img

img

welcome to Temple

img BACK TO NEIGHBORHOOD
Tue
Oct 18
2011

LEED Certified PHA Housing Coming Along in North Philadelphia

As we reported back in April, PHA is constructing fifty-one new units on the 2000 block of N. 11th St., which are replacing the demolished Norris Apartments high-rise, a 179-unit building originally constructed in the 1950′s. The new Norris Apartments are located a block from the North Philadelphia Septa station, right next door to the Temple’s soon-to-be-built Diamond Green complex, which we wrote about last week. In the past six months, construction has been ongoing and it appears to be on target for the originally anticipated Spring completion date.

The old building

Rendering

Another rendering

Movin' along

Looks like market rate housing

View from behind, on Diamond St.

Last week, this project won the “Building a More Perfect Pennsylvania Award” from 10,000 Friends of PA,  an organization committed to smart growth and good land-use policies in the state. The award recognizes PHA’s new approach with this particular development, showing that green building and design standards can be implemented in public housing. With solar-powered water heaters, improved storm water runoff management, energy-star windows, and passive heating systems, these homes are expected to save residents at least 20% on their energy costs. Also, all of the building materials are locally sourced. That’s good news for residents, and good news for the planet.

As anyone who reads this blog has regularly noticed, we don’t hesitate to give PHA the business when appropriate. But we have to give them their due praise for this particular project. Kudos to PHA and architects Blackney Hayes on a development that could really be a game changer for public housing in Philadelphia.

Now, if PHA would just auction off their extremely desirable vacant South Philly properties AND do a better job managing problem tenants, we’ll be friends forever. How bout it, guys?

12
COMMENTS
img
Posted in Temple | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments
  • Slate

    The PHA has way too much money on it’s hands..

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=608975509 Terry Nicol

    Isn’t there a giant parking lot in the middle of this development?  It’s right across from a train station – why does it need so much parking?

  • Guest

    Look at the new MLK homes at around 13th and Fitzwater.  They all have a huge backyard, err, I mean parking strip.   In a neighborhood where parking is hard to come by even for middle class residents who can more than afford cars, why would it be necessary to waste the space on parking?

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001415182229 Lewis Fernrock

    Not providing parking for the development’s residents will not make it easier for “middle class residents who can more than afford cars” to find a spot..  

  • Guest

    There are parking spaces for only about 50 cars.  The rest of the area will be landscaped backyards, and a common area above a giant rainwater collection/infiltration system designed to handle almost all the runoff from roofs, green areas and parking areas.

  • Guest

    Lewis, you miss the point.  It was not that middle class people deserve parking more.  It was that if the area is suitable for middle class with a large deal of wealth to live without a surplus of parking then why is it a good idea to build public housing with so much parking?  Clearly there is access to transit in the area.  But why waste 25+% of the land on parking?  Why not provide more public housing units?  Why not provide more park space?  It makes no sense when the public housing in a neighborhood incorporates the least dense land use.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001415182229 Lewis Fernrock

    Ah, then I did miss your point. Agreed. 

  • http://nakedphilly.com/temple/unexpected-green-construction-in-north-philadelphia/ Unexpected Green Construction in North Philadelphia | NakedPhilly

    [...] Probably our favorite thing about this development is that it literally screams “THESE ARE GREEN HOMES!” And that’s the first time we’ve ever really seen that in affordable housing projects in Philadelphia, aside from the still-in-process Norris Apartments from PHA. [...]

  • http://nakedphilly.com/temple/update-pha-gets-it-right-with-new-norris-apartments/ Update: PHA Gets it Right With New Norris Apartments | NakedPhilly

    [...] ago, we gave you an update on PHA‘s Norris Apartments, a fifty-one unit development on the  2000 block of N. 11th St. [...]

  • Dyneshamitchell

    I’m trying to get in one of your homes how do i reply

  • Natalyrtz

    how do we apply for this?

  • http://www.mypuertoricangenealogy.com/apm-green-construction-in-n-philadelphia/ APM Green Construction in N Philadelphia – My Puerto Rican Genealogy

    [...] Probably our favorite thing about this development is that it literally screams “THESE ARE GREEN HOMES!” And that’s the first time we’ve ever really seen that in affordable housing projects in Philadelphia, aside from the still-in-process Norris Apartments from PHA. [...]

Have a Story for us?
Email Tips@Nakedphilly.com
With Photos & gossip