reuse / rebuild : Development News

With support from local developers, community groups, residents and now the zoning board, the Waldorf School of Philadelphia is picking up and moving. They are taking over the long-abandoned St. Peter's Episcopal Church at Wayne Avenue and Harvey Street, right in the heart of Germantown.

The move has been a long time coming. The 16-year-old school outgrew their New Covenant campus and is in need of more space.
 
"The church had been on our minds for a few years," says Cristina Shiffman, School Chair of Waldorf. "We researched a number of ways to acquire it, but found we couldn't purchase and renovate the property ourselves."
 
The school approached Ken Weinstein's Philly Office Retail, hoping they would buy the property and then lease it back to Waldorf. A major developer and stakeholder in Germantown, Weinstein and his company obliged.

"It's a Frank Furness design," exclaims Weinstein. "If we didn’t do something the buildings would have to be torn down in five years."

After a few years of negotiating and planning -- including an application for a special use zoning exemption (the property was zoned for residential use only; the exemption is now in place) -- Weinstein will purchase the church for $435,000.

Plans for the four buildings on the historic church's two-acre site include extensive renovations to add classrooms, redoing the aging roofs and adding floors inside the sanctuary. The building's façade will be entirely preserved. Weinstein says the project's cost will hover around $4 million. They expect to break ground this fall.

Shiffman says initial reception from the community has been encouraging. The school is already working with the Friends of the Wissahickon to take stewardship of a portion of the park adjacent to the new school grounds. They hope to use the green space for nature walks and educational activities.

In the years to come, Shiffman expects other adult education activities and community events to become the norm on school grounds. "We’re really pleased with how everything has come together so far," says Shiffman. "We’re excited to see what’s possible in Germantown."

Source: Cristina Shiffman, School Chair, Waldorf School of Philadelphia
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

After two-and-a-half months On the Ground in Germantown, the area's many assets become immediately apparent. The rich history, beautiful housing stock and diverse community are enough to make other Philly neighborhoods envious. But it’s also become clear that some of these assets are underutilized.

The City Planning Commission, led by Northwest Community Planner Matt Wysong, is looking to change that, starting with the Central Germantown Business District Beautification Plan, officially adopted last September. The Plan aims to improve Germantown’s primary business district at the nexus of Chelten and Germantown Avenues.

"Downtown Germantown was the King of Prussia of the 1950s," says Wysong. "With investment down and vacancy up, the district needs a facelift."

With the plan as a guide, the Planning Commission will implement a series of short- and long-term physical improvements to the commercial corridor over the next few years. The first, and most dramatic, is the reconfiguration of the plaza-like bus stop at Chelten Avenue and Greene Street.
 
"We're looking to fix the function and use of the space -- the basic things," explains Wysong. "We want to make spaces live up to their potential."
 
The improvements will increase transit access and safety for bus riders, and a pedestrian plaza will be created, tying into nearby Vernon Park, another open space Wysong believes is currently underutilized.
 
"The plaza can become a back door to Vernon Park," he says. "We want to take the vibrancy of Chelten and integrate it into Vernon Park."
 
The plaza’s final design has yet to be completed. The Planning Commission and Germantown United CDC held a design charrette at Flying Kite’s On the Ground space (322 W. Chelten Ave.) in February to jumpstart the process.
 
The Commission is also looking to implement streetscape improvements on Chelten between Germantown and Greene. New street trees, addition plantings and enhanced newspaper stands are all potential ideas.
 
Wysong says that even more dramatic improvements are set to take place longterm. Facelifts to Maplewood Mall and other targeted areas throughout the district will take place over the coming years.
 
"These current improvements are pilot projects," says Wysong. "They’re getting the ball rolling. By next summer, if all goes according to plan, you’ll really start to notice a big difference."

Source: Matt Wysong, Philadelphia City Planning Commission
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

This past Thursday at the Academy of Natural Sciences, three teams were awarded the top prize in Infill Philadelphia: Soak It Up!, the widely publicized and much anticipated national green stormwater design competition. (Flying Kite previewed the contest in October.)
 
The event was a collaboration between the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD), the Community Design Collaborative and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In all, 28 teams, 101 firms and 315 professionals from across the country submitted proposals that explored the potential of green infrastructure tools. Submissions came from places as diverse as Seattle, New York and St. Louis.  

Teams were asked to address the unique stormwater management challenges and opportunities at one of three Philadelphia sites. Each site embodied a different urban context and land-use challenge (industrial, commercial or neighborhood).

Submissions ranged from greening existing warehouse facilities to creating neighborhood-level EcoDistricts and tackling sewage overflow problems, to determining creative ways to green surface parking lots and large shopping centers.

Of the 28 entries, nine finalists were selected to present their entries to a jury and the public. The jury then selected three winners – one for each study area.
  
"We wanted projects that were innovative," explains juror Nathan Boon with the William Penn Foundation. "We also looked for submissions that could actually be implemented, ideas that can be replicated over many areas."
 
So many creative ideas came out of the exercise that PWD leaders plan to not only work with the winning teams but also the losing teams to make the designs a reality.
 
"Our expectations were far exceeded," says Joanne Dahme from the PWD. "It's given us so many new ideas for new ways to manage stormwater."
 
Over the next 25 years, PWD plans to spend $2 billion on green stormwater infrastructure improvements at varying scales across the city. Many of the competition’s ideas will be used as prototypes.

The three winners are as follows:
 
Industrial: "Leveraging Water + Plants in Zero Lot Sites," led by local firm Roofmeadow.
Neighborhood: "Greening the Grid," led by local landscape architecture firm OLIN.
Commercial: "Retail Retrofit," led by local firm Urban Engineers Inc. with Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects of New York. 

Source:  Nathan Boon, William Penn Foundation; Joanne Dahme, Philadelphia Water Department
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Thanks to innovative stormwater practices at the Water Department and the EEB Hub’s research into developing energy-efficient buildings, Philly has been generating real solutions behind the buzzwords "green" and "sustainable." Now the suburbs are getting in on the action too – the new Morphotek Inc. manufacturing plant in Exton recently received global recognition, winning the 2013 Facility of the Year Award for Sustainability.

The Facility of the Year Awards recognize state-of-the-art pharmaceutical manufacturing projects across the globe that utilize innovative technologies. Morphotek’s plant did just that, incorporating sustainable design, construction and operating features. In the coming months, the plan is expected to earn a LEED certification of Silver or higher.

"The Morphotek Pilot Plant puts Pennsylvania on the map with one of the world's first LEED-certified pharmaceutical buildings," says Robert Dick, principal with Precis Engineering out of Ambler, one of the firm’s responsible for constructing the $80 million, 60,000-square-foot facility. Precis Engineering teamed up with Arcus Design Group Architects, Inc. and HSC Builders & Construction Managers, Inc.
 
Sustainability was integrated into the plant’s design and construction process, starting with remediation of the site (a former brownfield) and ending with the installation of on-site solar panels and water and energy conservation systems.

"Our collaborative design team worked closely with Morphotek to design and execute the project…with emphasis on both sustainability and operational efficiency," says Dick. "We are honored that the Facility of the Year experts recognized our team effort and project results."

The Facility of the Year Sustainability Award will be presented to Morphotek, Precis and the rest of the design team this April in New York City. Additional recognition will come at the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) National Meeting in November and in upcoming issues of Pharmaceutical Processing and Pharmaceutical Engineering magazines.

Source:  Robert Dick, Principal, Precis Engineering
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

It’s been a few short years since Postgreen Homes made headlines with their award-winning 100K House. Since then, they’ve held true to the project’s defining principles, delivering eco-friendly new construction housing that is also affordable. The developers are now introducing a new home model to the Philly market: the Snapback Project in East Kensington.

Designed by award-winning contemporary architecture firm Interface Studio Architects, Snapback delivers a powerful punch despite its smaller than average stature.

In Philadelphia, most new construction townhomes are three stories tall, at a minimum. The Snapback units are two stories, but with an added bonus: a basement that’s five feet higher than standard. This allows more light and air to enter and gives homebuyers more flexibility with the space.

According to Chad Ludeman, president of Postgreen Homes, the idea is to deliver a flexible house with three floors worth of potential space for the construction cost of two. "The concept was solidified when we consulted for a developer in Chicago who brought to our attention that most new homes in the Windy City are constructed this way," says Ludeman.

With a higher-than-average ceiling height, the basements offer the homebuyer the opportunity to customize the home. Ludeman believes families can grow into the house, leaving the space unfinished at first but, over time, finishing it out as a spare bedroom for children, a home office or guest suite.

The homes, which are currently being framed, are selling for $300-$350 thousand, a price tag Ludeman says would have been much higher had they built traditional three-story homes. "The buyer is probably saving forty to fifty thousand dollars with this two-story model," he explains.

Ultimately, that’s what it’s all about for Ludemann and Postgreen: building new construction units with price points attainable at the Area Median Income of a Philly household. For market rate homes in the city, that number is $200-$450 thousand.

With other projects like Duplexcellence in South Kensington selling for as low as $250 thousand, Postgreen now has 14 units of affordable market rate housing under its belt. Building where land is cheap, keeping homes small and using basic finishes keeps costs low, while still allowing the projects to have a modern feel and sleek design.

"We’re not a non-profit," says Ludeman. "We still have to make money, but we’re constantly looking for ways to pass savings on to homebuyers."

Source:  Chad Ludeman, Postgreen Homes
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

The Wayne Junction SEPTA Station renovation has been underway for a little over a year and already developers and community groups are buying up nearby property, anticipating increased demand for living and working close to one of Philly's busiest transit hubs.  
 
The Frank Furness-designed station was rebuilt in 1900. It sits at the nexus of Germantown and Nicetown, and serves five different regional rail lines, making it one of the most heavily trafficked train stations in the city. Now, a $25 million renovation will bring the neighborhood anchor into the future, and hopefully spark the area's transformation.

Though progress has been slow, private investment has begun to pick up on the Germantown side of the station, notably in the Wayne Junction Industrial Historic District. Lower Germantown has tremendous potential -- it is rife with beautiful, historic, underutilized buildings. Last year, developer Ken Weinstein of Philly Office Retail bought the former Max Levy Autograph Co. building on Roberts Avenue.
 
"I was really encouraged by SEPTA's investment in upgrading Wayne Junction," says Weinstein, "otherwise I wouldn't have bought the building."
 
This past summer, Weinstein and company got to work removing asbestos and clearing the vacant structure of hazardous materials. Weinstein hopes the building can eventually be utilized as offices, lofts and artist studios.
 
Weinstein has also bought other buildings close to Wayne Junction, including the former Germantown Settlement Charter School (that project was detailed in a recent issue of Flying Kite). Transit proximity was a key factor for the school's new tenants, GreatnessIsInYou!, a community performance space, and the non-profit New Directions for Women.
 
On the south side of Wayne Junction, the public sector has entered the fray. Nicetown Court II, a collaboration between the Nicetown Community Development Corporation and Universal Companies -- with funding help from the city, state and federal governments -- is currently under construction. Once complete, the project will bring 50 units of low-income housing and retail to the 4400 block of Germantown Avenue.

That development is being built adjacent to the 37-unit first phase, Nicetown Court I, which opened in 2011.
 
Matt Wysong of the Planning Commission says the projects are "completely remaking" this section of Germantown Avenue, and hopes their transit-oriented design will promote and inspire similar development north of Wayne Junction, something Weinstein would no doubt welcome with open arms. 
 
"The market [for significant private development] isn’t quite there yet," says Wysong, who believes that market is likely years away. But with Weinstein readying his properties for the completion of Wayne Junction’s renovation in 2014, that development could be a bit closer. 

Source:  Ken Weinstein, Philly Office Retail; Matt Wysong, City Planning Commission
Writer: Greg Meckstroth
 

This Wednesday at the final Central District Plan Public Open House, city planners will officially announce big changes for four of the city’s central subway stops.
 
The stations -- the Fairmount and Lombard-South stops along the Broad Street Line, and the Spring Garden and Girard stops on the Market-Frankford Line -- will each be covered by a Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) overlay district, a zoning tool that encourages higher densities and use diversity within walking distance of transit stations.
 
Brand new to the Philly planning scene, the TOD districts are being implemented through the Philadelphia 2035 Comprehensive Plan district planning process.
 
TOD is a common tool used by urban planners to encourage development around transit assets in an effort to build walkable, pedestrian-oriented cities. According to Central District Plan Manager Laura Spina, the four stops were chosen because development potential around them is high and surrounding land is somewhat underutilized. The Girard stop, for example, currently attracts auto-oriented development such as drive-thrus and surface parking lots. 

These sites were also chosen because their base zoning lends itself to a TOD overlay. Plus, major commerical corridors run through each stop -- an ideal situation for restricting curb cuts and encouraging pedestrian-oriented development.

In addition to higher densities and more mixed-use development, affordable housing will likely be a big component of TOD around each stop. "The overlays include incentives for affordable housing," says Spina. "Access to transit is particularly important for elderly and low-income populations."

Spina says the four locations are tentative and could change depending on public feedback at the Open House on Wednesday, February 27 (5 - 7:30 p.m. at City Hall).

From there, barring any major hiccups, the Central District Plan and newly minted TOD overlays will be adopted by the Planning Commission by June.

According to Spina, TOD won’t stop there -- this zoning tool is likely to play a large role in future district plans.

Source:  Laura Spina, City Planning Commission
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Come spring, the long-awaited eco-friendly reNewBold development will be well under construction at 16th and Moore Streets. Planned for the former site of the Francis M. Drexel School, the project is a big step for Newbold, a neighborhood undergoing major revitalization.

Once completed, the project will boast 18 owner-occupied townhomes and one corner commercial space. It’s the first privately financed new construction residential project in the area in well over 50 years. And to top it off, it screams green.

Designed by Interface Studio Architects in conjunction with construction manager Postgreen, the homes will feature bicycle parking, green roofs, bamboo flooring, triple pane windows and on-sight stormwater mitigation practices. The designers are aiming for a 50 percent reduction in energy use from a similarly sized home.

Developer John Longacre of LPMG Companies expects the first phase of the project to be completed before summer, with full build-out anticipated by the end of 2014. "We can have the units built and sold within 18 months of starting construction," he explains.

That achievement is a long time coming for Longacre: Developing this particularly property has been "quite a challenge" due to the arduous process of clearing the property’s title. "It’s taken several years for us to clear the property of numerous liens," he says. "Now we’re finally ready to move forward." 

Longacre sees the project as the "missing piece" in Newbold’s rebirth. "When [LPMG] came down here 10 years ago, there wasn’t much going on," he says. "Since then, we’ve strategically tried to bring businesses and residents to the area and tried to get slumlords to improve their properties."

That mission has been a success -- the area now features numerous South Philly institutions, including Ultimo Coffee, South Philly Tap Room, Miss Rachel’s Pantry and the American Sardine Bar.

Longacre is also aiming for affordability: units will range in cost from $250,000 to $325,000. Despite all the delays, three have already sold. 

Source:  John Longacre, LPMG Companies
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

The renovation at 178 West Huntingdon Avenue in Kensington is a compelling story: A large former manufacturing plant in a neighborhood that’s seen better days, transformed into high-end apartments for the upwardly mobile.

But, while our recent story on the ambitious development project described the site as lacking a civic asssociation, Candace McKinley and the folks at the Norris Square Civic Association (NSCA) respectfully disagree. The property at West Huntingdon actually falls under NSCA’s jurisdiction, and McKinley says they are quite active in the community and have been for some time. In fact, they are currently undertaking their largest project to date: developing a community-centric complex near the neighborhood's namesake park.
 
"Norris Square Civic Association has been active in the greater Norris Square community for over 30 years," says McKinley. "We started as a grass roots organization that brought together a group of neighborhood mothers who wanted to work to make their community safe for their children."
 
Through their early efforts, they were able to reclaim Norris Square Park, once known as "Needle Park," as a safe space for their kids to play.
 
Since 1994, NSCA has developed 147 units of affordable housing for both rent and sale while also rehabbing vacant homes. NSCA is currently building and rehabilitating another 30 single-family homes throughout the neighborhood.
 
Now they are tackling the massive rehabilitation and renovation of the former St. Boniface Catholic Church complex adjacent to Norris Square Park. Currently under construction, the project is set to include a school, office space, off-street parking, green space and seven units of mixed-income housing.
 
A brand new community center is also in the works for the site. Once complete, the center will feature sports facilities, a culinary incubator for local residents, vocational training classes, and arts and workshop training.
 
"The [community center] project is the result of a $5 million grant from the Department of Community and Economic Development for the structure’s rehabilitation," says McKinley. NSCA is now fundraising in order to outfit the space with the necessary equipment.
 
The ribbon cutting ceremony for the St. Boniface Project will take place on June 15, during the annual Norris Square neighborhood festival in Norris Square Park.
 
So yes, this part of Kensington might be a far cry from buzz-generating Northern Liberties and Fishtown, but there is good work being done. “Norris Square and the surrounding community are so much more than ‘the badlands,'" says McKinley. "It is a community of neighbors who are organizing their blocks and working to make their community safer."

Source:  Candace McKinley, Norris Square Civic Association
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Germantown’s long-vacant YWCA site might finally be coming back to life -- there are plans to transform the Vernon Park landmark into a mixed-use senior housing project. Developers Philly Office Retail are in the preliminary stages of securing the property for redevelopment, and in doing so, erasing the building's stigma as one of Germantown Avenue’s most high profile vacancies. But don't pop the champagne just yet.

"A lot has to happen to secure the property," explains Philly Office Retail's Ken Weinstein. The development team still has to finalize site plans, gain support from the community, line up site control and win low-income tax credits to move forward with intended plans.

"The goal is to pull this together by October when the application for low-income tax credits is due," says Weinstein. Weinstein is already working with his architect and believes the community will support the project. He is also confident that the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority (PRA) will foreclose on the vacant property.

In 2006, PRA lent the now-defunct Germantown Settlement community group $1.3 million to buy the YWCA and redevelop it as a community center. Germantown Settlement never made one mortgage payment on the property, and the structure was left to deteriorate. (Click here for the whole sordid history.)

To this day, the property is still owned by Germantown Settlement. 

According to Weinstein, the RDA has not yet moved to take back the property back because there’s been "no serious interest" in redeveloping the site. Now that Philly Office Retail is on board, the RDA is looking to move forward quickly with foreclosure proceedings.

Unfortunately, the structure has suffered severely from those years of neglect -- there were even a couple of fires. It remains to be seen if it can be saved. "I’ve never demolished a property in 22 years of doing business," says Weinstein, "but the building is in very bad shape."

No matter what happens with the original building, the end result will be a mixed-use senior facility that would compliment the pedestrian atmosphere of Germantown Avenue and serve local residents who need affordable housing. Weinstein is partnering with nearby senior care facility Center in the Park and Mission First Housing Development Corporation to earn the necessary tax credits to finance the project.

Ultimately, the development plan is about delivering a quality project for Germantown. "If we want to turn the area around, we need to do something here," says Weinstein.

Source:  Ken Weinstein, Philly Office Retail
Writer: Greg Meckstroth  

For the folks at Philly Office Retail, renovating vacant, abandoned industrial structures is their bread and butter. When they bought the dilapidated former Kendrick Mill at 6139 Germantown Avenue back in June, they were met with the usual conundrum: historic warehouse, underutilized, in need of investment. But it was the circumstance they hadn’t dealt with before that made this renovation unique: existing tenants.

"The building was maybe 55 percent leased when we bought it back in June," explains Philly Office Retail's Noah Krey. "A lot of the tenants were operating without official leases." 

Unphased, the company got to work adding state-of-the-art studio spaces for lease. They have sunk nearly $400,000 into the historic gem, improving the floors, upgrading the utilities, adding new awnings and façade treatments, installing a new HVAC system and overhauling the space's image, rebranding it as the Lofts @ Kendrick Mill.

Those efforts haven’t gone unrewarded. "Today we’re 75 percent leased," says Krey.

But what about those the existing tenants, some of whom were without official leases? "We didn't kick anyone out but unfortunately we did lose some tenants in the renovation process," says Krey, adding that under Philly Office Retail's management all tenants are required to sign leases.

Making up for those losses is an impressive list of new tenants -- a group characterized by Krey as "mostly artists" -- which includes graphic designers, clothing designers and furniture designers. 

Another major tenant is Rocket Learning, an educational management company, that took over space in late 2012.

With most of the renovations complete and rebranding efforts in full swing, the only significant item on the "to-do" list is to replace all the windows while preserving the building's warehouse look and feel.

Source:  Noah Krey, Philly Office Retail
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

In Lower Germantown, developers and activists are sowing the seeds for a dramatic turnaround. Thanks to a $25 million renovation of the nearby Wayne Junction SEPTA regional rail hub, investors are buying up property, anticipating the birth of a transit-oriented neighborhood full of offices, artists and schools.

The site of the former Germantown Settlement Charter School is the latest example of the area's resurgence. The chapel is set to be renovated later this year, becoming a performance hall for GreatnessIsInYou!, a local non-profit.

"The idea behind our organization is to motivate students and youth to achieve greatness by being the greatest version of themselves," explains founder and CEO Kareem Rogers. "With the performance hall, our goal is to teach kids how to express themselves and communicate through the arts."

Purchased nearly a year ago by Philly Office Retail, the site is comprised of 5 buildings on 6.5 acres just blocks from Wayne Junction. When the school closed two-and-a-half years ago, the campus was left to deteriorate. "We’re hoping to bring it back," says Philly Office Retail's Noah Krey. "The chapel was leased a few months ago and will be a big step towards that."

Rogers says the site's location was a major incentive: "It’s right in the heart of the community and has great transit access. Anyone can get here," he explains.

Rogers plans to use the new performance hall as a community hub. So far, plans include a performing arts summer camp that also teaches the business side of writing, theatre and the arts, as well as a family theatre series showcasing classic children’s stories.

GreatnessIsInYou! continues to fundraise, and renovations are expected to run from mid-March through early May.

As for the other properties on site, they are still unoccupied. "We think it could be great for the community if another school took those buildings and set up at the site," says Krey. "That would also make for a great synergy with GreatnessIsInYou! We're open to any use that will benefit the community."

Source:  Noah Krey, Philly Office Retail; Kareem Rogers, GreatnessIsInYou!
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Over the last 15 years, the Benjamin Franklin Parkway undergone dramatic changes. New museums, bike lanes, trees and pop-up cafes have all been added to the iconic Philly boulevard. 

On February 4, the Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation will unveil their latest plan for the Parkway: "More Park, Less Way: An Action Plan to Increase Urban Vibrancy on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway." 
 
Since last Spring, Parks and Recreation -- in conjunction with Penn Praxis and the Penn Project for Civic Engagement -- has been working with the community to develop guiding principles for low cost, big impact improvement projects that can be implemented in the short-term. Four community meetings were held in late July.

According to Patrick Morgan, chief of staff to Parks and Recreation Commissioner Mike DiBerardinis, that information was incredibly influential in devising the final plan. "The planning process was guided and informed by citizens," he says. "We heard a lot of exciting ideas." Those ideas included adding more pedestrian amenities, improving connections to surrounding neighborhoods, greening improvements and increasing accessibility.

More details will be announced at the plan’s unveiling, which will be held at the Academy of Natural Sciences (1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway) at 5:30 p.m.
  
If you’d like to attend the event, please RSVP to [email protected].

Source: Patrick Morgan, chief of staff to Department of Parks and Recreation Commissioner Mike DiBerardinis
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Since 1908, Starr Garden Park has been an important neighborhood asset. Taking up the entire 600 block of Lombard Street in Society Hill, the 2.2-acre park is the oldest multigenerational playground in Philadelphia.
 
With that kind of history comes serious wear and tear, but thanks to the Starr Garden Neighbors, a relatively new community group dedicated to maintaining and improving the space, the future is bright.
 
The park has always had a lot going for it: beautiful old trees, a great location and a number of amenities including a ball field, a sports field and two basketball courts. "It’s a neighborhood gem," says Starr Garden Neighbors' Laurel Landau. "The space just needed some love."
 
The organization started small. "We organized and participated in five successful clean-up days, some city-wide," explains Landau. "We bagged thousands of pounds of leaves, collected trash, painted benches and fences, planted annuals and perennials, and removed graffiti."
 
According to Landau, the clean-up days helped the group build momentum, gaining attention from nearby residents. They eventually held two successful fundraising events. "We raised several hundreds of dollars for greening of the park," she says. "We have tapped very receptive local vendors to donate food for us to sell or gift certificates for us to give as raffle prizes."
 
The Neighbors have also secured two grants. The first, a Green Machine Grant from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, provided hands-on instruction in prepping, maintaining, selecting and planting a garden; it was installed on October 14.
 
The second, an Event Programming Grant from the Fairmount Park Conservancy, is being used for their upcoming Winterfest (2-4 p.m. Saturday, February 2). The event is being held in collaboration with Friends of Seger Park Playground, another open space just a few blocks away celebrating their new playground. Starr Garden’s portion of the fest will include a DJ, craft table, ice carving demo, face painting and other family-friendly events.
 
The next clean-up day is set for Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. January 21.
 
Ultimately, the Neighbors’ ambitions reach beyond cleaning, lighting and receptacles -- it’s about quality of life and raising a family in the city. "Most of us involved have young children," says Landau. "We want them to grow up here." 

Source: Laurel Landau, Starr Garden Neighbors
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

East Girard Avenue in Fishtown has the bones of a great commercial corridor. The blocks between Front Street and I-95 feature a tight knit collection of businesses and great architecture, with easy access to public transit. The booming development in the surrounding neighborhood has led to an influx of restaurants, shops and bars.
 
The New Kensington Community Development Corporation (NKCDC) is working hard to steward that development. Recent tangible accomplishments include a hyper-pedestrian streetscape plan and "Take Me to the River," a gateway feature connecting East Girard to nearby Penn Treaty Park. Now, with two big initiatives in the pipeline, NKCDC looks to improve the intangible: East Girard’s image.
 
The first, LISC Corridors of Retail Excellence -- LISC CORE for short -- is the result of a grant from LISC. According to NKCDC's Angie Williamson, the group will utilize the funds to make "a big impact with small investments" along the corridor.  
 
One example is a Model Block Initiative on visual merchandising, focused on the stretch of Girard between Oxford and Marlborough Streets. Quite simply, NKCDC hopes the campaign will become "an example for others along East Girard to follow." To achieve that goal, NKCDC hired local architects David Quadrini and Brian Syzmanik. They'll work with the block's businesses to improve window displays and facades, and connect pedestrians on the sidewalk with activity inside.
 
"Sometimes it’s as simple as leaving the lights on at night or placing the cash register in just the right place," explains Williamson. "We’re trying to help local businesses develop an understanding of visual merchandising and design, skills they can use years from now."

The Model Block program should be complete by early summer, about the same time the CDC’s other large initiative will be complete. That project, Girard Avenue East District Marketing, is being funded by another healthy grant, this time from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.  
 
"It’s purely a marketing plan," says Williamson, "but there will be quite a bit of urban design components as well." Local firms Letter 27 and Interface Studio LLC, known for their graphic design prowess and branding expertise, have been tapped for the job. They hope to establish East Girard as a destination beyond its immediate neighborhood.
 
Beyond the summer, Williamson and NKCDC have their eye on the ultimate selling point for the corridor: the Front and Girard El SEPTA stop. "It’s a big gateway opportunity for us," says Williamson, noting that its current condition leaves something to be desired. "Once you enter East Girard from the El, we want as nice an experience as possible, so that’s what we’ll focus on improving in the future."
 
So far, no funding has been identified for such an ambitious project, but Williamson remains optimistic that dramatic improvements can be made in the not-too-distant future. 

For more on the NKCDC's efforts in Fishtown, check out our feature on Executive Director Sandy Salzman.

Source: Angie Williamson, New Kensington CDC
Writer: Greg Meckstroth