💵 RACP RECIPIENTS
The list of recipients for the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program is out.
This is a grant program from the Commonwealth Office of Budget to kickstart useful projects that benefit a whole municipality or region. The first round of grants were award in October. Some notable projects include:
- Frankfort Transportation Center TOD project (Mixed-use development, anchored by a supermarket, a municipal health center and mixed income housing)
- Bartram Village (Mixed-income housing with commercial and amenities including community space, new parks and recreational areas)
- The Trocadero
- Weavers Way
- Various Kensington area housing development grants
- 4151-61 Lancaster Avenue (Commercial space with a grocery store, trade school and daycare center)
- Rec centers: Cecil B. Moore, Carousel House, Shepard, Barrett Playground, Cherashore Playground, Christy, etc.
The Pennsylvania site has an Excel spreadsheet to view all the recipients. We made a fancy table of local recipients if you don't want to download the spreadsheet.
🏛 CITY BUDGET FOCUS GROUP
If Mayor Kenney doesn't escape to Spain before his term is up, his office will be drafting the 2023 budget in spring of next year. As you may be aware, many city services like libraries, trash pickup, and homelessness services are quite low in recieving operating funds, compared to other services. The city has a virtual focus group program for you to voice your opinion about the upcoming budget. The sessions have registration forms in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Portuguese, so make sure to shate this with your neighbors. The soonest one is tomorrow, November 16th, and the rest are after the Thanksgiving holiday, starting back on the 26th. In past budget hearings, we've asked for street sweeping, public restrooms, more Vision Zero implementation, housing programs, and funding for parks & rec. Luckily street sweeping is in its initial phases, but we need all of these things and more to support a first-class city.
(The proposal for 2023 from earlier this year.)
🍻 NOVEMBER MEETUP
Join 5th Square organizers and volunteers for an informal, in-person meet-up over at Woodland Presbyterian Church on November 17th! This is an indoor/outdoor, family-friendly event where we will provide updates on our recent campaigns and talk about what's in store as we start to wrap up 2022. If you've been meaning to check out one of our events or meetings but haven't made it out yet, this will be a good first one to come to. Bring a friend or two! We will have a fire pit going and some light refreshments.
Accessible via SEPTA trolleys 11, 13, 34, and 36, as well as bus routes 30 and 42. $5 suggested donation at the door.
Become a 5th Square member today and shape our city policies!
🚌 Bus Revolution Events
SEPTA's Bus Revolution, the bus network redesign, has the newest draft out for public review. SEPTA is hosting a series of open houses and several webinars to present the draft network with approximate timetables as it pertains to your neighborhood. We strongly encourage you to attend one of these events. This is your chance to see what's about to change, ask questions, and give your feedback. Tell everyone you know! Bring a friend!
Upcoming open houses:
- 11/15 Tue @ 5:30pm
Lower Merion Administration Building (75 E Lancaster Ave, Ardmore) - 11/16 Wed @ 12pm
Indian Valley Public Library (100 E Church Rd Ave, Telford) - 11/16 Wed @ 6pm
The Liacouras Center, Fox-Gittis Room (1776 N Broad Street) - 11/21 Mon @ 6:30pm
Virtual Community Conversation - Bucks & Montgomery Counties - 11/28 Mon @ 6:30pm
Virtual Community Conversation - West Philadelphia - 11/29 Tue @ 6pm
Anderson Hall (6361 Lancaster Ave.) - 11/29 Tue @ 6:30pm
Virtual Community Conversation - On-Demand Service in Great Valley - 11/30 Wed @ 6pm
Esperanza Arts Center, Gran Salon (4261 N 5th Street)
EVENTS
Wednesday, November 16th at 7pm
Roberts Center Plaza, Schuylkill & Bainbridge
WNR is back, making a figure-8 from South to West and Northwest. A moderate 10.5 mi ride that ends at Dock St Brewery on Washington Ave. (Full route on Ride with GPS)
Blossom at Bartram! Complete Streets Project Public Meeting
Thursday, November 17th at 6:30pm (via Zoom)
Lindbergh Boulevard and Grays Avenue are changing. Through in-person events and a survey, we heard from you that these and intersecting streets are unsafe, and you want aggressive change. Join the project team at this virtual meeting to view the final design, ask questions, and learn about next steps. The next in-person presentation is November 21st.
"Changing the Face of the City" Panel Discussion
Wednesday, December 7 from 4pm - 6pm
Center for Architecture and Design, 1218 Arch Street
This is a thought-provoking panel discussion of leaders in the built environment to explore how the historic dynamics of preservation and urban planning have affected current practices in real-estate development, housing, etc.
Webinar: Individual Wayfinding in the Context of Visual Impairment, Blindness, and Deafblindness
Thursday, December 15 at 1:00 PM ET (via Zoom)
In this presentation Amy Parker and Dr. Martin Swobodzinski will highlight past research on human indoor-outdoor wayfinding on an urban college campus. Focus in the presentation will be on the discussion of considerations for wayfinding technology, human subject research design, as well findings and lessons learned across the two projects.
SURVEYS & EMAIL ACTIONS
- Borough of Conshohocken Shuttle Survey - Conshy is studying the feasibility of a shuttle for intra-borough travel.
-
Point Breeze Avenue Redevelopment Plan Community Survey - The City of Philadelphia is preparing a strategic redevelopment plan for the Avenue’s commercial corridor, headed by the Department of Commerce with Kenyatta Johnson.
- Trolley Modernization Station Design Feedback - SEPTA now has examples of trolley station designs that were based on the earlier survey and would like feedback for two new designs.
-
SEPTA Bicycle and Micromobility Survey - SEPTA wants to understand how riders incorporate bicycles, e-bikes, scooters, skateboards, etc. into their transit trips.
WHAT WE'RE READING
🏙️ HOUSING & LAND USE
Orange County Register / It’s about to get a lot easier to build housing in California
Philadelphia Inquirer / Philly City Council is considering new requirement for affordable housing
🌳 PUBLIC SPACE
VICE / Thank You For Your Feedback
🚌 TRANSIT
GRANTS
Pennsylvania Environmental Council has announced their Regrant Program that provides one and two-year grants of $1,000 to $10,000 per year for projects that increase a sense of welcome, belonging, and safety among under-represented groups on the Circuit Trails, which includes trails like the Schuylkill River Trail, Cobbs Creek Trail, Heinz Refuge trails, Delaware River Trail, Camden Waterfront trails, D&R Trail, D&L Trail, among many other trails in area. Priority will be given to projects led by and engaging under-represented and marginalized groups; projects that promote equity and serve historically disinvested communities; and organizations with a budget of less than $500,000.
An informational webinar will be held next week on Wednesday, November 16 from 2pm-3pm. (Register here.) Applications are due by Thursday, December 22, 2022 at 11:59pm. Any questions, please email Emilia Crotty with Pennsylvania Environmental Council at [email protected].
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
The Kelsey / Manager, Housing Development
Philadelphia Cultural Fund / Executive Director
Witty Gritty / open positions
Township of Lower Merion /
Bicycle Transit Systems / Human Resources Coordinator
Indego Bike Share / Field Technician
City of Philadelphia / City Planner 2 (General)
Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia / Development Director
Norris Square Community Alliance / VP of Social Research
Community Legal Services of Philadelphia / Managing Attorney Of The Energy Unit
U3 Advisors / Analyst/Senior Analyst
Jarvus Innovations / Data Engineer
5th Square is Philadelphia's urbanist political action committee.
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