reuse / rebuild : Development News

The Flying Horse Center in Germantown is best known for its industrial reuse story. In 2010, the Community Design Collaborative chose the 85-year-old parking garage, which had been transformed into a multi-use community center, as a model of adaptive reuse in its Retooling Industrial Sites exhibit.

With most of the 55,000-square-foot facility leased and the final phase of office flex space being built, owner Stan Smith is once again using the hulking structure as a leading example of how to combat some of Philly’s chronic urban woes. This time he’s taking on another form of neighborhood blight: graffiti. In a page out of Jane Golden’s playbook, he’s allowing local artists to use portions of the Flying Horse Center’s facade as a showcase for street art.

"The building gets so much exposure because of its central location right next to the train stop," explains Smith. "The graffiti that plagued the building was sending the wrong message. It made me mad."

The building directly abuts the Chestnut Hill West regional rail line and features a large, highly visible brick wall along the tracks. For years that stretch of the façade got the brunt of the tagging. "It was ruining the beautiful brick," says Smith.

But the brick wall also featured large portions of cinderblock that covered up windows from another era. Smith decided that those parts of the wall could be used to show off graffiti in a way that didn’t detract from the building, putting the graffiti artists' work to good use. 

"I want to give respect to Germantown as well as the message behind the graffiti movement," says Smith. "I support graffiti as an art form. We can survive together, it just needs to be responsible."

Smith worked with Nelson Glendinning and his father Andrew from Germantown Academy, allowing Nelson to showcase his work on the cinderblocks. 

Nelson took full advantage of the opportunity, producing interesting artwork that enhances the building, pays respect to its history and acts as a gateway to Chelten Avenue and Germantown.

But work remains. "We still have a lot of cinderblocks to do and an even bigger message to get out there," says Smith. "Nelson’s one man. He can’t do it all."

Smith has received a tremendous amount of interest from other local artists to help finish the project. So far no one has officially signed on, but Smith believes that Nelson’s compelling work will help sell others on the idea. 

Source: Stan Smith, Flying Horse Center
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

On January 26, the Friends of Seger Park Playground (FOSPP) will hold an open house, officially celebrating their brand new playground equipment (the area opened to the public on January 11). The renovation effort has been five years in the making, and netted $500,000 worth of improvements to the Washington Square West park, located on Lombard between 10th and 11th Streets.

From 2 to 5 p.m., FOSPP will showcase their play equipment while also saying "thank you" to supporters. The open house will also offer an opportunity to raise awareness for the group's next big venture: a Phase II, $250,000 renovation that will bring an iconic, functional water feature to the park.

That project—dubbed Fluidscape—is the winning concept from a summer 2011 design competition. Sixteen entries were received from around the world, voting was held that July, and a jury of community and city representatives convened to make the final decision.

"We wanted a Center City landmark, something to brand the park as well as the neighborhood," says FOSPP's Wendy Ramunno. "We also wanted a functional sprayground that could be used by kids." This desire led the jury to choose Fluidscape, an entry designed by Kansas State architecture professor Nathan Howe.  

Ramunno says the design competition was created out of necessity: The park’s current water feature is broken, and the cost to repair it is prohibitive. Since kids in Center City—especially those without access to a pool or beach—need a safe place to cool off during hot Philly summers, something had to be done.

With Fluidscape, Ramunno and FOSPP believe they have found a solid solution. Once complete, the concrete structure will rise from the ground, creating water flows, tunnels, showers and mists for kids to enjoy. In the winter, the structure can be utilized for snow forts, igloos and tunnels.

Ramunno and FOSPP are hesitant to set a timeline for construction to commence, but with $50,000 already in the bank and $200,000 to go, Ramunno believes their fundraising goal is within reach. "We’re really happy with the progress so far," she says, "but we’re still very focused on getting the money raised and construction started as soon as possible."  

Source: Wendy Ramunno, Friends of Seger Park Playground
Writer: Greg Meckstroth
 

Benjamin’s Desk, one of Philly’s premier coworking spaces, is expanding their Center City digs. This past weekend, in lieu of simply hiring a consultant to do the work, they tapped local talent from the Young Architects Forum (YAF) to generate ideas for the new space.
 
"It’s important for us to involve not only our current members, but also the local community to collaborate on our plans for expansion," explains Benjamin’s Desk co-founder Michael Maher in a press release.
 
When Benjamin’s Desk approached YAF—a program from the American Institute of Architects—to lead a design charrette for the new space, the organization jumped at the chance. "We saw it as a great chance for YAF designers to solve a real world problem and actually pitch their ideas to a client," explains YAF's Jeffrey Pastva. "Most don’t have opportunities like this anymore." 
 
"The event was very successful," says Pastva. "There were a number of very high level solutions given the time constraint." Pastva believes turnout is what made the event so productive—participants from various design fields, including architects, industrial designers, interior designers and students, all participated in the charrette.
 
"The designers were divided into teams of three, each with folks from various backgrounds," explains Pastva, adding that each team was then given two hours and a number of resources to complete their task. In short: How can Benjamin’s Desk best expand into the eighth floor of the Allman Building at 1701 Walnut Street?
 
Pastva says the solutions were diverse, thoughtful and practical. "There was something about each solution that was better than the others," he adds.
 
"Best Of" awards were offered, including Best Overall Presentation, Most Resolved/Practical and Most Innovative. Accorinding to Pastva, Benjamin’s Desk was excited about the ideas generated and may consult teams about certain concepts in the future.
 
Moving forward, Pastva hopes YAF can use this event as a springboard for other charrettes and networking opportunities. "Designers want real world problems to solve," he says. "Marrying that with networking opportunities for young designers is important to YAF. That’s the idea here."

Source: Jeffrey Pastva, Young Architects Forum
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

With so much attention on waterfront development in Center City these days, the North Delaware seems lost in the conversation. But that doesn’t mean the stretch of waterfront real estate isn’t seeing its fair share of activity.  

Thanks to the Delaware River City Corporation (DRCC)—the organization in charge of spearheading the North Delaware Greenway, an integral part of the much larger East Coast Greenway—trail and open space construction has taken off.
 
In 2008, the nonprofit’s efforts resulted in the creation of the Pennypack on the Delaware Trail, a paved trail connecting Pennypack Park to Pennypack Creek. Then, in October 2012, DRCC broke ground on the Port Richmond Trail, a 12-foot-wide, 1.5-mile asphalt trail that will connect the Port Richmond neighborhood to the waterfront and extend north along the Delaware. Completion is expected within a year.

Looking forward, the two-mile K&T Trail (planned for an abandoned riverfront freight rail line) is in its final design stage, with construction expected in the next two years. Also on the docket is the Baxter Trail, a two-mile northward extension of the trail from Pennypack Creek.

“By 2014, 60 percent of the Greenway will be built,” says DRCC Executive Director Tom Branigan.

There are still gaps in the 11-mile route that will be difficult to connect due to environmental issues, property rights or other constraints, but Branigan is confident that those lapses can be bridged and the North Delaware Greenway can be completed by 2020.

The DRCC also has an eye towards building even more meaningful connections between the waterfront to its adjacent neighborhoods. "Our ultimate mission is to connect the waterfront to neighborhoods and improve access," explains Branigan, who adds that those efforts won’t be able to take off until current projects are wrapped up. 

Source: Tom Branigan, Executive Director, DRCC
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

With places such as Globe Dye Works and The Loom, Northeast Philly does reclaimed-industrial-spaces-turned-artist-studios well. Come February, with the opening of the Cedar Works, West Philly will stake its claim in that ever-expanding market .

A former car dealership, the 15,000-square-foot facility is located in the Cedar Park neighborhood of West Philly. Once complete, the space will feature 23 studio workspaces, community meeting spaces and other common areas. "We definitely want to have a community aspect to the facility," explains Andy Peifer, carpenter and cofounder of the Cedar Works. "We’ve included meeting spaces with the idea that neighborhood groups and nonprofits have direct access."

The meeting spaces are already a hot commodity: Training for Change, an activist training group dedicated to peaceful social change, has booked space, and plans to hold roughly 40 to 50 sessions there next year.

Despite the communal nature of the Cedar Works, it's not a co-working space. "The studios are more individualized," explains Peifer. The idea is to attract a diverse set of artists and local businesses to use the space how they see fit. "We’ve had a great response so far; we’re now 75 percent occupied with a diverse crowd," he adds. Fine artists, printmakers, professionals, physical therapists and potters have all signed on as tenants.

Peifer credits the great response to the West Philly location—it's an area that has been underserved when it comes to this sort of flexible space."There’s a handful of places like this in the city, but most are found in former warehouses in Northeast Philly," he says. "We were lucky to find this place in West Philly, where big abandoned warehouses are rare."

Of course, the vibrant West Philly arts scene will be a huge factor in the Cedar Works' success. "We see ourselves as an extension of the arts and craft culture that’s already here," says Peifer. "We hope to build off that momentum."

The space is currently in the final throws of renovation. Tenants will begin moving in in early February. Once everyone is settled, the Cedar Works will host a grand opening. 

Source: Andy Peifer, Cofounder, the Cedar Works
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

Friends of the St. Bernard Community Garden let out a collective sigh of relief last month after the city stepped in and saved their garden.

As we reported in mid-December, the parcel of land at 1010 S. St. Bernard Street unexpectedly went up for sheriff’s sale on December 19, opening up the possibility of a developer buying up the property and kicking out the gardeners. Members quickly mobilized and began raising money to buy the land. They also convinced the city—with help from Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell—to bid on the property, ensuring it would remain part of the community garden.

With a few contingency plans in place, garden members were confident of a positive outcome going into the sale. Despite some very tense moments, the sale ended up being a huge victory for the community.

The bidding started at $1,000 and quickly reached $50,000—more than the city was prepared to pay. City officials didn’t seem interested in placing a bid at that price point, but thanks to garden members shouting frantically, the auctioneer put the process on hold and moved on to other parcels. When the property came back on the block, the city quickly put down a $71,500 bid; the sale closed shortly after. The garden members had won their ideal outcome.

But the story doesn’t end there: With the city now in full ownership of the parcel, garden members hope to see the plot transferred to a land trust so it can remain a community green space and asset in perpetuity.

In another wrinkle, the garden’s second parcel (1008 S. Saint Bernard) is owned by a private entity, and still has to be secured. When that property goes up for sale—something expected to happen in the next year or so—garden members will be ready. The money they have raised so far will be saved, and more fundraising efforts will be put together to ensure St. Bernard Community Garden is preserved in its entirety.

Source: Trevor McElroy, St. Bernard Community Garden
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

It’s not every day you meet a developer who sounds more like an urban planner than a real estate man. But the folks over at eco-friendly Postgreen fit squarely in that category—they have two projects coming soon to Frankford Avenue that exemplify a modern urban planner’s ideal: mixed-use, affordable and energy-efficient.

"We’re kind of urban planning geeks," says Postgreen's Chad Ludeman. "We have a strong interest in mixed-use corridors like Frankford and Girard, and want to make sure new development is done intelligently."

This pair of projects near the East Kensington/Fishtown border exemplify that ethos. The larger development, dubbed FRANK, will bring 10 condos (most likely in the mid-$200K range) and one or two commercial spaces to the 2400 block of Frankford Avenue adjacent to Philadelphia Brewing Company. The other as-yet-unnamed infill project will bring four apartments and a “date night” restaurant to the 2000 block of Frankford.

As with all of Postgreen’s developments, the buildings will highlight energy-efficient, modern green building practices, but remain moderately-priced. "As a developer, we’ve found a niche in providing eco-friendly, well-designed homes that are also affordable," explains Ludeman, who started Postgreen with his wife and another business partner in 2008. 

When it comes to the condos, he says "the mid-$200k's is a sweet spot in the market." By being smart with design choices and designing energy-efficient buildings, savings are passed on to the buyer. "We're proof positive you can build sustainably at a decent price," he adds.

As of now, architectural firm ISA is tweaking the final designs for FRANK, and Ludeman and company are working out tenant agreements for the commercial spaces. The other project already has a restaurant concept lined-up, put together by the team behind Memphis Taproom. Both projects are expected to officially break ground in the coming months.

Source: Chad Ludeman, Postgreen
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

North 28, a new-construction development in Brewerytown from MM Partners, was fully leased within six weeks this year. North 28’s success is now the rule in a neighborhood taking dramatic steps towards renewal.

MM Partners' Jacob Roller says North 28’s 15 units bring the developer’s total to 25 units for the year in the neighborhood, and 70 overall since they started working here. "Our projects keep getting bigger and bigger," he says. "The demand is here and we’re just trying to meet it."

In addition to the Bailey Street Arts Corridor (which we reported on a few months ago), one of the bigger projects that Roller expects to launch in the new year is 30 Baltz, a new-construction project that will create two single-family homes and eight apartments at 30th and Baltz Streets in the heart of Brewerytown.

Another is Cambridge Row, a rehab project of 10 single-family homes on the 2700 to 3000 blocks of Cambridge Street. MM Partners originally purchased the homes from PHA in partnership with the Fairmount CDC. Plans call for nine market-rate units and one affordable-housing unit.
 
Thanks to their residential successes, MM has dipped into commercial activity as well. "We have also brought eight new businesses to Girard Avenue," explains Roller, "mostly by filling vacant storefronts with Mugshots, a bike store, a pharmacy, Next American City, the artist Steve Powers' ICY Sign Co., the garden store Girard Supply Co., and our own office."   
 
Along with the promising residential projects the company has planned for the coming year, Roller notes that they'll "have a few exciting new businesses to announce in the new year as well." 
 
With all this activity, other developers are also getting into the action in Brewerytown. Recently, news broke that the historic St. Augustine Church at 27th Street and Girard Avenue will be converted into 16 residental units. Although details about that particular project have yet to emerge, Roller says the development is a sign of things to come for the neighborhood. "We’re excited about another developer coming into Brewerytown," says Roller. "It’s clear that a critical mass of people are starting to see the value of the neighborhood."   

Source: Jacob Roller, MM Partners
Writer: Greg Meckstroth
 

Fifteen years ago, a group of West Philly neighbors banded together and convinced the city to demolish two burnt-out adjacent buildings on their block. The St. Bernard Community Garden sprung up in their place. Located between 49th and 50th Streets, between Springfield and Warrington Avenues, it quickly became a neighborhood institution and gathering place for residents. 

But on December 19, in an unexpected move, the larger of the two lots will be auctioned off at a sheriff's sale. Now, once again, the West Philly community is banding together to protect the fate of their community garden.
 
According to Trevor McElroy, a member of the community garden, he and other members heard the site was going to be auctioned off just a few days before it was to be sold in October. With the assistance of Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, the group was able to postpone the sale and convince the city to bid on the property. 

That is exactly the plan. According to McElroy, the City has pledged to bid the maximum amount it can, roughly $48,000, which is the amount owed in backed taxes.

"Best case scenario is that no one bids against the city and they are awarded the land," explains McElroy. "If that happens, the land would likely be turned over to a neighborhood gardens association and the garden would stay as is."   

The gardeners hope to buy the other parcel outright and have been trying to raise money to do so, holding a fundraiser at Dock Street Brewery this past Saturday.

"The event went well," says McElroy. "We had a good turnout, and we ended up selling almost every item up for bid, but now our focus has turned to the sheriff sale on Wednesday."

McElroy admits that a number of scenarios could still unfold—the future of the garden is very much in limbo. But regardless of what happens, he hopes a positive outcome for the community is in the offing.

"If a developer does end up buying the land, we want open communication with them about what happens with the garden," says McElroy. "We don’t want to get kicked out of the property right away, only to see the land sit vacant for years. We want what’s best for the community." 

Source: Trevor McElroy, St. Bernard Community Garden
Writer: Greg Meckstroth

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

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

Borne out of the ongoing Central District Plan, the Planning Commission has decided to pursue BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) for City Branch in Logan Square, an old submerged railbed that has been underutilized for years.

While not a new idea on the world stage, this would be Philly’s first foray into BRT. A mode of transit not unlike light rail (but without the rail part), BRT utilizes special buses in dedicated lanes to move people around. In true Philly fashion, the proposed BRT is getting its own spin: the Commission is billing it as a "Cultural BRT," connecting some of the city’s most important arts and civic institutions along its route. 

According to Laura Spina of the City Planning Commission, the current proposal would run buses from the Please Touch
Museum and Mann Music Center, eventually connecting to Girard Avenue where it would cross the Schuylkill and connect to the submerged City Branch cut at 30th and Poplar Streets. Eventually the line would reemerge and run along Race and Arch Streets to link up with the future transit lines along Columbus Boulevard (proposed in the adopted Waterfront Master Plan).

But before any of this happens, a lot of public education needs to take place. “This isn’t your typical SEPTA bus,” says Spina,  pointing to BRT examples in Los Angeles and Cleveland as prototypes for Philly’s new line. “It will run on a much higher frequency in dedicated lanes with enhanced stations.” 

Spina also argues that City Branch is the perfect place for implementing BRT: “It is already a dedicated right-of-way that is separate from the grid, so this cuts down on implementation costs, making it one third the cost of building light rail at a similar scope.”

City planners expect the Cultural BRT to cost about $75 million in total, but it isn’t the price tag that has some groups riled up over the Commission’s plan. “There are two groups of people who are upset over the BRT proposal,” explains Spina, “those that want to use City Branch for light rail and those that want to turn it into a park.” 

ViaductGreene is the most organized group advocating to turn the submerged City Branch landscape into open space that would connect to the long-awaited Reading Viaduct park, but they would have to convince SEPTA, the current landowner, to turn it over for such a purpose. As of now, SEPTA seems to be on the side of BRT. “SEPTA is very much in support of BRT here,” says Spina. “They want to find the best way to utilize City Branch and they want to grow their system.  For them, it’s a win-win.” 

Spina says a lot of the details still need to be hammered out through the Central District Plan, but expects Philadelphia to welcome BRT sooner rather than later. “A big part of the bus line is right there and ready to use," she explains. "Once we finalize the route and gain community support, we want to get BRT up and running to improve transportation choices in Fairmount, while connecting some of the best cultural institutions Philly has.” 

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

In 2009, after nearly 70 years in operation, the famed Frankford Y at Arrott and Leiper Streets closed its doors due to funding woes. The past three years have been a struggle—the Y has switched owners more than once, been vandalized numerous times and faced the threat of foreclosure. But now, thanks to the Northwood Civic Association and its vice president Frank Bennett, the historic building is experiencing new life. If all goes according to plan, the Frankford Y will reopen its doors and reclaim its status as a neighborhood institution. 

Even with all the optimism, there are significant hurdles to clear before the building can welcome the community. After years of neglect, some basic necessities need to be taken care of. "Fixing the leaky roof is our top priority," explains Bennett. "That, and getting the electric turned on. The goal right now is just to stabilize the building.”   

Bennett is a long-time member of the Northwood Civic Association and understands the importance of bringing the Y back. "It’s been on the Association’s radar for a while," he explains. "I took a tour of the building and saw the extensive damage caused by vandals, but I still wanted to take it over because it’s such an important asset here." In conjunction with the Civic Association, Bennett was able to take control of the building and form a new board of directors. 

The New Frankford Community Y is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to develop programs that use the facility in a manner that benefits everyone. "We want to activate parts of the facility, including getting a day care tenant, utilizing the weight room as a multi-purpose room, offering GED courses and training, and a whole host of other activities centered on enabling individuals to achieve more than what they have today," say Bennett. If this initial plan proves successful, Bennett and the board want to eventually reopen the pool.

Figuring out the long-term plan for the Y is extremely important; Bennett says that if the board can put together a strong business plan, the bank will forgive a current outstanding mortgage of more than $200,000 on the property. This would be a significant boon for the board and the facility, which currently lacks the resources to tackle a financial burden this steep. 

For now, Bennett and the board are focused on that leaky roof and securing insurance for the property. "There’s still a lot of work to do," says Bennett. "Slowly but surely though, the Frankford Y is coming back to life.” 

Source: Frank Bennett, Northwood Civic Association
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