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Philadelphia Historical Neighborhoods, open to TOD


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Philadelphia Historical Neighborhoods, open to Transport-Oriented Development

 

Philly may be the perfect place to look for transport-oriented development targets, at bargain prices.

This map highlights its cheapness, and Philadelphia's strategic location in the Eastern Corridor

NzPfDUx.jpg

 

Philly as a whole is not only CHEAPER than NYC, Boston, Washington, etc. It also has higher yields.

Fortunately, in seeking opportunities, we are not blind. Some neighborhoods are better than others.

Philadelphia is developing comprehensive plans for each of its Districts, and these are being rolled out,

one after another.

 

Philadelphia2035 Plan : The future begins now. >> Philly-2035-Plan : Individual districts

 

The plan helps to pinpoint opportunities. However some areas are designated as Future Phase, with no detailed plans yet finished.

 

X1fB66G.png

 

Future Phases : West, North, Upper Northwest

The Ones-of-most-Interest to me, tend to be neighborhoods with interesting history, which are well connected by public transport

(or can be reconnected), and thus may be suitable for Transport Oriented Development (TOD).

 

Many of the neighborhoods featured here have low property prices, often below $100,000 per house

However, there is a huge variation in prices in different Philadelphia neighborhoods : » See All

 

Highest median sale price

Lowest median sale price

> source: http://philly.blockshopper.com/cities

 

EXAMPLE of interesting is one of the neglected, Future Phase areas:

Which is also probably the CHEAPEST neighborhood (at $10,000 per property) - see table at the Top,

 

Here's an almost forgotten location than could* have great long term potential:

*(But one needs to study how it is addressed in the 2035 Plan)

 

FAIRHILL / North includes Philadelphia Station Area (Amtrac and SEPTA) : see more below, in post #xx

> http://phila2035.org/home-page/district/north/

Neighborhood : Photos

 

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LINKS - - -

GUIDE to living in Philly (locations) ----- : http://catalog.usciences.edu/content.php?catoid=1&navoid=17

History of Philadelphia neighborhoods : http://www.workshopoftheworld.com/west_phila/west_phila.html

Neighborhoods, Stories from the past : http://www.pioneeramerica.org/past2013/past2013artbrew.html

Gentrification Map : http://www.governing.com/gov-data/philadelphia-gentrification-maps-demographic-data.html

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What is Transport Oriented Development (TOD)?

 

These Videos and Links will help to explain

 

A transit-oriented development (TOD):

...is a mixed-use residential and commercial area designed to maximize access to public transport, and often incorporates features to encourage transit ridership. A TOD neighborhood typically has a center with a transit station or stop (train station, metro station, tram stop, or bus stop), surrounded by relatively high-density development with progressively lower-density development spreading outward from the center. TODs generally are located within a radius of one-quarter to one-half mile (400 to 800 m) from a transit stop, as this is considered to be an appropriate scale for pedestrians, thus solving the last mile problem

> wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transit-oriented_development

 

My Personal vision:

The theme here is what is called "Transport-Oriented Development" or TOD.

The idea here is to find neighborhoods which are still cheap, and where people can easily live without cars.

In effect, instead of "wasting" money on automobiles, which are likely to get more and more expensive,

people can (eventually) invest their money in their own homes, and improving their neighborhoods.

 

I wanted to see this happen decades ago - IAnd the youngers generations are finally embracing this idea in a big way. At long last!

 

I think this trend will help Philly, as it follows other cities like NYC, Boston, and London down the "gentrification" path. The jobs are coming back, as new skyscapers are being built, and people demand more control over their own lives by investing in their local communities. I have seen it work in those other cities, and I think the trend is now quickly spreading to some old cities like Philly, which already have the transport infrastructure

 

Help me to do this research. I cannot do it all on my own, and it is good karma to share, right?

 

This trend is now very strong, though the recent drop in Crude Oil prices may have slowed the trend somewhat.

 

Brent Crude -- 3 years - OILB-all-data / Brent: $67.41 : OILB: $

OAG5XU8.png

 

Perhaps this creates a buying opportunity (in well-located properties) for shrewd investors (?)

.

Smart Growth and Transit-Oriented Development

Published on Jan 9, 2013

The best way to solve our transportation challenges is to design our communities in ways that do not create them. This documentary features a series of interviews with planners, local government officials, developers and citizens. In addition, I traveled to Burlington VT, Boulder CO, Portland OR and Washington

 

"Live, work and play... in a neighborhood that is more close-knit" (ie requires less use of cars)

=== ===

 

WOW ! PLEASE SAY HELLO

There have been many hits here, since I set up this thread a few days ago.

 

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Why don't some of the (new) readers try joining GEI, and give me some comments on what you like,

or don't like about this thread and this website. I would really appreciate it

 

Here's how to join GEI : see post #2 on the following thread:

http://www.greenenergyinvestors.com/index.php?showtopic=19143

(note: for favorite b**d use: "Admiral Byrd")

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LOWER NORTH has a new flagship TOD development of its own: Paseo Verde (near Temple Univ. Station)

 

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This development is in the LOWER NORTH district of the 2035 Plan, which is dominated by Temple University, which provides about 25% of the jobs. The northern boundary of this district is Lehigh and the North Philadelphia station

 

Population.jpg

 

Year : Population

1990 : 114,317
2000 : 095,029
2010 : 095,176
2040 : 112,000 - per year estimated rise : +16,824 / 30 = 560 people per annum

 

SEPTA serves Lower North with 16 bus lines, one trolley, four Market Frankford Line and four Broad Street Line subway stops. Since 60 percent of residents either don’t drive or choose not to, maintaining a robust transit network is critical to the district’s future. This district hosts several transit hubs that serve over 5,000 riders per weekday. They are: Broad and Lehigh, Broad and Cecil B Moore, Broad and Girard, Front and Girard, and the Temple University Regional Rail station. The Temple University station alone hosts 7,000 riders per day, the fourth busiest regional rail stop in the system.

 

Temple University is the final, Northern-most station on the Media/Elwyn (R3) Regional rail line.

> > SEPTA Trains : http://www.septa.org/schedules/rail/index.html

 

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Philly.com reports, the Goldenberg Group has started construction on a $100 million student apartment building next to Temple University on the site of the former John Wanamaker Middle School with a 2014 completion date. The original plan was to renovate the school into student apartments, with community space and a charter school for the Bright Hope Baptist Church, currently located across the street. The Bright Hope Baptist Church still remains part of the project as an equity partner with a 10% stake, money they say they will use to fund a new charter school.

 

Jonathan Rose's : Affordable housing project in North Philly, next to transit::

Transit-oriented development (TOD) in Eastern North Philadelphia is nearing completion

originally posted on December 13, 2012
Paseo Verde / at Temple University Station (9th & Berks?) :

Paseo Verde is a model Transit Oriented Development, located directly adjacent to the SEPTA Regional Rail Temple University Train Station. The station is the fourth busiest stop in the City, providing a 5 minute ride to Center City and connections to Philadelphia's regional stations. The inspiring goal of this community is to provide a healthy living environment for residents through sustainable practices, as well as cost savings through effective reduction in energy use...


Paseo Verde consists of 67, one and two-bedroom apartments with a range of amenities such as off-street parking, fitness center, business center, community room, landscaped terraces, community garden, and ground-floor retail. Add to that an award-winning contemporary design, green technology and a happening Philadelphia location and you have the community of the future that you can live in right now!

There are also 53 apartments available for residents earning an annual income below $68,000 (based on family size)

Transit-oriented development (TOD) is a term that refers to the concept of building high-density development near public transportation. TOD is meant to encourage use of the nearest public transportation nodes by making homes, offices, retail, and schools within a reasonable walking :

> https://philadelphiaheights.wordpress.com/2012/12/13/transit-oriented-development-in-eastern-north-philadelphia-is-nearing-completion/

 

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PV website : http://www.paseoverdeapts.com/

 

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Here's what was built:

3_106671_1180650.jpg?crop=(0,0,300,143)&

 

 

3_106671_1037552.jpg?

 

But there's a challenge... the way that some folks respond to gentrification:

Gentrification: Racial violence against urban pioneers

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West Philly / 52nd St. : another area which may have great potential...

PROVIDED they re-open the station that was closed back in 1980.

 

March 20, 2014 | by Stephen Ives

 

52ndst_mainst-660x440.jpg

Past patriotic reminders of West Philly’s Main Street, from before SEPTA’s reconstruction of the el at 52nd Street station

 

In the heart of every city neighborhood and small town in America is a Main Street. Everyone’s back yard, picnic table, after-school hangout, Saturday mainstay. In West Philadelphia, just look down at the sidewalk medallions for confirmation: “52nd Street, West Philly’s Main Street.”

 

For decades the mile-long strip of 52nd from just north of the Market-Frankford Line south to Baltimore Avenue has been the heart of business, culture, and soul in West Philadelphia. And though its status as such has changed little since the advent of The El, its complexion has. The forces that worked to changed the social landscape of the strip decades ago are once again knocking on the door with possibilities that current tenants and residents aren’t necessarily welcoming with open arms. The “Penntrification” effect that has taken hold of much of West Philadelphia seems poised to do what once may have been unthinkable—cross the hard and fast psychological boundary of 52nd Street, a place that for me was always where ‘home’ began.

 

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The nexus of West Philly’s Main Street: under the el at 52nd & Market | Photo: Stephen Ives

 

Having lived in various parts of West Philadelphia for almost my entire life, I’ve watched slow but steady waves of change wash over places that for years seemed to be unchangeable. I grew up accustomed to the grit, the lack of polish, and the general types of sights that people who understand city living on only the most cursory level would expect to see. In my childhood, the red awnings and street side tables of 52nd Street weren’t a threatening hodgepodge of grifters and shady merchants. They were just part of the landscape in the same place where we made weekend stops to buy shoes and fish.

 

That place, though, doesn’t exist anymore. The Stacy Adams store with its impossible-to-miss sign is gone. Punchey’s, with its ever-present scent of shortening and trays of breaded seafood that were staples of my youth, exists only as an empty storefront and weathered sign. Indeed much of the strip now stands as painted over memories.

 

Young natives of West Philadelphia know a 52nd Street that has little difference from other commercial corridors in poorer parts of the city. There’s nothing particularly distinctive about the street beyond the volume of activity and the architectural quality of some of its buildings. There aren’t a tremendous amount of long time businesses still there, something generally indicative of the overall health of a commercial area. Having recently moved from another part of the city back to West Philly, just off of 52nd Street, I started getting reacquainted with it, and that was the first thing that that I noticed. A decade ago I lamented the loss of Big George’s Restaurant on Spruce Street, one of the few decent places in the city to get a plate of grits. What exists now—take-out delis, hair salons, convenience stores—is what fills the void left by mom and pop businesses who provided daily essentials (and non-essentials). In some cases, the replacements are arguably as bad as nothing at all.

 

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Bushfire, built as Locust Theatre in 1914 | Photo: Stephen Ives

 

One of the first places I noticed along 52nd Street in my first few days there was the Urban Art Gallery at Delancey Street, owned and operated by Kalphonse Morris. Plainly visible from the storefront window, the paintings inside drew my attention. Certainly a different kind of visual offering from the neighborhood standard and that was precisely what Morris had in mind when he opened the space last April—wanting to bring “beauty, culture, and a new style” to place that sorely needed it. We were both of a mind on the general state of the strip. The character that once existed had long since been paved over. With the exception of The Bushfire Theatre and Malcolm X Park, no true landmarks remain and in his opinion the landscape there now is “worth losing” if the changes at the doorstep bring entities that thrive and add vitality to the neighborhood.

 

But this potential for change obviously stirs up conflicting feelings for long time neighbors. While revived storefronts, a new assortment of businesses, and a larger base of shoppers and residents add to a place that is stagnant compared to its glory days, what then becomes of what currently is? If it’s true that so much of what made 52nd Street a distinctive place is now gone then would anything truly be washed away by the incoming tide?

 

Of course any real discussion about neighborhood growth Philadelphia is always going to have elements of race and class—the G-word—and keenly so here. The ever expanding sphere of influence that the University of Pennsylvania has in West Philadelphia has been making westward progress for as far back as I’ve been paying attention. Six-figure housing prices and overnight building renovations on blocks that haven’t seen a sheet a drywall in years tell the tale. The residents of my own building, a racial mix that certainly would not have set foot here a decade ago, are leading indicators.

 

IMG_6402-300x200.jpg

The old meets the new on Rue 52 | Photo: Stephen Ives

 

It’s a story that plays out in several different parts of Philadelphia, from Point Breeze to Kensington to Germantown. There’s always a level of discomfort felt by the people who already live and work in a place that someone from outside of their world has declared ‘the next horizon,’ and though no advertisements proclaim 52nd Street the next bountiful frontier, the sense that someday it will be hangs slight and still, but unmistakably, in the air. Some say bring it on ...

 

> continues : http://hiddencityphila.org/2014/03/the-future-of-52nd-street-from-the-inside/

 

THIS MAP is likely to include the main area of investment focus, especially within 2-3 stations of 30th Street.

 

V2nN3AI.png

 

> Larger Map : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_SEPTA_Regional_Rail_stations#/media/File:SEPTA_Regional_Rail_Diagram.svg

 

Paoli /Thorndale Line - on SEPTA
27 stops (28 w/closed 52nd st):
++ includes (Villanova, Bryn Mawr, Haverford)
: Merion
: Overbrook
: 52nd Street (closed 1980)
TO: 30th Street Station (and on to ...)
+ then, extends to Suburban Station /
TO: Jefferson Station (and on to AMTRAC)

===

Wiki:

52nd Street is a closed train station that was located at the intersection of North 52nd Street & Landsdowne Avenue[1] (just north of Lancaster Avenue [uS-30]) in the West Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) at the junction of its Main Line and its Schuylkill Branch. Today, these lines are the SEPTA Regional Rail Paoli/Thorndale Line and Cynwyd Line, respectively.

At 52nd Street, the Main Line is on an embankment at-grade, while the Schuylkill Branch is on an elevated structure including a Parker through truss spanning 388 feet (118 m) over the Main Line on an extreme skew.[2] A lit sign informed inbound passengers which platform the next train to Center City, Philadelphia would depart from. Only a few trains in each direction stopped at this station, mostly serving reverse commuters heading out to jobs in the Main Line suburbs in the morning and returning home to the city in the evening.

Through merger and bankruptcy, the station and the trains serving it passed from the PRR to the Penn Central to Conrail, which abandoned all service to the station in 1980.

 

> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/52nd_Street_%28Pennsylvania_Railroad_station%29

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WHAT Is Needed to make Transport Oriented Development happen?

 

There are many barriers, and it is important (for potential investors) to understand them.

The developer does not want to be loaded up with too many headaches,

especially those like: re-educating the city planners, changing zoning laws, and reducing (unneeded)

parking requirements for projects near transport.

 

A FASCINATING CONVERSATION / "simple techniques" two successful developers think about

 

"Emerging Small Scale Development"

 

This is from Strong Towns, and I find it fascinating and highly relevant to the strategic issues

addressed by this thread

John Anderson and Monte Anderson (no relation, except in good looks) talk about how small, incremental development can save the world and make a nice living for the entrepreneurial startup builder trying to transform their city.

> http://shoutengine.com/StrongTownsPodcast/john-anderson-and-monte-anderson-at-cnu-23-8740

 

Anderson's Mission is expressed well here:

"I believe we can change the way wealth transfers - and help preserve Middle Class wealth,

by helping people to hold onto this real estate... You don't want the local people to be fighting with

Starbucks over the ownership of strategic real estate; you want to locals to own it already....

The outsiders cannot 'Save the Town' on their own. The local people have to have a stake too."

 

Monte Anderson : Video, about how he created a Gorilla movement (for new developers) in Texas.

( We need new models to show people that development can create wealth for the many.)

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NORTH District - above Lehigh Avenue, includes much open land

 

(Note: the 2035 Plan for this district is not released yet)

 

FAIRHILL / North Philadelphia Station Area (Amtrac and SEPTA)

north-phila-station1-5-28-99.jpg

2900 North Broad Street Broad St. and Glenwood Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19132

Annual Station Revenue (2014) : $33,582 Annual Station Ridership (2014) : 644

=== ===

Located on Broad Street approximately three miles north of City Hall, the North Philadelphia station, which consists of two hi-level platforms with canopies, is adjacent to the Fairhill neighborhood. The immediate area is well served by various modes of transportation, although they are not integrated into one facility. Amtrak’s North Philadelphia station is also served by the Trenton Line of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority’s (SEPTA) commuter rail system; within easy walking distance is a platform stop for the Chestnut Hill West Line. The Broad Street Subway is accessible via entrances at the corner of Broad Street and Glenwood Avenue, and multiple bus lines also run through the area.

Two former station buildings stand on either side of the embankment that carries the Northeast Corridor through the area.

. . .

The Fairhill area around the North Philadelphia station sprouted factories and worker housing starting in the 1870s and continuing into the first decade of the 20th century. Manufacturers chose sites along the neighborhood’s three rail lines, which came to define its boundaries: the Connecting Railroad on the north, the Reading on the west, and the Philadelphia, Germantown, and Norristown to the east. Many of these factories were built with their own spurs so that rail cars could enter their property for more efficient loading.

 

YYDPjku.png

 

Times from N. Philadelphia (zone-1) SEPTA to:

+C : 30th St Station---- : 11 mins : 11 mins
+C : Suburban Station : 05 mins : 16 mins
+C : Jefferson Station- : 05 mins : 21 mins
+C : Temple University : 04 mins : 25 mins

> SEPTA schedule : http://www.septa.org/schedules/rail/w/TRE_1.html

 

Textile mills, especially carpet manufacturers, congregated in Fairhill. They were much smaller and more versatile than their counterparts in New England and could quickly respond to changing fashions and market demand. Philadelphia became known nationwide for its carpets, which were usually woven in long strips that were then sewn together to cover a floor. Larger carpets similar to modern-day area rugs were also produced, but they were more expensive. In addition to textiles manufacturers, the neighborhood hosted brick, coal, and lumber yards, iron foundries, and boiler works. Well known companies included S.L. Allen, maker of Flexible Flyer sleds, and the National Biscuit Company, better known as Nabisco.

The old Fair Hill estate owned by the Norris family was divided up and sold to developers who constructed block after block of modest row houses, most of which were rented or purchased by workers in the neighborhood factories. Lehigh Avenue, the area’s principal east-west thoroughfare, boasted a Gothic-inspired high school with crenellated towers and gargoyles; a gleaming white Carnegie library resembling a Greek temple; numerous churches in various architectural styles; shops; and a trolley line.

. . .

The stop name was changed from Germantown Junction to North Philadelphia.

In the following decades, the station served a growing population in the surrounding neighborhoods. N. Broad Street above Center City became the nucleus of the city’s nouveau riche community, which was shunned by the members of old Philadelphia society who had settled around Rittenhouse Square. Mansions in a variety of architectural styles were erected by immigrants and others who had succeeded in business, and new clubs and concert halls were built to fulfill their needs for cultural institutions that could compete with those of the old Philadelphians. In the 1920s, the intersection of N. Broad Street and Lehigh Avenue nurtured a collection of automobile-oriented businesses such as machine shops. A nine-storey assembly plant constructed by the Ford Motor Company in 1910 still stands at northwestern corner of the intersection.

North Philadelphia also became a hub of the city’s sporting life, hosting three major stadiums on the west side of N. Broad Street. The first was erected in 1887 but rebuilt in 1895 after a fire. Later known as Baker Bowl, it was home to the Philadelphia Phillies National League baseball team and also hosted Negro League games. The cantilevered design of the second version allowed for unobstructed sight-lines that set a precedent for future ballparks. In the 1930s, the nascent Eagles football club used the stadium. Shibe Park opened in 1909 on the north side of the main line and was home base for the Philadelphia Athletics team of the American League.

 

Post-World War II, Fairhill’s industries faded in the face of national and international competition, and the neighborhood fell on hard economic times. During the 1980s, the city and Amtrak attempted to revitalize the empty station, but nothing came of the efforts. In 1999, a $7 million project resulted in the renovation of the historic North Philadelphia station and its conversion into a retail space. To the east, a small strip mall was constructed, and it visually references the train station through details including balustrades and decorative arches. To the west, on the far side of the former Reading Railroad tracks, a supermarket was built. With its excellent transit connections via intercity and commuter rail and local bus and subway services, the area around the North Philadelphia station is poised for revival. The city has identified it as a key sub-area in its greater vision for a renewed North Broad Street.

 

Amtrak’s Keystone Service is financed in part through funds made available by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

==

> more history: http://www.greatamericanstations.com/Stations/PHN

=== ===

 

LINK to here :: http://tinyurl.com/Philly-Hood

 

As if left "fallow" for a while longer, this area does not yet have its own Future Plan in the Philly-2035 Masterplan

map-north.png

> http://phila2035.org/home-page/district/north/north-map-photo-gallery/ >> Go to; Lower North plan

Neighborhoods:

Fairhill, West Fairhill, St. Hugh, Tioga, Allegheny West, Nicetown, Hunting Park, Juniata Park, Harrowgate, Feltonville and a portion of Kensington.

Key Issues:

This district is situated to the north of Lehigh Ave. and west of Kensington Ave. Neighborhood revitalization efforts are responding to multiple urban ills: unemployment, poverty, abandonment, drugs and crime. Planning for large industrial areas is a key issue. The Hunting Park East industrial area is expected to remain industrial in character, while the Hunting Park West industrial area has a plan calling for a mix of new uses on land vacated by the Budd and Tasty Baking companies. Other issues: expanding and enhancing open space near Tacony Creek, reuse of abandoned railways, and maintenance of traditional neighborhood commercial corridors at 22nd & Lehigh, Broad & Erie, and 5th & Lehigh.

Rail stations at Broad & Glenwood and 22nd & Allegheny create opportunities for higher density, mixed-use development. It is important to support the work of community development organizations while also addressing the needs of under-represented neighborhoods.

> http://phila2035.org/home-page/district/north/

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One of the GEI readers has passed me these thoughtful comments by email:

 

= QUOTE =

Here is a list of my comments:
1. Cheap property prices often are correlated to high crime rates. Please check
2. When property prices are cheap, this will attract those who are in lower income brackets to rent (and to buy?). You may recall the research I shared with you on the capital of one of the Carolinas, the same situation occurs: that city was left with a high percentage of blacks (who were also chasing jobs with the state government, or just an affordable place to live.)
You may like to check the demographic profiles of the people living near the Amtrak train station. Historically, people live near main train stations are poor people. Mugging is a normal activity around main train stations.
3. You may like to check the closing hours of shopping malls and supermarkets in Philly downtown , and near the Amtrak train station. You may find that the closing hours may be 6 pm during weekdays, ? pm on Saturdays and 5 pm on Sundays. That means the downtown is "dead" at night. Who wants to walk around the downtown at night? It would be a good target to be mugged or killed by another person (homicide). If that is the case, property prices will NOT rise at a good rate as seen in other big cities.
= Unquote =
It was much appreciated, and I am happy to share these comments with others.
Of course, I like it even more when people sign in here and post their own comments
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INCREMENTAL Investments often work better than Big Plans

(because they are generated out of real needs, not a flashy planning process)

 

Monte Anderson understand how to build strong towns...

- here's a video he narrated

Published on Dec 15, 2014

The Little City. A short story written, produced and directed by David Harter

 

If you've never had a chance to listen to James Howard Kunstler, the talk he did for CNU-22 / Buffalo

in 2014 might be a good place to start - and William Fulton is also good

But skip ahead to xx minutes, and miss the over-long introduction

 

CNU 22: James Howard Kunstler & William Fulton

Published on Jun 28, 2014

James Howard Kunstler and William Fulton, two of the world's top urban thinkers according to Planetizen.com,

take a provocative look at the future of Buffalo and the NY region.

 

Fulton talks about how his hometown of Auburn was ruined by urban "renewal" and a new highway cutting through it.

JHK also talks about the tyranny of the age of cars.

 

A necessary part of restoring our cities and town, may be to put cars in their proper place, BEHIND pedestrians,

mass transport and walkability

 

In the Q&A, JHK says:

"Everything organised at a gigantic scale is going to fail. We need to reorganize at a local level."

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Being a DEVELOPER 1.01

 

Here;s the other Anderson, John, talking about some challenges faced by developers

CNU 20 - Pro Formas for the Rest of Us



To be successful as a Developer, you need to control at least ONE of the Following
1. Land
2. Capital
3. Tenant
4. Entitlement

 

Costs: Land + "Bricks and sticks" should never be more than 70% of what you charge, and that's to

make a 10% profit ... you need the rest for "indirect construction", Marketing and solving other problems

 

Building Example: / Sales Price ... 100%
Finished Lot ------------- : 20%
Direct Construction----- : 50%
Indirect Construction,
Sales and Marketing,
Finance, G&A, O'head : 18%
Profit target-------------- : 10%
Contingency-------------- : 2%

 

Often more than one developer: Capital partner and Operating partner

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(this suggests another area to investigate)

 

Center City elevated rail park now on fast track
May 7, 2015 / 60 Comments
viaduct-rendering-600.jpg
Rendering of the Reading Viaduct park above 13th Street.

http-planphilly-com-sites-planphilly-com

VIADUCTgreene-map_.jpg

 

AFTER YEARS of talk by elected officials, city boosters and everyday citizens about how great it would be to have a green park on a portion of the abandoned Reading Railroad elevated viaduct, the idea appears to be on the fast track.

 

City Council's Committee on Public Property and Public Works will hold a hearing Monday to discuss a bill introduced last week by Councilman Mark Squilla that would authorize the city to acquire 1/4-mile of the rail property now owned by SEPTA.

 

"We think it's a great project, not only for the neighborhood but for the entire city," Squilla said yesterday.

"This is the perfect time to do this. This will also create an area where we can get more development, hopefully add more businesses in the area and raise our tax base. The whole thing about our school district is, how do we get more funding?"

 

Squilla introduced the bill on behalf of Mayor Nutter's administration, said mayoral spokesman Mark McDonald.

"It's a great start to bringing back that viaduct," McDonald said. "There's obviously way more [land]; this is only one small segment. But this is a wonderful start."

 

rS2c1is.jpg

 

The property, in the Callowhill neighborhood just north of Center City, runs from Broad Street southeast across 13th and 12th streets to Callowhill Street.

Plans call for the rail property - shuttered since 1984 - to be transformed into a vibrant park with walking paths, landscaping, lighting, seating and gathering spaces, similar to refurbished elevated railways in New York, Paris and elsewhere.

The $9 million project would be funded by a combination of state, city, foundation and private sources, according to the Center City District, a leading force behind the effort.

SEPTA spokeswoman Jerri Williams said the property would be leased to the Center City District to make the renovations. The transit authority's board must approve the deal first, she said.

Once the park is completed, the city would purchase it for $1 from SEPTA, according to Squilla's bill.

reading_map_4.jpg

The project is being referred to as the first phase of the rail park, given that the derelict 19th century Reading viaduct consists of 4 1/2 acres.

 

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20150507_Center_City_elevated_rail_park_now_on_fast_track.html#KApocOSXzYlSgKuA.99
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WHAT IS THE READING VIADUCT?

 

The Reading Viaduct Project is dedicated to the preservation and remediation of The Reading Viaduct as a public open green space; to the creation of a unique elevated linear park to be used by residents of and visitors to the Greater Philadelphia area.

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The Viaduct, which carried trains into Center City for almost 100 years, is an elevated train track that transects diverse and rapidly redeveloping neighborhoods just north of the traditional boundary of Center City. Although seen by some as a blight, a redeveloped Viaduct will act as a magnet for residential and commercial development in the surrounding neighborhoods. Adaptive reuse of the Viaduct, in conjunction with ongoing investment and renovation in the surrounding neighborhoods, will both preserve and rejuvenate the former industrial heart of the City, while generating additional economic development and tax revenue for the City and Commonwealth.

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Built in the 1890s, the Viaduct is a combination of embankment sections, bridged by steel structures and arched masonry bridges, that runs 10 blocks through the Callowhill and Chinatown North neighborhoods, from Vine Street to Fairmount Avenue. Reading Railroad commuter trains used the 4.7-acre, mile-long Viaduct to access the Reading Headhouse Terminal at 12th and Market Street (currently the Grand Hall of the Pennsylvania Convention Center). Service on the Viaduct was discontinued in 1984, when the Center City commuter tunnel was opened. Today the Viaduct’s four elevated tracks have been overtaken by grasses and trees. It’s two branches offer spectacular views of immediate neighborhoods and the Philadelphia skyline. In 2003, local residents formed The Reading Viaduct Project for the purpose of advocating for the transformation of the Viaduct into an elevated linear park, in conjunction with the ongoing redevelopment of the surrounding neighborhoods.

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The Viaduct, with its 2 branches, is literally a bridge connecting several diverse communities. Beginning at Vine Street, between 11th and 12th, the Viaduct flows north from Chinatown to Callowhill Street where it branches to the west and northeast. The late 19th and early 20th Century industrial buildings that dot the landscape of this neighborhood (former automobile, bicycle, shoe, glass and balloon factories, to name a few), have attracted new investment, commercial development, and ever increasing numbers of new residents to the post-industrial landscape.

==

> http://readingviaduct.org/

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Me: A developer?

No. That's not what I plan.

But I want to know how they operate, so I can make better decisions about what properties I might buy for the long term.

I don't know, for instance, whether it might be better to buy a property next to a vacant lot.

I suppose it could be better since if the neighborhood gentrifies enough, a developer might pay more for my property,

if he plans to build something on a vacant lot next door. It's just a thought.

 

I am also looking into potential mortgage lending terms, to see if banks favor single homes, over multiple family. (Probably)

================================

 

Banks (not brokers) making Home Loans in Philadelphia

 

TOP Six banks (67% market share)

=======

Bank of America (3925 Walnut Street) : https://mortgage.bankofamerica.com/pennsylvania/philadelphia
Citizens Bank (134 South 34th street) :

PNC Bank (900 Walnut St) : https://www.pnc.com/homehq/en/home/campaigns/closing-cost-offer-pdsj.html
Santander / Sovereign Bank (3131 Market Street) :
TD Bank (3735 Walnut Street) : http://www.tdbank.com/
Wells Fargo (3431 Chestnut Street) :

===

"Philadelphia has been dominated for many years by six big banks for many years — Wells Fargo, TD, Citizens, PNC, Bank of America and Santander Bank (formerly Sovereign). The big six increased its combined market share slightly to 67.24 percent from 66.7 percent last year."

==

> more: http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2014/09/29/shakeup-among-philadelphias-largest-deposit-takers.html?page=all

 

OTHER Banks: http://mojo.myfoxphilly.com/best/banks/philadelphia-area

Beneficial Bank
Customers Bank
Fulton Bank
M&T Bank

Polonia Bank ( Xxx ) : http://www.poloniabank.com/

Republic Bank (1601 Walnut St) :
BB&T / Susquehanna Bank /SUSQ ( Xxx ) : https://www.susquehanna.net/default.aspx
United Savings Bank ( Xxx ) : http://www.unitedsavingsbank.com/index.aspx
Valley Green / Univest B&Tr (2000 Market St.)

:

(non-banks):

+ American Financial Resources : https://www.afrmortgage.com/about-us.php#null

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Stanton neighborhood (just above Brewerytown)

 

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==

Zillow, foreclosure sales : http://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/fore_lt/pmf_pt/2102658803_zpid/days_sort/39.993084,-75.171762,39.975525,-75.19927_rect/14_zm/?view=map

=

Interesting? These properties are next to / or near park & reservoir

Why?

? /Property location---- : USD price : yield / Rent / Mkt-R : Valuation : - Zillow / SizeSF : Built : Comment
1805 N 33rd St /4BR,4ba : $030,900 -n/a- @$0,-n/a / 0,000= $00.0psf : $081,292 / 0,000sf b.19 ?? : Foreclosure - 25d.on Z.
3127 Morse St. /3BR,1ba : $009,900 -n/a- @$0,-n/a / 0,000= $00.0psf : $000,000 / 0,854sf b.19 ?? : Foreclosure prop.

(other foreclosures available in the same neighborhood)

 

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It turns out that Stanton has a predominant demographic character:

"Stanton is a neighborhood located in North Philadelphia. Stanton is bounded by York Street to the north, 16th Street to the east, Sedgley Avenue to the west, and Cecil B. Moore Avenue to the south. Stanton is 82.5% African American, 9.4% white, 4% Hispanic, and 4% other."

==

> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanton,_Philadelphia

 

Compare with another area with a strong demographic character:

 

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Chinatown
"As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the service area of the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation had 1,362 residents in 459 households. Of the residents, 1,085 were Asian American, 152 were White American, 71 were African American, 31 were of other races, and 23 were Hispanic American. During that year the community had 509 housing units, with 50 of them being vacant and 85 of them being owner occupied. As of 1998 the wider Chinatown area had about 4,000 residents. Many of them worked in clothing assembly companies, restaurants, and related suppliers located in the area. As of that year, most residents were Chinese American. As of the 1990 U.S. Census the median income of Chinatown was under $15,000. The median income of the 47,000 residents of Center City Philadelphia as a whole was $60,000. As of 2000, of the 4,000 residents of the wider area, about 70% have no English fluency."
==

> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinatown,_Philadelphia

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Finance for Flippers ?

 

Notes from article: "Big Firms link up with Home Flippers" - SCMP, pg.P5

 

+ Wall Street player, including Blackstone and Cerberus (and Colony Capital) are moving into financing investors who buy and sell homes for quick profits

 

+ Borrowing costs for "fix-and-flippers" are the highest in residential sector (like 15%, with 3-5% upfront), but are tumbling (to maybe 10%, plus 2% upfront) as more firms compete for customers

 

+ The new firms entering the sector may have lower borrowing costs, than traditional private lenders. ("It's cheaper and better for the borrower, if you do it on a national scale"). Blackstone is looking to put $1 Billion into such lending

 

+ Home flippers are also benefitting from rising prices, with average gross profits rising from US$61,684 to $72,450 in the last year. But new lenders are most eager to work with experience investors, who may have established companies as the vehicles for such activity. Lenders have to get used to the "churn", where the borrowers may resell quickly when they find a satsifactory end-buyer

 

+ "Everyone has jumped in" was one comment about the new lenders

 

(Meantime - NYC Mayor De Blasio is raising taxes)

 

De Blasio is a self-describe progressive, who seeks higher taxes on the wealthy:

"This can't be a city of just penthouses and luxury condos"

 

He wants to impose a 1% surcharge on transfer tax in sales of homes over US$1.75mn

 

Might this cause some investors to divert interest to other cities, like Phialdelphia?

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Brewerytown - Livability score: 72, "very livable"
• ranked #34 in Philadelphia, ranked #89 in Pennsylvania
Crime: 5,078/100k : 11% > Philly, and 1,229: 11%>Ph. on V-crimes
Median Housing: $140,619 / hh income: $30,962 : ratio: 4.54 / Rent: $702

 

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Brewerytown is a neighborhood in the North Philadelphia district of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.

An unofficial region, Brewerytown runs approximately between the Schuylkill River's eastern bank and 25th Street, bounded by Cecil B. Moore Avenue to the north and Parrish Street to the south. Brewerytown got its name because of the numerous breweries that were located along the Schuylkill during the late 19th century and early 20th century. It is now primarily a residential neighborhood, with an active commercial sector along Girard Avenue.

. . .

At its peak, 700 breweries operated across Philadelphia, several in a ten-block area of Brewerytown. ...every single brewer had vanished by 1987. The industry has slowly returned to the city, but at nowhere near the capacity of its heyday.... Until recently, Brewerytown has been a predominantly poor, African-American neighborhood.

In 1991, the Brewerytown Historic District was certified by the National Register of Historic Places. The district contains 380 buildings and is roughly bounded by 30th St., Girard Ave., 32nd St. and Glenwood Ave

 

- and where some new properties are being built, especially on Girard Avenue -- Will this trend grow?

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Brewerytown

MM Partners strongly believes in giving back to the community where we work and live. This entails sponsoring public art, hosting and sponsoring community events, funding youth programs, mentoring kids in the area, and working closely with community non-profits.

> http://mmpartnersllc.com/?gclid=CjwKEAjwj9GqBRCRlPram97Xk3ESJADrN7IeKZqp9WDwKSfvoCmpAdFeElZNOz0UAXS8tOrI372FzhoCcf_w_wcB

Over the next two years, MM Partners plans to invest roughly $60 million in Brewerytown, a Philadelphia neighborhood

> http://www.google.com.hk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=10&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CGYQFjAJ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bizjournals.com%2Fphiladelphia%2Fblog%2Freal-estate%2F2014%2F12%2Fmm-partners-to-invest-60-million-in-brewerytown.html%3Fpage%3Dall&ei=eulVVdunBsPImwX-vICwBg&usg=AFQjCNEwBEALFTsSEwHg_XH82zkK1SAoKg&sig2=mMMwO8b664Wx7Ehcu0LDxg&bvm=bv.93564037,d.dGY

 

 

Gentrification

Recently, Brewerytown has seen a trend of gentrification. The Girard Avenue commercial corridor has seen new businesses move in and property values increase, along with increases in property values in other sections of the city associated with the influx of young professionals to Center City.[citation needed]

Brewerytown Square

In 2004 The Westrum Development Company announced a multi-million-dollar real-estate project known as Brewerytown Square, which is to create hundreds of housing units aimed at middle class buyers. The project is opposed by the community group AABRA, or African-American Business & Residents Association, which is led by Al Alston. This group claims that Westrum is attempting to drive out long-time, lower-income residents in favor of wealthy, young urban professionals, by driving up property values. AABRA is engaged in a lawsuit with the city of Philadelphia over Brewerytown land rights. Despite the ongoing legal proceedings, the first Westrum housing units are already for sale. AABRA has threatened to create an alternative development called "Songhai City" (in reference to the Songhai Empire), a proposed mecca for black culture. In August 2006, AABRA leader Alston overturned a city government decision that deemed the proposed Songhai City property blighted. The location, a dilapidated garage, was set to be acquired by Westrum Development, razed, and rebuilt as townhouses in accordance with the developers' massive reconstruction efforts in the neighborhood. The decision, a surprise to Westrum, who had considered the matter settled, will now force the developer to build around the property,

==

> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brewerytown,_Philadelphia

 

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Why Brewerytown is Philly’s best neighborhood

EXCERPT

I first encountered the neighborhood as a senior journalism student at Temple University in 2012. At the time, I lived at a 22nd and Diamond — sandwiched between a liquor store and a funeral home — a few blocks away from the Brewerytown threshold at 22nd and Cecil B. Moore. I was assigned to cover the area for Philadelphia Neighborhoods, Temple’s capstone course.

During that time, I met with the Greater Brewerytown Community Development Corp., local residents,and the team over at MM Partners — a real estate development, construction and management company that had already invested about $45 million into the neighborhood (according to the Philadelphia Business Journal, the partners are now planning to invest an additional $60 million).

 

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While I found the GBCDC and MM Partners' plans to be relatively aligned and well-intentioned, the residents' perspectives generally went one of two ways: They loved all the new developments and the impending “bright future” (usually from the “newbies”), or it was all a clear example of the city’s push toward gentrifying the inner city, in which case, they felt rather powerless in preventing it.

 

Longtime Brewerytown residents have had to undergo some major re-adjustments. They tend to have relatively fixed incomes and face rising property values and other zoning and politically driven measures, in addition to an influx of new neighbors.

. . .

Accessibility and transportation

With Center City less than 15 minutes away by car (about 25 minutes on a brisk walk), I-76 less than five minutes away and SEPTA running in all directions, Brewerytown is one of the most accessible sections of the city. As a media-relations consultant, freelance journalist, community activist and media personality, my schedule can change at any moment, and it’s important that I’m able to make a move in record timing if needed; living here ensures that’s possible, and my life flows a little smoother because of it.

Food and spirits

I’m a self-proclaimed “fat kid” (no, really, I use the hashtag #fatkidsunite), and the foodie scene offers a plethora of options, some of which are in nearby Fairmount. For example, if you eat by Zagat ratings, head to Angelino’s (Italian cuisine), which was rated four stars and above. There are the tried and true: Butter's Soul Food, Blue Jay Restaurant, Philly Sunnyside Diner, Deborah’s Kitchen, Italian Express and Lazo’s Pizza & Grill.

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Deborah's Kitchen at 2608 Girard Avenue. Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice.com.

Looking for something a little more modern? No worries! We have Rybrew, iMunch Café and the Lucky Goat Coffee House (more are popping up, so this list will probably change by the time it’s published). Want to get lost in the neighborhood vibe over a good drink, comfortable environment and affordable bar food? Brewerytown is just blocks away from Fairmount haunts like North Star Bar, Playmakers or ERA.

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Fairmount's North Star Bar is a stone's throw away from Brewerytown. Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice.com.

Arts and culture

As a mother who loves nature and art, I appreciate all that Brewerytown offers in such a short distance. The Art Museum, Fairmount Park, Philadelphia Zoo and Kelly Drive are all within walking distance.

===

>more : http://www.phillyvoice.com/why-brewerytown-phillys-best-neighborhood/

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Cobbs Creek Neighborhood : Livability score: 73 (W. Philly)

• ranked #26 in Philadelphia, ranked #72 in Pennsylvania
Crime: 4,857/100k : 6% > Philly, and 1,176: 6%>Ph. on V-crimes
Median Housing: $169,885 / hh income: $30,851 : ratio: 5.51 / Rent: $857

 

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Cobbs Creek is easily accessible on the SEPTA Market-Frankford line.

It is home to four subway stops: 52nd Street, 56th Street, 60th Street and 63rd Street.

 

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Cobbs Creek is a neighborhood located in the West Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States . Cobbs Creek is generally bound by Market Street to the north, Baltimore Avenue to the south, 52nd Street to the east, and Cobbs Creek Parkway to the west. It is often locally referred to as "The Southside", in reference to its location to the south of Market Street and above the Baltimore Avenue border of Southwest Philadelphia, as well as a neighborhood distinction used by local street gangs in the area during the 1960s and 70s.

1024px-Cobbs_Creek_Auto_burb.JPG
In 1998, the Cobbs Creek Automobile Suburb Historic District was created, with Cobbs Creek Parkway, Spruce St, 62nd St, and Angora St its boundaries. The District protects 1049 buildings, with Tudor Revival, Colonial Revival, and Bungalow/Craftsman architectural styles contained within the district.

Philadelphia architect William Alesker, whose latest project is a Trump Tower in Center City, and Evangelical minister Tony Campolo, one of Bill Clinton's spiritual advisers, lived, respectively, in the 6200 blocks of Pine and Delancey Streets back in the 1940s and 1950s.
==
> wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobbs_Creek,_Philadelphia

> crime map : http://spotcrime.com/pa/philadelphia/cobbscreek

Cobbs-Creek-5800-Rodman-Street.jpg

Rodman St

 

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For purposes of the Philly-2035 Plan,

Cobbs Creek is part of the West District, within the 17 planning Districts

map-west.png

> see: http://phila2035.org/home-page/district/west/west-map-photo-gallery/

 

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No full plan has yet been created there:

Neighborhoods:

Overbrook, Carroll Park, Haddington, Morris Park, Cobbs Creek, Dunlap, Mill Creek, Belmont, Mantua.

Key Issues:

The West district is predominantly residential in character. Existing row homes are affordable for young families and there is a large area of new housing in Mill Creek. Major streets include Haverford Ave. and 60th St. Key issues in West Philadelphia are vacant homes, vacant lots and a lack of quality commercial options. The high vacancy rate contributes to crime problems, disinvestment and a lack of home equity. Commercial corridors are generally under-performing in comparison with the rest of the City. This means that residents have to travel further to get what they need, or settle for lower quality products and services.

> http://phila2035.org/home-page/district/west/

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Kingsessing - is just southeast of the Cobbs Creek neighborhood

  • Zillow predicted (in June 2015) that: Kingsessing home values will decrease 0.3% next year, compared to a 0.9% decrease for Philadelphia as a whole. Among Kingsessing homes, this home is valued 44.9% more than the midpoint (median) home, and is valued 59.1% more per square foot.

    Foreclosures will be a factor impacting home values in the next several years. In Kingsessing, the number of foreclosures waiting to be sold is 90.9% greater than in Philadelphia, and 120% higher than the national average. This higher local number may prevent Kingsessing home values from rising as quickly as other regions in Philadelphia.
  • neighborhood-bike-works-youth-set-off-do

58th Street Greenway officially open, connects Cobbs Creek and Bartram's Garden

 

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After more than three years of planning, more than a year of construction and ongoing community involvement, the 58th Street Greenway opened Saturday. The 1.5-mile, $3.5 million trail provides a critical link between the Cobbs Creek Trail, Bartram’s Garden and the trails beyond. As community and project leaders stressed though, the trail is more than a connection. It is a vote of confidence in the South West Philadelphia, Kingsessing neighborhood.

. . .

Williams said the 58th Street Greenway is more than a bicycle and pedestrian trail. It is a statement that the community intends to grow, that the community is moving ahead.

“This doesn’t fly in the face of violence,” Williams said. “This a contribution to removing violence from the community.”

The project is about equity, too, said Deputy Mayor for Transportation and Utilities Rina Cutler.

When it comes to building and investing in Philadelphia’s bike trails, she said, “It can’t just happen in Center City.”

 

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> source: http://phila2035.org/home-page/district/university-southwest/universitysouthwest-map-photo-gallery/#

. . .

While there are stretches of bike lanes from Bartram’s Garden to the Grays Ferry Bridge and then throughout the city, big changes are coming for the trail network around Bartram’s Garden. The partners behind Bartram’s Mile are still designing the route, which will connect directly with the 58th Street Greenway and provide 1.1 miles and 8 acres of bike and recreation trail along the Schuylkill River. Bartram’s Mile will likely cross the Schuylkill at a more bicycle-friendly, purpose-built bridge and will connect with the Schuylkill River Trail.

 

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==

> http://planphilly.com/articles/2013/06/10/58th-street-greenway-officially-open-connects-cobbs-creek-and-bartram-s-garden

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Bartram's Garden:

DuPont%20Funding%20020.jpg

Bartram's Garden, the historic estate of early American botanist John Bartram, is set like an emerald in the Lower Schuylkill's rough industrial landscape. And because it's such a treasure the Bartram's Mile trail will be "informed and influenced by Bartram's Garden," Mark Focht, Deputy Commissioner of Philadelphia Parks and Rec, told the crowd on Sunday.

> http://planphilly.com/eyesonthestreet/2012/11/06/see-bartrams-mile

 

Bartrams Mile

bartram-mile-map.jpg

 

In 2012, Philadelphia officials began planning to turn eight acres of former industrial land into a park. Dubbed Bartram's Mile, the project will extend the Schuylkill River Trail pedestrian-and-bike path south from the Grays Ferry Avenue Bridge to Bartram's Garden

NM-bartmile-medium-472px-iphoto.jpg

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West Philadelphia Neighborhoods
Philadelphia Livability score: 73
Crime: 4,541/100k : for Philly, and 1,099: for Violent-crimes
Median Housing: $142,300 / Median hh income: $37,016 : ratio: 3.84
Philly-racemap-400_zpsxx5aluzq.jpg
Draw the Line ?
Black / Grey - Demograph : Line at??
19131 / 19104 -50-75%W :
19130 / 19104 -50-75%W :
19143 / 19104 -50-75%W :
19143 / 19146 -50-75%H :
19143 / 19104 -50-75%W :
PH_WestNhood_zps9cwvluon.jpg
Haddington ... borders are defined as Haverford Avenue/Girard Avenue to the north, 52nd Street to the east, Market Street to the south, and 67th Street to the most western edge of the neighborhood. It is a largely African American community of mostly two-story rowhouses with a large proportion of elderly residents and a high home-ownership rate. Near the intersection of Vine Street and 56th Street, new construction and community facilities were built in the 1970s thanks to the Haddington Leadership Organization.
Mantua ... is located north of Spring Garden Street, east of 40th Street, south of Mantua Avenue, and west of 31st Street. The neighborhood's northern and western reaches are predominantly working-class and African American, although its southern border with Powelton Village has seen recent gentrification and an influx of Drexel University student renters.
Mill Creek ... sits between 44th and 52nd Streets north of Market Street and south of Girard Avenue... named for the creek buried in a pipe in the 19th century.

Overbrook ...contains an assortment of housing from large, old homes to row homes to 3-4 story apartment buildings.

Greater Overbrook consists of three separate but closely linked communities: Overbrook, Overbrook Farms, and Overbrook Park. ... Overbrook is bounded on the north by Woodcrest Avenue, on the west by Morris Park (68th Street) and on the south by Cobbs Creek Park. The eastern border of Overbrook, however, is up for debate..

...Overbrook was a natural choice for families looking for a blend of urban convenience and semi-suburban living.

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> source: http://www.westphillylocal.com/

 

University City is the easternmost part of West Philadelphia. [1]

The University of Pennsylvania has long been the dominant institution in the area and was instrumental in coining the name "University City" as part of a 1950s urban-renewal and gentrification effort.[2][3] Today, Drexel University and the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia also call University City home.

The eastern side of University City is home to the Penn and Drexel campuses, several medical institutions, independent centers of scientific research, 30th Street Station, and the Cira Centre. The western side contains Victorian and early 20th-century housing stock and is primarily residential.

The area is ethnically and economically diverse, although the compositions of its 12 census tracts vary widely; for example, the population in the mid-2000s of the easternmost tract was about half white and one-third Asian, while that of the northwesternmost tract was almost entirely black.

University City neighborhoods

Generally speaking, University City is the section of West Philadelphia surrounding Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania. More specifically, it runs East to the Schuylkill River and Interstate 76 (Schuylkill Expressway), North to Powelton Ave., South to the Schuylkill river and the Media line railroad (R3), and West to around 52nd Street.

  • Black Bottom: Not current; formerly around the area of 38th and Market Sts.
  • Cedar Park: north to Larchwood Ave., south to Baltimore Ave., east to 46th St., west to 52nd St.
  • Garden Court: north to Locust St., south to Cedar Ave., east to 46th St., west to 52nd St.
  • Powelton Village: north to Spring Garden St., south to Market St., east to 32nd St., west to 44th St.
  • Spruce Hill: North to Market, South to Baltimore Ave., East to 40th, West to around 46th.
  • Squirrel Hill: North to Baltimore Ave., South to Woodland Ave., East to 45rd St., West to 50th St.
  • Walnut Hill: North to Market St., South to Larchwood Ave., East to 46th St., West to 52nd St.
  • Woodland Terrace: North to Baltimore Ave., South to Woodland Ave., East to 40th St., West to 43rd St.
  • ==

List : http://www.thefullwiki.org/List_of_Philadelphia_neighborhoods

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Greater Overbrook Neighborhood(s)

 

300px-Overbrook_Station_Philadelphia.jpg

Overbrook Station (SEPTA)

 

Overbrook ...contains an assortment of housing from large, old homes to row homes to 3-4 story apartment buildings.

Greater Overbrook consists of three separate but closely linked communities: Overbrook, Overbrook Farms, and Overbrook Park. ... Overbrook is bounded on the north by Woodcrest Avenue, on the west by Morris Park (68th Street) and on the south by Cobbs Creek Park. The eastern border of Overbrook, however, is up for debate..

Overbrook was developed in various stages between 1900 and 1960. The dominant housing type is the rowhouse...

Overbrook was laid out intentionally in the first half of the twentieth century, particularly before 1930, as a place for middle-management level families to find a bit more green space in the form of small gardens, and stands of London plane trees. It was not intended as a community for working class families, initially. Close inspections of Sunday real estate advertisements in the Philadelphia Inquirer in the summer of 1922 and spring of 1923 reveal that Overbrook was "exclusive" and notable for houses with sizable rooms compared to many other new homes in the city. Served by trolley lines 10, 30, and others, and with easy access to the Market Street Elevated Line, Overbrook was a natural choice for families looking for a blend of urban convenience and semi-suburban living.

> http://www.thefullwi...a,_Pennsylvania

 

PH-OvrBrook_zpsir8vc2zz.jpg

 

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Haddington Neighborhood / Liveability Rating : 70, "Very Livable"

• Haddington-Carroll Park is ranked #45 in Philadelphia
• Haddington-Carroll Park is ranked #109 in Pennsylvania
Crime: 6,596/100k : 45% > Philly, and 1,597: 45%>Ph. on V-crimes
Median Housing: $75,647 / Median hh income: $24,126 : ratio: 3.13

 

Haddington-00-N.-Robinson-Street-e130391

N.-Robinson-Street / photo credit : ij

Haddington.png

A popular place to rent and own / esp. AfAm's paying under $1000 per month

 

Haddington is a neighborhood in the West Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is arguably located between 52nd Street and 63rd Street, bounded by Chestnut Street and Girard Avenue.

It is an African American community of mostly 2-story rowhouses with a large proportion of elderly residents and a high homeownership rate. Near the intersection of Vine Street and 56th Street, new construction and community facilities were built in the 1970s thanks to the Haddington Leadership Organization.

Haddington's Historic District is located on the 6000 blocks of Market, Ludlow, and Chestnut Streets, showcasing colonial and classical revival styles of architecture built from 1909 to 1915. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

> http://www.thefullwiki.org/Haddington,_Philadelphia,_Pennsylvania

 

 

HADDINGTON HISTORIC DISTRICT

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places September 29, 1988

6000 Blocks of Market, Ludlow, and Chestnut Streets

The Haddington District is bounded by Market and Chestnut Streets on the north and south respectively, and by 60th and 61st Streets on the east and west. At 60th Street is one of the stops or the Market-Frankford Elevated Line, near an industrial village which had been known for much of the nineteenth century as Haddington. Thus, the community at the elevated was in fact a new creation, one which merely adapted an historic name to give identity. This was possible because the district was largely owned by one individual who developed it according to a functional logic, with the commercial buildings near the station, and the more residential buildings, particularly several large apartment houses at the opposite corner.

==

> http://www.uchs.net/HistoricDistricts/haddington.html

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Urban Farming was an idea the was being talked about for Haddington back in 2010
Sustainable Urban Development- Haddington and The 59th Street Community Garden

Uploaded on Jul 24, 2011

A video about Sustainable Urban Development's mission to combat poverty in West Philadelphia's neighborhood Haddington through community gardens.

 

"Haddington has the worst test scores in Pennslyvania"

Poor nutrition may be a factor

 

The 59th Street Community Garden is a urban farm located in the West Philadelphia neighborhood, Haddington.

> https://www.facebook.com/59thStreetCommunityGarden : Laura Thornton

 

Save The Garden

Sustainable Urban Development is a non-profit organization looking to better the West Philadelphia area. On May 12, 2011 the city of Philadelphia sent us a letter telling us that they are trying to authorize the of the acquisition of the land that the 59th Street Community Garden is on. We have started this petition in order to save our garden. This garden is very beneficial to West Philadelphia and the people that reside in it.

> http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/sud_inc/

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Hunting Park - Neighborhood with a Hispanic flavor
Hunting Park Livability score: 60, "somewhat livable"
• ranked #55 in Philadelphia, ranked #143 in Pennsylvania
Crime: 7,182/100k : 58% > Philly, and 1,739: 58%>Ph. on V-crimes
Median Housing: $55,913 / hh income: $20,881 : ratio: 2.68 / Rent: $783
PH-HuntPark_zpstlexxpfo.png

Hunting Park is a neighborhood in the North Philadelphia section of the United States city of Philadelphia...

As of the 2010 Census, Hunting Park was 56% Hispanic of any race, 38.1% non Hispanic black, 2.9% non Hispanic white, 1.9% Asian, and 2.1% all other. The neighborhood is primarily made up of Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, and African Americans.

> wiki : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunting_Park,_Philadelphia

 

Transport : The Broad Street Line (SEPTA) has a stop at Hunting Parl

 

Hunting Park Bounces Back - Philadelphia Weekly

Jan 5, 2010 - Hunting Park is the kind of neighborhood you read about in killer headlines....

...But members of the community say they’re sick of hearing only about how bad their neighborhood is. They’re ready to hear the stories of honest folk who put up a fight. Especially now. In the last few years, Hunting Park residents have organized. They’ve formed committees, held regular meetings, planted community gardens, contacted politicians. Now more than ever, their attention is focused on reclaiming the heart of the ’hood, the 87-acre woodsy chunk of Fairmount Park that lies in the center of the proud, complicated, struggling North Philadelphia neighborhood of the same name.

Now, after building momentum with grassroots efforts the last few years, local activists are about to get what amounts to a miracle, especially in this economy.

Last October, the Fairmount Park Conservancy, the philanthropic arm of the Fairmount Park system that renovated the Fairmount Water Works, unveiled a $20 million master plan to revitalize Hunting Park. The elaborate plan, led by landscape architect firm Wells Appel, is designed to restore the park to its former grandeur. The complete plan features everything from logical renovations like improved lighting to full sports and activity programming.

 

Crime : http://spotcrime.com/pa/philadelphia/huntingpark

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