Chinatown: Stakeholders Tackle Crucial Development Questions As Neighborhood Grows
The story of Philadelphia’s Chinatown isn’t unique. But the history of this city’s Asian immigrant- and Asian-American home is, for residents, what makes it stand out from other stories of gentrification. Historically, Chinatowns have grown in abandoned urban neighborhoods, unwanted for things other than industrial business. In Philadelphia, this part of town – called Chinatown […]
Northeast: Roosevelt Boulevard: Fusing Pedestrian-Friendly with Auto-Centric
100 years ago Northeast Philadelphia didn’t look anything like it does today. Before the mid 20th century, Northeast Philadelphia was all farmland and trailer parks that was home to small Dutch communities like Fox Chase and Burholme who settled all-around the perimeters of the city. It was small-town America at its finest. That’s where […]
Powelton Village: City Planning Commission Adopts University Southwest Plan
A number of West Philadelphia neighborhoods will soon go through major overhaul following the Philadelphia City Planning Commission’s adoption of the University Southwest District Plan. The plan, adopted on Tuesday, June 11, is a part of Philadelphia2035, a broad 25-year vision to improve the city by reappropriating land use. The University Southwest District Plan calls […]
Spring Garden: Businesses Revitalize North Broad Street
[vimeo 63984846] The portion of North Broad Street which runs along side the Spring Garden neighborhood now hosts a business district with a variety of restaurants and residential properties. The addition of these establishments within the last decade has transformed the streetscape. The idea of revitalizing North Broad Street was initially proposed by the Philadelphia City Planning Commission […]
Northeast: Frankford Transportation Center Could Become a Community Hub
[vimeo 60969768] In 1961, Jane Jacobs wrote The Death and Life of Great American Cities, in which she proposed supporting neighborhoods’ use of community-based initiatives. Fast-forward 50 years, and urban planners are taking her observations into serious consideration, as evidenced by the city’s comprehensive plan, Philadelphia2035, to play up individual neighborhoods’ strengths and improve upon their obstacles to connectivity […]
University City: First Community Planning Meeting Draws Big Crowd
Community members packed a large meeting room in The Enterprise Center, located at 4548 Market St., for the first of three public planning meetings concerning the re-zoning of the University City/Southwest District of Philadelphia Tuesday night. This area is one of 18 district plans divided by the Philadelphia City Planning Commission to make the physical […]
Chinatown: Expansion Plans Create a Positive Outlook for the Community
Chinatown acts as a stepping stone as well as a cultural landmark for many Asian-American immigrants. There have been high hopes for the neighborhood to expand as a community. The Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corp. has been developing plans to help both residents and business owners envision Chinatown as a more engaged, urban neighborhood. The PCDC is […]
Northeast: Philadelphia 2035 Plan Holds Second Community Meeting
The Philadelphia City Planning Commission held its second public meeting for the Lower Northeast District. Residents from the five neighborhoods of Frankford, Northwood, Oxford Circle, Lawncrest and Summerdale met at Saint Martin of Tours School recently to learn and discuss the possible future of their neighborhoods. The meeting was conducted with a very hands-on […]
West Parkside: District Plan to Revitalize Parkside Avenue
[vimeo 38474644] The Philadelphia City Planning Commission is expected to adopt Philadelphia2035 West Park and Lower South District plans Tuesday during its regular monthly meeting. One of the key components of the West Park District plan is the relocation of a large, domed Streets Department road-salt storage facility located in the 4800 block of Parkside […]
Center City: Philadelphia2035 Releases Bold Plan for City’s Future
[vimeo 36032279] The city has a new vision of renovation that will try to improve challenged neighborhoods, boost tourism revenue and increase city growth in the next 25 years. In a public meeting, the City Planning Commission released its first two district drafts for West Park and Lower South. The drafts include zoning code changes, future […]