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A VISION FOR PASSYUNK SQUARE

THE PHILLY PHORK

PENN DESIGN 2010CPLN 600

Julieanne Herskowitz Abigail Poses

Erich Paul BilalAkua Nyame-Mensah

Matthew Ells Matthew Van Oosten

6 Introduction

14 Existing Conditions & Analysis

34 Vision Plan

70 Implementation

80 Appendix

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Existing Conditions & Analysis

Vision Plan

Implementation

Appendix

The Planning Team was assigned to create a vision plan for Passyunk Square, a neighborhood in South Philadelphia. The study area stretches east to west from 8th Street to 11th Street bounded by Washington Avenue to the north and Tasker Street to the south.

Through a series of conversations with our client, the Passyunk Square Civic Association, and multiple site visits to the neighborhood, we were able to define our scope of work for the planning process and enumerate three major goals for the project:

• Create a comprehensive neighborhood sustainability plan and greening program.

• Address features in the built environment that create a negative experience for pedestrian, bicycle and automobile traffic in the neighborhood.

• Institute a branding and gateways strategy that will transform Passyunk Square into the newest food, art and culture destination in Philadelphia.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARYPASSYUNK SQUARE, PHILADELPHIA

These three areas of concentration were organized into a comprehensive plan called the “Philly Phork.” This proposal will highlight and improve upon certain features that already exist in the neighborhood in order to turn this community into a true Philadelphia destination, while also improving the quality of life for existing residents and the community as a whole.

To achieve the proposed comprehensive sustainability and greening program, the Planning Team built upon two initiatives that were already underway in the neighborhood: TreeVitalize’s tree planting program and the Philadelphia Water Department’s stormwater management pilot programs. Our recommendations include: converting vacant lots into pocket parks and community gardens; focusing the efforts of the tree planting program by concentrating on streets that have the greatest need of greening, and instituting a variety of stormwater management initiatives such as rainwater gardens, bioswales and turf parking proposed on surface parking lots. These initiatives will create a cleaner, more environmentally sustainable neighborhood in Philadelphia.

Passyunk Square is a highly dense area with a dominant car culture. Therefore, the Planning Team

created a series of recommendations that aim to improve the experience of not only automobiles, but also pedestrians and bicyclists as they travel through the neighborhood. The proposed initiatives include improving the safety of intersections; instituting bicycle lanes and shared lanes; creating a pedestrian corridor and increasing automobile circulation through the installation of shared and metered parking.

As a way to increase visitation to Passyunk Square while still retaining the neighborhood’s character, the Philly Phork aims to create a stronger presence of branding and gateways through lighting, banners, and wayfinding signage. The proposal also endeavors to create an arts, food and culture district by encouraging public art, and events such as outdoor movie screenings and flea markets. Ultimately, the plan recommends a mixed-use infill development that aims to fill the void of the currently vacant Ice and Coal site within the Lower Italian Market while also providing the neighborhood with a new community amenity and neighborhood attraction.

Taken together, these three programs of the Philly Phork Vision Plan will rebrand the neighborhood as a great area to both live and visit.

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

Our client, the Passyunk Square Civic Association (PSCA), is a neighborhood civic association located in the Passyunk Square neighborhood of South Philadelphia – a vibrant and bustling area, brimming with history and South Philadelphia panache. PSCA’s mission is “to enhance the quality of life in the neighborhood, preserve the neighborhood’s unique historic character and to promote a cohesive community of residents, businesses and institutions.” To achieve their mission, PSCA is involved with various neighborhood initiatives, including community festivals and events, beautification and greening, and a neighborhood town watch. In monthly meetings, residents and business owners in the neighborhood are able to voice their concerns and ideas for improving the neighborhood.

PSCA’s boundary extends from Washington Avenue to the north, 6th Street to the east, Tasker Avenue to the south, and Broad Street to the west. Through discussions with the client, the Planning Team decided to narrow the area of focus for this analysis to more closely concentrate on the E. Passyunk Avenue commercial corridor and its immediate environs. Therefore, the study area for this analysis is bounded by Washington Avenue to the north, 8th Street to the east, Tasker Street to the south, and 11th Street to the west (see context map on next page).

HISTORY + CONTEXT17TH + 18TH CENTURIESThe Passyunk Square neighborhood, located in South Philadelphia, is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city (and actually predates the city’s founding). The area was originally inhabited by the Lenni Lenape tribe. The tribe named the region Weccacoe, which means “pleasant place.” In the latter half of the 17th century, the area was claimed by Sweden, then the Netherlands, and finally, England. In 1682, the king of England granted the land to William Penn, who founded the colony of Pennsylvania.

Weccacoe was renamed Southwark by William Penn. By 1687, Southwark (which later became South Philadelphia) was divided into two townships, both of which retained their original Lenni Lenape names: Passyunk (meaning “in the valley”) and Moyamensing (meaning “pigeon droppings”). The Southwark District was officially incorporated into Philadelphia with the passage of the Act of Consolidation in 1854.

19TH CENTURYIn 1831, Moyamensing Prison was built. This was one of the first architectural structures built by Thomas Ustick Walter, who also designed the U.S. Capitol dome. The building featured two battlemented bastions and two projecting turrets, and was most notable for the design of the debtors’ wing, which was built to emulate the Egyptian Temple of Amenophis III. The prison itself was an, “early example of the Pennsylvania system of solitary confinement for prisoners developed in the Philadelphia area during the early 19th century.”

Moyamensing Prison’s most notable inmate was Edgar Allan Poe, who was incarcerated for one night on July 1, 1849, after he became drunk,

STUDY AREA AERIAL

Washington Ave.

Tasker St.

8th

St.

11th St.

E. Passyunk Ave.

8

9

started to hallucinate and ultimately, attempted suicide. He was detained for public drunkenness. The prison was demolished in 1968 and is today the site of the Acme Supermarket at the southwest corner of E. Passyunk Avenue, 10th Street and Reed Street.

Passyunk Square is most notable for its food. The Philadelphia cheesesteak was created by brothers Pat and Harry Olivieri, who were hot dog vendors. In 1930, the brothers decided to try putting grilled steak and onions onto an Italian roll. The popularity of this sandwich grew and, in 1940, Pat’s King of Steaks opened. The main competitor of Pat’s King of Steaks is Geno’s Steaks, which opened across the street from Pat’s in 1966.

The Italian Market, located along 9th Street, started in the 1880s when Antonio Palumbo, an Italian immigrant, opened a boarding house for other Italian immigrants. Businesses, particularly those related to food, began to open along 9th Street in order to serve this growing population. The east side of the street featured stalls that sold fish, meat and fresh produce, while the west side included restaurants, cheese shops and bakeries. Many of the original shops continue to exist today, but the area itself has become more racially and ethnically diverse, which is reflected in the growing number of restaurants serving Mexican, Korean and Vietnamese food.

Moyamensing Prison

20TH CENTURY TO TODAYThe American Ice and Coal Company was once located on the east side of 9th Street between Washington Avenue and Ellsworth Street. This structure was built in 1915 as a way to store ice and coal in the pre-refrigeration and electricity era. The iceman would deliver blocks of ice from the ice house to businesses and homes using an ice box. Coal was delivered by driving down the alleys behind houses and dropping the coal through a chute that emptied into the structure’s basement. The Ice and Coal Company building was demolished in 2008 after being abandoned for 40 years. The Redevelopment Authority had declared the blocks around the site as “blighted,” which allowed them to demolish the structure. The site was purchased by a developer in 2007, though they have yet to announce plans for the parcel.

Ice & Coal Site

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PLANNING PROCESSThe Planning Process for this project consisted of the following seven steps:

1. A SWOT Analysis was completed upon the first field visit to the study area, during which the team recorded initial observations of the area, and later classified these observations as Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, or Threats.

2. The first client meeting was held on February 1st, 2010, during which the planning team began to develop the purpose of the project through discussion of initial impressions of the study area along with suggestions and recommendations from the client. From this first session with the client, the planning team developed a Scope of Work, which served as the guiding document for the rest of the project. The Scope of Work outlined the tasks to be performed by the students, and, most importantly, defined the project’s goals and vision.

3. In the next step, the planning team completed additional field visits, surveys, and research of the study area, as they prepared the existing conditions. The Existing Conditions surveyed both the physical and socioeconomic context of the study area, including Demographics, Housing Characteristics, Land Use, Zoning and Public Policy, Building Conditions and Vacancies, Urban Design Character, Infrastructure and Transportation, and a Retail Market Analysis. Lastly, the Planning Team created a Susceptibility to Change Map of the study area to identify which parcels of land had the greatest potential for change.

Impressions:SWOT Analysis

Purpose:Define Scope of Work

Intelligence:Existing Conditions

Synthesis:Development of Alternatives

Choice:Selection of Preferred Alternative

Recommendations:Plan Development

Implementation (Post Plan)

4. From this more detailed analysis of the study area, the planning team developed two alternatives that were in accordance with the project’s goals and vision as defined in the Scope of Work. These alternatives were based on the study area’s existing constraints and opportunities. The synthesis of these alternatives culminated in the second client meeting held on March 18, 2010, during which the planning team presented an abbreviated existing conditions analysis and the two proposed alternatives. On April 6, 2010, the planning team gave the same presentation at PSCA’s general community meeting for an audience of approximately 100 people. The presentation was followed by a question and answer session in which residents provided their feedback on the project. PSCA also posted the presentation on their website for residents to post additional comments.

5. After the second client meeting, the planning team received additional feedback from the client regarding the two proposed alternatives and utilized their recommendations to develop a Preferred Alternative.

6. Upon choosing the Preferred Alternative, the Planning Team went forward with the creation of a Vision Plan.

7. Lastly, the final step within the Planning Process is the development of an Implementation Strategy for use by the client. This details the costs, funding sources, and partnerships needed to implement the initiative proposed in the preferred vision plan.

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PREVIOUS STUDIESLOWER ITALIAN MARKET PLAN REVITALIZATION PROJECT

This plan was commissioned by PSCA in 2008, and was conducted by Interface Studio, LLP and EConsult Corporation. The plan’s recommendations are enumerated in the following six initiatives:

1. Ensure that all racial and ethnic groups have the opportunity to express their opinions on the events taking place in the community.

2. Revitalize the branding and marketing of the area.

3. Revitalize vacant and underutilized properties, such as the Ice and Coal site.

4. Promote pedestrian and cyclist use around the neighborhood through initiatives such as increased bicycle parking.

5. Implement improved stormwater management and greening programs

6. Improve trash disposal.

PASSYUNK SQUARE VILLAGE CENTER URBAN DESIGN RECOMMENDATIONS

This study, completed by the Philadelphia City Planning Commission (PCPC) in 2007, examines the intersection of E. Passyunk Avenue, 10th and Reed Streets.

PCPC recommended that a building with a plaza be redeveloped at this corner. The study also suggested enhanced greening at this corner, and at the intersection a block south at E. Passyunk Avenue

and Dickinson Street. These recommendations aim to remedy the disruptions of the streetscape at this intersection in order to increase the strength of the E. Passyunk Avenue commercial corridor.

SOPHI: A DOWNTOWN PLAN FOR WASHINGTON AVENUE

This plan, commissioned by PSCA, was conducted by a group of graduate students from the University of Pennsylvania’s City Planning Program in the Spring of 2006.

SoPhi recommended a dense building massing on the western portion of Washington Avenue that transitioned to a lower building scale towards 6th Street. The plan also suggested the implementation of a raised landscape median in the center of Washington Avenue and the installation of bike lanes on both sides of the street. Removing on-street parking on Washington Ave. from Broad Street to 11th Street and 8th Street to 6th Street was proposed as a way to promote pedestrianization in the area. Finally, the plan advocated development projects on sites along Washington Avenue at Broad Street, 11th Street, 9th Street, and E. Passyunk Avenue.

The creation of a community development corporation or a business improvement district for East Washington Avenue was proposed in order to help implement these initiatives.

9TH AND ELLSWORTH

REDEVELOPMENT AREA PLAN

This plan was commissioned and completed by the Philadelphia City Planning Commission in 2006. The study area’s boundaries are Washington Avenue to the north, Darien Street to the east, Federal Street to the south and the rear properties on the west side of S. 9th Street. The City chose to study this area because the properties in this portion of the neighborhood suffered from vacancy and blight. The goals of the plan were to: eliminate blight by encouraging the redevelopment of vacant and underutilized properties; incorporate both commercial and residential uses that will be compatible with the surrounding neighborhood; and, ensure that the Italian Market remains a commercial hub.

PCPC recommended encouraging commercial uses at 9th Street and Washington Avenue in order to maintain the commercial core of the Italian Market and support the conversion of the former Ice and Coal site into a mix-use, multi-level development. The plan also suggested that the C-7 zoning on the western half of the study area be converted into C-3 (mixed-use commercial) and R-10 (multi-family residential) zoning classifications as a way to promote a mid-rise residential complex with commercial uses on the first floor.

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ONGOING INITIATIVESThere are various initiatives that are currently underway in the Passyunk Square neighborhood; these have and will continue to improve the quality of life and environment of the study are. These include the following:

1. Citywide greening initiatives led by the Philadelphia Water Department to implement change on the neighborhood scale.

2. Neighborhood improvements led by the Passyunk Square Civic Association in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s TreeVitalize Program resulting in immediate change to the neighborhood.

The Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) has identified Passyunk Square as one of their Model Neighborhoods, for which they will debut new stormwater management practices as pilot programs for the entire city.

Within the study area, PWD has identified two locations for pilot stormwater management projects – on 10th Street between Wilder and Reed Streets in front of the CVS and on E. Passyunk Avenue at Dickinson Street in front of the South Philadelphia Older Adult Center. These systems will consist of stormwater tree trenches, similar to the illustrative rendering in the figure at right. These tree trenches will help clean and reduce the amount of stormwater runoff, while also beautifying the neighborhood and improving air quality. These projects are expected to be completed by Winter 2011.

PWD has recently instituted a new stormwater fee based on the amount of a property’s impervious surface. The fee will directly affect property owners of large paved vacant and surface parking lots. To avoid these costs, the construction of landscaping, bioswales, rainwater gardens and other stormwater management systems will be encouraged.

CITYWIDE GREENING

Philadelphia Water Department 2010

PSCA has partnered with several local and state public and private programs to implement positive change in the neighborhood. Such programs have served to improve the built environment, as well as bring the community together in neighborhood-wide volunteer events. Through a partnership with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s TreeVitalize Program, PSCA assisted with the planting of 80 new trees throughout the neighborhood in the fall of 2009. Through this program, residents were able to apply to PSCA to have a tree planted in front of their homes.

PSCA has also tackled street cleaning issues in the neighborhood. They participated in the 3rd annual Philly Spring Cleanup!, a neighborhood volunteer day including trash pickup, flower planting, and tree bed maintenance. In fall of 2009, PSCA initiated a street cleaning pilot program to assist with trash pickup on the neighborhood’s most trafficked streets - 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, Ellsworth, Federal, Wharton, Reed, Dickinson and Tasker Streets. PSCA used a combination of public and private funding to hire a professional cleaning service, Ready, Willing, and Able, to clean the neighborhood. Ready, Willing, and Able is a non-profit, which provides work and job skills training to local men who are transitioning out of homelessness.

NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENTS

EAST PASSYUNK AVENUE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT (BID)

The East Passyunk Avenue Business Improvement District (BID) extends along E. Passyunk Avenue from Federal Street to the north and Broad Street to the south. The BID was founded in 1982, and, through funding from an additional tax assessment on commercial properties within its jurisdiction, provides street cleaning, physical streetscape improvements, and marketing strategies for commercial tenants along the retail corridor.

As of recent, the BID has become more involved with improving the overall look and aesthetic quality of the retail corridor. The BID has greatly utilized the Philadelphia Commercial Facade Improvement Program, by assisting commercial property owners with their applications to receive matching grants for commercial façade improvements – up to $12,000 for a double-wide building on the corridor and $8,000 for a corner lot. The BID is also responsible for the recent installation of 12 new terra cotta and stone planters located along the avenue and surrounding the fountain in the Tasker St. Triangle. The BID is also in the process of installing 27 new bike racks along the full extent of the corridor, including 10 bike racks across the street from the popular P.O.P.E. Bar and Restaurant on the corner of E. Passyunk Avenue and Dickinson Street.

In terms of marketing the brand of the corridor, the BID has made great strides in attracting visitation to the neighborhood. Second Saturdays was instituted in December 2009 to extend the hours

of operation of participating commercial stores and restaurants; in addition, some of the businesses offer complimentary wine and snacks and special discounts during this event.

Lastly, the BID organizes popular special events, including Flavors of the Avenue, an Easter Egg Hunt, and additional holiday celebrations to promote the retail stores and restaurants of the neighborhood as well as give back to the residents of the community.

Stormwater management runnel

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EXISTING CONDITIONS+ ANALYSIS

Passyunk Square is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Philadelphia and actually predates the founding of the city. The area has had a long and varied history, but it is most famous for the numerous food amenities that exist in the area, in particular, for its association with the food specialty stores of the Italian Market.

While Passyunk Square is historically known as a mecca of Italian culture and cuisine, the neighborhood has been changing to include a variety of races, ethnicities, and retail establishments.

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DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICSFrom 1990 to the present, the study area has become more ethnically and racially diverse. In 1990, the white population represented 85% of the population in the study area, while this percentage decreased to 68% in 2007. During this time period, the Asian population has experienced a dramatic increase from 7% of the population to

RACE + ETHNICITY

85% 68%

21%

6% 2% 2%

7%6%3%

20071990

Source: 1990 Census, Social Explorer

5.6%

1.8%

43.6%

6.4%

42.8%

2007

Philadelphia County

American Indian + Alaska Native, 0.3%Hawaiian + Other Pacific Islander, 0.1%

Study Area

White

Asian

Black/ African American

Some Other

Two or MoreRaces

21%. Additionally, in 2009 approximately 7% of the population in the study area ethnically identified as Hispanic, which is up from only 1% of the population in 2000. The racial makeup of the study area is drastically different from that of the City of Philadelphia, which is primarily an even split between black and white residents.

Study Area Racial Makeup

From 1990 to 2000, the study area’s population slightly increased from 19,825 to 20,211 individuals (1990 and 2000 Census). However, the most recent population estimate for the study area from 2007 reveals that the population slightly decreased to 19,632 (Social Explorer 2007).

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Participation in the labor force in the study area is high, with 91.3% of the population aged 16 years and older employed (Social Explorer 2007). The majority of the population in 2007 was employed in the Educational Services, Health Care and Social Assistance industry. The second largest industry was Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation, followed by the Accommodation and Food Services industry. This is consistent with the large number of educational institutions and health care companies located within the City of Philadelphia and the plethora of food businesses located within the study area.

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Less than 15% 15 to 24%

2000

2007

25 to 34% 35% or More

Percent of HH Income Spent on Rent

Household Income Spent on Rent

Perc

en

t o

f Re

nte

r Oc

cu

pie

d H

ou

seh

old

s

7%

24%21%

49%

The median household income in 2007 for the study area was $32,914 (in inflation adjusted dollars), which is up from $26,733 in 1999. However, the median household income for the study area is still slightly lower than the median household income for the City of Philadelphia in 2007 at $36,179. Although by looking at the distribution of household income within the study area, it is evident that there is a wide disparity among household income levels.

HOUSINGThe housing stock in the study area is primarily comprised of typical Philadelphia brick rowhouses, and the majority of the structures were built before 1939 (over 70%).

From 2000 to 2007, the percent of housing units in the study area that were owner-occupied increased from 55% to 63%. In 2007, the median house value for all owner-occupied housing units was $143,624, which is well above the median house value for Philadelphia at $111,268.

From 2000 to 2007, the median gross rent for the study area increased from $547 to $713. As a result, residents have become more financially burdened over this time period by the increase in gross rents. In 2007, almost half of all renter-occupied housing units were spending 35% or more of their household income on rent alone, up from 40% in 2000.

0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12%

Less than $10,000

$10,000 to $14,999

$15,000 to $19,999

$20,000 to $24,999

$25,000 to $29,999

$30,000 to $34,999

$35,000 to $39,999

$40,000 to $44,999

$45,000 to $49,999

$50,000 to $59,999

$60,000 to $74,999

$75,000 to $99,999

$100,000 to $124,999

$125,000 to $149,999

$150,000 to $199,999

$200,000 or More

Ho

use

hold

Inc

om

e

Percent of Households

Household Income

EMPLOYMENT + INCOME

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MARKET CHARACTERISTICSMarket AnalysisWhen a market analysis is calculated for a specific area, leakage and surplus measure the supply and demand of each retail industry in that area. Leakage is when an industry’s supply is less than its demand. As a result, residents need to leave the trade area in order to have their retail needs met. Surplus refers to instances where an industry’s supply exceeds its demand. This means that individuals are coming into the trade area to take advantage of its retail amenities.

For Passyunk Square, the health of the retail market was measured using the leakage/surplus factor, which compares the supply (retail sales) and demand (retail potential) of each industry. This factor was calculated for the ½ mile, 1 mile, and 1 ½ mile trade areas. The center of the trade area is 9th Street and Federal Street, because it is the center of the study area.

ESRI Business Analyst calculated the leakage/surplus factor for each of the 31 industries that the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) classifies as a retail industry. The leakage/surplus factor is calculated on a scale of -100 (which represents total surplus) to 100 (which represents total leakage).

For the ½ mile, 1 mile and 1 ½ mile trade areas, four industries are considered surplus industries. They are: food and beverage stores; health and personal care stores; sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores; and, food services and drinking places.

The fact that all food-related businesses are calculated as having a surplus confirms that food

Opposite Page: Superscript in the infographic refers to the number of each type of business

0-25-50-75-100 100755025

SURPLUS & LEAKAGEby Industry Sector

NONSTORE RETAILERS

FOOD SERVICES

LEAKAGE

SURPLUS

MISC. STORE RETAILERS

GENERAL MERCHANDISE STORES

SPORTING/HOBBIES/BOOKS/MUSIC

CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES

GASOLINE STATIONS

HEALTH & PERSONAL CARE

FOOD & BEVERAGE STORES

BLDG MATERIALS/GARDEN EQUIP

ELECTRONICS & APPLIANCES

FURNITURE & HOME FURNISHINGS

MOTOR VEHICLES & PARTS DEALERS

Above: Leakage/ Surplus Factor by industry subsector for 1/2 mile trade area (ESRI Business Analyst)

is an important industry for Passyunk Square, and individuals are traveling from outside of the primary trade area to take advantage of these food amenities (including Termini Brothers Bakery, Pat’s King of Steaks and Geno’s Steaks).

Retail InventoryAn inventory was taken of all of the businesses in the study area. These businesses were categorized according to the Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) classifications. This business inventory shows that food service businesses comprise over half of the businesses in the study area. Food service entities include eateries, bakeries and other food specialty businesses.

Automotive ServicesBuilding Materials + Hardware

DrugstoresEntertainment/Community

FinancialFood(Grocery)

Gifts/Specialty

Hobby/Special InterestHome Appliances/Music

Home Furnishings

Liquor Distributor

Other Retail

Personal Services

1

1

2

2

2

3 3

5

6

Food Service46

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LAND USE

Passyunk Square is predominantly residential in character with commercial uses concentrated along the E. Passyunk Avenue commercial corridor, Washington Avenue, and in the Lower Italian Market on 9th Street between E. Passyunk and Washington Avenues. The neighborhood is characterized by single-family rowhouses, corner stores, large shopping centers, and surface parking. The commercial corridors of the neighborhood typically maintain the rowhouse scale by repurposing the groundfloor of three- to four-story buildings with commercial uses.

The neighborhood also contains a substantial amount of community/public/city facilities. There is only one open space located within the study area – Capitolo Playground. This open space is incredibly well utilized by the community and includes a baseball field, basketball courts, and a small, yet well tended community garden operated by PSCA. The land use map highlights the surface parking that characterizes many of the larger commercial center parcels within the neighborhood. This includes the ACME and CVS surface parking lots located at the intersection of E. Passyunk Avenue, Reed and 10th Streets, and the cluster of Vietnamese restaurants that front Washington Avenue.

Commercial Land Use

Recreational Land Use

Row-House Resi-dential Land UseParking Land UseCommunity/Public/

City Facilities

Washington Ave.

Dickinson St.

Wharton St.

Federal St.

Ellsworth St.

Reed St.

Tasker St.

11th

St.

8th

St.

21

R10a single fam-ily residen-tial

L4 light industrial

C7 com-mercial center

L5 light industrial

C3 mixed-use com-mercial

C2 mixed-use commercial

REC rec-reational

C1 “corner store” com-

Passyunk Overlay Zone

The large majority of the focus area is zoned for single family residential use (R10a). This gives thePassyunk Square neighborhood its distinct character and relatively low density. The second highest use is mixed-use commercial, which primarily extends along E. Passyunk Avenue and the northern half of 9th street in the Lower Italian Market. This zoning allows for single-family dwelling units to be utilized for both residential and commercial uses. This zoning is manifested in numerous units that have first floor retail or food service, while the upper level floors remain designated for residential uses. Mixed-use commercial also allows for this neighborhood to have commercial store frontage – an aesthetically pleasing feature for pedestrians. The Passyunk Overlay zone that runs the entirety of the E. Passyunk Avenue commercial corridor will be standardized along with all commercial overlays in the Philadelphia City Planning Commission’s upcoming revised Zoning Code.

Another zoning type that has come to characterize the neighborhood is the commercial center zoning(C7). Typically reserved in this neighborhood for ethnic markets and food service uses, buildingsin this zoning are set back with surface parking for automobiles. This zoning is located at the confusing and pedestrian-unfriendly intersections of E. Passyunk Avenue, Reed and 10th Streets and along Washington Avenue in the study area. Commercial center zoning is convenient for motorists, but disruptive for the pedestrian experience.

ZONINGWashington Ave.

Dickinson St.

Wharton St.

Federal St.

Ellsworth St.

Reed St.

Tasker St.

11th

St.

8th

St.

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VACANT BUILDINGS + LOTS

In the Passyunk Square study area, there are over 400 parcels. Of these parcels, there are 23 vacant buildings or storefronts. There are also eight vacant lots. Three of those vacant lots are clustered around the intersection of E. Passyunk Avenue, Wharton Street and 9th Street. The remaining five vacant lots are located around 8th Street in the eastern portion of the study area, and on 9th Street and E. Passyunk Avenue in the northern portion of the study area.

The study area’s vacant buildings and storefronts are concentrated within the Lower Italian Market on 9th Street between E. Passyunk and Washington Avenues. Despite the small building footprints, the concentration of empty window displays detracts from the pedestrian experience along this historically vibrant commercial corridor.

The largest vacant property in the study area is the Ice and Coal site, located on the east side of 9th Street between Washington Avenue and Ellsworth Street. The property is approximately 14,000 square feet in size. Demolished in 2007, after the Redevelopment Authority deemed that the building could not be rehabilitated, the site’s vacancy leaves a huge void within the Lower Italian Market.

Vacant Buildings/Storefronts Vacant Lots

Washington Ave.

Dickinson St.

Wharton St.

Federal St.

Ellsworth St.

Reed St.

Tasker St.

11th

St.

Pass

yunk

Ave

.

23

Vacant Lot at 7th and Wharton St

23

Vacant Lot at 9th and Wharton St.

URBAN DESIGN CHARACTERBUILDING CONDITIONSThere is a variety of building conditions in the study area due to the older building stock. The majority of the study area is comprised of attached, single-family brick rowhouses built in the late nineteenth century and common throughout Philadelphia. Most of these buildings are kept in average building conditions, as in the photo at top left. However, recent investment in the study area has resulted in newer, more updated facades, as can be seen in the bottom photo at left. As previously described, the CI “corner store” commercial zoning is located throughout the study area, providing for active commercial uses on the ground floor of corner buildings throughout the study area. However, when such spaces are underutilized or converted to residential uses, they detract from the visual continuity of the streetscape, as can be seen in the bottom photo at left.

The neighborhood is characterized by low-rise, high density mixed-use housing typologies typical of South Philadelphia.

This PageLeft Top: Brick rowhouses, east side of 11th St. between Latona St. and Titan St.

Left Middle: Vacant groundfloor, northwest corner of Federal St. and 8th St.

Left Bottom: Recent renovation, southwest corner of Cross St. and E. Passyunk Ave.

Right: Vacant Storefronts, E. Passyunk Ave.

Opposite PageLeft: Black N Brew at 1523 E. Passyunk Ave (top) and Bell’s Bikes at 1320 E. Passyunk Ave. (bottom)

Middle: Corner of 11th St. & Washington Ave. (top) and the Tasker St. Triangle (bottom)

Right: Triangular parcel at E. Passyunk Ave. & 10th St. (top) and vacant lot at 1312 E. Passyunk Ave. (bottom)

EMPTY WINDOW SPACEAs previously shown in the vacancy map, there is a concentration of vacant storefronts in the Lower Italian Market and scattered throughout the study area on E. Passyunk Avenue and 8th Street. These vacant buildings and groundfloors feature large empty window displays, which detract from the pedestrian experience and further facture the visual literacy of the corridor.

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CONTEMPORARY FACADESThe urban design character of Passyunk Square can be characterized by a number of distinct qualities. Many of the commercial buildings have unique, contemporary facades, which largely contrast from the residential structures designed in the traditional rowhouse style. Future development should seek to mesh these two design aesthetics and build upon the vibrant nature of the corridor.

POORLY DEFINED GATEWAYSThere are no distinct gateways or entry points into the Passyunk Square neighborhood. A lack of visual cues deter pedestrians from meandering farther into the neighborhood to take advantage of the area’s retail shops and restaurants. The neighborhood’s northern entry points along Washington Avenue at 11th Street and 9th Street are especially uninviting, largely due to the physical and mental barrier created by Washington Avenue.

Since E. Passyunk Avenue diagonally bisects the street grid, triangular parcels and awkward street configurations result from the existing infrastructure. The continuity of the streetwall is further interrupted by various vacant lots, which are scattered throughout the study area.

INCONSISTENT STREETSCAPE

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TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS

Looking at data from the 2000 Census, the Passyunk Square neighborhood had a more balanced modal share than the City of Philadelphia. Percentages of bus and rail commuters were on par with the city; however, there was a significantly lower percentage of people from the study area driving to work. This number is supplanted by increased biking and walking. These figures are promising, proving that the community has great potential for initiatives focused on walkability and biking. If current trends continue, it is likely that the percentage of walkers and bikers will increase in the 2010 Census.

Much of the auto congestion in the study area is created by drivers who are parking and looking for parking. Since most roads in the neighborhood have one lane of through-traffic, one person stopping to park significantly slows down the traffic flow. In addition, as there is no permit or metered parking in the study area, there is little incentive to move a parked car making it more difficult for those entering the area by car to find parking. This creates a “cruising for parking” problem, where automobiles are generating unnecessary traffic simply by driving slowly around the neighborhood looking for parking. This increased auto congestion makes the study area noisier and more polluted. It also makes the Passyunk Square neighborhood less attractive to walk or bike, especially along the E. Passyunk Avenue corridor.

AUTO CONGESTION

Congestion moving north on E. Passyunk Ave

4.3% of the neighborhood chooses to bike to work

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34.8%

18.2%17%

7.3%4.3%

47%

17%

9%8%

1%

Study Area

Philadelphia

HOW DOES PASSYUNK SQUARE GET TO WORK?

A breakdown of travel modes for the study area* and Philadelphia** according to 2000 Census.

MODAL CHOICE

**Excludes “other means” (9%); “carpool” (12%); “work at home” (2%)*Excludes “other means” (1%); “carpool” (13%); “work at home” (3%); “Taxi” (1%)

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With Broad Street only a few blocks west of the study area, Ellsworth, Federal and Tasker Streets are major streets that move traffic westward through the neighborhood, while Wharton and Dickinson Streets move traffic eastward. Washington Avenue forms the northernmost boundary of the study area and is a major arterial road, which generates a considerable amount of automobile traffic to and from it. E. Passyunk Avenue diagonally bisects the street grid, and moves traffic northeast through the neighborhood. It is a heavily traversed and trafficked road, primarily due to the popular restaurants and food stores which line it.

9th Street is also heavily utilized and moves traffic northward out of the neighborhood. The wider 11th Street is a major two-way street in the study area, and attracts most of the traffic moving south into the study area from Washington Avenue. Passyunk Square is also home to many smaller roads and alleys, which primarily function for the residents who live on them. Also highlighted in this map are the problem intersections of E. Passyunk Avenue, Reed and 10th Streets; 9th Street and E. Passyunk Avenue, and 11th and Federal Streets. These are areas that present problems for circulation as well as safety concerns for the area.

CIRCULATION

Washington Ave.

11th

St.

E. Pas

syun

k Ave

.

8th

St.

Tasker St.

Main Corridor

Heavy Traffic

Light TrafficProblem Intersections

600’N

TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS

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Much of Passyunk Square is comprised of one-way roads with parallel parking on both sides and one traffic lane in between. One notable exception is the angled and perpendicular parking along most of 11th Street. This type of parking is easier for drivers to maneuver and allows for more parking on the street; however, it also takes up valuable space and is more difficult to manage in the winter months. There is no permit or metered parking in the entire study area; however, at the intersection of E. Passyunk Avenue, Wharton and 9th Streets, there is 30 minute parking surrounding Pat’s King of Steaks.

There are numerous surface parking lots scattered throughout the study area, including a pay lot on the south side of Washington Avenue between 9th and 10th Streets, the CVS parking lot at E. Passyunk Avenue and 10th Street, and the ACME parking lot at E. Passyunk Avenue and Reed Street. Despite the private ownership of the ACME parking lot, many residents of Passyunk Square and visitors to the neighborhood utilize the parking lot for general parking needs without issue. Despite the narrow width and small scale of buildings along E. Passyunk Avenue, it is generally on-street parking which dominates the E. Passyunk Avenue experience. Unfortunately, this emphasis on the automobile detracts from the human scale feel and walkability of the corridor.

600’N

Washington Ave.

1

1th

St.

E. Pas

syun

k Ave

.

8th

St.

Tasker St.

Surface Lots

Parallel

Police/City

Angled 30-Minute

PARKING

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Each parcel was given a rating to identify its susceptibility to change. The categorizations reveal each property’s ability to adapt to a new plan or vision.

• Very High Susceptibility: The properties that are given this rating are the vacant lots that are spread throughout the study area. These parcels are identified as having a high susceptibility to change, because they are most likely to be able to change in the near future.

• High-Medium Susceptibility: The majority of these properties are the study area’s vacant buildings and storefronts. Most of these properties are clustered on 9th Street between Washington Avenue and Federal Street. In addition to the vacant buildings, the ACME parking lot at E. Passyunk Avenue, Reed Street and 10th Street is also placed in this category because the owners can implement certain remedies to make this property more sustainable.

• Very Low Susceptibility: Most of the commercial properties along the E. Passyunk Avenue commercial corridor fall under this categorization. It is unlikely that there will be any modifications to these properties, but if the store closes or changes ownership, the parcel is susceptible to some sort of change.

• Not Susceptible: The majority of the properties in the study area fall under this category. These are residential properties and are well-maintained.

SUSCEPTIBILITY TO CHANGE

Top: Southeast corner of 9th St. and Wharton St.

Bottom: Northeast corner of 9th St. and Wharton St.

Washington

11th

Str

eet

Tasker Street

Dickenson Street

Reed Street

Federal Street

9th

Stre

et

10th

Str

eet

Washington

11th

Str

eet

Tasker Street

Dickenson Street

Reed Street

Federal Street

9th

Stre

et

10th

Str

eet

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1

2

3

4

5

6

KEY ISSUESAfter discussing these findings with the client, the team identified a series of six issues that could be addressed and ameliorated through a plan:

Inconsistent Streetscape

Poorly Defined Intersections

Auto Congestion + Parking

Poorly Defined Gateways

Lack of Green Space

Incomplete Bike and Pedestrian Infrastructure

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360 degree view of intersection at Reed St., 10th St., and E. Passyunk Ave.

GOALS + OBJECTIVESIn response to the six key issues identified, the team together with PSCA generated four goals that the plan should seek to achieve through its recommendations and proposed Vision Plan. These are the following:

A

B

C

D

Improve the streetscape along the E. Passyunk Avenue corridor by filling gaps in the pedestrian experience.

Increase visitation to the neighborhood by defining connective gateways to the corridor and marketing the neighborhood’s identity.

Develop a comprehensive neighborhood sustainability and greening strategy.

Address parking issues, circulation, and problematic pedestrian and vehicular intersections.

VISION PLAN

The goals and objectives outlined with the client translated into a set of recommendations that together will rebrand the area as a food, arts and culture destination in Philadelphia. This strategic vision plan for the Passyunk Square area is the Philly Phork and will build on the neighborhood’s existing strengths by promoting the area as a food, arts and culture destination in Philadelphia; capitalize on Passyunk Square’s reputation as a Model Neighborhood for Sustainability through a comprehensive greening program; and finally, transform the neighborhood’s major arterials through infrastructure interventions to improve vehicular as well as pedestrian and cyclist circulation.

OVERVIEW + COMPONENTS

The Philly Phork is a comprehensive plan, which seeks to re-imagine Passyunk Square as the newest food, arts, and culture destination in Philadelphia. This plan calls for improved branding and gateways; a thorough greening strategy; infrastructure improvements for bicyclists, pedestrians and cars, and an increased focus on food, arts and culture in the community.

The Philly Phork Plan is divided into three overarching spheres of intervention:

1. Branding & Gateways: The Plan will increase visitation to the neighborhood by defining connective gateways to the corridor and marketing its identity as a food, arts, and culture destination.

2. Sustainability: The Plan will improve upon the neighborhood’s existing identify as a model neighborhood for sustainability by introducing new greening initiatives throughout the neighborhood.

3. Circulation & Streetscape: The Plan will improve circulation through the neighborhood, by encouraging the use of alternative modes of transportation, thereby alleviating auto congestion and making the streets safer for all modal users.

The Philly Pork plan has two major proposed interventions to implement catalytic, transformative change in the neighborhood. The first is the proposed permanent use of the Ice and Coal site as a mixed use residential and community space for the preparation and retail of food. The second is the transformation of 9th Street in the Lower Italian Market as a pedestrian corridor. These two major longer-term projects would help establish the Passyunk Square area as a unique destination in Philadelphia.

VISION PLAN

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COMPONENTSBRANDING & GATEWAYS SUSTAINABILITY CIRCULATION &

STREETSCAPE

COMPREHENSIVE GREENINGPocket ParksUrban Gardens

STORMWATER MANAGEMENTStreet Tree ProgramStormwater Interventions

STREET INFRASTRUCTUREBike RoutesBump-OutsPedestrianization

CIRCULATION & PARKINGIntersection PaintingRaised Intersection / CrosswalksShared and Metered Parking

INFILL & ACTIVE USESAlley ReuseArt-in-Store FrontsInfill Development

LIGHTING & WAYFINDINGSolar LED LightingGateways and Banners

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BRANDING + GATEWAYSOne of the goals of the Philly Phork is to increase visitation to Passyunk Square. Improving the branding and gateways into the community will help to attract and guide visitors through the neighborhood. The Philly Phork will enhance the branding and gateways of the community through banners, wayfinding signage, and lighting.

BANNERSThe proposed banners for the Philly Phork have a fun and distinct design, and are well-suited to represent the unique and vibrant character of the Passyunk Square neighborhood. The banners depict the skyline of Philadelphia as the prongs of a fork, which is juxtaposed over a crosswalk at the bottom of the banner. These two features help to suggest to visitors that this is an excellent neighborhood to stroll through, while simultaneously taking advantage of the food amenities that exist in the community.

WAYFINDINGThe wayfinding signs being proposed for Passyunk Square will point visitors towards destinations in the area. As it is against City policy to advertise specific businesses on wayfinding signs, the proposed wayfinding signs for Passyunk Square will simply direct visitors toward such area landmarks as the Italian Market, the “Cheesesteak District” (which includes Pat’s King of Steaks and Geno’s Steaks), the Tasker Street Triangle, and SEPTA’s Broad Street Subway line. These signs also include a map of the neighborhood, which will allow visitors to easily orient themselves to the community.

The signs are proposed for: 9th Street and Washington Avenue, in order to encourage visitors to cross Washington Avenue from the Upper Italian Market into Passyunk Square; 11th Street and Washington Avenue; Broad Street and Ellsworth Street (a stop on the Broad Street subway line); Broad Street and Federal Street (another stop on the Broad Street subway line); and, E. Passyunk Avenue and Tasker Street (the Tasker Street phorkthe

@

Proposed banner for Passyunk Square

WASHINGTON

PASSYUNK

TASKER

DICKINSON

WHARTON

ELLSWORTH

N

E

S

W

phorkthe

3 BLOCKS EAST

Proposed wayfinding signage

Triangle, and the gateway into Passyunk Square from the East Passyunk Crossing neighborhood to the south).

The use of banners and signs to improve the branding of a community was successfully implemented by the Center City District, a business improvement district, in Philadelphia.

LIGHTINGThe Philly Phork also proposes to install lampposts along 9th Street and 11th Street and overhead hanging lights on E. Passyunk Avenue and Percy Street. The purpose of this lighting is two-fold. A well-lit street enhances a feeling of safety for pedestrians walking through the neighborhood during the nighttime hours. It also will attract passersby to the neighborhood and helps to provide visual continuity along these streets. All of the proposed lighting will be solar LED lights, which will also help to fulfill the neighborhood’s sustainability goals.

Example of hanging lights, Wharton St., Philadelphia

Placement of Lights

Banners + Wayfinding

Way�nding, Gateway Arts

lighting

garden

planting

Bump Outs

Meters/ intersescton Paint-

Washington Ave.

11th

Str

ee

t

Tasker St.

Ellsworth St.

Federal St.

Wharton St.

Reed St.

Dickinson St.

8th

Str

ee

t

40

INFILL + ACTIVE USES

ICE AND COAL SITE

Interim UsesThe former site of the American Ice and Coal Company, located at 1109-1133 9th Street (near the intersection of 9th Street and Washington Avenue), is a 14,000 square foot property. After being vacant for 40 years, the building was demolished in 2008. The site is now a vacant lot and a temporary mural surrounds the boarded-up site.

Until a development is built on this site, the land should be devoted to temporary uses, such as outdoor movie screenings, cultural festivals and open air markets that encourage public gathering. The owner could rent the property for these community events and the funds garnered from this transaction could help to mitigate property taxes or to pay for a future development.

In order to avoid any possible liability issues for injuries that occur on the property during these temporary uses, the owner could have the renter sign a waiver saying that the owner is not responsible for any injuries that take place on the property during these public events.

Permanent UsesThe Philly Phork proposes a mixed-use development as a permanent use for the Ice and Coal site. The parcel has been zoned C2, which allows for mixed-use development, but decrees that development can only occur on 75% of the parcel. As a result, the proposed building could only occupy 10,500 square feet of the lot.

The proposed development for this site calls for a

food co-op on the first floor of the building. There is already interest in the neighborhood to open a food co-op as the PSCA has reached out to the Weaver’s Way Co-Op in Mt. Airy for advice on how to start such an establishment. The neighborhood has created various committees to start the process of opening a food co-op and, as the Ice and Coal site is currently vacant, this is an ideal space to

create such a business.

Due to the fact that it is a large parcel, the food co-op will not utilize the entirety of the building’s ground floor. The remainder of the building will be used as a community culinary school and a shared kitchen, both of which will be operated by the food co-op. The classes for the culinary school can be

Ice & Coal Site before demolition in 2008 Current low-cost intervention around site

Potential temporary uses at site: Film screening,Brooklyn, NY

Portland Saturday Market, Portland, OR

Art-in-Storefronts

Phork

Alley

Ice & Coal Site

Way�nding, Gateway Arts

lighting

garden

planting

Bump Outs

Meters/ intersescton Paint-

Washington Ave.

11th

Str

ee

t

Tasker St.

Ellsworth St.

Federal St.

Wharton St.

Reed St.

Dickinson St.

8th

Str

ee

t

42

INFILL + ACTIVE USEStaught by local chefs, which would help them build a reputation in the community. The funds for the classes would be paid for by the students (with basic building operating costs being covered by the food co-op). In the summer, a camp could be offered for children to teach cooking and healthy nutrition. The summer camp at the Restaurant School in West Philadelphia is filled to capacity every year. Therefore, the creation of a culinary summer camp at this site would fill a need that exists in the city.

When the school is not in use, the space could be utilized as a shared kitchen. Shared kitchens can be rented by the hour by caterers, parties, or small food entrepreneurs. The Philly Kitchen Share, located at 15th and South Streets, is a very popular neighborhood resource and is constantly booked by various groups. The owners of the Philly Kitchen Share regularly cover their operating costs through kitchen rentals.

The food co-op, culinary school, and shared kitchen will have a synergy between the three businesses, as ingredients for the culinary school and the shared kitchen could be purchased at the food co-op. The food co-op could also use the kitchen space to prepare foods to sell at the food co-op.

Based upon current market rents in the Passyunk Square neighborhood, the following rents could be charged:

• Food Co-Op / Community Culinary School / Community Kitchen: $7,600/month

• 1-bedroom apartments: $1,200/month• 2-bedroom apartments: $2,000/month• 3-bedroom apartments: $2,700/month

A pro forma was created for the proposed development of the site, which can be seen in the Appendix.

ALLEY RE-USEThe Philly Phork wants to encourage visitors and residents to stroll through the neighborhood. One of the ways to do this is to reclaim some of the neighborhood’s alleys as public space. Percy Alley, which is located between 9th Street, E. Passyunk Avenue, Reed Street, and Wharton Street is one of the streets in the neighborhood that could be reactivated through simple, low-cost improvements. As previously mentioned, solar LED lighting could be hung along the alley to attract visitors to walk along the street and to create a sense of safety in the corridor at night. Outdoor patio seating could also be provided to give residents a place to sit and spend time. In order to beautify the alley, local artists could be commissioned (through local grant programs) to create works of art, such as mosaics and murals, on the walls and the street. As there are already some mosaic designs on the walls of this

Philly Kitchen Share, 15th St. and South St., PhiladelphiaThe Restaurant School, Philadelphia

On top of the retail space will be three floors of residential apartments. There will be seven one-bedroom apartments that are each 1,000 square feet in size; eight two-bedroom apartments that are each 1,200 square feet in size; and seven three-bedroom apartments that are each 1,400 square feet in size.

Outside of the building, a small plaza will be built that will give residents a space to congregate.

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street, these new works of art could build upon the character that already exists on Percy Street.

ARTAs identified earlier in Existing Conditions, there is a concentration of vacant storefronts located within the Lower Italian Market on 9th Street. These vacant storefronts have an adverse effect on the streetscape and the pedestrian experience and provide a perfect opportunity for temporary art installations.

This strategy was implemented successfully in San Francisco, where the city’s Arts Commission started the Art in Vacant Storefronts initiative to combat the impact of the economic recession by utilizing these vacant spaces for public art. This program is working to help increase neighborhood pride and improve safety. The project is relatively inexpensive and completely paid for by the City of San Francisco. Costs include a small artist stipend, promotional products (including maps which advertise the storefronts that have art installations), cleaning fees, and project management.

South Street in Philadelphia also created a program where temporary art works were installed in vacant storefronts. This initiative was created through a partnership with area residents, store owners and the local business improvement district.

Example of Alley-Reuse in Nord Alley, Seattle, WA (before)

Nord Alley, Seattle, WA (after)

Example of an installation on Market St. in San Francisco, CA

PERCY STREET PERSPECTIVE

Above: Percy Street BeforeRight: Percy Street Day

Above: Percy Street BeforeLeft: Percy Street Night

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POCKET PARKSPocket Parks are small open spaces that are managed by local residents and provide free, open access for all at all times. They infuse small areas of green space into the urban environment and are generally built as community spaces on former vacant lots. Pocket Parks become community-wide assets, as they result in shared places for neighbors to congregate and relax.

The team proposes to create a linked pocket park system within the Passyunk Square neighborhood by converting seven currently vacant and/or underutilized lots into vibrant, shared community spaces. The pocket park system is linked geographically due to their proximity to each

COMPREHENSIVE GREENING

Example of a Pocket Park with hardscape and some vegetation: Ned Wolf Park, Philadelphia, PA

other. Upon their successful conversion to public open spaces, the team envisions visitors to the neighborhood utilizing the pocket parks as resting places as they tour the various food, art and cultural amenities of the neighborhood. In addition, several of the pocket parks that are in proximity to food establishments – like the proposed pocket park located at 1304-1308 E. Passyunk Avenue and across the street from Pat’s Steaks – could be operated, financed, and utilized by the proprietor as attractive outdoor seating.

URBAN GARDENSUrban gardens provide residents the opportunity to grow their own fruit, vegetables, herbs, and flowers within their community. Community gardens beautify neighborhoods, help reduce crime, and bring neighbors together as they work toward a common goal. Community gardens promote healthy communities and sound nutrition through active learning. The proposed community garden at 829 Wharton Street could be leased from the current owner by PSCA, and then neighborhood residents could either rent individual plots in the garden or

Example of a Vertical Garden Design by Urban Jungle, Philadelphia, PA

garden volunteers could share the produce. The proposed Food Co-op and Culinary School could rent several plots within the community garden to provide fresh produce to be sold in the Food Co-op as well as to provide learning opportunities for classes in the Culinary School.

The proposed linked Pocket Parks and Urban Garden system include the following vacant and/or underutilized lots in Passyunk Square:

1. 1304-1308 E. Passyunk Avenue

2. 1312-1316 E. Passyunk Avenue

3. 829 Wharton Street

4. 1108-1114 Greenwich Street

5. 814-832 Latona Street

6. 1222-1224 8th Street

7. 1142-1146 E. Passyunk AvenueExample of hardscaped Pocket Park: Paley Park, New York, NY

Washington Ave.

11th

Str

ee

t

Tasker St.

Ellsworth St.

Federal St.

Wharton St.

Reed St.

Dickinson St.

8th

Str

ee

t

Way�nding, Gateway Arts

lighting

garden

planting

Bump Outs

Meters/ intersescton Paint-

Green Spaces

Potential Path

Wharton Street at E. Passyunk Avenue (before)

POCKET PARKS

Wharton Street at E. Passyunk Avenue (after)

Wharton Street at 9th Street (before)

URBAN GARDEN

Wharton Street at 9th Street (after)

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To build on the neighborhoods reputation as an ecologically progressive area in Philadelphia, the plan seeks to implement cutting edge stormwater management techniques. Because of the dense development landscape of the neighborhood, there is a high percentage of impervious surface. When stormwater from rain events is introduced to the ground level, the lack of vegetation allows the water to move freely throughout the site, picking up contaminants and litter on its way to the local watershed.

To mitigate this harmful effect, the plan proposes a number of stormwater management systems. Through the implementation of bioswales and rainwater gardens in the appropriate areas, the stormwater plan will improve both the aesthetic of the neighborhood and quality of life, by keeping the local water system clean. Bioswales are a landscape feature that involve a manipulation of the soil into sloping mounds – the grade of the mounds do not typically exceed a 3% slope. Located at the lowest elevation of the bioswale system, is a drain linked to the local water sewer. As the rainwater falls in the grassed catchment area, it slowly percolates through the vegetation and is introduced into the sewage system both cleaner and virtually contaminant-free.

Another system to be utilized in the neighborhood is rainwater gardens. Rainwater gardens are typically installed as depressed planters filled with plants specifically for water infiltration. As infrastructural improvements in concert with the bump-out and sidewalk system, rainwater gardens are to be strategically placed at the terminus of most of the drainage points in the neighborhood. As water is collected in the depressed gardens, the

contaminants collected in the rainwater on its way to the sewer system are naturally filtered into the city’s water supply. Since the water is introduced slowly into the local watershed, both of these practices also cut down on soil erosion and flooding.

STORMWATER MANAGEMENT

TREE PLANTING PROGRAMUpon various field surveys, the team identified several streets within the study area that had few street trees. To combat the lack of tree canopy and overall greening on these streets, the plan proposes a comprehensive street tree planting program. The Street Tree Planting Program would capitalize on PSCA’s existing efforts with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s TreeVitalize Program. Through this partnership, PSCA has already made great strides in greening the Passyunk Square neighborhood by assisting residents in applying for street trees to be planted in front of their homes. The team has attempted to concentrate these efforts by identifying streets of greatest need of tree plantings with 8th Street as first priority, followed by E. Passyunk Avenue, and 9th Street.

TreeVitalize, Philadelphia, PA

8th Street, which is residential in nature, had the fewest street trees of the streets within in the study area and for this reason would benefit most from a concentrated tree planting effort. Street trees provide numerous benefits to adjacent properties and the greater community, including:

• Reduction of annual heating and cooling costs for a typical residence by 8-12%

• Improved air quality by absorbing hundreds of pounds of air pollutants

• Improved water quality and reduction of stormwater runoff by collecting rainfall in their canopies

• Increased property values of adjacent properties by 10-15%

• Reduction of crime and improved neighbor relations

Parking Lot by Ecos Environ. Design, Inc. Atlanta, GA

Washington Ave.

11th

St.

Tasker St.

Federal St.

Wharton St.

Reed St.

Dickinson St.

8th

St.

Stormwater Intervention

Tree Planting Plan

Way�nding, Gateway Arts

lighting

garden

planting

Bump Outs

Meters/ intersescton Paint-

Ellsworth St.

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STORMWATER MANAGEMENTRECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE ACME SITEThe ACME lot provides a great opportunity to advance the reputation of the neighborhood as an ecologically progressive area. As a catalyst project for the sustainability efforts envisioned for the neighborhood, the surface parking lot represents a number of opportunities to green Passyunk Square. The current condition of the lot severely underutilizes its prime location. Situated predominately in the nexus of the Phork layout, this site has the potential to be a very high profile redesign project.

The ACME parking lot is currently comprised of 95% impervious surface. As a result, the site collects a massive amount of stormwater. Because of the lack of permeable surface, the stormwater is not allowed to percolate into the local watershed naturally. As rainwater washes over the barren lot, a number of

oils, contaminants and debris is picked up with it. The stormwater and all of its collected undesirable contents are then channeled into the few drainage points on the site. There is also no mechanism to slow down the drainage of the stormwater. With no regulator, the contaminated water is slammed into the sewage systems with incredible force, inducing both severe erosion and flash flooding.

The bare nature of the site not only affects the ecological fabric of the neighborhood, but the aesthetic as well. Since the ACME building footprint is set back on the parcel to accommodate parking, the pedestrian experience is noticeably inconsistent and disjointed. As users move through the space and along the main corridor, the human-scaled density gives way to an inhospitable swath of asphalt. The lack of any vertical elements and

the increased urban heat island effect felt as a result of this sea of asphalt is both an eyesore and an ecologically devastating land use.

Our recommendations for the ACME parking lot include two options, categorized by the price of each particular implementation. Assuming there are no interventions on the parking lot, the impervious surface of the site will begin to incur charges from the Philadelphia Water Department. By the year 2014, if the lot remains as-is, the owners of the site will be charged approximately $18,000 in annual impervious land area fees.

The first option recommended for the site involves a combination of stormwater management techniques and energy conservation mechanisms. The parking lot would be landscaped with a new

95% Impervious Surface at ACME Parking Lot. By 2014, will incur approximately $18,000 in annual impervious surface fees from the Philadelphia Water Department.

Existing

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Solar Panels, Bioswales, Street Trees and Landscaping. Conversion to 75% pervious surface.

Option 1

Turf Parking, Bioswales, Street Trees and Landscaping. Conversion to 75% pervious surface.

Option 2

design involving larger, shade bearing street trees along the perimeter. These trees would contribute to the continuity of the pedestrian experience by maintaining a similar scale to that experienced along the commercial corridor. These trees would also provide shade, which will make pedestrians more comfortable during hotter months and improve the aesthetic of the lot.

Structured turf parking, will replace a number of the traditionally laid parking spots. This will allow for an increase in permeable surface, without sacrificing durability and structural integrity for the highly trafficked lot. The installation of turf parking will also cut down on the urban heat island effect. The redesign of the ACME lot also calls for an installation of raised solar panels as covered parking structures. Four elevated coverings would

house the new solar panels, which would not only add a much needed vertical element to the site, but serve as an energy generation technique. The energy collected by the solar panels could be used to power the lighting for the parking lot, the adjacent LED pedestrian lighting, or some other energy consuming initiative, as a way to mitigate operating costs.

The second option for the ACME lot redesign calls for identical initiatives (street trees, bioswales, rainwater gardens, and turf parking) to Option 2, except for the solar panel structures. The estimated total cost of Option 1 of the ACME redesign is approximately $1.1 million. It is important to note that there are a number of grant programs specifically dedicated to projects related to the use of solar power, as well as the energy cost benefits

of a power generating design. The total estimated cost of Option 2 for the ACME site is approximately $300,000.

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Passyunk Square has numerous opportunities to improve the pedestrian experience; increase safety for all modes of transportation, and decrease traffic congestion in the area. Together, a better neighborhood environment will be created for the use of residents and visitors alike. These are goals that the proposed initiatives highlighted in this section seek to reach.

To achieve such goals, the neighborhood needs better infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists. Improving these facilities will bring more people into the Passyunk corridor in a healthy manner without increasing congestion in the area. The plan recommends the installation of bump-outs at the major intersections along 11th Street between Washington Avenue and Wharton Street. These will fill the need for shortened and easier to navigate (safer) crosswalks with better pedestrian/vehicle visibility. Bump-outs also provide greening opportunities on the street. Additionally, bike lanes should be reinstituted on both sides of 11th Street, and the current nose-in angled parking should be

changed to a back-in angled parking format. There will be no change in the amount of parking, but car-to-car and car-to-bicycle visibility will be greatly increased, thus reducing the potential for accidents.

In the rest of the study area, the plan recommends that “sharrows” be placed along E. Passyunk Avenue for the full extent of the corridor between Washington Avenue and Tasker Street, as well as down 10th Street from E. Passyunk Avenue to Tasker Street. This will give greater connectivity to the bicycling community and allow for better accessibility throughout the area.

There are several important pedestrian initiatives proposed throughout the study area. This plan recommends the construction of a raised intersection at E. Passyunk Avenue and 9th Street, because it is a poorly designed intersection with bad sightlines and little emphasis on pedestrian needs. Due to its proximity to Pat’s King of Steaks and Geno’s Steaks, it is a busy intersection for automobile and pedestrian traffic and amelioration of these problems is greatly needed. A raised intersection will make this intersection much safer by creating a pedestrian friendly space; drawing attention to pedestrian crossings, and calming automobile traffic. Another intersection in need of improvement is the intersection of E. Passyunk Avenue, 10th and Reed Streets. The various directions of traffic combined with poor design create an unappealing and unsafe intersection for all modes of travel. Installing curb extensions, raised crosswalks, and intersection painting will allow for greening opportunities; give greater visibility to drivers and pedestrians; calm traffic, and make the intersection a more attractive place to experience. Despite a strong pedestrian and cyclist culture

BIKE + PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE

Combination of traffic calming devices rendered by the Design Collective Inc. Baltimore, MD

in Passyunk Square, the automobile remains a dominant force in the neighborhood. An overabundance of free parking has made the area a haven for cars - inducing visitors to drive to the neighborhood rather than take other modes of travel. It also creates the issue of “cruising for parking,” where most of the traffic congestion in the area is generated by drivers circling blocks in search of parking, thereby creating unnecessary traffic. Passyunk Square is a dense, urban community, with a human scale built environment; however, the neighborhood’s auto congestion is a major issue which detracts from this.

Installing parking meters along E. Passyunk Avenue and converting the under-utilized ACME parking lot into a more efficient shared parking lot are two parking schemes that will ameliorate the neighborhood’s exhausted parking options. These two initiatives will decrease unnecessary traffic and congestion and make the neighborhood safer for cars, bicyclists, and pedestrians. By creating a more inviting pedestrian environment, Passyunk Square will attract additional pedestrians, cyclists, and visitors to the neighborhood to take advantage of this new food, arts, and culture destination.

Corner of 11th St. and Federal St.

Washington Ave.

11th

Str

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Tasker St.

Ellsworth St.

Federal St.

Wharton St.

Reed St.

Dickinson St.

8th

Str

ee

t

Sharrows

Pedestrian Corridor

Way�nding, Gateway Arts

lighting

garden

planting

Bump Outs

Meters/ intersescton Paint-

Bump Outs

Bike Lanes

58

11TH ST. SECTIONThe cross section for 11th Street illustrates how the street will look after the proposed changes. Street trees and stormwater management projects will take place at the corner bump-outs. Another proposed greening project will come in the form of installing removable planters or trees along the median. Down the center of 11th Street runs the tracks of the former SEPTA streetcar line #23 which was discontinued and replaced with bus service in 1992. There are potential plans to renew this service within ten years, so this plan proposes to build temporary planted medians along these tracks. This will provide further greening along the street as well as calm traffic. It will also prevent drivers from pulling across the median to park the wrong way into the proposed back-in parking. Bike lanes are on both sides of the street. All together, 11th Street becomes a much more attractive place for visitors and residents alike.

BACK-IN PARKING ON 11THThe current parking on 11th Street is predominantly perpendicular, meaning nearly all cars pull in nose-first. Backing out into traffic (especially with a bike lane present), puts drivers and cyclists at higher risk for accidents. Back-in parking has been used as a remedy for this problem by many communities across the country. Parking spaces would be repainted to face diagonally against the flow of traffic. To park, cars pull past an free parking space and back into it. When the car stops to back into a space, the driver can see any automobile or bike traffic coming towards him in the rear view mirror. Conversely, when someone is exiting from an angled parking space, he has a full line of sight to the oncoming bike and traffic lanes, which greatly increases safety.

Back-in parking maintains the number of parking spaces on 11th Street while making it safer for cars and bicyclists. Since the trunk of the car is parked in facing the sidewalk, the loading and unloading of vehicles can be done without people placing themselves in the harm of the street.

Sign for back-in-angle parking in City of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada

11th STREET SECTION

14’

71’11’10’-11’ 4’ 15’

59

60

SHARROWSSharrows are intended to promote the sharing of the road between drivers and bicyclists. They are painted markings stenciled into the street denoting a bike symbol with chevrons pointing with the flow of traffic. This signals to drivers that they should be aware of and prepared to encounter cyclists on

Seattle Department of Transportation

BUMP-OUTS/STORM WATER 11th Street is an important thoroughfare in the study area. The bi-directional street is wider than the neighborhood’s standard one way streets. This width gives the street a distinctly different scale, one that must be handled accordingly. Since it is a major crossing for any pedestrian that is coming to the Passyunk corridor from the SEPTA subway stations along Broad Street a few blocks to the west or from the main arterial of Washington Avenue to the north, 11th Street plays an important role in welcoming visitors to the neighborhood. Therefore, the implementation of pedestrian improvements and greening strategies along this thoroughfare is crucial. Additionally, since the study area is predominantly residential, it is also important to improve the quality of life for the residents that use the street on a daily basis.

The 11th Street pedestrian crossings at Washington Avenue, Ellsworth, Federal, and Wharton Streets are far too long, resulting in poor sight lines. Additionally, the street lights are too widely spaced and not located in a typical driver’s line of forward vision. Cars park perpendicularly near the corners so people crossing have to walk out into the street to see traffic and for traffic to see them. The width also forces pedestrians to spend an undesirable amount of time in the path of automobiles, which increases safety issues.

Additionally, the width and arterial-character of Washington Avenue results in unattractive pedestrian crossings, which serve as a mental barrier to entering the neighborhood. To solve this problem, the plan proposes the installation of bump-outs at each of the problem intersections on 11th Street between Washington Avenue and

Wharton Street and at the pedestrian- and traffic-heavy intersection of Washington Avenue and 9th Street.

In addition to traffic-calming, bump-outs also provide opportunities for greening and stormwater management. Bump-outs extend the street corners on both sides of the street greatly reducing the real and perceived crossing distance. This additional space does not need to be completely filled in with concrete, yet instead provides space for greening. Street trees and bioswales can be planted in the bump-outs creating a great opportunity for greening and stormwater management initiatives.

the road. On a broader level, sharrows symbolize that roads are shared by bicycles and cars, thereby slightly dismantling the trend toward automobile-oriented streets. They are simple to install, inexpensive, and represent the easiest way to make Passyunk Square more bicycle friendly. Sharrows are more suited to narrow streets, such as those located in the neighborhood. Most throughways are tight and the high density of automobiles is not very bike-friendly. The establishment of sharrows on 10th Street from Reed to Tasker Streets and all along the E. Passyunk Avenue corridor will make bicycle usage more attractive on these streets by creating vital bicycle connectivity within Passyunk Square and the region as a whole.

Transportation Services, City of Vancouver, WA

61

BI-DIRECTIONAL BIKE LANEBiking is an important mode of travel for getting around Passyunk Square. As described in Existing Conditions, there are more bikers in the study area than there are in the city as a whole. Additionally, residents expressed that bicycling is a growing trend in the area and additional bike infrastructure is needed.

Painted bike lanes once existed on a portion of 11th Street and Reed Street but do not anymore. This plan calls for the repainting of these lanes. The width of the streets allows for the introduction of bi-directional bike lanes without the need for any heavy infrastructure intervention. The repainting of these bike lanes makes this a relatively inexpensive but highly beneficial intervention. Having a bi-directional bike lane on 11th Street is important, because the street acts as a primary connector to the Passyunk corridor. Riders travelling along the Washington Avenue bike lanes will find the 11th Street bike lane an appealing way to enter the neighborhood. Conversely, cyclists leaving the neighborhood from E. Passyunk Avenue will find the north bound lane both fast and convenient.

Transportation Services, City of Vancouver, WA

9TH STREET PEDESTRIAN CORRIDOR

Ells

wor

th S

t.

5

1

2

34

1. Gateway from Washington Ave. Movable bollards installed

2. Infill Development: food co-op, culinary school, shared kitchen, residential mixed-use building

3. Sidewalk curbs are brought to street level and linear pavers are introduced 4. Landscaped islands provide 9th St. with greenery and tree planting opportunities 5. Automobile traffic may still cross the corridor east-west via Ellsworth and Federal Streets

6. Plaza area with street furniture

7. Corridor feeds into Capitolo Playground at the corner of Federal and 9th St.

8. Movable tables and chairs provided at the end of the corridor for Geno’s, Pat’s, and South Philly Grill customers

N

Feder

al S

t.

Passyunk Ave.

Capitolo Playground

0’ 40’

6

78

64

The pedestrianization of 9th Street from Washington Avenue to E. Passyunk Avenue stands as one of the Philly Phork’s most important projects. The section of the Italian Market north of Washington Avenue is a popular, heavily trafficked destination for both residents and visitors and the team’s pedestrianization plan for the Lower Italian Market seeks to draw this traffic southward into the Passyunk Square area.

The Lower Italian Market is in a state of great change. For many years, this area was void of any retail or other shopping opportunities but businesses are starting to spring up again and a major project along this corridor would build on this growth and capitalize on the foot traffic to the north. Pedestrianization of this corridor represents the ideal project to meet these goals.

In order to pedestrianize the Lower Italian Market on 9th Street, moveable bollards would be installed at the intersection of 9th Street and Washington Avenue as well as the corner of 9th Street and E. Passyunk Avenue, which would open the street only to pedestrians and bicyclists. Since curbs are usually a way of demarcating the sidewalk pedestrian environment from the automobile environment, paving of the street would do away with curbs in order to make the corridor a single grade and reinforce it as a pedestrian environment. Emergency vehicles and delivery services would still be able to easily access the street but regular vehicles would not be allowed. The SEPTA 47M

bus line currently running north up 9th Street would have to be diverted in order to comply with this plan. This could easily be accomplished by diverting the bus at the intersection of 9th Street and E. Passyunk Avenue onto E. Passyunk Avenue. At Washington Avenue, the bus could make a left in order to reconnect with 9th Street.

In order to draw people from the Italian Market, a gateway with more attractive pedestrian facilities must be installed. Washington Avenue is a wide commercial arterial road, physically and mentally separating the Italian Market to the north from the Lower Italian Market to the south. Introducing bump-outs at the intersection of 9th Street and Washington Avenue will shorten pedestrian crossings and provide space for greening opportunities. With these changes, crossing Washington Avenue will become a much more pleasant experience, allowing pedestrians, which will help encourage pedestrians to cross Washington Avenue into Passyunk Square.

The second keystone project in the Philly Phork plan, the Ice and Coal site infill development, will also lie on the pedestrianized 9th Street corridor creating synergy between the two large projects to truly activate the space. Due to the awnings running down the Lower Italian Market, there are no street trees or any spaces for greening along the corridor. Pedestrianization creates space for landscaped islands and other planting initiatives. This greening will further enhance the pedestrian experience and

draw more visitors to the area. The additional space can also provide opportunities such as plazas with benches, tables and chairs placed in them allowing users of the space to get even more benefit from the various food establishments along the street. The intersection of 9th Street and E. Passyunk Avenue features Capitolo Playground, as well as the steakhouses of Pat’s and Geno’s. The proposed raising of this intersection will blend the 9th Street pedestrian corridor seamlessly into the E. Passyunk Avenue corridor, inviting guests to continue their journey deeper into the Passyunk Square Neighborhood.

People want to be in attractive spaces. When instituted properly, pedestrian streets create a destination, increasing the number of shoppers, how many stores they visit, and how long they stay. The plan would be profitable to the businesses in the Lower Italian Market and in Passyunk Square as a whole. It would be socially desirable as well. The Lower Italian Market is a dense, human scale corridor that would be ideal for pedestrians, however, the street is currently dominated by cars. Having two lanes of parking and one throughway all on a narrow street is not attractive to the pedestrian and is not the highest and best use of this space. The Lower Italian Market has the potential to be a place where residents and visitors truly want to go. Pedestrianizing this corridor, along with the implementation of gateway, street furniture, and greening strategies, stands to benefit both local businesses and the community.

9TH STREET PEDESTRIAN CORRIDOR

9th St. (before) 9th St. (after)

66

CIRCULATION + PARKING

RAISED INTERSECTIONThe intersection at 9th Street and Passyunk Avenue is one of Philadelphia’s most famous. This bowtie intersection is all that separates two of the city’s landmarks: Geno’s Steaks and Pat’s King of Steaks. These cheesesteak joints represent a central attraction to the study area, especially for visitors. However, the intersection’s poor design leads to longer crossings and to poor visibility between pedestrians and cars. Since this is such a heavily trafficked intersection for both cars and pedestrians, the planning team suggests that raising the intersection will create a safer area for all modes. Since a raised intersection brings the street to sidewalk level, it gives the impression to drivers that this is a pedestrian space. By transforming this space, traffic is calmed and the intersection becomes more attractive to pedestrians. At a visual level, the raised intersection will also form a connection; acting as a symbolical nexus between Philadelphia’s famous institutions of Pat’s and Geno’s.

METERED PARKINGThe study area consists of free, unmetered and unpermitted parking. As mentioned earlier, this lack of controlled parking creates circulation issues. Despite the amount of on-street parking in Passyunk Square, too few of cars are actually coming and going. A lot of the traffic created in the area is due to the process of ‘cruising for parking,’ where drivers navigate the neighborhood in search of parking. The only place in Passyunk Square that seeks to ameliorate some of these issues is the area around Pat’s King of Steaks, which has 30 minute parking. However, even this rule goes relatively unenforced. Needless to say, the initiatives proposed are intended to increase parking turnover. Installing metered parking along Passyunk Avenue from the Tasker Street Triangle to Federal Street would be a prime way to alleviate some of the circulation problems the study area faces. Meters will create a faster turnover of parking, which decreases the congestion caused by cruising for parking. Higher vehicle turnover will also help local businesses by increasing the volume of potential customers.

SHARED PARKING AT ACMEThe ACME parking lot is a large surface parking lot in the center of the study area. The parking lot is underutilized, despite the high demand for parking in the study area. Very few visitors use the space to park in the ACME lot to access their shopping or dining needs. The lot represents an opportunity to expand parking options in the area to better utilize this central space. The suggested initiative calls for a transformation of the entire lot into structured paid parking, complete with manned entrance and exit booths. Currently there are 207 parking spaces in the lot (seven of which are accessible parking). This lot could accommodate upwards of 50 additional cars comfortably without putting pressure on the ACME shopper parking. Additionally, ACME shoppers would get validated parking upon the showing of a receipt. Accessible parking in the lot would also be free to those who are eligible. The BID would pay for the enforcement of the paid parking, taking in the parking fees to cover the enforcement costs. The fees would also be used to reimburse ACME for the use of the lot. At $1 per hour (consistent with the rates of the proposed meters), the lot is expected to be profitable.

Left: View north on E. Passyunk Ave. at Wharton St.Middle: Ann Arbor, MI

Right: Underused ACME Lot

Painted/Raised Intersection + Raised Crosswalks

Way�nding, Gateway Arts

lighting

garden

planting

Bump Outs

Meters/ intersescton Paint-

Parking Meters/Shared Parking

Washington Ave.

11th

Str

ee

t

Tasker St.

Ellsworth St.

Federal St.

Wharton St.

Reed St.

Dickinson St.

8th

Str

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t

The intersection of E. Passyunk Avenue, Reed Street and 10th Street, is confusing and dangerous for both pedestrians and automobile drivers. The pedestrian crossings are poorly defined and it is difficult to determine who has the right-of-way. The intersection is central to the Philly Phork plan since all of the prongs emanate from it. For this reason, it is vital that this intersection be transformed into one that strongly ties the plan (as well as the neighborhood) together. Therefore, it is essential to improve the safety of this intersection.

PEDESTRIAN SAFETYACME INTERSECTION PLAN

Dangerous Intersection. View north on E. Passyunk at Reed and 10th Streets

This plan proposes raised crosswalks at each of the pedestrian crossings. Not only do these facilities act as speed tables, which slow traffic through the intersection, but they also make drivers more aware of both the crosswalks, and the pedestrians using them. Passyunk Avenue is a dense, human scale corridor. However, this particular intersection is not consistent with the rest of the corridor. Raised crosswalks are safer and more attractive to pedestrians, creating higher use of the intersection and transforming it into a more dynamic space.

Additional traffic calming measures introduced to the intersection are curb extensions and intersection art. Curb extensions are similar to bump-outs in that they extend the curb further into the street, but they do not necessarily seek to shorten pedestrian crossings. Instead, the curb extensions proposed would take back underutilized space in the intersection to create more area for greening opportunities. The curb extensions would also narrow the street width and create a smaller turning radius, which slows driving speeds through the intersection.

As the centerpiece of the neighborhood, this plan recommends that intersection art be introduced. Intersection art is growing in popularity across the United States with major city-wide projects already taking place in Portland, Oregon and St. Paul, Minnesota. An intersection art project allows for a neighborhood’s community members to get together and paint designs onto an intersection. This can be a fun, community-wide event that gets people out of their houses, and working together to improve their surroundings. The final result serves as a key place-making tool, giving an immediate hip and artsy vibe to the neighborhood. Because the art on the street stands out, it signals to drivers that this is a unique, human-scale space, allowing the initiative to double as a traffic calming tool. Intersection art is a simple and inexpensive community-building activity that would attract visitors and bring the close-knit residents of the PSCA even closer.

68

69N

Raised Crosswalks

Intersection Art

Vegetated Curb Extension (6’)

Vegetated Curb Extension (4’)

40’ 80’

IMPLEMENTATION

The Philly Phork is a multi-faceted vision plan that will require a great deal of measured collaboration to implement. The initiatives aforementioned are broken down into three phases: short-term (1-5 years), mid-term (5-10 years), and long-term (10-20 years). The short-term initiatives are projects that can be completed quickly with relatively small capital costs. Mid-term projects require a bit more commitment and include the plan’s catalyst investment: the pedestrianization of 9th Street and the Lower Italian Market. Long-term projects are characterized by a higher degree of construction and start-up costs and include infrastructure improvements to 11th Street as well as the Ice & Coal infill development to be completed in conjunction with changes to 9th Street. For all three phases, approximate costs are provided broken down by component. Ideas for funding sources are also offered.

72

SHORT TERM {1-5 YEARS}

Greening

Street Tree Program

1) 8th Street ($8,000)2) E. Passyunk Ave. ($11,200)3) 9th Street ($9,200)

$26,000-$28,000

Branding & Gateways

Banners + Wayfinding

(30) Banners:E. Passyunk Ave. &

11th St($12,000)

(9) Wayfinding:9th St, E. Passyunk

Ave, Broad St, Washington Ave.

($27,000)

$35,000-$39,000

phorkthe

@ WASHINGTON

PASSYUNK

TASKER

DICKINSON

WHARTON

ELLSWORTH

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phorkthe

3 BLOCKS EAST

GREENINGThe greening program for our short term sustainability initiatives will cost approximately $26,000-$28,000. Because the installations can be phased, the price of our three focus areas are itemized. The 8th street planting, the least expensive of the three, will cost $8,000. The tree planting program on 9th Street will cost around $9,200 and the main commercial corridor, E. Passyunk Ave, will cost $11,200. The cost of this program would be primarily funded by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s TreeVitalize program with PSCA footing the costs for mulch and labor.

BRANDING & GATEWAYSThe branding and gateway program suggested for the corridor totals $35,000-$39,000. A combination of 30 banners and nine wayfinding signs will be installed on E. Passyunk Ave, 11th Street, 9th Street, Broad Street, and Washington Avenue. The 30 banners will total around $12,000 and the nine wayfinding signs will cost $27,000. These signs would be funded by PSCA. Additional funds from the Philadelphia Commerce Department’s Neighborhood Economic Planning and Development grants may be available. There may also be funding available if the Business Improvement District to the south decides to extend farther north into the Passyunk Square corridor.

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Circulation

Bike & Pedestrian Improvements

(22) Sharrows:E. Passyunk Ave. &

10th Street($3,300)

Painted Intersection: ACME Intersection

($400-$800)

$3,500-$4,500

Infill & Active Uses

Reactivating Vacant Spaces

Alley Re-Use:Percy Street

($1,000-$2,000)Art in Vacant Storefronts: 9th Street &

E. Passyunk Ave($12,000-$14,000)

$14,000-$16,000

CIRCULATIONThe short term circulation improvement initiatives include low cost bike and pedestrian interventions to a total cost of $3,500-$4,500. The 22 bike sharrows are to be paid for and painted by the city and will incur costs of approximately $3,300. The painted intersection project at ACME lot will cost within the range of $400-$800 and would be funded by the PSCA. There may also be additional funding from an arts-based foundation such as the Philadelphia Cultural Fund, or the Community Design Collaborative.

INFILL & ACTIVE USESThe initiatives intended to address the reactivation of vacant spaces include the Percy Street alley re-use and the ‘Art In Storefronts’ project. The Percy Street re-use will cost within the range of $1,000-$2,000 and be funded primarily by the PSCA. The ‘Art in Storefronts’ project will be funded by a combination of contributions for PSCA and a number of arts-based foundational grants, including: Philadelphia Cultural Fund, William Penn Foundation, the Community Design Collaborative, and the Pew Charitable Trusts.

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MID TERM {5-10 years}

Greening

StormwaterManagement/Public

Spaces

Pocket Parks($10,000-$35,000)

Urban Gardens($5,000-$10,000 per

garden)

$150,000-$180,000

Branding & Gateways

Ice/Coal Temp. Uses + Lights

$185,000-$235,000

Open-Air Markets, Festivals,

Outdoor Movies($10,000)

LED Solar-Powered Lights

($175,000-$225,000)

GREENINGThe mid term greening interventions, which would ideally occur within 5-10 years, consists of the public spaces initiative. The total cost of the interventions will be in the range of $150,000-$180,000. The pocket parks proposed by the plan would cost anywhere between $10,000-$35,000, depending on how they are designed. The urban community garden proposed in the program would cost approximately $5,000-$10,000, again depending on the design of the garden. The costs of this particular initiative could also be spread over time, since the conversion of these vacant lots into open spaces could occur on a phased schedule.

The funding for the pocket parks would essentially be paid for by either the landowner or the PSCA. Additional funding could be provided by TreeVitalize and the Philadelphia Horticultural Society. To implement the urban garden initiative, the vacant lot would be leased from the landowner by PSCA, with possible grant funding coming from the Philadelphia Horticultural Society. The individual planting beds would then be rented out to community members and local businesses to help mitigate the costs to PSCA.

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Infrastructure

Pedestrianize 9th St.

$100,000-$1.2million

CirculationBRANDING AND GATEWAYSThe mid term initiatives for the branding and gateway efforts, which include temporary uses of the ice and coal site and LED solar-powered lighting, would total approximately $185,000-$235,000. The open-air markets, festivals, and outdoor movies will cost around $10,000 and be funded primarily by PSCA through a lease agreement with the current land owner.

The lighting initiative will cost within the range of $175,000-$225,000. The funding for this particular intervention can come from a combination of grants, including energy grants from the American Recovery Reinvestment Act, as well as the Solar Energy Program Grant through the PA State of Innovation Program. The nature of these energy conservation techniques also assume there will be certain energy costs avoided.

CIRCULATIONThe pedestrianization of 9th Street from Washington Ave. to E. Passyunk Ave. represents a major component of the Phork. This being said, a wide cost range has been provided to emphasize that this initiative can be implemented in a number of ways.

The baseline for pedestrianizing this length of street is about $100,000. This will pay for the installation of bollards as well as basic street furniture. A more costly, permanent option involves regrading the street to curb level and installing new pavers as well as landscaped islands/street trees. Bringing the street to curb level costs about $60,000 per 36’ x 36’ of street. Coupled with the greening and additional street trees, the upper bound of a project of this scope would be approximately $1.2 million. Costs will vary based on the quality and types of materials and pavers used.

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LONG TERM {10-20 years}

Infill & Active Uses

Ice & Coal Reuse

Culinary School /Shared Kitchen / Food

Co-op/ Residential

$4,434,130

Greening

Stormwater Management

Acme Parking Lotw/ solar panels ($1.1 million)

w/o solar panels ($300,000)

$300,000-$1.1million

STORMWATER MANAGEMENTThe cost for implementing stormwater management programs on the Acme parking lot varies depending on what level of intervention the owner decides to make. The difference between Option 1 and Option 2 is that the former intervention includes the price of solar panels. Solar panels increase the cost of the project from approximately $300,000 to $1.1 million. The cost of these remedies was obtained by looking at the current prices of these interventions. While the solar panels significantly increase the cost of the project, they can be used to offset future energy costs, such as lighting the parking lot.

The other remedies proposed for the lot include street trees, bioswales, rainwater gardens, and turf parking. The cost of the street trees can be covered by installing trees from TreeVitalize. The owner of the lot will have to cover the cost of the other remedies, but there are a number of grant programs that can be used to offset these costs. In particular, the State of Pennsylvania’s Solar Energy Program Grant and the American Recovery Reinvestment Act’s tax incentives for businesses that implement renewable sources of energy in their facilities.

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Streetscape

Infrastructure

Raised Intersection/Crossing:

E. Passyunk Ave. & 9th St($60,000-$100,000)

Bump-Outs:11th Street ($400,000)

Bike Lanes/Back-in Parking

$500,000-$700,000

INFILLThe cost of developing the former Ice and Coal site as a mixed-use development project is $4,434,130. This figure includes both hard costs (such as construction), and soft costs (including architecture fees and permits).

The plan is that the current owner will develop the site. Therefore, as the owner has already purchased the land for $1,840,871, this figure is not included in the total development costs.

The pro forma, which can be found in the Appendix, lists the costs of development related to this project. Representatives from PNC Bank, CitiBank, and the commercial real estate firm, Northmarq all stated that interest rates related to permanent and construction financing are currently in flux and are subject to change. Using the current rates, the pro forma suggests that the mixed-use development is ultimately a profitable venture.

STREETSCAPEIdeally, the streetscape improvements of implementing raised intersections and crossings, bump-outs, bike lanes, and back-in parking will be covered by the City of Philadelphia’s Streets Department.

The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission has a Transportation and Community Development Initiative that could also be used to fund these initiatives as the program aims to reduce congestion and improve the efficiency of the area’s transportation network.

78

EnvironmentalPA State of Innovation Industrial Sites Reuse Grant Solar Energy Program Grant

CommercialSmall Business Association- 7(a) loan programNew Market Tax CreditsTransportationSafe Routes to School (funding currently in limbo)EnergyAmerican Recovery Reinvestment Act

Federal Progams

State Progams

City Progams

CommercialPhiladelphia Commerce Department: Neighborhood Economic Planning & Development Grants

Foundations and Other

Philadelphia Cultural FundWilliam Penn Foundation: Arts and Culture

Pew Charitable TrustsWilliam Penn Foundation: Environment and Communities

Community Design Collaborative: rstoreTreeVitalize

FUNDING SOURCES

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Public Space

Re-interpretation of 9th St.

Culture of Food: Urban Gardens

Infill + Active Re-use

Circulation/Traffic Calming

11th St. Infrastructure

ACME Stormwater

ILLUSTRATIVEPLAN

APPENDIX

Included in the Appendix:

• Ice & Coal Pro Forma

• Demographics

• Previous Alternatives

• References

• Cost Estimates

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PRO-FORMAMIXED-USE FOR ICE AND COAL SITE

83

84

PRO-FORMA

85

86

DEMOGRAPHICS

Study Area Citizenship Status

11.3%, Naturalized Citizen

14.0%, Not a Citizen

74.7%, Native Born

Social Explorer 2007

Study Area Citizenship

Study Area Educational Attainment for Population 25 Years and Older

2 6 10 14 18 22 26 30

Social Explorer 2007

Percent of Population 25 Years and Older

Less ThanHigh School

High School Graduate/ GED

Bachelor’s Degree

Some College

Master’s Degree

Professional SchoolDegree

Doctorate Degree

10 8 6 4 2 0 2 4 6 8 10

0-4

5-9

10-14

15-17

18-24

25-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

65-74

75-84

85+

Source: Social Explorer 2007Percent

Ag

e G

roup

Study Area Age Group Percents

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Philadelphia’s Model Neighborhood For Sustainability

Epicenter of Philadelphia’sFood, Culture & Art Movements

+ Updating Banners along 9th St.

+ Creating Informational Signage

+ Install Metered Parking on 9th St. and E. Passyunk Ave.

+ Paint Intersections along E. Passyunk Ave.

+ Coordinate Neighborhood Food & Art Tours

+ Build Shared Kitchen Facilities

+ Implement Art Installations in Vacant Storefronts along 9th St. and E. Passyunk Ave.

+ Pedestrianize E. Passyunk Ave.

+ Enhance Alleys with Art

+ Reinforce Tree Planting Program

+ Install Solar Powered Street Lighting along 9th St. and E. Passyunk Ave.

+ Provide Community Shared Open Space on Ice & Coal Site

+ Convert Vacant Lots to Pocket Parks

+ Initiate Vertical Gardens Program

+ Replace Left Lane of Parking on 9th St. and E. Passyunk and Replace with Bike Lane

+ Install “Bump-Outs” Along 11th St.

+ Install Raised Intersections at E. Passyunk Ave, Reed, and 10th St.

+ Install Rain Gardens

+ Installation of Permeable Parking Surface

+ Installation of Bioswales & Rain Gardens

+Identify Potential Locations for Shared Parking

PREVIOUS ALTERNATIVES

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REFERENCES

History and Context

The Historical Society of Pennsylvania. “From Weccacoe to South Philadel-phia: The Changing Face of a Neighborhood”. http://www.hsp.org/default.aspx?id=1074.

Historical American Buildings Survey. Moyamensing Prison. http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/pa/pa1000/pa1056/data/pa1056.pdf

Historical Society of Pennsylvania. “October 11, 2009” http://www.hsp.org/default.aspx?id=1424

The Historical Society of Pennsylvania. “The American Coal and Ice Com-pany Ice House.” http://www.philaplace.org/story/187/

Ferguson, Scott. “Philly’s Flavorsome Fight.” The Pennsylvania Center for the Book. http://www.pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/Cheesesteaks.html

“English Only at Famous Philly Cheesesteak Joint.” Abcnews.com. http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=2057207&page=1

Philadelphia’s South 9th Street Italian Market. “Market History.” http://italian-marketphilly.org/experience-the-market/market-history/

Previous Studies

Interface Studio LLC and EConsult Corporation. Lower Italian Market Revital-ization Project for the Passyunk Square Civic Association. August 2008.

Penn Planning. SoPhi: A Downtown Plan for Washington Avenue, South Philadelphia. May 2007.

Philadelphia City Planning Commission. Passyunk Square Village Center: Urban Design Recommendations. January 2007.

Philadelphia City Planning Commission. 9th and Ellsworth Redevelopment Area Plan. September 2006.

Ongoing Initiatives

Interview with Casey Combs, Treevitalize Project Coordinator. “Treevitalize.” Philadelphia Green, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. April 29, 2010.

Bob Grossman, Director of Philadelphia Green Program, PA Horticultural Society. “Price of Pocket Parks and Community Gardens.” May 5, 2010.

Michael Romankiewicz. Philadelphia Water Department. April 20, 2010. “Impervious Surface Fees.”

Jillian Simmons. Philadelphia Water Department. April 20, 2010. “Model Neighborhood for Sustainability.”

Neighborhood Improvements

Passyunk Square Civic Association. “Treevitalize Time is Here Again” July 8, 2009. http://www.passyunksquare.org/2009/07/08/tree-vitalize-time-is-here-

again/

Passyunk Square Civic Association. “Street Cleaning Pilot Program.” August 24, 2009. http://www.passyunksquare.org/2009/08/24/street-cleaning-pilot-program/

East Passyunk Avenue Business Improvement District. http://visiteast-passyunk.com/index.html

Demographics

1990 United States Census. U.S. Commerce Department.

2000 United States Census. U.S. Commerce Department.

2007 American Community Survey. U.S. Commerce Department.

Policy Map. The Reinvestment Fund

Market Characteristics

ESRI Business Analyst. “Retail Market Place Profile.” 2010.

Huffman, David. “Supply/Demand Estimation Model Helps Understand Markets.” ESRI Business Information Solutions. March 9, 2004. http://www.directionsmag.com/article.php?article_id=533

Zoning

Zoning Matters. “Zoning Classifications.” Philadelphia Zoning Code Commis-sion. http://www.zoningmatters.org/facts/districts.

Vacant Building and Lots

The Historical Society of Pennsylvania. “The American Coal and Ice Com-pany Ice House.” http://www.philaplace.org/story/187/

Transportation Analysis

2000 Census. U.S. Census Bureau

Branding and Gateways

Interview with David Kanthor. “Range of Permitted Functions.” Center City District. April 29, 2010

Interview with Kelly Farrelly. “Banner Stuff.” Center City District. April 29, 2010

Infill and Active Uses

Interview with Tania Nikolic. “Ice and Coal Site.” Redevelopment Authority of Philadelphia. April 29, 2010.

Bureau of Revision of Taxes. “Property Search.” City of Philadelphia. http://brtweb.phila.gov/brt.apps/Search/Disclaimer/disclaimer.aspx?url=search

Interview with Bob Noble, Consultant. “Co-Op on Passyunk Avenue.” April 30, 2010.

The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College. “Classes.” http://www.walnut-hillcollege.edu/Content1.aspx?cid=6.1

The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College. “Kid Summer Camp.” http://www.walnuthillcollege.edu/Content1.aspx?cid=6.5

Interview with Philly Kitchen Share, Owner. “Question about How Kitchen Functions.” May 4, 2010.

Art

Interview with Robynn Takayama, Community Arts and Education Program Associate. “Art in Vacant Storefronts.” San Francisco Arts Commission. April 28, 2010.

6abc.com. “Philly street turns empty stores to studios.” March 2, 2009. http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=6685522

Comprehensive Greening

Urban Jungle. “Vertical Green Walls.” http://www.urbanjunglephila.com/verticalgardens.html

Stormwater Management

Treevitalize. “Our Mission.” http://www.treevitalize.net/

C Michael Hogan (Lead Author); Marietta Loehrlein (Topic Editor);. 2010. “Bioswale.” In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment)Philadelphia Water Department.

“Stormwater Billing.” http://www.phillystormwater.org/#/legend:pv_data-2=true;pv_ortho=true/map:bbox=2611007.308243%2C212113.698836%2C2799527.27352%2C295208.316892

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Washington, D.C. Nonpoint Source News-Notes. August/September 1995. Issue #42. “Urban Runoff”

United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Washington, D.C. “Field Evaluation of Permeable Pavements for Stormwater Management, Olympia, Washington.”

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11th Street Section

Phillytrolley.org. “Philadelphia’s PCC Streetcars.” http://www.phillytrolley.org/tracks3.html

9th Street Pedestrian Corridor

Monheim, Rolf. “The Role of Pedestrian Precincts in the Evolution of German City Centers from Shopping to Urban Entertainment Centers.” 2001

Implementation

Short-Term

Interview with David Kanthor, Project Manager. “Range of Permitted Func-tions.” Center City District. April 29, 2010

Interview with Kelly Farrelly, Manager, Banners & Art-in-Transit. “Banner Stuff.” Center City District. April 29, 2010

Interview with Casey Combs, Treevitalize Project Coordinator. “Treevitalize.” Philadelphia Green, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. April 29, 2010.

Paint the Pavement. “Frequently Asked Questions.” http://www.paintthepave-ment.org/frequently-asked-questions

Philadelphia City Planning Commission. “Philadelphia Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan.” http://www.tooledesign.com/philadelphia/

Gabriel Campanario. “Downtown alley leaves dark days behind, welcomes pedestrians.” The Seattle Times. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/se-attlesketcher/2011184707_green_alleys.html

Mid-term

Interview with Barry Margeson, Market Manager. “How to Start a Flea Mar-ket.” Eastern Market. May 1, 2010.

Interview with Robynn Takayama, Community Arts and Education Program Associate. “Art in Vacant Storefronts.” San Francisco Arts Commission. April 28, 2010.

6abc.com. “Philly street turns empty stores to studios.” March 2, 2009. http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=6685522

Bob Grossman, Director of Philadelphia Green Program, PA Horticultural Society. “Price of Pocket Parks and Community Gardens.” May 5, 2010.

Solar Illuminations. “Unique & Exclusive Solar Powered Outdoor Lighting.” http://solarilluminations.com/acatalog/

Interview with James E. Hartling, CEO. “Street lighting.” Urban Partners. April 28, 2010

Federal Highway Administration. “Traffic Calming: Raised Intersection; Raised Pedestrian Crossing.” http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/saferjourney/library/countermeasures/29-30.htm

Long term

Interview with Michael Romankiewicz. “Impervious Surface Fees.” Philadel-phia Water Department. April 20, 2010.

Interview with Bob Noble, Consultant. “Co-Op on Passyunk Avenue.” April 30, 2010.

Interview with Philly Kitchen Share, Owner. “Question about How Kitchen Functions.” May 4, 2010.

Interview with Justin Wong. “Pro Forma Question.” CitiBank. April 28, 2010

Interview with Michael Aylmer, Investment Analyst. “Investment Analyst.” Northmarq Capital. April 30, 2010.

Department of Streets. “Frequently Asked Questions.” http://www.phila.gov/streets/TrafficEng_FAQ.html

Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. “Transportation and Com-munity Development Initiative.” http://www.dvrpc.org/TCDI/

Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission. “Linden Area Traffic Management Plan” City of Columbus. May 2005.

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COST ESTIMATES

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSPassyunk Square Civic Association (PSCA)

Philadelphia Water Department (PWD)

Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS)

Center City District

Weaver’s Way Co-Op

Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority (RDA)

East Passyunk Crossing Planning Team

EConsult Corporation

PennPlanning Faculty

WRT Philadelphia Nancy Templeton, AICP, PP Garlen Capita

A PennDesign Publication