Okay. How many commercial corridors do you anticipate could be funded through this RFP, and what's the total? Did I miss it somewhere? What's the total dollar amount available? 109 11/30/05 - COMMERCE - RES. 041057
I didn't put it in because, frankly, I'm still ascertaining that. There will be about 150,000 available in Main Street funds. There's up to 1.9 million in the NTI Commercial Corridor Support Program, and we're still reviewing available Community Development Block Grant funds. I don't have the number for that.
The top of is sort of the total set of resources that are used to support neighborhood economic development. Some of those are already under contract to organizations or are available on an ongoing basis for neighborhood economic development projects.
And I know you're still going through the assessment trying to figure out what, I guess, the total resource available is, but do you 110 11/30/05 - COMMERCE - RES. 041057 have any sense at the moment of what the average grant might be?
Okay. The top of 2, you made reference to applying to the DVRPC for funding regarding the Centennial District. I don't need you to go through what that's all about, but, of course, I have an interest in the Centennial District, so can we talk later about what the grant is and --
That would be great. Thank you. Last comment. There was discussion -- I know Councilman DiCicco desperately would love to have the trolleys, which at some point I was probably more than happy to give to him. It was probably after about the second or third article that I was more than willing to give him the trolleys, but in 111 11/30/05 - COMMERCE - RES. 041057 any event, they are back. My only real comment about that is, that is a line that runs through a number of different neighborhoods, and Andy Toy and I have discussed this. I think that as much as kind of the Girard Avenue Coalition was very passionate about the trolleys -- and I understand that sense of passion a little better today -- I think that when we have these kind of multi-district issues, it would be helpful if the planning focused on as many components of those different districts so that we don't in some aspect almost have a bit of the tail wagging the dog on what should get done and how it should happen. The neighborhood that may be experiencing a little more pain about the thing that's wanted should get at least as much attention or close to as much attention as the neighborhood who thinks that it's the greatest thing since sliced bread but having none of the hassle that goes with it. 112 11/30/05 - COMMERCE - RES. 041057 In addition, there are multiple components of Girard Avenue. It's a very long street, and there is some amount of commercial activity on the western end of Girard Avenue, nowhere near what may go on in North Philadelphia, but it may have helped ease some of that process if the western Girard Avenue folks, who were pretty much never included in the conversation, could have better understood what some of the potential benefits would be from the return of the trolley. Their view on this was probably best characterized as, We have a bus, it runs, it gets us the same place we want to go as a trolley, what's the big difference. So I think some of this is, process and procedure still matters.
No, and I think we've learned a lot. I mean, part of it just had to do with what resources, people resources, were available. There were some conversations with East Parkside, but, clearly, not enough and 113 11/30/05 - COMMERCE - RES. 041057 not -- East Parkside is not West Parkside and it's not Haddington. Just to follow up on that, one of our concerns and areas we've been looking at is Lancaster Avenue, which is also an extremely long corridor, many districts, lots of different components, lots of plans in place, and one of the things we are looking at is just trying to find a way to pull everybody together to talk about that, because there are a lot of opportunities as well as needs and resources for that corridor. It's another example.
Okay. I look forward to continuing to work with all of you. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you. Is there anyone else to testify on this resolution?
I did have one more question, actually, regarding the mixed-use piece that we talked about 114 11/30/05 - COMMERCE - RES. 041057 earlier, which is one that we're looking at LISC to try to help -- and the City is trying to figure out how to help finance those kinds of developments, upstairs residential and downstairs commercial. The question I had was, there are a lot of places where there are boarded up windows now still on our corridors, and I was under the impression that there was an ordinance that prohibited that or required people to put windows in, but that has not happened in many of our corridors, and I was out on 60th Street yesterday and it was upstairs boarded up windows.
That will allow 115 11/30/05 - COMMERCE - RES. 041057 people to push people in the right direction to develop the upstairs for residential, I think.
Thank you. Is there anyone else to testify? (No response.)
This is the first of several hearings we will have on this issue. I thank everyone for testifying. This hearing is recessed to the call of the Chair. (Committee on Commerce and Economic Development adjourned at 12:00 p.m.) - - - 116 CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings, evidence and objections are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the foregoing matter on November 30, 2005, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. ______________________________ MICHELE L. MURPHY RPR-Notary Public (The foregoing certification of this transcript does not apply to any reproduction of the same by any means, unless under the direct control and/or supervision of the certifying reporter.)