Illustrative rendering of Ogontz Avenue demonstrating proposed strategies including façade treatments, streetscaping, signage and greening. WRT 9TH DISTRICT COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR + NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN A GUIDE TO INVESTING IN THE 9TH DISTRICT NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS November 2019 DRAFTDRAFT for Review 11/20/19 Vernon Road Ribbon-Cutting and Block Party celebrating the revitalization of the Vernon Road commercial corridor funded through a public-private partnership between the City, state agencies and Wells Fargo. The project features facade improvements, new LED lights, signs and banners, planters, tree lights, security cameras and Big Belly Trash bins. William Z. Foster 2 DRAFT for Review DRAFT11/20/19 Executive Summary ........................................................................ 6 1. Introduction ................................................................................. 12 2. Public Engagement ...................................................................... 30 3. Existing Conditions ..................................................................... 38 4. Plan Strategies & Suggestions ..................................................... 62 5. Implementation Guide ................................................................ 82 APPENDICES A. Corridor-Specific Strategy Brochures B. Stakeholder Input C. Additional Existing Conditions Data THIS PROJECT IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH SUPPORT FROM: TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE 9TH DISTRICT COUNCIL Honorable Councilwoman Cherelle L. Parker IN PARTNERSHIP WITH: CITY OF PHILADELPHIA | DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 3 DRAFTDRAFT for Review 11/20/19 THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION! ADVISORY COMMITTEE Donna White Lawrence Petrone Shanon Skipworth Adolphus Bey Dr. Anthony Farrow Leroy Howell Sharon Calvin Alan Lindy Dr. Karen James Linda Gruztmacher Sharon Vaughn Ambrose Liu Dr. Louis A. Brown Linwood Holland Sharon Wilson Anastasia Zuccaro Dwight Pedro Lewis Lisa Bodine Sharyn Hollomon Andrea Hodge Elizabeth Young Lorraine Sullivan Sherita Glenn Andrea Nazulme Emma Chappell Mack Duncan Shirlene Bennett Andrew Dalzell Ernest Saxton Marion Johnson Shirley Armstead Ann Cho Frank Huynh Matthew Rossi Shirley Gregory Anthony Bellmon Gail Middleton Melissa Scott-Walker Stephanie Michel Anthony Phillips Gasper Santos Michael Blackie Tarshay Riggs Bernadette Tanksley Gwendolyn Brown Michelle Price Tawana Sabbath Bill Ditrich Heather Miller Mike Goodman Terrance “Sonny” Harris Bill Dolbow Imani Stewart Nancy Hampson Tomika Miles Bill Ryan Isabella Fitzgerald Nick Himebaugh Toni Johnson Brad El Jamal Evans Parri Frazier Tonyelle Cook-Artis Brandon Vaughan Janice Sulman Pastor Harold Jolley Traci Nickens Brenda Brooks-Stephens Jasmine Schley Patricia Wray Vaniah Foat Carlton Williams Jeffrey Hackett Pete Lyde Vaughn Taylor Carmenletta Shelton Jihae Lee Phil Gruztmacher Victoria Tyson Charlene Samuels Joe Cruz Phyllis Swing Wendy Green-Harvey Christine Bingham John Brice Ricardo Johnson Claudia Quinton Jose Rivera Richard Schaffer Crystal El Jospehys Dafils Richard Snow Darryl Overton Jovan Goldstein Robin Irizarry David Weston Juanita Savage Ryan Jamison Debra Kessler Kathy Wersinger Salim Wilson ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Dennis Cook Ken Yang Sandra Broadus Diane Richardson LaJewel Harrison Sandra Camacho 4 DRAFT for ReviewDRAFT 9/23/19 ELECTED OFFICIALS Oak Lane Business Association (Upper Old York Road) Casey O’Donnell, President & CEO, Impact Services State Representative Jason Dawkins Olney Business Association (N. 5th Street) Akeem Dixon, Owner, The Intersect State Representative Isabella Fitzgerald Olney Culture Lab Jacob Roller, Roller Development State Representative Stephen Kinsey Oxford Circle Christian Community Development Thoai Nguyen, Executive Director, SEAMAC State Representative Jared Solomon Association James Wright, Director of Community, Economic & State Senator Art Haywood Philadelphia City Planning Commission Real Estate Development, People’s Emergency Center State Senator Christine Tartaglione Philadelphia Development Authority Syreeta Scott, Owner State Senator Sharif Street Philadelphia Housing Authority James Burnett, Executive Director, West Philadelphia Congressman Brendan Boyle Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation Financial Services Institution Congressman Dwight Evans (PIDC) Pam Bridgeforth, Director of Programs PACDC Philadelphia Police Department Lauren Gilchrist, Senior Vice President, Senior Director CITY AGENCIES, NON-PROFIT Philadelphia Water Department of Research, JLL ORGANIZATIONS & CORPORATE Pinnacle Enterprises Dr. Ahada Stanford, Department of Commerce PARTNERS Rebuild Dawn Summerville, Department of Commerce Castor, Bustleton, Cottman Business Association School District of Philadelphia Arthur Gimenez, Director of Business Development, Department of Commerce Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority PIDC Department of Licenses & Inspections (SEPTA) Department of Parks and Recreation Streets Department PHILADELPHIA JOB CORP Department of Public Health Vernon Road Business Association (Vernon Road) LIFE SCIENCES INSTITUTE Department of Public Property Wadsworth Avenue Business Association Jamier Jones, Career Transition Specialist Department of Revenue Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians Tanisha Gray, Student Dr. Warren E. Smith (WES) Health Systems West Oak Lane Business Association (Ogontz Avenue) Philip Filippello, Student Einstein Medical Network Immanuel Muhammad, Student Enon Coulter Community Development Corporation LITTLE GIANT MEDIA, LLC & 9TH Kevin Wessels, Student Free Library of Philadelphia DISTRICT THINK TANK PARTICIPANTS Friends of Einstein Meegan Denenberg, Co-Founder, Little Giant Creative Greater Philadelphia Asian Social Services Tayyib Smith, Co-Founder, Little Giant Creative Lindy Property, The Yorkhouse Apartments Phoebe Bachman, Project Manager, Little Giant Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs Creative N. 5th Street Revitalization Project Annie Chiu-McCabe, Project Manager, Little Giant NORTH 4th Consultants Creative 9 COUNCIL DISTRICT 9th Council District Office Staff 9th Council District Office Interns Councilwoman Cherelle L. Parker William Bailey Hilary Emerson Heather Pierce Amy Boyd Kyasha Tyson, Tascha Chalmers Solomon Leach Romani Reynolds Daria Williams Director of Community & Economic Development Brian Clinton Rachel Meadows Michele Smart 5 DRAFT for Review 11/20/19 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION The 9th District Commercial Corridor & Neighborhood Plan is a reinvestment and revitalization strategy for neighborhood commercial corridors in the District. The planning process examined the existing conditions, strengths, and challenges of the District’s neighborhoods and commercial corridors and worked with stakeholders to identify priority actions and recommendations to guide improvements. The 9th District Commercial Corridor and Neighborhood Plan expands upon the 2005 Shops, Streets, Centers: A Guide for Transforming Commercial Corridors in the 9th Councilmanic District. The goal of this plan is to leverage the District’s high homeownership rates and variety of walkable, transit-served commercial corridors to build and maintain diverse, sustainable and affordable neighborhoods. Residents and stakeholders join Councilwoman Cherelle L. Parker in celebrating the completion of improvements along Vernon Road. William Z. Foster 6 | Executive Summary DRAFT for Review 11/20/19 BACKGROUND PLANNING PROCESS The 9th District is situated at the northern border of The 18-month planning process focused on the current Philadelphia and constitutes approximately 6.5% of conditions of the major corridors spanning the district the land area of the City. The 9th borders four other as well as conditions in the adjoining neighborhoods. City Council districts as well as Montgomery County The foundation for the study involved analyzing across the city line. At 162,794 residents, the 9th data from a wide variety of sources including the District represents over 10% of the City’s population U.S. Census, ESRI online databases, and City of and includes 64.1% owner-occupied homes compared Philadelphia GIS, as well as on-the-ground surveying to the City’s rate of 52.3% owner-occupied homes and stakeholder input. The team also reviewed the (Esri 2017 Estimates). The 9th District contains a wide data and recommendations from previous plans range of housing types from multi-family apartments including the Philadelphia City Planning Commission’s and rowhomes, to more suburban-style detached Philadelphia 2035 district plans for the Central single family houses with front and rear yards. A Northeast and Upper North. Based on this foundation, majority of the 9th District would be classified the team analyzed data related to transit access, open as “middle neighborhoods”—relatively stable space, pedestrian safety, cleanliness, crime, retail neighborhoods without extreme poverty or wealth diversity and housing conditions. An extensive existing that are reasonably affordable and relatively conditions report with supporting maps was developed WRT safe. Because these “middle neighborhoods” as an initial deliverable and forms the basis of the plan are not often facing significant challenges, recommendations. rapid development pressures, or decline, they are generally not the priority or focus for scarce government resources. The 9th District is home to a wide variety of communities, from older established African-American neighborhoods to strong Hispanic and Asian communities that include both well- CORRIDORS INCLUDED IN THE STUDY: