Thank you for attending the September 22 meeting for the Powelton Village Neighborhood Plan. Below is a summary of public comments from the evening.
HOUSING
Character of the demographic mix- method- look at shoe stores and other retail stores AND churches- we have a community that serves people with little vested interest
Wouldn't it be wonderful if all of the undergraduate population were housed in dormitories, rather than being tenants in historic residential structures
Purpose of master plan is to make a 2-sided dialogue
Would be good to understand numbers on Drexel’s part- how will our plans address this AND the demographics of the neighborhood
Could zoning be used as a tool for our aspirations?
There should be a place or an entity where someone could go to help with the process of developing a project.
How do we find a partner that could work with API to work on the development of certain sites?
Density = good, especially of you want to support all of this proposed retail; 5 stories is perfectly fine; also, we should try to orient density towards transit.
I agree that if undergrad students, especially freshman, could be housed in some other type of housing other than absentee landlords, Powelton would certainly be more attractive to potential homeownership. As it stands now, homeowners are more interested in leaving the area because of immature student neighbors, including several homeowner who once resided on the 3100 block of Summer/Winter.
Need to attract young, working professionals to live in the community and buy homes.
Need Drexel to be like U of Penn and partner with community to do a similar program to improve ‘Quality’ (Key to Success) Why No mention of Historic District?
Revisit historic district with more Flexibility- We re-write the rules(?)
I want to Green Roofs in Powelton Village.
How can we use zoning as a tool to guide the right kind of development?
Map indicates 27% ‘investor’ owned. I read recently that it is closer to 43%.
Is there an entity to act as a “clearing house” as a resource for investors?
Does the plan address how to facilitate coordination with L&I?
Is a PVCA partnership w/ API appropriate?
COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Why haven’t the small businesses on the 3600 block been successful? There has to be some synergy built into the overall vision for the corridor- they can’t happen one at a time.
Also have failed because the market isn’t here- there isn’t ped traffic that walks by; also, the stores are TOO SMALL
Where is the natural fit between residents’ and students’ demands
Lancaster Avenue isn’t in the center of the neighborhood
Need a pedestrian friendly avenue that starts with Drexel and goes beyond 38th Street
Galleries and shops would be the natural way to go with the neighborhood
The neighborhood was viable before places were torn down by the university
WHEN would this happen? It hasn’t happened in 40 years. A management entity would be crucial to make this “Main Street” successful.
Retail has got to be drawn in by an anchor. Everyone lives off of the anchor. Something needs to drive people into the area. A development firm needs to be brought into the picture to figure out who would be interested and how to make it happen.
If I can shop online, or go to Penn, why would I bother going to shop on Lancaster Avenue?
Intersection of Lancaster and 34th Street- this would be the place to start… A Drexel dorm could be built on site of 7-11 and tennis courts- this area is very underdeveloped… This was discussed a while ago- Drexel will not do anything with the engineering building.
Parking garage- could a grocery go on the first floor here.
25 years ago Walnut Street was a dump- Penn decided that it was in their interest to make an investment in the neighborhood. Drexel is a key factor here- faculty living here
Design concept is needed for people to rally behind. “Main Street” or some other concept. A concept that is new to Powelton Village- bring in community, bring in Drexel, get everyone to rally behind. Turn negative into an asset. One focused mission statement.
Arts related stores are such a draw- it brings people to the neighborhood. Entertainment; We need to figure out how to get people in there. Entrepreneurs need help/assistance;
Optimistic?
The following should be included in the plan:
Connections to Mantua
Ann Spirn thesis
Information on railroad overbuild
Summary of the types of historic tax credits
Recommendation on whether or not Powelton should be an historic district
Info on a photovoltaic cooperative vision
More quantitative data should be provided in the plan.
Something should be done with the façade of the 7-11.
There should be some sort of destination restaurant (like the Standard Tap)
The sewer under Warren Street has been replaced recently by PWD. They usually require a 50’ setback.
TRANSPORTATION
Transit connection map indicates LUCY line running through PV. It has not come to PV for years.
Bike Paths. Bikes are important!!
Signs and maps at 30th St Station showing how to get to Powelton and Highlights of the neighborhood.
Make Spring Garden Bridge better for pedestrians.
Bike Friendly improvements to discourage over-use of cars/ student cars.
Cycling and walking paths.
Electric golf cart sized vehicles.
Permit parking for residents.
30th Street rail yard over build Master Plan.
We really need to implement traffic calming and pedestrian safety measures: corner bump-outs, pedestrian signals, leading pedestrian intervals for crossing intersections along Lancaster Ave and 38th St.
Need bike racks in front of Science Center along 34th Street. Currently bikes are locked to trees in gardens.
LUCY bus should have a PV route, which it currently does not.
PUBLIC REALM
When sidewalks need to be repaired have a standard design that they revert to.
No Trees at all on 3200 Pearl Street. As previously mentioned, Cannot seem to get assistance with that. Have completed application process which went no where.
The park at 39th & Powelton is nice but I’ve never been there in my life because it is so difficult to cross Lancaster Ave and 38th Street (the intersections w/ Powelton Ave).
Need quality grammar and high schools. (Drexel sponsor school like UPenn)
Better Lighting and More Trees.
I am delighted to see on the posters a mention of the tree canopy. Large trees of varied species are one of the most valuable assets in the Street. To plant and protect the trees is expensive but invaluable. I hope some consideration would be given to evergreens as well as deciduous.
Isn’t there a vacant lot at 32nd and Baring for a park –view café?
Sidewalks on Lancaster Ave and 35th to 34th.
Powel School’s trash cans are on 36th St. Most of the time over flowing and with additional bags and other trash on walk.
PWD has $30 million to spend on stormwater demonstration projects- Powelton should get on this list
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Thanks again for the presentation last night, you’ve obviously put a lot of work into this so far. It was noted numerous times during the course of the discussions that Drexel has an enormous influence on all of the issues we are discussing. It was also noted that the president of Drexel will be coming to one of our community meetings in the near future. What is our goal for this upcoming interaction? Can we somehow prepare for this so that we can present a clear message to this person in terms of who the community is, what our interaction with Drexel has been historically (emphasize the negatives) and what we want from Drexel going forward?
ReplyDeleteThe point being that if we have the head of the university coming to a meeting, we should try to make the most of it and present a clear picture of a community united in our feelings towards the university and our agenda going forward… (What is our agenda? This would be taken from the strategic plan, perhaps? or...)
We could emphasize the negative quality of life and economic effects that the university’s irresponsible policies have had on us. We could then present our agenda of a few specific items that are the most important to us that we want Drexel to do to become a responsible neighbor… We can even segment it into things we want to see right away and things we want to work towards in the longer term…
Has anyone from the PVCA discussed a plan for this meeting?
Some random ideas… You could have someone stand up and speak about our relationship with the university historically, positives and negatives… Then have a few people get up and tell their stories on how Drexel’s irresponsible interactions with the community have affected them… economically or in other quality-of-life terms. For example, some individuals could speak to the negative effect Drexel's policies have had on their local businesses. Many of us who grew up in the neighborhood could speak of the numerous times we’ve had frat brothers pour beer on us or on our children’s heads while walking past their frats or how they otherwise have damaged our property… And any number of us could tell specific stories on how Drexel students kept half the neighborhood awake with their parties until 4am, overturning cars, throwing toilets out their windows onto the streets below and falling naked from 2 story buildings...
What do you want Drexel to do about any of this realistically? Keep their students on a leash? Seriously.
ReplyDeleteI am not as familiar with the history of the neighborhood as you are, but I have read stories and it does sound like in the past the university was definitely very wrong on many issues (demolishing houses, etc.). However, recently Drexel has bent over backwards to please the neighborhood while continuing its growth (park, garden). The university is the ONLY THING bringing in economic advantages and new residents nowadays. The neighborhood will soon have a food court to eat at on 34th and Race Street and soon some retail on 32nd and Race Street.
Of course there are some negatives with a college campus, such as deadbeat landlords and some obnoxious kids. What can the university do about that? Should they hold a university-wide meeting and tell their students to not sign a lease without the president's approval? C'mon! I hope that you, Zach, are not responsible for any planning at this upcoming meeting, because I bet there are some legitimate concerns that PVCA can talk to President Pennoni about, but you have failed to name one.
Zach, rest assured that the PVCA will have a plan and a clear message when presenting to Interim President Pennoni. It is rare to be able to get significant face-to-face time with the head of a university, so this opportunity will be utilized to the greatest extent possible.
ReplyDeleteThe relationship between Drexel and the PVCA has become much more productive in recent years because of the hard work of the PVCA leadership and members. The days of mudslinging and name calling are over, we hope.
Zach, since you have many strong ideas, we'd encourage you to become an a member of the PVCA where your energy and enthusiasm could be put to good use.
Thanks George, glad to hear it. Would like to join/participate depending on schedule...
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, I understand your perspective and I perhaps did not adequately convey my above message about the President’s visit. My point was not that we supply a host of past grievances but instead that we give him some background on the relationship with a very human face, emphasizing the real effects University has had our community in the past... And then proceed to discuss a mutually beneficial relationship going forward.
To your specific assertion that a university can’t exert an influence on the behavior of its frats and students … UPenn has disagreed with you on this for years, as evidenced by its student behavioral policies, and Drexel itself has started disagreeing with you in recent years as well.
Your assertion that Drexel has done so much for the neighborhood is an important one, if for no other reason than the university itself would like to promote this view. We might expect the President to express a similar sentiment. Drexel has indeed expanded in recent years with increased security and policies that have benefited the neighborhood by proximity. You seem to be implying, however, that Drexel has become altruistic and is putting Powelton Village’s interests ahead of its own. I don’t know any who would agree with you.
The illusion of Drexel’s altruism might imply that our community should sit back and wait to see what effect Drexel’s future policies have on the neighborhood (being reactive) as opposed tour community encouraging Drexel to prioritize mutual priorities (being proactive). I’m glad to see that the PVCA does not agree with you on this one and is working to promote mutual interests. Your notion of the ‘Benevolent Drexel’ also underestimates the significant work that many in the PVCA have put into the relationship, as George noted.
Anonymous, put your name up next time so you share in the wider community engagement! Talk with some people who have lived here a while, show up at the next meeting and have some confidence in yourself, your community and our combined ability to better our neighborhood.
Zach... I definitely think that the PVCA needs to have a plan work with Drexel proactively, I did not mean to imply otherwise.
ReplyDeleteHowever, your comments and the comments from the meeting itself are riddled with angst for Drexel. That is not a way to work with a partner, even if Drexel was the "bad guy" decades ago.
Of course Drexel can put in behavioral policies and what not, and they have kicked off about one fraternity a year on average to enforce them. I want to know what ELSE you want the university to do, since you are still citing student misconduct as a problem and I'm sure you are up on all of Drexel's policies and how they have enforced them.
My assertion that Drexel has done a lot for the university is true. Drexel, whether the neighborhood likes it or not, is the "anchor" that was so described at the meeting. They have brought in extra retail and the retail that does exist in Powelton might not without student support. Instead of chasing Drexel and Drexel students away, I think they need to embrace them by working together to create retail that the whole community needs (residents and students) and together enforcing zoning codes against deadbeat tenants, etc.
I agree with you that the neighborhood definitely needs a plan for the area and that the university needs to play a large part in it, but the demands need to be realistic. For example, Drexel already has partnered with high schools and it would be unrealistic for Drexel to build THREE TIMES as many dorms as they currently have (as someone suggested in the meeting with their comment of the university housing all undergraduates). In addition, things like demanding that 7-Eleven beautify their store or that Drexel buildings HAVE to have something just isn't how capitalism works.
Let me know what you think. By the way, my name is Ben.
The best thing Drexel could do for the neighborhood is for it and UPenn to officially act on their long-rumored sponsors/managers/takeover of U City High and create a catchment area that includes Powelton. That would draw homeowners - who would reside in their houses and start transforming the neighborhood from largely absentee landlords to more concerned and involved citizens.
ReplyDeleteWith U City high shutting down in two years (??) for asbestos abatement and then reopening 18 months later (??), the time to lay the planning groundwork is now.
Hey,
ReplyDeleteThis is absolutely ridiculous claiming that Drexel students are ruining the area.
There is absolutely no pride in the community shown by the residents who do own their properties in the village. There is simply not enough money to make this area the type of area you describe. Of course we would all like to have shops and other things that would increase town unity, but there has to be a demand and a safe enough community, that people feel comfortable walking through. I live in the village and I am honestly scared to walk to spring garden, down either 33rd or 34th. How can you expect to put shops where students, who will undoubtedly be your biggest revenue source, don’t feel safe enough to go.
The lack of a sense of ownership or pride in the neighbor hood comes from all angles. The first major problem is that the amount of actual owners there are. It seems as though students are the majority of the population of the village. If that’s not true then where are the home owners?
Think realistically you want change involving the students living in the area, get the kids involved. If they are the ones you have a problem with go straight to the source. When adults are telling you not to litter it’s a nuisance, something else to complain about. If it is coming from your peers, it means more. You have something they want, which is an opportunity to get leadership hours, and help the community. They will go to bat for you and help the Powelton community, especially if you round up students who live in the village. Expecting the university to do something about their students is again ridiculous. The university is providing a service to us, one that is not babysitting. I think if you reached out and accessed the right venues you would be surprised by the student response you would receive. We can increase the neighborhood unity, and pride.
Powelton village is not being ruined by the students, there is no pride in any of the properties. I have lived in the city for two years, and I find it pitiful. The best way to get others to follow is to lead by example. Personally I find it ludicrous that people are blaming the students when you walk down the street and see people who look like bums smoking marijuana on their porch. These are not the students. These are the current residents of west Philadelphia.
If you have a problem enforce the solution, there are thousands of things I can think that would make the village a cleaner, safer, and more pleasant place to live. For example why don’t we have trash cans? Why are there no recycling containers? If you have a problem, you should host a meeting, post flyers around the village, and those students and residents who care will come.
I understand that none of the things I have mentioned will help the financial situation. I don’t think Drexel is the right place to go for that type of support. There have been deliberate actions to improve the area touching powelton village. There is a new food center, the Drexel security and police force.
Regardless of what is enforced there will always be kids wandering around the city drunk, and some of them wont be college kids, or even residents. The truth is Drexel security does enforce the rules and regulations. It has happened to numerous acquaintances, and they deserve respect for their work to try and keep the campus safe.