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The Philadelphia city government initiative known as “ReStoring Philadelphia’s Economic Corridors” has been active in helping revitalize certain community commercial corridors sections since 2007. When launched three years ago, then-Mayor John Street and City Council jointly pushed this effort towards re-establishing communities as safe places to work, shop and socialize.
One of the 36 commercial corridors that would benefit from the $21 million “ReStoring” program is the shopping district in the center of Kensington underneath SEPTA’s El line.The administration of Mayor Michael Nutter has continued this program in the area with the support of City Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez, whose district includes Kensington. Today, Kensington business owners and their patrons share an optimistic view of this vibrant area often missed under the roaring El train.
“The government is making the community real safe. The government should keep patrolling the streets and keep the peace. That’s the best they can do. It should be safe enough for the businesses to keep regular business hours. The government is doing a hell of a job,” says Charles Glenn, a frequent customer of the Kensington shops along Front Street.
“They’re doing their job. They’re going to fix the sidewalk. Last month, they did the [one side.] This month, they’re going to do [the other side.] I think they’re doing their part. It’s not a problem so far with the government,” says Wodud Shajedul owner of Dollar Plus.
Growth may not be evident to an outsider but for many shop owners who have been in the neighborhood for years have seen a difference.
“There are some new businesses and pharmacies in the area,” says Bradley Tabaac of the 12-year-old Friendly Pharmacy. Tabaac even noticed some competition with his own pharmacy.
There may be a slight increase in the quantity of new businesses, but Shajedul observed that business has not been as consistent as when the West Funds Savings Bank, located on York and Front, was operating.
“When they had the bank, it was good business,” says Gloria Betancourt, an employee of Dollar Plus.
“It was busy when they had the big bank on the corner. When the banks close, the people get their check and they go somewhere else. If they had a couple or even one nice bank people could spend more on businesses here,” says Shajedul.
Despite a decades’ long effort to attract commerce to the area, it has still failed to attract banks. Instead, in order for the corridor to thrive, government funding and alternative sources of financing have had to be located. Finanta is a Kenisngton-based non-profit corporation that is aiding current and future business owners. Additionally, Finanta acts as a loan service to businesses considered as high-risk in the Kensington community.
“Contrary to other businesses, we are receiving more clients [since the recession]. They are coming in because they are being declined by their banks for whatever reason so they come in and we try to help. We don’t only offer a loan. We offer a technical assistance with their licenses or permits. We try to help them with any kind of problem,” says Kersy Azocar in the loan servicing department of Finanta.
The Empowerment Zone Program, established by the state government in the 1990s, also gave employment credits up to $3,000 to qualifying businesses. The businesses were also eligible for low-cost loans. These funds expired in December of 2009.
Azocar notes the importance of the merchants’ role in the community since the expiration of the Empowerment Zone funds. “There’s the Merchant’s Fund Plan, and it’s to help businesses remain viable and stable.”
Outside of Friendly Pharmacy, Bardley Tabaac has seen the Merchant’s Fund Plan fall short. “With the Empowerment Zone we had street cleaning and that program was for a certain amount of time. After that certain amount of time the merchants were supposed to pick up the bill, but they didn’t, and as you can see, it’s pretty trashy. I’m not sure you could attribute it to Mayor Nutter, but it’s changed.”
The national economic downturn was also the catalyst for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The $787 billion set aside by the federal government was supposed to aid, in part, by re-establishing and revitalizing business districts such as the one situated under the El in Kensington.
“The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act enhances things we have already been doing in Kensington and in other parts of the city,” says Andrew Frishkoff,the dDirector of Neighborhood and Economic Development in the Commerce Department.
Luis Mora, executive director of Finanta, says he has “yet to see the money in place” from the stimulus bill.
It’s a problem, as the work between Finanta and city government is invariably linked. Frishkoff says the government tries to partner with organizations such as Finanta in reclaiming industrial sites and creating jobs.
“We work with [organizations] on a number of fronts including to provide funds for store-front renovations.We have a mutual interest in industrial and workforce partnerships,” says Frishkoff. He includes, “The [city] government has a long-standing relationship with Finanta,” says Frishkoff.
Through these programs and partnerships Frishkoff says the government hopes “to increase the amount of small loans to small businesses.”
The rosey picture Frishkoff paints is not the picture Finanata sees. Instead, Finanta’s experience is one of these government partnerships not being very helpful. In fact, Mora admits Finanta tries to avoid working with local government as much as possible.
One area of disconnect as a result of this dysfunctional relationship is concerning the availability of business tax credits. Azocar says that there are “not necessarily tax credits available” for aspiring business owners, “but [Finanta] tries to do networking to see what grants are available.”
The city claims there are tax credits but business owners are not utilizing them.
“The government tries to market federal credits,” says Frishkoff, “There are tax credits available for specific purposes at specific sites, but we do not know if businesses are taking advantage of that.”
Many small business owners in Kensington feel the presence of the government and seem content with most city services and initiatives. Organizations such as Finanta, which deal directly with the government, do not seem as satisfied. Despite a less-than-perfect relationship with local government, these organizations are doing the heavy lifting in the community and presenting a consistently ambitious goal for the area.
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