As the Philadelphia2035 process progresses and a second round of public meetings ensues, themes and target areas identified in earlier meetings will be shared and developed.

For the University/Southwest District Plan, which includes neighborhoods from University City, to Mantua, Walnut and Spruce Hills, Kingsessing and more, that means a focused discussion on transit and housing options, according to Andrew Meloney of the Planning Commission, the project manager for this plan, and a West Philadelphia Planner.

Map of the district

The first round of meetings this fall were well attended, according to Meloney. Comments and insights generated by attendees at those meetings have since been reviewed and consolidated by Planning Commission staff design professionals. The beginning stages of design ideas have started to formulate. That’s what was presented and discussed at the second round of meetings, which…

Last week, a meeting was hosted at the F.A.C.T. Charter School on the 1000 block of Callowhill Street to discuss big picture planning issues for a large, loosely connected section of the Central District, referred to as the “Chinatown North/Callowhill section.” According to the meeting summary, this area can be separated into five neighborhoods: Poplar, Callowhill, Chinatown North, Superblocks (the area of low-rise buildings and parking lots between Old City and Northern Liberties), and the Waterfront. The results of this meeting, and others like it across town, will be used to inform the larger Phila2035 Central District Plan.

Area map

This area, while underpopulated relative to its size (about 7,000 residents), has still seen a 92% population growth over the last twelve years. We’d imagine that a fair number of newer residents, along with folks who…

Last year, the City released Phila2035, a comprehensive plan for shaping the city for the next 25 years. Sure, sounds great. But how?

Plan for the future

Adopted by the City Planning Commission last June, the plans were organized into four chapters, defining the context, building on our strengths, framing our future, and making it happen. Simple enough? Filtering down from the citywide version, Phila2035 has divided the city into 18 districts, decreeing a plan that incorporates collaboration between residents, community organizations and city officials.

This month marks the first planning meetings for the Central district, an area that includes, Northern Liberties, East Poplar, West Poplar, Callowhill, Old City, Chinatown, Society Hill, Washington Square West, Queen Village, Bella Vista, Hawthorne, Francisville, Fairmount, Spring Garden, Logan Square, Rittenhouse Square and Southwest Center City. Yes, just about every part of…

In Sunday’s Inquirer, Inga Saffron discusses a new master plan for the Delaware waterfront. A quick summary: low-rise housing, green space, no more concerts on Festival Pier, no capping I-95. We give one thumb down to the Festival Pier item- we like our outdoor concert space but the distinct lack of shade and the countless resulting sunburns make the venue entirely expendable. We give one hundred thumbs down to the I-95 idea- without covering the stretch of I-95 between South St. and Market St., the status quo of many people never interacting with the waterfront will regrettably be maintained.

In the article, architect James Timberlake states ”Forty-six out of seventy-two city streets pass under I-95. It’s not necessary to cap it.” Which makes sense because, you know, people just love walking under an elevated highway. The combination of safety, excellent lighting, and wonderful aesthetics below thousands of cars thundering by…