Community Planner Ian Litwin shows Frankford resident Doris Booker some improvements the Planning Commission envisions for the neighborhood. Photo/Tiffany Goforth

In 1961, Jane Jacobs wrote The Death and Life of Great American Cities, in which she proposed supporting neighborhoods’ use of community-based initiatives.

Fast-forward 50 years, and urban planners are taking her observations into serious consideration, as evidenced by the city’s comprehensive plan,  Philadelphia2035, to play up individual neighborhoods’ strengths and improve upon their obstacles to connectivity and access.

Within the next few years, the planning commission will complete 18 district plans, which will incorporate many of the themes and objectives found in the overall citywide plan.

Currently, only three of the 18 plans have been adopted. The most recent being the Lower Northeast District Plan, which includes Frankford, Northwood, Summerdale, Lawncrest and Oxford Circle.

Saturday, Lower Northeast District Plan Project Manager Ian Litwin, other consultants and city employees held a community visioning workshop at Aria Health-Frankford to discuss ways to make Frankford, a major transit hub, more accessible. continue reading »

Image/Philadelphia City Planning Commission

One of many things on the Philadelphia City Planning Commission’s agenda Tuesday is a review of the Lower Northeast District Plan.

Residents of Frankford, Northwood, Summerdale, Lawncrest, Oxford Circle and Castor Gardens got a preview last week of the plan that will be presented at the afternoon meeting in Center City. continue reading »

Image/Philadelphia City Planning Commission

In the lobby of a building filled with innovators, residents of the Lower Northeast District planning area gathered Tuesday to see the highlights of four months’ worth of ideas for Frankford, Summerdale, Lawncrest, Northwood, Oxford Circle and part of Castor Gardens.

The third and final public meeting for the planning district was set up as an open house at Frankford’s Globe Dye Works for residents to review the highlight of a plan that will be presented to the Philadelphia Planning Commission later this month. At the first two meetings, participants worked with city planners to identify their neighborhoods’ strength and weaknesses and develop suggestions for improvement. Transit, greenery and connectivity were themes that came up frequently.

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The third and final planning meeting for the Lower Northeast District is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 7 at Globe Dye Works [map] in Frankford.

The first two meetings – held in April and June – called on residents, business owners and other invested community members to talk about their visions for Frankford, Northwood, Lawncrest, Summerdale, Oxford Circle and part of Castor Gardens. continue reading »

A Lower Northeast District map marked with residents' opinions of neighborhoods assets and obstacles from the first Lower Northeast District planning meeting. Photo/Shannon McDonald

The Philadelphia City Planning Commission held its second public meeting for the Lower Northeast District. Residents from the five neighborhoods of Frankford, Northwood, Oxford Circle, Lawncrest and Summerdale met at Saint Martin of Tours School recently to learn and discuss the possible future of their neighborhoods. The district plan is one small part of the city’s comprehensive plan, Philadelphia2035. The first meeting was held in April.

The meeting was conducted with a very hands-on approach setting up small group forums to enable all attending opportunities to listen and speak. Those attending, situated around five tables, held small discussions regarding many various issues ranging from transportation to recreation.

When discussing current conditions along Roosevelt Boulevard, many expressed the need for a better public transportation system in the area, such as a subway or monorail.

Jennifer Barr, a planner for the City Planning Commission, said the agency wanted to know how people felt about transit.

Frankford resident Doug Bryant welcomed the idea of a monorail line over the Boulevard. “I’m thinking rails, you’re talking 20 years from now. I’ll stick around to 2035 for that,” he said. continue reading »

Image/Philadelphia City Planning Commission

The Philadelphia City Planning Commission has scheduled its second meeting for the Lower Northeast District.

Stakeholders from Frankford, Northwood, Summerdale, Lawncrest, Oxford Circle and part of Castor Gardens first met in early April to identify their neighborhoods’ strengths, weaknesses and opportunities. They gathered around seven large maps of the area to discuss the assets and detractors. continue reading »

With the help of the City Planning Commission, PHA and Philadelphia Sports Zone, Upper Holmesburg residents identify areas of note and trouble in their neighborhood that could be improved with better planning. Nearly 100 people attended the meeting.

Last night’s Upper Holmesburg Civic Association meeting drew nearly 100 people, as representatives from the Planning Commission and Public Housing Authority were scheduled to speak.

Ian Litwin, the Commission’s community planner for parts of the Northeast, was the highlighted guest, as the meeting is the first of many to address how Upper Holmesburg fits into the Philadelphia2035 plan.

But five representatives from PHA also stopped by to hear concerns, specifically regarding Liddonfield. The low-income development has been demolished, but residents want to know what’s coming next.

PHA has “no commitments to do anything at the site,” said Michael Johns, head of community planning design at PHA. Johns faced many questions from residents about what’s planned for the Liddonfield property and what will happen in the meantime. continue reading »