Thank you, Member Harrity. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Brooks, then Councilmember Young.
Thank you, Council President. This question is for Public Property. The Mayor has proposed $2 billion housing initiatives that include billion in Philadelphia property that the city hopes to transfer to private developers to facilitate the HOME initiative. Can you provide us with a list of current properties under consideration for inclusion in the HOME initiative? COMMISSIONER BRASKY: At this time I am not aware of the properties. That would be a question for the HOME project. I'm just the signature of the, you know, the property, so I'm not aware and I haven't provided any information yet.
Okay. So my other question is about the Chinatown Development Corporation. Other community groups have singled out the Roundhouse, the former police administrative building, as a key opportunity to develop affordable housing on publicly owned property. Can you tell us about your department's involvement in this effort and how it would impact or be impacted by that development? COMMISSIONER BRASKY: That would be a question for Planning. That's a bigger commercial project and I'm not sure what's included in project HOME yet or HOME, so I'm not sure -- I can't speak on. I'm not -- I don't have the right information to give you at this time.
Okay. This is another property question. It might be the same thing so. COMMISSIONER BRASKY: Go ahead.
So the Philly HOME at 2100 Girard was conducted as a state property and it formerly housed tuberculosis ward, meaning that is air conditioning constantly filters outdoor air inside. And it has scored remarkably low rating on environmental tests as a result. And I understand that the lease on Philly HOME will expire soon, meaning that the city can either purchase a property from the Commonwealth, modify the lease or move from the site. Is the city planning on purchasing this property from the Commonwealth, and if so, what would be the anticipated cost for a purchase or a renovation? COMMISSIONER BRASKY: And then we're talking about Philly HOME at Girard, right?
Yes. COMMISSIONER BRASKY: Yes. We actually just took over maintenance for it, that was included in the wellness program. So we're -- we're doing improvements now to get everything up-to-date and -- but as far as there's not been no conversations of purchasing the building yet. I think that's a bigger conversation with, like you said, Planning. And we will look at options to see what our options are, but at this time there has been no talks about it.
So are there any plans in place to consider the structural environmental concerns of this building to ensure that it's safe for inhabitants before we figure out what the next steps are? I know you guys are using a portion of the building, but if we're on the entire -- COMMISSIONER BRASKY: Sure. I mean, we could do an evaluation of it. We just actually I'm -- I'm learning about the building myself because we just took it over in January, we're officially in February. So we're really digging deep into Philly at Girard. I mean, we're learning a lot about the building. And that's one of our standards to get the facility up-to- date make sure it's safe and clean for residents.
Okay. One other question. COMMISSIONER BRASKY: Go ahead.
So in the past year we've seen a significant number of major buildings and institutions closed down. For example, the University of Art closures and some other a major buildings and building makeovers was that put a historically significant -- I'm sorry, I'm jumping around. Let me get the question. Is Public Property engaged in any effort to purchase some of these properties or evaluate the economic opportunity or efficiency of doing so? And if not, how is the Public Property working with private investors to ensure that at risk publicly significant architecture in Philadelphia is being meaningfully steward over? So like the Art Institute down that end and the Wanamaker building and so many buildings that are -- COMMISSIONER BRASKY: And I think that's bigger than Public Property. Like I said, it goes back to the Planning Commission, the administration. But we'd work together as a team to determine what our options are. If, say we wanted to buy the Wanamaker building, we'd have to you know talk with finance, we'd have to view our options and really it would be more of a Planning Commission-type decision. But we would work closely with them. As you could see there's probably buildings that are going to be up for sale like you mentioned. We would just have to really generate and bring up the opportunity, and see how the Administration and Planning feel about it.
Thank you so much. COMMISSIONER BRASKY: No 13 problem. Thank you.
Thank you, Member Brooks. The chair recognizes Councilmember Jeffrey J. Young, North Philly.
Thank you, Mr. President. I just want to say thank you to both of you. Your departments touch literally every single city department, so I just want to say thank you for the work that you're doing, you know, because the city wouldn't run without your departments. So the one question I have for Public Property, I mean it's a very minute question, but City Hall is in the 5th Council District. And, you know, just looking at some things in City Hall, I noticed when visitors come in, they always, you know, look -- they try to get hand sanitizer, it's never anything there, right? So --
Time out, time out, time out. Did you just pull a rank? Did you just pull a rank and said City Hall is in the 5th Councilmatic District?
That was -- that's like heavy rank. Okay, sir. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Young. Love it.
And I just noticed that again when visitors come in, you know -- you know, this is the -- we want to give them a great impression of this of this building of our city and something as small as hand sanitizer can -- COMMISSIONER BRASKY: Sure.
You know kind of discourage that. COMMISSIONER BRASKY: Right.
So if we can figure out -- I know it's post COVID and all, but people still got used to that, so can we, you know, kind of fill the hand sanitizers up, that would be very appreciated.
You got it. We'll take -- we'll keep track. I know it's hit or miss with the hand sanitizers. We look at keeping up, you know, safe conditions for visitors. I know visitors coming and going like to use it. That's totally fine. We as you walk around there's some automated ones that we keep, but we'll make a conscious effort to make sure -- I'll talk to our cleaning vendor to make sure everything's upkeep --
Yeah. And also with the restrooms I'd like to, you know, thank you for expanding that opportunity for our visitors to use our restrooms here in City Hall because public restrooms are limited in Center City. And so if we can, you know, make sure that we stay on top of that, that'll be helpful as well. COMMISSIONER BRASKY: Note taken. Yup. I appreciate it.
Thank you, Member Young. Are there any other questions from members of the committee? Okay. Chair recognizes Councilmember Dr. Nina Ahmad.
Just piggybacking on my colleague here about hand sanitizer. Slightly bigger question about Looking at our City Hall, I was just talking to my colleague Jamie Gauthier about this at lunch. And we would love to uh spruce up City Hall. It's an iconic building. And the lighting when we enter the -- I was ready to say power wash the stairs. This is -- this is a historic and a tourist site. And I just wondered where would this lay in terms of improving our look? COMMISSIONER BRASKY: Thank you, Councilmember. Thank you Councilmember for that. I don't know if any of you know my background. I was -- years ago I 6 started in City Hall. City Hall is 7 my pride and joy. I take -- nobody 8 can really talk about City Hall and 9 I kind of get a little offended. 10 We've done a lot of 11 renovations over the years, needed 12 renovations, new drop ceilings, new 13 high hats, LED lights. The money 14 only goes so far. So we have a long 15 time -- 16
17 Pause. Now when you say the money 18 only goes so far, we're at a budget hearing to discuss closely, what is it, $7 billion budget. And so we're talking about the budget regarding that money going even further. COMMISSIONER BRASKY: I totally agree. No, we taking -- we try to take care of the more structural things, the more things that we need new wiring, new lighting. So some of the cosmetics kind of go away, but we have painting in here every year, we have painters we -- constantly through the hallways painting. So we're constantly updating trying to upkeep the bathrooms. We do our best to, you know, and it's also we don't want to modernize it too much either because it is a historical building. So we could work with the cleaning vendors to power wash the steps. I also went as far as looking into trying to re shine the brass rails and stuff like that, just to bring back the feel of the old building.
Yeah. So I would highly recommend working making this a public/private partnership. COMMISSIONER BRASKY: Sure.
Working with our historical societies and nonprofit -- you know, philanthropic nonprofits to come up with sort of a plan which retains the historical nature and does not destroy that, but at the same time updates like our HVAC systems or, you know, we have terrible issues with our heating and cooling in our offices. But more than that, I think if we update what we look like and the pride we need to take in our City Hall as an iconic structure in the city, I think it'll pay for itself. COMMISSIONER BRASKY: Sure.
Right. So I would love to -- COMMISSIONER BRASKY: I totally agree.
You know I am the vice chair of the global opportunities and innovative economy, I would love to take this as a project to work with you. Thank you so much. COMMISSIONER BRASKY: I appreciate it. Thank you.
And I appreciate your passion for City Hall. COMMISSIONER BRASKY: Thank you.
Well, thank you. Any other questions from members of the committee? Hearing none, we want to thank the two of you for your testimony. I want to also just reiterate just one last aspect, any way we could be supportive as you refurbish, revitalize the building and obviously you're taking care of the structural things first, and then deal then with the cosmetics. Probably additional lighting will be helpful as well. COMMISSIONER BRASKY: Sure.
And I'm a big fan of getting those drop ceilings like the panels. COMMISSIONER BRASKY: I know.
Especially on the 5th floor south in my office. COMMISSIONER BRASKY: That was one of our questions we were just talking with the building manager about updating.
And the last thing also so and you know some new members like took me to task on this, more so for them more so than I, for us guys. Like I would overhaul all the bathrooms, right? All of them. COMMISSIONER BRASKY: Beautiful.
Because you have, you know, young ladies go and use the room -- use the bathrooms. And I know that's been a big request from day one. And everybody can't get a bathroom in their office at the moment. And so I just think that would be like a great upgrade and an amenity just in terms of the quality of life for those who work in City Hall, I think that would just be something great to take a look at. COMMISSIONER BRASKY: I'm all for it.
And then we will advocate from a budgetary standpoint to make sure something like that has -- that's like the bare minimum in terms of the baseline. Just like super upgrading -- make the bathroom an experience. COMMISSIONER BRASKY: I got you, yeah. You want to meet -- I totally agree. And then if any Councilmember does have a problem, please reach out to me personally. If there's any questions or updates that you do need, we're here. Just reach out to us, we're willing to do it. But I agree with the bathroom experience.
Just make it an experience, like -- COMMISSIONER BRASKY: Yeah.
You know, go to Tokyo -- COMMISSIONER BRASKY: Go to Tokyo -- COMMISSIONER BRASKY: We'll do the hand towels.
Yeah. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Quetcy Lozada.
I clicked in earlier, but my colleague asked the same question. I just want to, for the record, say thank you. Thank you to you and your team for always being very responsive to me and my office. Nothing more. Grateful.
Well, congratulations on kicking off your tenure as Public Property Commissioner. COMMISSIONER BRASKY: Appreciate it.
So expect more of this because this is, you know, how this process work, but we know -- we know where your heart at and your commitment in terms of your job. And thank you, Commissioner Joe, for making sure -- John, for making sure that we're doing what we're supposed to be doing in terms of our fleet. With that being said, the Chair recognizes Councilmember Gilmore-Richardson for a motion that the public hearing meeting on the bills and resolutions before the committee today stand in recess until Wednesday, April 16th, 2025, at 10:00 a.m in room 400.
It has been moved and properly seconded that the public hearing and meeting on the bills and resolution before the committee today stand in recess until Wednesday, April 16th, 2025, at 10:00 a.m in room 400. All those in favor, signify by saying aye. Those opposed? The ayes have it and this motion carries. The committee will stand in recess until Wednesday, April 16th at 10:00 a.m. Thank you everyone for your service. (Public hearing and meeting on bills and resolutions concluded at 3:25 p.m.) C E R T I F I C A T I O N I hereby certify that the proceedings and evidence are contained fully and accurately in the notes taken by me of the above case, and this copy is a correct transcript of the same. _______________ Samanda J. Rios