Live, Learn, Work, Shop & Play in the 9Th!

Live, Learn, Work, Shop & Play in the 9Th!

LIVE, LEARN, WORK, SHOP & PLAY IN THE 9TH! STENTON AVENUE: “A BUSTLING AND VIBRANT CONNECTOR” STENTON AVE. NOVEMBER 2019 Office of COUNCILWOMAN CHERELLE PARKER 9TH DISTRICT AT A GLANCE: The 9th District includes a variety of STENTON AVENUE diverse, family-friendly neighborhoods that MEOWN O E are well-connected to city and regional H R H S transportation networks. H G I I P H LIVE, LEARN, WORK, SHOP 162,794 9TH DISTRICT POPULATION & PLAY IN THE 9TH! IN 2016 64.1% OWNER-OCCUPIED 9.6% ASIAN 62.4% 16.3% BLACK $ HISPANIC “A BUSTLING AND VIBRANT CONNECTOR” RACE/ ETHNICITY $131,535 MEDIAN HOME VALUE 11.7% WHITE The 9th District contains highly diverse WADSWORTH neighborhoods with different ethnic and IVY HILL RD racial profiles. $41,794 VERNON Source: RES 2017 Estimates; RES MEDIAN HH INCOME CHELTENHAM AVE WASHINGTON STENTON AVE OGONTZ COTTMAN AVE STENTON OLD YORK 66 TH AVE CITY BOUNDARY CASTOR IVY HILL RD. – OGONTZ AVE. STENTON AVE. BROAD N. 5TH CASTOR AVE // ABOUT RISING SUN Stenton Avenue is a two-mile long corridor with both commercial ROOSEVELT BLVD and residential stretches as it runs southwest towards Center City. It The surrounding neighborhoods are // CURRENT also constitutes the border of the home to Ivy Hill Cemetery, founded CONDITIONS 9th Council District. It currently in 1867, and community parks such functions as a high-traffic arterial as Finley Recreation Center, where Stenton Avenue runs through road connecting residents from major playground renovations were the West Oak Lane and East Broad Street west to points beyond recently completed. Further east, Mt. Airy neighborhoods. These city limits. Martin Luther King High School sits neighborhoods include long-term on the southern side of the street. residents who are civically engaged, 2 contributing to neighborhood life and reinforcing the stability of the area. The mostly residential area includes a variety of housing types with single-family homes, twins, and attached row houses. These neighborhoods have very low vacancy. The Stenton Avenue area is not served by any nearby transit lines; however, two SEPTA bus lines run along the corridor. While many of the residential sections of the street boast mature trees, there is often a lack of street trees, trash cans, and benches on the commercial nodes. Nearby Martin Luther King High School creates substantial STENTON AVENUE IS A CONNECTOR STREET WITH POCKETS OF foot traffic with high school NEIGHBORHOOD-SERVING RETAIL. students connecting to adjacent neighborhoods. However, the fast-moving traffic combined with minimal sidewalk widths make the Stenton Avenue corridor feel unsafe for pedestrians. Traffic calming and additional pedestrian amenities will help make it safer for all modes of transportation. Stenton Avenue is in a unique position because there are multiple local elected officials representing this corridor. Improvements can be maximized along the entire corridor with an effective partnership between local and state elected officials, as well as business and nonprofit stakeholders. 3 EXPLORING THE CORRIDOR Many blocks of Stenton Avenue are comprised of shopping center-style buildings with multiple storefronts. Some blocks feature angled parking in front of the stores. // CHARACTER COMMUNITY ASSETS: Stenton Avenue contains a mixture » Finley Recreation Center of small businesses and larger » Simons Recreation Center national chains, including CVS, » West Oak Lane Branch Library AutoZone, and others. Many of the larger stores are configured in an » Philadelphia National Cemetery auto-oriented manner with parking » Chelten Hills Cemetery in front, while other blocks of the » Ivy Hill Cemetery corridor maintain a traditional urban storefront design. Some sections have angled parking in front the shops, which is more efficient and safer for pedestrians than traditional parallel street parking. 4 STENTON AVENUE IS A MAJOR CONNECTOR STREET WITH MULTIPLE BUS LINES ALONG IT. RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL COMMERCIAL // SAMPLE OF EXISTING BUSINESSES AND SERVICES Stenton Avenue is a long corridor with multiple commercial segments. The variety of businesses are vast and include too many to list here, but below is a sample of the types of services and businesses you’ll find: » Barry’s Clothesline » Mt. Pleasant Health Center » Brother Produce Market » Nancy Le Nails 28% 26% » Cho Grill Master Deli » Optima Vision Center » Craven Dental Association » Queen Express Pizza BUSINESS » Ellet Cleaners & Tailor » Rally’s Hamburgers TYPES » Excel Medical Center » Rocco’s Italian Ice » Genesis Optical » Rose Flower Shop 18% 28% » Gilben’s Bakery and » Stenton Cleaners Specialty Sandwich Shop » Wow Hardware & Discount Store Retail / Wholesale » Golden Restaurant » Young’s Deli Food / Restaurant » Hope Rising Child Learning Center Information / Finance & Insurance / » June’s Restaurant Professional Services / Management Healthcare & Social Services » Knight’s Beauty Supply 5 VISION FOR THE FUTURE // OPPORTUNITIES With the corridor currently serving primarily as a connecting arterial There are a lot of opportunities to road, interventions will be needed improve the aesthetics and function to turn it into more of a commercial of Stenton Avenue’s commercial destination. Traffic calming and nodes. In more auto-oriented placemaking elements can help areas, trees and greenery can act achieve this goal. A redesign of a as buffers between the sidewalk challenging intersection at 66th and surface parking. In areas and Wister could be an excellent with traditional urban storefronts, placemaking opportunity if the elements like facade improvements, intersection is simplified and more trees, pedestrian amenities, and space is given over to pedestrians. greening can create a more inviting atmosphere for all shoppers, but EXISTING particularly for pedestrians. ILLUSTRATIVE RENDERING OF CORRIDOR WITH PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS 6 RECOMMENDATIONS 1 Streetscape Improvements 4 Street Trees & Greening 6 Rationalize 6-way Intersection of 66th and Physical interventions like street trees, Certain parts of the corridor Wister planters, trash cans, and benches already have a number of mature will make the corridor more inviting. street trees, but enhancing the The intersection of Stenton, green quality of the street in its 66th, and Wister is confusing and dangerous. Further study is 2 Facade Improvements commercial sections will make it more welcoming for shoppers. needed to redesign the intersection Utilize available resources to improve to make it safer and incorporate storefront signage and create a placemaking elements. cohesive feel along the corridor. 5 Traffic Calming Implement physical interventions 7 Parking Space 3 Small Business Incubator along the corridor to slow cars while Re-configuration and allowing safe traffic flow. Placemaking A small business incubator helps The 7400 block of Stenton has locals to conceive of, test, and potential to include outdoor improve upon a business idea and seating for businesses, as well as then supports the startup capital reconfigured angle parking to fundraising, launch and growth of enhance safety for all. that business on the corridor. CHALLENGING 6-WAY INTERSECTION Philadelphia Center for the Arts McDonald’s STENTON AVE EASTBURN AVE 66TH AVE WISTER ST Fresenius Kidney Care 7 // STREET TREES Stenton Ave has some areas with weak street tree coverage that need to be improved upon. Street trees are critical to provide a comfortable, intimate and welcoming pedestrian environment along the corridor. Future streetscape improvements should help re-establish a strong tree Legend canopy along the corridor. Street Trees Area Lacking in Street Trees Data Source: City of Philadelphia TREE PLANTING ALONG COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS PLANTING THE RIGHT TREES While mature trees provide shade, clean the air and bring value and attractiveness, large roots can often lift sidewalks, cause tripping hazards, impeding seniors and others with limited mobility. Selecting the right tree species for the unique urban environment along neighborhood streets and commercial corridors is important for a number of reasons including: » minimizing root problems, Mature street trees along Vernon Road. WRT » ensuring visibility, and Tree Philly offers a number of resources » providing shade for pedestrians, and for planting and maintaining street trees. ensuring the trees planted can thrive. http://treephilly.org/street-trees/ 8 BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS (BIDS) WHAT IS A BID? A Business Improvement District (BID) is a formal, legally approved way for the stakeholders within a business district to cooperatively improve the area. Each property owner pays a annual fee to support the district. In Philadelphia, BIDs require the formal authorization by the City through City Council. In addition to the property assessment, BIDs can support their operations through grants, parking revenue, and other income-producing activities. Owners of properties that are exempt from real estate taxes, such as churches and nonprofit organizations, are not subject to the BID assessment but may contribute to the BID through a voluntary agreement. The Mount Airy BID provides cleaning services for the corridor 6 HOW IS A BID MANAGED? days a week, installs flower baskets and holiday decor, and has installed Each BID is independently governed by Big Belly Solar trash and recycling a Board of Directors comprising owners, bins, as well as energy efficient business people, representatives of lighting fixtures along the corridor. institutions within the district, and other individuals. WHAT ARE LOCAL EXAMPLES?

View Full Text

Details

  • File Type
    pdf
  • Upload Time
    -
  • Content Languages
    English
  • Upload User
    Anonymous/Not logged-in
  • File Pages
    16 Page
  • File Size
    -

Download

Channel Download Status
Express Download Enable

Copyright

We respect the copyrights and intellectual property rights of all users. All uploaded documents are either original works of the uploader or authorized works of the rightful owners.

  • Not to be reproduced or distributed without explicit permission.
  • Not used for commercial purposes outside of approved use cases.
  • Not used to infringe on the rights of the original creators.
  • If you believe any content infringes your copyright, please contact us immediately.

Support

For help with questions, suggestions, or problems, please contact us