Northwest Philadelphia: Entrepreneur Doing Well By Doing Good for the Community
For Ken Weinstein (above), passion is more than just a cliche, it is the driving factor that has motivated him to become the successful real estate developer, entrepreneur, and benefactor he is today. “Passion isn’t just about making money or going to a job everyday, it’s doing what you love to do,” said Weinstein. […]
Chinatown: Community Agency Looks To Engage More Residents, Businesses
In a quiet office on 9th Street, red lanterns are strung from the ceiling and two long banners are hung beside a portrait of the Arch of Friendship. The office houses the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corp., where special projects associate Lamei Zhang (above) sits in the back corner, tucked between two computer screens and flyers […]
Northern Liberties: The Nuance Behind The Neighborhood
Someone walking down American Street through Northern Liberties would see many sleek, modern homes mixed with niche places to shop and eat. They might hear echoes of thumping and clanking from new construction and definitely a few barking dogs. The neighborhood wasn’t always a hub of expansion. Similar to small towns along the Rust Belt, […]
Northern Liberties: Out With the Old, In With the New
Like other parts of the city, Northern Liberties’ housing market has rapidly expanded in recent years. It seems as if every other street is restricted by orange construction barricades. By the time the seasons change, they’re gone, a new building is up and an old brick home is being demolished. New construction often comes with […]
Point Breeze: Redevelopment Brings Residents To The Table
In August, the group formally known as Newbold Neighbors Association took a leap in creating inclusivity in the Point Breeze community. The civic association that serves the area between 18th and Broad Streets and Washington and Passyunk Avenues chose to rename their organization to the East Point Breeze Neighbors (EPBN), to acknowledge the history of […]
Hunting Park: Bodegas and Bodyshops Revive The Economy of North 5th Street
Specks of sawdust shimmered in the sunlight as the shrill of power tools echoed throughout the skeleton of a body shop. The sight is no longer uncommon along the 5th Street Corridor of North Philadelphia, between Luzerne and Wyoming streets, but rather serves as evidence to the recent economic influx of Hunting Park. “I’ve been […]
Roxborough: Combating the Issue of Overdevelopment
Right now, at the corner of Henry Avenue and Maris Street, there sits an empty lot. But because of the by-right development, a new apartment building is in the works. Thanks to by-right, and much to the dismay of the neighbors, the ROCK Construction and Development corporation was able buy the piece of land at […]
Chinatown: John Chin Seeks To Bring Divided Community Together
John Chin, the executive director of Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corp. (PCDC), is at the forefront of a neighborhood split in two. According to city maps, the space above the Vine Street Expressway is considered Callowhill. But it is known to Chin – as well as to his colleagues and, Chin hopes, many others in the future – […]
Fishtown: Jesse Gardner Opens Doors to Help Save St. Laurentius Church
Jesse Gardner is the key holder to the art gallery, Unsung Heroes . Here, at 2024 E. Arizona St., double life-sized painted portraits of firefighters hang on the walls. But on the first Friday of each month, Gardner’s gallery takes on a very different role as he welcomes Fishtown residents into his creative space. Even though he […]
Nicetown: CDC Leader Majeedah Rashid Building a Better Community
Majeedah Rashid is the COO of the Nicetown Community Development Corporation (CDC), an organization dedicated to uplifting the community through education, better housing and financial stability. The Nicetown CDC has maintained that goal since its inception in 1999. Rashid continues to strive for improvement in one of the most impoverished parts of the city of […]