. Ritz evokes the Spruce and Pine St. bicycle lanes and the South St. Bridge overhaul as other examples of the city's commitment to Complete Streets. A joint goal is to improve Center City west of Broad Street. "If completed, the JFK and Market street projects will be an integral part of remaking (the) west (part of) Center City into a vibrant place for visitors, residents and workers," idealizes Ritz.   

Source: Aaron Ritz, Mayor's Office of Transportation and Utilities
Writer: Andy Sharpe

If you’re going to be around the 63rd St. El stop this-coming Friday evening, you might witness a Carrotmob. However, you have nothing to worry about, even if you don’t like carrots.

This Carrotmob will be drawing attention to a struggling independent produce store by raising money through a mass purchase of its items. West Phillie Produce, which has struggled to find business since its opening in mid-2009 despite being located in a food desert at 62nd and Ludlow Sts., will be the beneficiary of the Carrotmob.

Former City Council candidate Andy Toy, who is now the director of the Retail Resource Network at West Philadelphia’s Enterprise Center, is one of the biggest promoters of West Phillie Produce. Toy heaps praise on the owner of West Phillie Produce, Arnett Woodall, who is really trying to make a difference in the neighborhood’s diet. Regrettably, Woodall has only had varying success in doing this. "Arnett continues to encourage neighbors to improve their nutrition habits, but old habits die hard," says Toy. "Some neighbors have still not visited (in) over 2 years."

To address West Phillie’s lack of business, various groups, led by the Enterprise Center, decided to team up and unleash a Carrotmob in the store. According to Toy, a Carrotmob is a "buycott" where a bunch of people shop at a given time from a particular business that has a sustainable, local, or socially conscious mission. The proceeds from a Carrotmob go toward the business, or toward some project that the business is embarking on.

In the case of West Phillie Produce, Toy says money raised from the Carrotmob will help finance new equipment and allow the store to continue giving away fresh fruit salads to local almsgivers. In addition, the Carrotmob will enable like-minded people a chance to network with each other and discuss how to encourage local, independent businesses and neighborhood nutrition.

The Enterprise Center has no qualms about aiding a local produce store against the threat posed by distant supermarkets. Toy points out that West Phillie Produce hires from the immediate neighborhood, is easy to access without a car, and is owned by someone who resides in the area. It also opened on what used to be an unsightly abandoned lot. The store doesn’t just sell produce either, as it offers nutritional smoothies, water ice, and juices.

This is the first Carrotmob to inundate Philadelphia, although an attempt was made in the past. The Carrotmob concept began in California, and has spread across the world. In addition to the Enterprise Center, participating organizations include the Food Trust, the Merchants Fund, and Sayre Health Clinic.

Toy is happy to assist the Carrotmob effort in Philadelphia. "We like the Carrotmob concept because it results in a real tangible outcome that benefits a worthy business," he proclaims. "We hope to replicate this effort in other neighborhoods across the City." As for the Carrotmob at West Phillie Produce, it’s scheduled to run from 4-7 PM this Friday.

Source: Andy Toy, the Enterprise Center
Writer: Andy Sharpe

Shop-a-holics with finer tastes are used to extravagant unveilings of new products or fashions at the King of Prussia Mall in Montgomery County. On Friday, the largest shopping mall on the East Coast hosted a different kind of unveiling.

Local politicians and mall officials were on hand at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for four new electric vehicle charging stations at the mall. The stations will allow drivers to simply pull up and plug in. Charging will be free during an introductory period, and prices will be established by 350Green, the EV charging service provider working with the mall. Starting  this month, mall shoppers will have access to a pair of Level 2 chargers at 208/420 volts (standard for all electric cars) located in front of Nordstrom in the upper level parking deck. Two more units are slated for installation on the upper level deck of the court near Bloomingdale's.

The self-serve stations, partially funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, are able to "top off" or "partially charge" an electric vehicle in anywhere from one to two hours. Electric cars are nothing new to King of Prussia Mall. The mall's public safety team uses an electric Gem Car, which operates on a 72-volt battery system.

More than a dozen new plug-in electric car models are expected to arrive on the market by next year, fueled in part by President Obama's goal to have one million electric vehicles on the road by 2015.

Source: King of Prussia Mall
Writer: Joe Petrucci