Tacony: Creativity Freshens Up Torresdale Avenue
Walking down Torresdale Avenue in Tacony guarantees plenty of windows to look though. But sometimes windows need more than Windex, and the refreshing of buildings can give more to look at. So in 2014, the Tacony Community Development Corporation started revitalizing the Torresdale Avenue business corridor in the neighborhood. Torresdale Avenue Storefront Improvement Program (TSIP) Project Manager Alex […]
Queen Village: A Modern Makeover for Fabric Row
Business owners on South Fourth Street have been actively working with the Headhouse District on an ongoing streetscape project. Located between South and Catherine Streets, the area is well-known as Historic Fabric Row. It became a hot spot for Jewish immigrants in the early 1900s who made a living by selling textiles. As businesses became successful after World War II, many […]
Kensington: A Greener Schoolyard for Hackett Elementary
Within the next few years, the schoolyard at Horatio B. Hackett Elementary School will no longer be known as a sea of asphalt, but rather as an educational landmark filled with greens and opportunities the entire community can enjoy. The efforts stem from the combined work to revitalize the schoolyard from the School District of […]
South Philadelphia: Residents Celebrate Upcoming Changes to Weccacoe Playground
[vimeo 43392422] The Queen Village Neighbors Association has big plans for Weccacoe Playground. A decade ago residents referred to the playground, a public park on the 400 block of Catherine Street, as “Broken Glass Park,” but through the efforts of the Friends of Weccacoe Playground, Weccacoe is well on its way to becoming a hub of activity […]
North Philadelphia: ‘Design in Action’ Tour Explores Affordable, Green Housing
As part of the Community Design Collaborative’s three-day “Design in Action 2011” conference, the collaborative led a tour of affordable housing projects that are bringing green design and architecture to neighborhoods where such strategies weren’t often exercised in the past. The tour, “Gritty + Groundbreaking: Green + Affordable Housing in North Philadelphia,” stopped at sites […]
Center City: Community Design Collaborative Hosts ‘Design in Action 2011’
[vimeo 30713141] This month the Community Design Collaborative co-hosted “Design in Action 2011,” a three-day conference that brought more than 300 community design professionals and volunteers from around the world to Philadelphia to discuss public interest architecture. The conference was intended to foster dialogue and collaboration between design professionals. The Community Design Collaborative, a volunteer-based […]
Cedar Park: Local Residents and Organizers Continue Efforts to Revitalize Baltimore Avenue
Local residents, business owners and community organizers gathered in People’s Baptist Church, located 5039 Baltimore Ave., to discuss community issues and revitalization projects in the area. The “Next Steps in the Baltimore Avenue Conversation” meeting was held in response to community initiatives introduced last year to improve the retail, residential and commercial districts along Baltimore […]
Cedar Park: Local Food Co-op Readies Larger Space
Along the 4700 block of Baltimore Avenue, Mariposa Food Cooperative is preparing for a move. The co-op has a long and rich history in the neighborhood. Started in the 1960’s in local residents’ basements, Mariposa first opened its doors in the 500-square-foot storefront at 4726 Baltimore Ave. in 1971. There, the co-op gradually gathered supporters […]
Francisville: Making Row Homes More Age Friendly
[vimeo 22909614] About 8,000 people become 65 years old every day. The people who reach this age in Philadelphia today may be in for a rude awakening when they try to find housing to suit their needs. Row homes have been the most prevalent form of housing in the city for centuries, and as residents age […]
Francisville: Parks Create More Than Just Grass
[vimeo 22909418] A cleaning and greening initiative has swept Philadelphia including the small, historic neighborhood of Francisville. Vacant lots in Francisville are disappearing at a surprisingly fast rate thanks in part to Penelope Giles, founder of the Francisville Neighborhood Development Corp. (FNDC). In 2008, Giles decided to assemble a team of five to 10 people […]