sustainability : Development News

A few weeks ago, over one hundred professionals from the fields of design, public policy and neighborhood leadership came together with area high school students to take part in a design charrette, envisioning a new and improved intersection at 46th and Market Streets.

Called the Urban Remix Design Charrette, the event was put on by a number of West Philly stakeholders, including the Community Design Collaborative, LISC Philadelphia, AIA Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Water Department and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

According to Beth Miller of the Community Design Collaborative, the mission was clear: Use the recently renovated subway station at the intersection as a catalyst for new investment and growth. With the improved transit asset, a number of key institutions close by and a significant amount of real estate prime for development, the opportunities gave the charrette participants plenty to work with. But there were also formidable limitations: This section of West Philly is fractured by superblocks of institutional buildings and public housing, an unusual amount of topography and the elevated subway system cutting right through it. 

To turn these opportunities and constraints into design solutions for the neighborhood, the charrette teams were assigned to three different section of the district—two north and one south of Market Street. An additional team was in charge of connecting the different areas through a network of open and public spaces.

Miller says the designs that came from the teams were diverse. Significant ideas include sustainability features, green promenades, artwork under the El, infill development, and public realm cohesion. Some of the plans included options for early action, while others had an eye on longer-term partnerships and development.

One notable idea to come out of the process was the creation of a new health and human services district at the intersection. With the future headquarters of the Philadelphia Police Department, the new Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Karabots Center, the Youth Study Center and West Philadelphia High School joining community institutions like the Enterprise Center in the area, Miller says the idea has some legs.
 
That idea and many others are in the process of being refined and will eventually be published in a final conceptual master plan. From there, LISC will be able to shop the plan around, gaining community-wide buy-in and lining up potential investors to turn the planning work into results.   

Source: Beth Miller, Community Design Collaborative
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

On December 17, URBN will take its sustainability practices to new heights with the installation of an alternative energy source at its home office in the Navy Yard. Called fuel cell technology, the new system is expected to cover 60 of URBN’s electrical usage, significantly reduce CO2 emissions and provide a return on investment within five years. 
 
Fuel cell technology is not a new discovery—it has been around since the mid-1800s. But it wasn’t until recently that utilizing the technology made financial sense, thanks to the work of a California-based company, Bloom Energy, specializing in on-site power generating systems using fuel cells. By leveraging breakthrough advances in science, Bloom Energy has made fuel cell technology affordable, reliable and clean.
 
"URBN has been researching alternative energy—wind, solar, fuel cells—for a long time, but until now we’ve never been able to make the financial component work," says Chief Development Officer Dave Ziel on the company's blog.   
 
Ziel put together an alternative energy committee to research different sources of energy and their related financial burden. After looking at a number of options, the committee agreed that fuel cells were the way to go for the company’s home office. They began working with Bloom Energy to develop a system specific to URBN’s needs.
 
The committee attained a $1.2 million alternative energy grant from the State of Pennsylvania and a $400,000 custom incentive grant from PECO to offset the costs. 
 
"The timing of this project was very fortuitous because there were incentives available," explains Pete Epstein, construction project manager with URBN and member of Ziel’s alternative energy committee. "The state was looking to support projects like this and PIDC [Philadelphia Industrial Development Coorporation], the stewards of the Navy Yard who had simultaneously launched green initiatives, were very interested in helping us apply for grants when they heard about what we were doing." 
 
Construction on the project began in August 2011 and early construction is expected to be complete this week. If all goes according to plan, URBN will soon become one of the first east coast companies to use fuel cell technology, capping off their biggest green effort to date. Considering the company’s long held devotion to sustainability at their Navy Yard campus, that’s no small feat.

Source: Dave Ziel, Chief Development Officer, URBN; Pete Epstein, Construction Project Manager, URBN 
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

In yet another example of transit-oriented development (TOD) coming to Philadelphia neighborhoods, developer Ingerman Group plans to build 52 new affordable senior housing units on a site adjacent to the Erie-Torresdale subway station in Frankford. But it's the project’s adaptive reuse story that has folks in Frankford particularly excited—the units will be located in the famed Northeast Catholic School, bringing a large portion of the now-vacant building back to life.
 
In June 2010, due to declining enrollment and rising costs, Northeast Catholic High School shuttered its doors after nearly 90 years of operation. Shortly thereafter, the Mariana Bracetti Academy Charter School bought the campus and began renovations. The adjacent rectory was left vacant. 
 
That’s where the Ingerman Group stepped in. "The school contacted us to do affordable senior housing in the rectory," says Ingerman's Geoffrey Long. "Since it’s always been a residence, it was a natural reuse for the space." 
 
According to Long, the entire rectory will be repurposed and an additional story will be added to make the project financially feasible. Rents will range from $400 to $850 for one and two-bedroom units. 20 parking spaces will be provided on-site, a perk that Long sees as beneficial but not necessary. "The building’s location lends itself to a pedestrian and transit-based lifestyle, so not much parking will be provided," he explains.
 
The project cleared a recent zoning change hurdle and is currently waiting on state financing from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. If and when that comes through, city funding will also be secured and construction documents can get underway. 
 
If all goes according to plan, construction should start in September 2013, with residents moving in 12 to 14 months later. Demand for affordable senior units is particularly high—especially for those with access to transit and pedestrian amenities—so Long believes full occupancy will be achieved within six months of the building opening its doors.

Source: Geoffrey Long, Ingerman Group
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

JBJ Soul Homes, formerly known as Fairmount Gardens, unofficially broke ground in early October at the intersection of Fairmount and Ridge Avenues in Francisville.  And two weeks from today an official groundbreaking ceremony with Mayor Nutter and Jon Bon Jovi will commemorate the construction of a new project that is being heralded as one of the most important along the burgeoning North Broad Corridor and promises to act as a catalyst for future investment. 
 
So why all the excitement over JBJ Soul Homes?  “It’s the ultimate win-win,” says Joan McCann of Project H.O.M.E , the non-profit homeless advocacy group behind the new four-story, 75,000+ square foot facility.  “The project brings together affordable housing, mostly geared towards the homeless, office space for Project H.O.M.E, and retail space for the neighborhood.”   Make that a win-win-win.   
 
Specifically, the facility will include 47 efficiency apartments and eight one-bedrooms, minimal parking due to the nearby subway stop, and 12,000 square feet of retail space that can accommodate one user or be split into three spaces.    
 
Laura Weinbaum of Project H.O.M.E says the group had their eye on the tract of land for a long time and wanted to build affordable housing there.  “We wanted affordable housing in close proximity to our offices at 1515 Fairmount Avenue and thought this site was perfect.  The Fairmount health center is nearby, the subway is right there and the neighborhood has a lot of amenities to offer.”
 
So they approached another prominent non-profit in the neighborhood, People For People, which owned the land. “They didn’t want to sell the land, but agreed to lease it to us so long as the project included retail space that catered to the needs of the community,” explains Weinabum who says as part of the agreement, People For People will manage the retail space.      
 
Weinbaum says one of the goals of the retail space is to re-establish Fairmount and Ridge Avenues as commercial corridors in Francisville.  To that effect, the commercial storefronts will be located on the first floor of the building along both Ridge and Fairmount Avenues and Ridge Avenue and Fifteenth Street, and is expected to establish a strong visual gateway into the neighborhood.    
 
The official groundbreaking ceremony is taking place Tuesday, Nov. 13^th, from 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.  After that Weinbaum expects construction should last for roughly one year and be open sometime next fall or early winter.

Source: Joan McCann and Laura Weinbaum, Project H.O.M.E.
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

These days, Philly’s problems surrounding vacant land, urban decay and property neglect aren’t just getting the attention of city officials. Local artists, too, see the issue as paramount in Philadelphia’s existing urban context.  Nowhere is this viewpoint better exemplified than ‘RUST 3’, a recent and particularly innovative sustainable art installation coming soon to the Mt. Airy Arts Garage starting Nov. 10.  

Put together by local artists Andy Walker and Andy Heisey, the piece calls attention to the problems of urban renewal and abandonment in Philly.  But the display goes beyond these topics, also raising awareness on big picture issues including sustainability, reuse/rebuilding of our cities, the need for investment in urban areas and how new construction materials impact the environment. 

The installation’s primary work of art is the “Renewed Urban Studio Tent” which is where the idea of ‘RUST’ all started.  Made out of recycled materials found in the city - anything from photographs on clay shells, cigarette butts, glass bottles and recycled cement - the structure was built for the original RUST in August of this year. 

According to Andy Walker, they built the tent on South Broad Street in Center City as a studio for local artists and community members to create recycled/reused collages out of materials found from around the City.  Walker says these collages were then placed on the tent to form the skin of the structure.  "It was a real group effort and that's exactly what we wanted," says Walker. "The idea was to see how art rehabilitates the urban realm.  With artists and community members creating architectural pieces out of recycled materials, we wanted to challenge the notion of what urban building can be." 

RUST 2 came about the following month and showcased the collage pieces created during RUST.  And now, RUST 3 is set to open and will be the last hurrah of the series.  The basic elements of the original RUST will be on display, signifying the final recycling of the project while continuing to show how artists and the community can work together to create beauty out of reuse.

According to MAAG President and Cofounder Linda Slodki, while this is the final installment of RUST, MAAG wants the message to live on.  To this end, a citywide panel, “Artists Taking Back Philadelphia—Brick by Brick” will be on Sunday, Nov. 11 at 2 p.m. at MAAG. This panel will feature the Andys, Gary Steuer—Chief Cultural Officer for the City of Philadelphia, and Shari Hersh/Dre Urhahn—Philly Painting (a project of the MuralArts Program).

Topics covered include urban renewal and how artists fit into the conversation.  According to Slodki, MAAG hopes this discussion will help “bring out more artists interested in the topics at hand while assisting in making changes that need to be made in the future.” 

On that same Sunday, Nov. 11 at 10 a.m., Slodki says the Andys will host a workshop discussing the techniques they used to make their tent and showcase the various ways one can use recycled materials in artwork.

These events and a number of others are all happening at the Mt Airy Art Garage at 11 West Mt Airy Avenue and will run through Dec. 7 when RUST 3 closes up for good.      

Source: Linda Slodki, President and Cofounder of MAAG; Andy Walker, RUST
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Bartram’s Garden, arguably one of Philadelphia’s most well known yet underappreciated assets, is about to become the center of a plan to reimagine one mile of currently vacant riverfront land along the western banks of the Schuylkill River between Grays Ferry and 58th Street.  Billed as “Bartram’s Mile” a roughly 8 acre section of the land will become a new public green space that connects to the Garden and provides riverfront access and recreation amenities for the surrounding community. 

Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, in conjunction with the Schuylkill River Development Corporation and the John Bartram Association, is leading the effort to turn the land into open space as part of the Green2015 plan that specified Bartram’s Mile as an opportunity for new park space. 
 
To achieve this goal, PennPraxis was tapped to lead the community outreach process starting on Sunday, Nov. 4 with a walking tour of the site.  To ensure the process is comprehensive, a bike tour with the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, a dinner conversation and design workshop will also occur through the end of November.    

“We want to conduct a really thoughtful outreach process,” says Andrew Goodman with PennPraxis, “there’s so much going on in this area right now and we need to make sure it’s done right.” 

‘A lot going on’ might be an understatement, Goodman says Bartram’s Mile will connect to the numerous other projects currently going on or recently completed in the neighborhood.  This includes the 58th Street Greenway, Grays Ferry Crescent, Bartram’s Connector Trail and a connection to the Schuylkill River Trail.   

While it is clear that the Mile will connect to these assets, Goodman says a number of questions still need to be answered.  “What does the community want?  What kind of programming do they want to see?  Trails, docks – how do people want to connect to the river?”  These issues, Goodman says, will be fleshed out during the outreach process.

Goodman says the answers to the questions and many others will be compiled and a conceptual master plan will be created.  Everything from open space programming, trail alignment and cost estimates are going to be included in the plan, eventually given to the Deputy Mayor as a marketing piece to pitch to potential donors. 

The master plan will also identify how expected private development will interact with the new open space.  That land, currently owned by the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC), consists of two parcels, one south and one north of Bartram’s Garden. 

“Bartram’s Mile is expected to act as a catalyst for development on these two parcels,” says Patrick Morgan with Parks and Recreation, “with the success of the Navy Yard and the desires of young professionals to have access to open space, we see potential to create a job center here.”

Morgan says PIDC is already shopping the land around to potential developers.  Meanwhile, he indicates Parks and Rec. is pursuing funding sources for the public portion, noting there is a significant amount of external interest to make the Mile a reality.  “Completing the outreach process and putting together a schematic design will only increase interest.  With a hard and fast deadline of 2015 [via Green2015] expect this project to be a top priority and move quickly.”

Source: Andrew Goodman, PennPraxis; Patrick Morgan, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

The Philadelphia Water Department is once again raising the bar with their green infrastructure/sustainability initiatives, this time partnering with the US Environmental Protection Agency and Community Design Collaborative with the launch of Infill Philadelphia: Soak It Up!—a design initiative to increase awareness on how green stormwater infrastructure can revitalize urban areas.

Green stormwater infrastructure has been receiving a lot of attention in Philly in recent years – it is the key strategy behind Green City, Clean Waters, the city's nationally renowned and environmentally sustainable plan to improve the region’s waterways.

“As we evolve Philadelphia into America's most sustainable and green city, the opportunities ahead will be limited only by the confines of our imaginations and the extent of our determination,” says Howard Neukrug, Commissioner of the Philadelphia Water Department.

Seeing Philly as an early adopter of green stormwater infrastructure programs on large scales, the EPA decided to partner with the Water Department on Soak It Up! to encourage and assist the City in their ongoing efforts to improve water quality and sustainability.    

Infill Philadelphia: Soak It Up! is an offshoot of Infill Philadelphia, a program created by the Community Design Collaborative to help urban areas re-envision their neighborhoods and address specific concerns unique to urban places.   

Soak It Up! feeds off that program, and will host exhibitions, talks, design charrettes and a national competition to explore the vast potential of green infrastructure tools—rain gardens, green roofs, rain barrels and more—and figure out how they can enhance Philly's built, economic and social environment.

Currently, an exhibition of over 40 projects from Philadelphia and other cities including Cleveland, Detroit and Pittsburgh is on display through Oct. 19 at the Philadelphia Center for Architecture, at 1218 Arch Street.  The exhibition provides a sampling of smart, innovative green stormwater project ideas, ranging from simple and small to visionary and large.  The exhibition is open to the public from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon – 5 p.m. on Sundays.   

The exhibition and the other programs currently ongoing are cumulatively aiming to bring together city leaders, designers and community stakeholders and give them the platform to discuss how they can put green infrastructure best practices to work locally.  

“In our work, we’ve already seen how designing with green stormwater infrastructure can transform a park, a block, or even an entire neighborhood,” says Beth Miller, executive director of the Community Design Collaborative. “Infill Philadelphia: Soak it Up! will help produce greater awareness, advocacy, and collaboration around green tools—and the next wave of green projects in the city.”

Source: Howard Neukrug, Commissioner of the Philadelphia Water Department; Beth Miller, executive director of the Community Design Collaborative
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

In December 2011, Southwest Philadelphia gleefully celebrated the opening of Paschall Village, the Philadelphia Housing Authority’s pilot project for high-performance sustainable development.  Since then, the project has been heralded for its contemporary, contextually sensitive footprint and its ambitious green features, including central geothermal heating and cooling, solar domestic hot water, solar panels, rainwater harvesting/irrigation system, and more.  And last week, Paschall was officially recognized for this cutting edge design excellence.
 
Paschall, which is bounded by 72nd Street, Paschall Avenue, Cobbs Creek Parkway, and Lloyd Street in Southwest Philadelphia, received PAHRA’s Bellamy Award for Housing. The recognition honors the best in design and construction projects by affordable housing agencies across Pennsylvania.  PHA's win was no small feat – in a state of 89 housing authorities Paschall came out on top.
 
“We are thrilled to receive this award from our fellow professionals,” said Kelvin Jeremiah, PHA’s Interim Executive Director. “It’s always our goal to make a lasting, positive impact on neighborhoods and become a catalyst for long-term, local economic growth. Receiving this type of recognition from your peers for a sustainable, environmentally friendly housing development is a great honor and PHA is committed to doing more of this work in the future.” 
 
Judges were impressed with the Paschall Village bid for a number of reasons.  For one, its efficiency standards stood above the rest - the development features impressive savings for PHA, standing at an estimated 30%-35% per month.  Further, the use of open space, pervious pavements (over 92,000 square feet) and other green infrastructure reduces the development’s runoff footprint on the City’s stormwater systems. 
 
Paschall also received high marks for the multiple sources of funding and partnerships PHA made to make the development a reality.
 
Paschall Village replaced Paschall Apartments, a poorly designed, mid-1960s-era public housing complex that unfortunately became the center of poverty, drugs and crime.  Through smart urban design and sustainability features, Paschall Village seems to have improved the character and safety of the community.  And now, with the Bellamy Award under its belt, it’s clear that Paschall Village has greatly improved community pride as well.

Source: Kelvin Jeremiah, PHA’s Interim Executive Director
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Last week, the ZBA gave final approval to a new development in Graduate Hospital, something folks have become accustomed to in the booming neighborhood immediately south of Rittenhouse Square. But Bloc 23, now set to break ground in early 2013, isn’t your standard G-Ho development. It is receiving overwhelming community support and being heralded as innovative, ambitious and even wonderful. Why the excitement?

The answer lies in its obvious suck-up (in a good way) to the community it will soon reside in.  Designed by local firm Campbell Thomas Architects and Stephen Nebel of Berlin-based LABhaus, the 5-story mixed-use building aims to please.  Bloc 23, which is located at the critical intersection of Grays Ferry and Bainbridge, just across from the controversial Toll Brothers residential development, will bring increased retail services, housing choices for a wide range of residents and top quality design.      

The building’s retail component, 10,000 square feet in all, will increase residents’ access to neighborhood amenities.  Jacqueline Balin of Fameco Real Estate is handling the commercial leasing for the new space and sees a huge demand for increased retail services in Graduate Hospital.  “We’re at a tipping point where demand now exceeds supply,” explains Balin, “the second- and third-generation spaces along South Street are mostly utilized and what the area now needs is bigger, more flexible spaces to accommodate large (restaurants) and retailers.”

Developer Stephen Rodriguez, who lives a few blocks away from the site, agrees with Balin’s sentiment.  “Graduate Hospital is one of the only neighborhoods that doesn’t actively take advantage of their 5-point intersections,’ says Rodriguez.  “This development can jumpstart a small ‘urban village’ along Grays Ferry, full of restaurants and retail services for residents to enjoy.” 

To that effort, Rodriguez has indicated outdoor seating is planned for the retail spaces, with the idea of creating a more cohesive public realm in the area.

Increasing housing diversity and choice for potential homebuyers is another Bloc 23 feat.  “We wanted to appeal to a wide range of homebuyers,” says Rodriguez, who plans to move his family into one of the 24 condos once complete.  “The 600 square foot units appeal to young professionals or Penn students while the 2,600 square foot units can be a townhouse alternative for families.”  Bedroom sizes also vary; anything from 1-4 bedroom units can be found in Bloc 23. 

Future residents will enjoy the many high design features that will come with their new digs.  Private and shared terraces, a green roof and underground parking truly are a few of the many amenities the developer has planned for Bloc 23.  To top it off, the structure’s modular construction status makes it on the front lines of green technology and sustainable development.  

Rodriguez believes that if all goes according to plan, Bloc 23 will be completed in fall of next year.  From there, he hopes to start on the project’s second phase, at 611-615 S. 24th Street.  Rodriguez and Balin have indicated phase two will feature similar community minded features as well.

Source:Jacqueline Balin, Fameco Real Estate; Stephen Rodriguez, Local developer
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

On the 1600 block of Sansom Street, Pearl Properties is currently constructing an 8-story, 104 apartment building dubbed  "The Sansom."  It’s exciting news anytime a new mid- or high-rise construction project comes to town.  But the kicker in this project is the amount of parking the new development provides for future residents: 0. 

Low numbers like these don’t come that often with large scale residential projects in Philly.  And for good reason – it’s the law; the City’s current zoning code mandates 3 parking spaces for every 10 residential units of multi-family development projects like The Sansom (in certain overlay districts this requirement may not apply).
  
One of the problems with mandating so much parking in an urban environment is its cost, something developers incur and then pass off to potential buyers and renters. This drives up housing costs and prices out middle and lower income residents.  In high demand areas such as Center City, this means the richest among us are the only ones who can pay the additional price for parking.  Most of us simply can’t take on that burden.    

This is a problem.  Americans want to live in walkable places, but only a fraction can come up with the cash to do so.  According to a new study, the people fortunate enough to live in neighborhoods like Center City tend to also be the wealthiest among us. 

If the goal of Philly is to continue revitalizing our urban core, it does us no good if these areas become enclaves of the rich, banishing the rest of us to less walkable, less transit accessible parts of town.  Quite simply, we need more affordable housing in our walkable areas like Center City, and fast.      

One way to go about doing this is to develop like ‘The Sansom’ and forget the parking.  Poster child Portland, Oregon provides an example.  In that city, nearly two-thirds of their recent residential projects are being built without any parking spaces.  Thanks to years of investments in a robust public transit system and the City’s push to build without parking, a substantial increase in density and vitality in Portland’s downtown and nearby neighborhoods has been achieved.

It’s also led to cheaper unit costs in residential developments.  As one developer put it in a recent report, in Portland adding a parking spot to a unit is the difference between a $750/month apartment and a $1,250/month apartment.

In Philly, The Sansom is still relatively expensive due to its prime Rittenhouse location, starting at $1,895 for a one-bedroom apartment.  But other projects in less central neighborhoods like Graduate Hospital and Passyunk would likely see the most benefit from relaxing multi-family housing parking requirements.  While we can’t have it all and three spots for 10 units seems progressive enough, for now, making it even easier for developers to build without parking in the future would be a plus.  Or ensuring neighborhood groups and the ZBA don’t make developers jump through hoops to build no parking developments should be a goal.  Whether it be the City as a whole or a renter on his/her own, we can’t afford to do otherwise.

Writer: Greg Meckstroth

The industrial buildings surrounding the 1500 block of N. Bailey Street in Brewerytown have always been known for making and producing things.  But in a tale all too common in urban core neighborhoods, years of neglect and disinvestment have left parts of the neighborhood feeling desolate and forgotten.  More recently, however, as a number of artists have moved into these buildings for live-work purposes, bringing with them real estate developers’ interest and money, the area is reinventing itself, once again producing things but with completely different means and ends.  

Now dubbed the ‘Bailey Streets Arts Corridor,’ according to local ceramic artist and college professor Michael Connelly, the name is well-earned.  “There are now 10 nationally respected ceramics artists living and working within a three-block radius, as well as painters, woodworkers, and a choreographer,” explains Connelly.  "Plus, 12 contributing buildings (commercial and residential) along the Corridor are now under the control of local artists and investors."    

Connelly has been a chief driver of establishing the arts corridor, and is responsible for attracting other artists to invest.  He has also put his money where his mouth is, recently purchasing two properties on North Bailey Street that he hopes to rent out to community artists at affordable prices.

He’s also investing in large renovation projects, more recently converting an old warehouse studio space.  He believes this project in particular will help the corridor reach a critical mass and really take off.  Working closely with his colleague Robert Sutherland, a ceramic artist and general contractor/builder, they have officially started Phase One work on the project, already securing the exterior walls and conducting interior demolition.

Connelly’s work and the resulting conglomeration of artists along Bailey Street got the attention of development and construction firm, MM Partners LLC, who saw the corridor’s progress and even bigger potential for increased investment.  In no time, the company bought up the famous W.G. Schweiker Co. building at the intersection of Jefferson and Bailey Street with plans to renovate it into something beneficial to area artists. 

According to Jacob Roller, co-managing partner at MM Partners, they immediately went to Connelly to gain ideas about what exactly to do with the building.  He recommended converting the space into live-work units for artists, something he saw as severely lacking in the Philadelphia region.

MM Partners is now following Connelly’s advice, filling out the Schweiker building with nine live-work units.  Roller hopes the renovated space will quickly become an anchor along the burgeoning corridor and provide a unique opportunity for area artists looking to save a little money on rent by putting studio space under the same roof as their bed.    

From here on out, Connelly hopes more and more artists and investors will continue to be attracted to the area. 

“Numerous artists have already followed our lead by moving into our rental properties on Bailey Street, as well as infilling the surrounding blocks,” he says.  “Moving forward, we are hoping the artists decide to invest in our area by purchasing property and further solidifying a creative arts vernacular of the community.” 

Source: Jacob Roller, Co-Managing Partner at MM Partners; Michael Connelly, Ceramic Artist/College Professor
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Much has been said about major infrastructural changes recently undertaken around the Schuylkill River, University City, and surrounding environs.  Recent projects such as the new Grays Ferry Crescent Park, the Porch at 30th Street, continued trail connections along the Schuylkill Banks, and the Walnut Street Bridge Enhancement have made dramatic improvements, in very big ways, towards better physically and emotionally connecting Center City to its westerly neighbors.  The Atlantic Cities has taken notice, recently praising the Philly for its efforts at the Porch, taking space previously promised to automobiles and turning it over to pedestrians. 

With major projects funded, the City is now hammering out the details along the river to improve aesthetics and overall quality of life.  A recent example comes to us from the Schuylkill River Development Corporation (SRDC) and Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, who plan to landscape the west side embankment of the Schuylkill River along I-76 between Chestnut and Market Streets.

Improving quality of life is the name of the game for this development.  “The traffic on I-76 produces an audible and visual intrusion on Schuylkill Banks. This is especially true in the area of Market Street. The hope is that this would alleviate some of the noise and partially hide the traffic,” explains Lane Fike, Director of Capital Programs with SRDC.  “The area from Market to Chestnut has a concrete slab that offers an opportunity to install planters and screening.”

The group’s plan goes beyond screenings and plantings though, and includes sustainability and beautification measures such as green roofs and green wall features, planters with native trees, shrubs and meadow grasses and walls for climbing vines.  SRDC hopes these improvements will create a more pleasant vista and experience from the Schuylkill Banks across the river while creating a new habitat for migratory birds and other urban wildlife.     

While not as glamorous as the recent major moves, and likely not worthy of the Atlantic Cities’ attention, this smaller ticket item, and others like it, stand to have a big impact for the people who actually use the river corridor on a daily basis: residents.     

On a broader scale, small moves like this mean a lot, especially when you take a step back and look at how public spaces represent the city they reside in.  Finessing the details not only shows a desire to improve quality of life, but implementing excellence to the last detail shows the value system of a city, something Philadelphians should be proud that our civic leaders are rightfully expressing along the Schuylkill River.

A start date for the project has yet to be determined, but state funding is already lined up and Pennoni Associates is already developing schemes and putting together designs to meet expectations.  Once underway, construction should take about 3 months to complete. 

According to Fike, expect similar, smaller scaled improvements along the river in months and years to come.  “If the project proves to be successful, other areas along I-76 could be considered for treatment. However, because of varied existing conditions, treatments other than planters and screening may have to be investigated.” 

Source: Lane Fike, Schuylkill River Developmet Corporation
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

At 21st and Bainbridge in Graduate Hospital, a sinkhole now sits where a water main break occurred over two weeks ago, revealing an impressive array of underground utility layers, yet representing unfortunate issues with Philly’s aging water pipes.  Adding insult to injury, four more water main breaks have since occurred across Philly, leaving many to wonder just how serious the City’s aging infrastructure problems are. 

When disruptions like this occur, they act as a wakeup call to the importance of sound water utilities in our day-to-day lives.  And on a broader scale, they showcase the need for collective investment in our city’s infrastructure to ensure high quality of life for residents and competitiveness in a modern economy.  In this regard, Philly leads the way on a number of fronts yet falters in others. 
 
It Happens: Water Mains Break
 
Wondering why water main’s break to begin with?  Blame the hot temperatures, says Joanne Dahme, Philadelphia Water Department's (PWD) general manager of public affairs.  “For larger pipes, such as transmission mains, it’s the warmer water temperatures inside the pipe that causes the pipe materials to expand. Couple this with higher water usage in the summer and we see additional stress on the pipe,” she explains.  This summer’s particularly hot weather is the likely culprit for the additional stress on the mains. 
 
But main breaks in Philly can also be explained by the infrastructure’s age: being one of America’s oldest and earliest developed cities, the condition and efficiency of its infrastructure requires constant attention and maintenance.  According to Dahme, the average age of water lines in Philly is 67 years old, with typical life expectancies of 100-120 years.  Some pipes in and around Center City date back to as early as 1824.  The age factor, coupled with the sheer amount of water mains in the City (over 6,000 miles of water, sewer, and stormwater pipes mains exist in Philadelphia proper) and you’re going to see water mains break.  It’s science.
 
Something needs to be done
 
For years now Philly has recognized the need to upgrade its aging utilities for a number of reasons beyond the recent wave of water main breaks.  On a national scale, as populations continues to urbanize, water utilities have been faced with new environmental, demographic, and financial challenges.  As these trends accelerate, at stake are safe and affordable water supplies; proper storm and wastewater treatment; flood protection; and clean rivers and streams.  From a stormwater mitigation perspective, Philadelphia already has done quite a lot.   
  
A Local Example has Become National Model for Improving Infrastructure

In recent history, the Philadelphia region was at a major crossroads: in sight of degraded waterways and under very real budget constraints to do much about it, the City then faced potentially budget-crippling mandates from state and federal governments to upgrade and improve its old sewer systems.  Enter the Green City, Clean Waters initiative, Philadelphia's 25-year plan to protect and enhance watersheds by managing stormwater with green infrastructure.

Instead of building its way out of the problem through the construction of costly underground infrastructure and utilities, through the Green City, Clean Waters initiative, the City used the mandate as an opportunity to plan for and implement innovative ‘green’ techniques on a citywide scale.  The way the City saw it, greening strategies invests public monies in a much smarter way and stands to benefit residents through increased open space, all the while meeting ecological restoration mandates. 
 
Through a fleet of watershed planning initiatives, natural habitat restoration, greening out those pesky grayfields, and the largest Green Stormwater Infrastructure Program this country has seen, Philly has been fighting the good fight for a more sustainable future, saving billions in the process.
 
To date, all of the planning has turned into tangible results: over 200 improvements have been implemented across the City, ranging from stormwater tree trenches, porous paving projects, green roofs, wetlands, rain gardens, and a host of other green improvements.  All of these tools do two things: meets federal mandates through reducing runoff volume and filter pollutants before entering the combined sewers and helps solve the city’s aging infrastructure by reducing strain on the system.    

Nationally, Green City, Clean Waters has been lauded for its vision and action-oriented progress.  The fight has become a national model for how cities can use these policies to combat budget and environmental constraints.  Locally, it is a reminder that investing in infrastructure is a must but that it doesn’t have to break the bank and can be completed in smart, innovative ways.

Similar Thinking Needed on Water Mains

PWD has recently started using a new technology for leak detection on its larger system pipes, and plans on expanding this program in the future.  This joins extensive leak detection and quality protection measures already in place to ensure a high level of service while minimizing the amount of main breaks. 

And despite the recent outbreak, Dahme suggests that PWD’s efforts are working.  “In the past year (July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012), Philadelphia experienced its third lowest number of main breaks,” she notes.  On top of this, Dahme says the city is well below the national average for main breaks.  “There are roughly 240 breaks per 1,000 miles of water main pipe in the city.  The national average from the American Water Works Association is 270 water main breaks per 1,000 miles of pipe.” 

But as the sinkhole at 21st and Bainbridge continues to fester, it acts as a reminder that we must collectively invest in our public utilities now, or risk pushing more expensive fixes onto future generations of Philadelphians.  Considering that current demographic trends point towards the City adding population over the coming years, causing increased strain on water mains- the time to invest is now.  Dahme believes that to do otherwise could be catastrophic to the budget, ratepayers, and the City’s ability to properly function in a modern economy. “The more infrastructure dollars we have - through rates or federal grants - the more we can positively impact our future.” 

Source: Joanne Dahme, Philadelphia Water Department
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

If the Philadelphia region undertakes efforts to improve energy efficiency in buildings, $618 million in local spending would be spurred and 23,500 jobs would be created.   This according to Christine Knapp of the Energy Efficient Buildings (EEB) Hub in the Navy Yard, who believes the strategies and programs they are currently conducting could have a transformative effect on Greater Philadelphia's economy. 

The EEB Hub was established in Philadelphia by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) with a $129 million grant as an Energy-Regional Innovation Cluster in early 2011 with a mission of improving energy efficiency in buildings and promoting regional economic growth.  According to Knapp, the creation of the government-led Hub was necessary because the building systems market simply has not been improving in efficiency standards on its own.  And considering the building sector accounts for 40% of total U.S. prime energy expended and 70% of all U.S. electric energy used, improving building efficiency standards is seen as a must by the DOE.
     
But landing the Hub was not an easy task and took numerous stakeholders and a lot of coordination to put together the winning proposal.  “A consortium of academic institutions, industry partners and economic development groups, led by Penn State, submitted a proposal to house the Hub at the Navy Yard in Philadelphia, which was ultimately the winning proposal,” explains Knapp.  She also believes locating the Hub at the Navy Yard was a key factor to the proposal’s success, since the land is seen as one of the nation’s largest and most dynamic retrofit and redevelopment opportunities.    

The Hub is made up of research teams who are a rather ambitious bunch.  According to Knapp, their main, and seemingly lofty goal is to reduce energy use in the Greater Philadelphia commercial building sector by 20 percent by 2020, an undertaking that will create thousands of jobs for Philly. 

The Hub is already leading by example with two demonstration projects.  Building 101 in the Navy Yard serves as a testing site for energy research, where data is collected and assessments are made of the impact of building energy technologies and systems on energy use.  Then there’s the advanced energy retrofit living laboratory in Building 661 of the Navy Yard. Once renovated, the building will host EEB’s headquarters and serve as an example for future advanced energy retrofit projects in the region.

There is already evidence that EEB’s efforts are already yielding real jobs.  Relationships made between EEB and a local manufacturing business, Rhoads Industries, and their desire to retrofit the company’s Navy Yard buildings caught the attention of US Green Energy (USGE), a Virginia-based startup company that is manufacturing new types of solar roofs. 

Through a series of meetings about Rhoads' roof needs, USGE eventually agreed to open manufacturing space of their own in the Navy Yard, bringing an estimated 20 new jobs to the region.  USGE has since indicated that they have contracted for further technical work on their product and are actively pursuing research funding for more work.

With benchmarked results in tow, EEB plans an all-out assault on the local building industry to promote what they are doing to get the word out about building efficiency.  According to Knapp, this has started with identifying the necessary parties involved to move the conversation forward.  “The EEB Hub is engaging key stakeholders- from building owners, to retrofit suppliers to workforce trainers and policy makers- in the retrofit decision process to serve as an informational, motivational, and practical resource for the various constituencies that will help carry our vision forward.”

Already well underway, expect a variety of workshops, seminars, presentations, and webinars to continue for the next few years.  From these efforts, the EEB Hub can successfully develop market-ready technologies, information, and people needed in the marketplace to drive energy retrofits forward, create demand, and deliver on energy savings.  And if the success behind the Rhoads-USGE collaboration is any indication, expect EEB's efforts to more than deliver on job creation over the next 10-20 years.    

Source: Christine Knapp, EEB Hub
Writer; Greg Meckstroth