sustainability : Development News

With 4 Squared, more eclectic living comes to Northern Liberties

Flying Kite Tuesday, May 24, 2011

It's been a long time since contemporary real estate has been considered a new construct in the Northern Liberties neighborhood, which first began experiencing pangs of gentrification in the late 1980s. Today, however, the contemporary plots of real estate dotting the neighborhood are a sure sign that NoLibs has finally graduated from under-the-radar hot spot to fully fledged Mecca of creativity.

One of the most recent neighborhood developments, a collection of four modern and gleaming townhomes known as 4 Squared, is currently in the midst of construction on the 800 block of North 4th Street, near the popular Honey's Sit-N-Eat restaurant. Starting at an eye-popping $789,000, these 2,600-square-foot homes by Callahan Ward are most definitely "considered to be the top of the market, and the most desirable project in the neighborhood right now," according to CITYSPACE Realtor Michael Garden, who's representing 4 Squared. The 20-foot wide homes will feature two-car garage parking in the rear, tons of natural light, a gourmet kitchen with high-end appliances, and a fourth-floor loft with access to a deck offering jaw-dropping Center City views. As Garden likes to say, "It's really gracious living."

As anyone who lives in the area surely realizes, the pace of contemporary townhome construction doesn't seem to be letting up in Northern Liberties, regardless of the current state of the market. A townhome and condo project known as N.3 Homes is being built a block away from 4 Squared, for instance. And at 211 Brown Street, the second phase of a similar project called Twenty2 is now underway.

So what makes 4 Squared any different? "It's clean, it's modern, and it's stylish," says Golden, "but it's warm and inviting. And I think that's something we need more of in Philadelphia."

Source: Michael Garden, CITYSPACE
Writer: Dan Eldridge

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In East Falls, Philadelphia University's new academic facility will encourage collaboration

Flying Kite Tuesday, May 24, 2011

It might seem impressive enough that Philadelphia University, which was founded in the late 1800s as the Philadelphia Textile School, has chosen to encourage a new form of academic collaboration among its design, engineering and commerce students. According to Debbie Goldberg, the university's director of media relations, "It became clear that collaborative, real-world learning, infused with the liberal arts, are critical skills for our students--as well as competencies that employers need."

It was exactly that philosophy that eventually led the university to create the new College of Design, Engineering and Commerce (DEC), which will be launching in time for the fall 2011 semester. The overarching goal, explains Goldberg, is to "push students to think beyond the boundaries of existing disciplines, and (to) focus on market-driven innovation through teamwork, collaboration and connections with industry partners."

In an effort to put the full force of its economic strength behind the new collaborative college, Philadelphia University is constructing a stunning, $20 million, four-story building, which will be encircled by a perforated metallic structure intended to act as a sun-control screen. The college's design studios, classrooms and workshops will be housed in the new building, which is being designed by the Shepley Bulfinch firm to achieve a LEED-silver designation. Groundbreaking is scheduled for June 10, 2011.

And although the building's forward-thinking exterior design will almost certainly be its singular most attention-grabbing feature, the interior is also being specially designed to encourage collaboration. Instead of housing permanent offices, for instance, removable walls and rolling furniture will be placed throughout. Currently, the 38,500-square-foot building is expected to be complete in the fall of 2012.

Source: Debbie Goldberg, Philadelphia University
Writer: Dan Eldridge

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Race Street Pier's big splash: Philly's newest waterfront park officially open for business

Flying Kite Tuesday, May 17, 2011

The Delaware River Waterfront Corporation (DRWC) has been working to design and develop their namesake river's waterfront for well over two years now, although the recent afternoon of May 12 was one of the agency's most important days yet. At 2 pm that day, a press conference and ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring Mayor Nutter kicked off, and the long-awaited Race Street Pier was finally -- and officially -- opened to the public.

Located along the length of Pier 11, which sits just south of the Ben Franklin Bridge, the one-acre waterfront park was designed by James Corner Field Operations, a world class landscape architecture and urban design firm that was also responsible for the stunning High Line park in New York City.

As the DRWC's Master Planning Manager, Sarah Thorp, is quick to point out, "[The Race Street Pier was] designed to be a very spectacular place, both during the day and at night." The park, in fact, has its own extensive lighting system embedded in the pavement. The transformation in the park from daytime to nighttime, Thorp says, is simply spectacular.

Of course, The Race Street Pier is only one small example of what DRWC has in store for the city. The organization's currently-in-progress master plan, which will reveal all the upcoming waterfront development being planned between Oregon Avenue in South Philly and Allegheny Avenue in the north, will be unveiled on June 13. (Watch this space for more information.)

In the meantime, though, Thorp is encouraging everyone to take full advantage of the city's newest waterfront treasure. "The (designers) have done an amazing job creating a really different kind of place for Philadelphians," she says. "This is a really different park -- it's unlike any other in the city."

For more information about the park and its upcoming events, click here.

Source: Sarah Thorp, DRWC
Writer: Dan Eldridge

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Water Department brings green street to South Philly's Percy Street

Flying Kite Tuesday, May 17, 2011

If you were lucky enough to live on the 800 block of Percy Street in South Philly, you could literally walk out your front door, pour the contents of a bottle of tap water onto the newly-paved street, and then watch as the water slowly began to be sucked up by the street itself, until it eventually disappeared altogether.

That's what happened, at any rate, during a recent press conference that was held on Percy Street's 800 block, which is now home to the city's very first porous street--a street that allows water to soak through its surface, in other words, thereby eliminating the pollutants found in storm water from entering the sewer system.

The street is one of the first initiatives of the Water Department's 25-year-long, $2 billion Green City, Clean Water program, which was itself the result of a directive from the EPA, which insisted that the city fix its combined sewer overflow (CSO) problem. CSO is an unfortunate situation during which sink and toilet water mixes with storm water in local rivers during periods of heavy rain.

According to the Water Department's Joanne Dahme, both the PWD and the Streets Department will be monitoring the effect of Percy Street's porous surface street over the next few years. And as Dahme explains, storm water capture is only one of the benefits of such a surface.

"It seems to have a lot of positive qualities," Dahme says, of the porous surface. Ice is said to melt quicker, for instance, thanks to the warmth of the soil underneath, which also makes snow removal easier. And although the installation of the street was about 10 percent more expensive than it would have been with regular asphalt, the city is already hoping to install many more porous streets in the coming years.

Source: Joanne Dahme, Philadelphia Water Department
Writer: Dan Eldridge

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Drexel and City join forces to green Mantua neighborhood

Flying Kite Tuesday, May 10, 2011

When Mayor Nutter first introduced Philadelphia's ambitious Green 2015 initiative, which aims to add 500 new acres of accessible green space to the city by the year 2015, he made it perfectly clear that the goal couldn't possibly be achieved by the efforts of municipal entities working alone. As it happens, Lucy Kerman, who works as Drexel's Vice Provost for University and Community Partnerships, felt exactly the same way when she first heard about Green 2015. "We also felt it was really important that the universities around the city step up to the plate," she says.

And so Kerman and her colleagues at Drexel approached the city's Department of Parks and Recreation with something of a partnership proposal. The idea, as she explains it, was partly to help the department in greening parts of the Mantua neighborhood, which surrounds Drexel. But it also involved lending to the city the intellectual expertise of Drexel's Environmental Engineering department, which is particularly interested in sustainability issues.

According to Kerman, Drexel sees the partnership as both multifaceted and long-term, and on April 18, an announcement on the university's campus officially introduced the partnership, and spelled out some of its goals, which include the giveaway of 200 trees to Drexel employees living in Philadelphia.

Three area playgrounds--including Miles Mack Playground, where members of the partnership recently planted 28 trees--will also be greened and otherwise improved. Drexel's environmental engineering students, for instance, will be creating new storm water treatment systems for the parks. And students in the school's Interior Design department will be studying ways in which playgrounds can be created "that support not only children's play, but children's learning," Kerman explains. What's more, the partnership will be heading up a number of 'greening days' that will take place throughout Mantua in the coming months.

"You know, it's really a win-win-win-win," says Kerman.

Source: Lucy Kerman, Drexel University
Writer: Dan Eldridge

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New-and-improved PHA? Markoe Street Homes complete in West Philly

Flying Kite Tuesday, May 10, 2011

The 800 block of Markoe Street in West Philly has long held a reputation for being one of the most unkempt and dangerous stretches in its neighborhood, which is also home to the sprawling Lucien E. Blackwell public housing project. And yet unfortunately, when the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) built the Blackwell project back in 2000, the money ran out before the 800 block of Markoe Street had a chance to experience any renovation of its own.

But instead of simply forgetting about the 800 block, the PHA chose to hold a sustainable design competition for young architects; a handful of firms submitted their own ideas about how the block could best be saved. The Center City-based Jibe Design won the competition, and when additional funds were finally made available to build on the block, they won the design contract as well.

According to Jibe Design's founder, Juliet Whelan, Jibe most likely won the competition because hers was the only firm that proposed a renovation of the original homes, as opposed to trashing them and then starting over. "Once you tear down these buildings," Whelan says, "I think you've already taken several steps back in sustainability."

Last year, Jibe Design's plan was also honored with a national award for design excellence by the American Institute of Architects (AIA). And two weeks ago, a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the site celebrated the project's completion and welcomed its new residents. In all, 17 homes were rehabilitated and six new homes were built atop formerly empty lots. Jibe's uniquely modern design allows natural light to stream into nearly every room in the new homes, and Energy Star appliances are used throughout. "I think this street feels like Philadelphia," says Whelan. "It feels like a nice mix of modern and old. I think it's a success."

Source: Juliet Whelan, Jibe Design
Writer: Dan Eldridge

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Why Indy Hall and Postgreen are bringing cohousing to Philadelphia

Flying Kite Tuesday, May 10, 2011

The concept of cohousing--a collaborative style of living in which a number of different families participate in each others' lives, and may even bunk underneath the same roof--certainly isn't anything new. The idea originated in Denmark, and today, in some of the more liberal corners of the U.S., cohousing is practically considered mainstream. There are websites, annual conferences, and even cross-country tours promoting the lifestyle.

And yet in a hardscrabble city like Philadelphia, cohousing is just about as edgy as it gets. So it makes sense that one of Philly's edgiest home designers, Postgreen Homes, has announced plans to build a six-unit cohousing space in Kensington. And while each of the units will have its own kitchen and living area, large common areas--including a commercial kitchen, a dining room, and a roof deck--will be shared.

Postgreen is joining forces in the venture with the team from Independents Hall, the Old City coworking space. Indy Hall co-founder Alex Hillman says that he and his business partner, Geoff DiMasi, have long talked about the idea of "reinventing some other elements of life" in the same way they reinvented their work lives after Indy Hall was opened. Those very conversations, in fact, eventually led to the idea of creating a cohousing village. But as Hillman is quick to point out, "Cohousing is more than just providing common areas for renters. The cool thing about it," he says, "is that the communities are designed by the members of the communities."

Currently, Hillman and his team are searching hard for those members, as a fairly steep amount of money needs to be raised by June in order to secure the preferred plot of land. To learn more about joining the community, visit village.indyhall.org.

Source: Alex Hillman, Independents Hall
Writer: Dan Eldridge

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A wide-reaching nonprofit brings urban agriculture to Point Breeze

Flying Kite Tuesday, May 03, 2011

When Philadelphians Paul and Nichole Badger were going through the process of planning their wedding in 2008, they "decided that we just didn't believe in the typical one-day splurge that everybody does for their wedding," Nichole explained, during a recent telephone interview.

Nichole is a corporate entertainment attorney who has long been involved with charitable work, and at the time, she and Paul had been tossing around the idea of starting a nonprofit of their own. "And then," she said, "it suddenly occurred to us: Why not do it now? And so instead of having this full-blown, crazy wedding, we decided to take a portion of our wedding budget, and to use it to start Stars Within Reach."

Today, Stars Within Reach partners with various entertainers, pro athletes and businesses on what Badger refers to as twelve different platforms; the group works on everything from housing issues to greening and nonviolence initiatives. (Their motto: Changing the world one cause at a time.) Their latest project, A Healthy Future Within Reach, aims to battle childhood obesity, and SWR plans to focus its local efforts in the South Philly neighborhood of Point Breeze, a so-called 'food desert' where healthy eating options are scarce.

On Monday (May 2), they kicked off a 30-day multimedia campaign to raise awareness of childhood obesity. At the month's end they'll join with Mayor Nutter, Congressman Chaka Fattah, 76er Lou Williams, and other area notables to create two community gardens and a fruit orchard in Point Breeze. "We definitely believe that eating healthy and healthy living is at the core of everything you do," Badger says. "And Point Breeze is an area where the kids really are impacted by the lack of healthy eating options."

Source: Nichole Badger, Stars Within Reach
Writer: Dan Eldridge

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New ordinance increases transparency in the city's process of transferring public park land

Flying Kite Tuesday, April 26, 2011

When Microsoft's $63 million School of the Future opened in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park in September 2006, expectations among area parents--some of whom nearly battled in order to secure a spot for their children--couldn't have possibly been higher. But by the time that first class of students was preparing to graduate, attitudes surrounding the school--which didn't require textbooks, and where many of the core subjects required for university admission weren't offered--had shifted considerably.

Today, many of the school's educational kinks have been duly worked out. But if such a project was proposed within the city today--that is, if a public development project was proposed to take place within Philadelphia's public park land--the eventual outcome would almost certainly be different. That's because on April 15, Mayor Michael Nutter signed an ordinance to amend the approval process that takes place when the city's public park land is transferred to some sort of non-park use, as was the case with the Microsoft high school.

"It's an effort that's really been spearheaded by the Parks and Recreation Commission," explains Patrick Morgan, who works underneath Commissioner Mike DiBerardinis. "What it does," he says, "is it establishes a process that's predictable and transparent for all the parties: for City Council, for citizens, and for the (Parks and Recreation) Commission."

And while there aren't currently any plans in place to change usage of city parkland, this new ordinance, which is set to take effect with the change of the fiscal year (July 1), will set in motion that new process of transparency.

"Right now, all (city) parkland is being used for its intended purpose," says Morgan. "But if someone proposes changing the use for whatever reason, then this process kicks in."

Source: Patrick Morgan, Department of Parks and Recreation
Writer: Dan Eldridge

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Waste Management opens $20M single-stream recycling facility in Northeast Philly

Flying Kite Tuesday, April 26, 2011

No matter where in the country you live, you've almost certainly seen the green-and-mustard colored logo of the Houston, Texas-based Waste Management corporation plastered onto the side of a Dumpster, or perhaps a garbage truck. Here in Philadelphia, at least, we'll certainly be seeing a lot more of that familiar logo now that the company has opened a hugely innovative, 60,000-square-foot single-stream recycling facility in the Northeast; it's known as the Philadelphia Material Recovery Facility (MRF).

The LEED Silver-certified facility, which opened in late 2010, held its official grand opening ceremony on April 11. Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter was on hand, as were a number of residential and commercial WM customers, who were invited to tour the $20 million facility, which was constructed atop a former brownfield site.

"In general," says George McGrath of McGrath Matter Associates, a public relations firm, "Waste Management has been one of the leading industry leaders in adopting and promoting single-stream recycling. We've got over 30 of these facilities around the country."

Single-stream recycling, he explains, is the process whereby residential and commercial customers alike can place all their recyclables in a single container for pickup, including paper. At the MRF, which is capable of processing more than 20,000 tons of recyclables each month, the materials are almost entirely separated not by human hands, but by advanced technological methods.

McGrath also says that once the facility is fully staffed, roughly 70 new jobs will have been created, with the vast majority of new employees coming from nearby neighborhoods.

"Waste Management built this facility because we really are committed to helping cities and businesses recycle more," McGrath adds. "And in fact, on average, recycling rates go up about 30 percent with the single-stream program. If you make it easier for people to do, they'll do more of it.

Source: George McGrath, McGrath Matter Associates
Writer: Dan Eldridge

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Liberty Bell's new neighbor, Hotel Monaco, is latest addition to Old City's boutique lodging scene

Flying Kite Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Given the unfortunate state of both the economy and the hospitality industry at the time, it was certainly a boon for Philadelphia when the Kimpton Hotels group announced last October that it would be transforming Old City's historic Lafayette Building into one of its many adaptively reused boutique hotels. According to Nick Gregory, Kimpton's Director of Operations, the project is still going forward, and the company expects the hotel to be complete by the third quarter of 2012.

"Location is important to us," says Gregory, explaining why Kimpton chose to purchase the Lafayette, which sits directly across the street from the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. "And the ability to do another adaptive reuse is always exciting."

Kimpton Hotels, in fact, which also owns the LEED-Gold certified Hotel Palomar in Rittenhouse Square, has a long history of picking up historic buildings and adaptively reusing them. "We think they add a lot of charm," says Gregory. "And if the building tells a story, even better!" (The Lafayette Building, as Gregory explains, was developed by the ultra-wealthy Stephen Girard, who personally financed the War of 1812.)

When the Lafayette Building finally completes its transformation into the Hotel Monaco Philadelphia, it will be home to 271 guestrooms, roughly 13,000 square feet of meeting space, a 3,200-square foot ballroom, and a restaurant with a still-undecided concept. "We don't want it to be too stuffy or fancy," Gregory says, "because of the leisure component that Independence Park offers. So I think it'll be a casual place, but it'll definitely be a great, chef-run restaurant."

Kimpton Hotels is also planning to earn LEED-certification for the Hotel Monaco.

Source: Nick Gregory, Kimpton Hotels
Writer: Dan Eldridge

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High-rise down, LEED-certified up: PHA remakes North Philly's Norris Apartments

Flying Kite Tuesday, April 12, 2011

The Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) has most certainly had its fair share of self-imposed problems and struggles recently. March 25, however, was an especially positive and exciting day for the organization, thanks largely to the implosion-by-wrecking ball of a high-rise at North Philadelphia's Norris Apartments, a public-housing facility that is now in the process of being fully replaced with a LEED-certified housing complex.

Located just outside Temple University's campus in North Philadelphia, the Norris Apartments were constructed in the 1950s, and as one area resident rightly commented during a video that was posted on Philly.com, "That building's been there too long. It looks like it's gonna fall anyway!"

Indeed. And according to the stunning architectural renderings produced by Blackney Hayes, the Center City East firm responsible for building the complex that will replace the high-rise, the new Norris Apartments will be quite unlike anything else in the immediate area. The development's 51 units, for instance--a mixture of two-story and three-story walkups and townhomes--will be arranged in the shape of a square. A small pocket park will sit in the center of the development, and with the help of a new Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) pilot program, the park will also be specially designed to keep excess rainwater from entering the city's sewer system.

What's more, the new units will come complete with all the trappings of green development: low-flow plumbing, Energy Star appliances and windows, and solar roof panels, to mention just a few. These apartments are modern, sustainable and affordable, says Michael Kelly, the PHA's Administrative Receiver. "That makes it a win-win for the residents and the environment."

The new Norris Apartments are scheduled to be complete by spring 2012, at which point the PHA will consider the feasibility of constructing more new units on or near the site.

Source: Philadelphia Housing Authority
Writer: Dan Eldridge

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The Preservation Alliance bring aesthetic improvements to the streets of Fairmount

Flying Kite Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Located just north of the Art Museum, Philadelphia's Fairmount neighborhood is generally thought of as one of the city's toniest enclaves. But as Rebecca Johnson, the executive director of the Fairmount CDC, explains, "We actually have a surprising number of boarded up, PHA-owned properties north of Poplar."

And yet the community development organization's latest neighborhood improvement project, which is known as the Vital Neighborhoods Initiative, and which was funded this year with a series of grants from the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia, wasn't focused on the run-down or boarded-up sections of Fairmount at all. Instead, the grants are intended to strengthen and improve those sections of a neighborhood that are considered to be middle-market. They can't be high-income sections, as Johnson explains, nor can they be extremely low-income. "The whole concept of Vital Neighborhoods," she says, "is that it's targeting areas that maybe need a chiropractor, so to speak, but not back surgery."

In Fairmount, the section deemed most in need of a metaphorical adjustment this year was the 900 block of North 26th Street, between Poplar Street and West Girard Avenue. Perhaps not coincidentally, that same block is also on the route of the Girard Avenue trolley. "So in terms of neighborhood marketing," Johnson says, "and sending a message that this is a place that people really care about, we felt like it was giving a lot of visibility to people traveling through the neighborhood."

Before long, Philadelphians traveling through that section of Fairmount will have a first-hand chance to see what the $30,000 grant has accomplished. Currently the plan includes basic streetscape improvements: Out-of-shape steps and retaining walls, for instance, will be spruced up, while trees and solar powered light posts will be installed in front of some properties. "We're looking at long-term outcomes, like improved home sales," says Johnson. "And just cleaner, more aesthetically-pleasing environments. That's really kind of the goal."

Source: Rebecca Johnson, Fairmount CDC & Amy E. McCullom, Preservation Alliance
Writer: Dan Eldridge

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Major improvements coming to Manayunk's Venice Island Rec Center

Flying Kite Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Although it was once an economically booming section of Philadelphia's Manayunk neighborhood, the thin strip of land known as Venice Island, which sits between the Manayunk Canal and the Schuylkill River, is today something of a desolate place. And yet according to representatives from the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) and the Manayunk Development Corporation (MDC), things are about to change on Venice Island, thanks to a $45 million improvement project that is being paid for by the PWD, and that will transform the now-crumbling Venice Island Recreation Center into a place where creativity, the arts, and good old fashioned child's play will be taken very seriously.

According to Kay Sykora of Destination Schuylkill River, the project to improve and partially remake the recreation center came about due to the fact that "the Water Department is (federally) mandated to rectify a situation which currently allows sewage to get dumped into the river. So they're building a tank." But as Sykora explains, "the community wasn't wildly enthusiastic about having a (sewage) tank," and so the two organizations began discussing ways in which the PWD could contribute to the community. A vastly improved recreation center was the compromise they settled on.

A 250-seat performing arts theater will likely be the jewel of the island's new recreation center, which will also house a multi-purpose recreation building where community meetings and after-school events for children will be held. The area will also house athletic fields; a kid's spray pool; small stations that will educate visitors about rainwater recycling; an all-green pumping station; and a 25,000-square-foot park that's being designed by the Manayunk-based Andropogon, an ecological landscape architecture firm. "All of this," says Sykora, "because we'll have a tank."

The project is expected to break ground this July.

Source: Kay Sykora, Destination Schuylkill River
Writer: Dan Eldridge

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Fairmount Bikeway Trail keeps getting better

Flying Kite Tuesday, April 05, 2011

Bicyclists in the Philadelphia area have been buzzing for ages about the continued development of the ultra-popular Schuylkill River Trail, which in about five years time should be a fully accessible and continuous trail running all the way from Bartram's Garden to Schuylkill County. To be sure, the eventual completion of the 130 mile trail is a goal that is both ambitious and high-reaching. But on a chilly and overcast day in mid-March, Mayor Nutter and various members of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia were on-hand at a groundbreaking ceremony that marked the beginning of yet another small step towards the successful completion of that goal.

The Fairmount Bikeway Improvement Project was the enterprise being celebrated at the groundbreaking; the project's aim is to make a series of major improvements to the Fairmount Bikeway trail, which is the section of the Schuylkill River Trail between Falls Bridge and Ridge Avenue. As Mark Focht of Philadelphia Parks & Recreation says, "I'm not sure when this section was originally built, but it really doesn't meet the standards of the trails as we construct them today."

The plan, says Focht, essentially involves making the trail both wider and safer. Currently, the width of the trail varies between roughly six and 10 feet, and that'll be expanded to a width of between eight and 12 feet when the project is complete. As for the portion of the path that runs alongside the roadway - Focht describes it as little more than a glorified sidewalk - it'll be made considerably safer by the addition of a guiderail, which will be smartly positioned between the widened trail and the nearby traffic. Portions of the trail will also be sloped to allow for proper water drainage. The project is expected to be complete this June.

Source: Mark A. Focht, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation
Writer: Dan Eldridge

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