EAST CHELTENHAM AVENUE Table of Contents
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GLENSIDE ELKINS PARK WEST VERNON CHELTENHAM AVENUE ROAD OGONTZ ELKINS PARK AVENUE EAST WASHINGTON CHELTENHAM LANE VILLAGE STENTON AVENUE EAST CHELTENHAM AVENUE table of contents cheltenham township / northwest philadelphia joint planning introduction 1 initiative working committee: The Honorable LeAnna Washington, Pennsylvania Senate neighborhood commercial corridors 3 The Honorable Lawrence Curry, Pennsylvania House of Representatives The Honorable Dwight Evans, Pennsylvania House of Representatives ogontz avenue 6 The Honorable John Myers, Pennsylvania House of Representatives The Honorable Cherelle L. Parker, Pennsylvania House of Representatives stenton avenue 8 The Honorable Harvey Portner, Cheltenham Township Board of Commissioners The Honorable Donna Reed Miller, Philadelphia City Council The Honorable Marian Tasco, Philadelphia City Council vernon road 12 Ron Bednar, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Yvonne Boye, Philadelphia City Commerce Department wadsworth avenue 14 Tonyelle Cook-Artis, Offi ce of State Representative Cherelle L. Parker Alfred Dorman, Ogontz Avenue Revitalization Corporation Derek Green, Esq., Offi ce of Councilwoman Marian Tasco washington lane 16 Bryan T. Havir, Cheltenham Township Assistant Manager Jean Holland, Community Planner, Montgomery County Planning Commission glenside 18 Denise Holloway, Offi ce of State Representative Dwight Evans Edgar A. Howard, 10th Ward Leader - Philadelphia elkins park west 20 John Kitchen, Ogontz Avenue Revitalization Corporation Crystal Jacobs, Offi ce of Councilwoman Marian Tasco David G. Kraynik, Cheltenham Township Manager elkins park east 22 Paula McKinney-Rainey, PA Department of Community and Economic Development Daphne Oliver, Offi ce of Senator LeAnna Washington cheltenham village 24 Leza Perkins, Offi ce of Representative Lawrence Curry Chataun Porch, Cheltenham Square Mall Michelle Savage, Offi ce of State Representative John Myers east cheltenham avenue 26 Melissa Scott, Offi ce of State Representative Cherelle Parker Kimberly Turner Dixon, Offi ce of State Representative Dwight Evans wayfi nding 28 John Ungar, Mt. Airy Revitalization Corporation gateways 30 This project was fi nanced in part by a grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community and Economic Development. cheltenham avenue/”ogontz loop” trid feasibility study 31 cheltenham avenue related neighborhood commercial centers introduction As part of a broader look at improving municipal cooperation betweenween PPhiladelphiahiladelphia and Cheltenham Township, this project examines ten individual retail corridors adjacent to the Cheltenham Avenue Corridor, between Easton Road and North Broad Street. Th is project is the third phase of the ongoing revitalization eff orts in the Cheltenham Avenue corridor, aimed at encouraging new business and strengthening existing retail. Because the corridor straddles both Cheltenham Township and the City of Philadel- phia, this is a joint eff ort. Phase I of the project, completed by Kise Straw & Kolodner, Brown & Keener Bressi, and Urban Partners, focused on physi- cal land development and zoning issues aff ecting the corridor. It encouraged pedestrian-friendly design, uniform signage to create a sense of place, and the unifi cation of both sides of the avenue. Phase II was a feasibility study for the creation of a Business Im- provement District (BID) for the Cheltenham Avenue Corridor. Ultimately, this phase of the project also included the implemen- tation of a BID, and was led by the Atlantic Group. project approach Th is phase of the project is designed to examine nearby neighbor- hood retail centers to explore what projects have been completed in these areas, and determine where funding should be directed in the future in order to support revitalization. 1 2 cheltenham avenue related neighborhood commercial centers neighborhood commercial corridors In recent years, several public investments have been ongoing in the region, including PennDOT’s reconstruction of Rt. 309, the addition of sidewalks, Cheltenham Avenue: A Plan for Bridging the Boundary was the fi rst part of a Cheltenham’s completion of the update of their Comprehensive Plan, and three phase project designed to promote the revitalization of the Cheltenham Pennsylvania’s TRID legislation, which allows for stronger mechanisms for Avenue corridor. Th is dual-municipality plan is the result of a joint planning investment in transit-oriented development. Major private developments process including both the City of Philadelphia and Cheltenham Township. have also been ongoing; for example, Arcadia University has developed a new Th e concept behind the plan is to improve and expand commercial uses in the main entrance, built several new campus buildings, and re-landscaped the area corrifor in order to create retail destinations that attract high-quality invest- along Route 309. ment and serve the community. Cheltenham Avenue: Expanding the Vision is intended to expand these concepts into adjacent commercial areas. Th is document seeks to explore ongoing and planned investment in these areas, and help clarify where future investment should be focused. It is based on several previous studies completed for the region, including Shops, Streets, Centers: A Guide for Transforming Commercial Corridors in the 9th Council- manic District, and the Cheltenham Township Commercial District Enhance- ment Plan. Shops, Streets, Centers: A Guide for Transforming Commercial Corridors in the 9th Councilmanic District was initiated and managed by the Offi ce of Coun- cilwoman Marian Tasco in Philadelphia. Th is plan examines the challenges and opportunities of each of the corridors studied and presents strategies for making them more successful, with the underlying thesis that transforming corridors can help stabilize and improve home values in the neighborhoods in which they are located. Th e plan suggests potential niches that each of the corridors might leverage and recommends both public and private sector investments that would spark revitalization. Th e Cheltenham Township Commercial District Enhancement Plan was com- pleted in 2000 by Carter van Dyke Associates, Urban Partners, Gannet Flem- ming, and Runyan & Associates. Th e plan was geared towards developing a vision for each of the 5 commercial districts within the Township, and created recommendations and a time frame for their implementation. 3 District Vision (adapted from “Shops Streets Centers”) Key Advantages Main Disadvantages Ogontz Avenue is a regional and neighborhood commercial destination • Proximity to Cheltenham • Wide street not favorable OGONTZ offering an eclectic mix of professional Avenue and bus transit node to pedestrians AVENUE services, medical services, reputable • Good mix of businesses • Billboards and auto repair dining options, and quality neighborhood shops convenience goods and services. This section of Stenton Avenue is a • In area with high disposible STENTON • Poorly designed and pedestrian-scale neighborhood center income maintained facades AVENUE offering quality goods and services as • Presence of well-regarded • Design of gas stations and @ Mt. Airy restaurant/music venue Avenue well as several regional entertainment parking areas not favorable and dining destinations. to pedestrians This section of Stenton Avenue II is a full- STENTON • High traffic volume • Overall worn-out AVENUE fledged neighborhood commercial center • Presence of two schools appearance of sidewalks, @ Washington offering a wide range of quality goods curbs, parking meters, and Lane and services. buildings Vernon Road is reconfigured as a small • Lack of bus route • Proximity to Enon Church VERNON ROAD neighborhood convenience zone serving • Low traffic volume adjacent apartments and homes. • Proximity to Cheltenham Avenue Wadsworth Avenue is a regional and • Presence of ICDC and State WADSWORTH neighborhood shopping and dining Senator/Representative • Poorly-lit at night AVENUE destination catering to a multicultural • Pedestrian-scale environment population. • Plenty of parking • Good mix of businesses Washington Lane is a vibrant community • Presence of library, school, • Shortage of parking WASHINGTON hub offering medical services, quality and medical offices LANE convenience goods and services, a church, • Pedestrian-scale environment • Worn-out sidewalks and curbs and a well-used library. 4 cheltenham avenue related neighborhood commercial centers Vision (adapted from “Cheltenham Township District Key Advantages Main Disadvantages Commercial District Enhancement Plan”) Glenside is a transit destination, • Good mix of businesses • No high-end retail main street retail destination, and • Arcadia University presence GLENSIDE • Split over two municipalities neighborhood center, that provides • SEPTA station causes retail destination neighborhood services. confusions • High traffic volume Elkins Park West is an auto-oriented ELKINS PARK • Area between commercial commercial district adjacent to strong • Nearby recreation area and areas not pedestrian WEST historic building recreation areas. friendly • History and character of • Lack of strong anchor Elkins Park East is a transportation existing buildings institution ELKINS PARK crossroads and retail center that functions • SEPTA station • Traffic speeds EAST as an upscale town center • Pedestrian-scale environment • Lack of parking for shoppers Cheltenham Village is Cheltenham’s • History and character of CHELTENHAM oldest residential neighborhood, with existing