How many staff members are located at the Ambler facility, and will these jobs be relocated to the City?
It's my understanding these jobs will be relocated into the City of Philadelphia.
I do not have that information for you, Madam President. Of course, I can get that for you today.
Can you tell us how many students attend the Tyler School of Art and how many students does the new facility intend to educate? Nobody has an answer?
I don't have that answer for you. I can provide that for 138 6/6/07 - RULES - BILL 070002, ETC. you this afternoon.
For the record, can you tell us what the cost of this project will be?
I'm sorry, Madam President. I do not have the total for that project, but I know it's a very big and important project for Temple University.
Councilman Kelly is asking what exists there now.
At the spot where Temple Tyler will be built, there is an open-air surface parking lot.
So when do they anticipate beginning with this project and what is the completion date?
We anticipate 139 6/6/07 - RULES - BILL 070002, ETC. starting obviously as soon as possible. When the bill is passed and it's certified, we would go through the process of pulling the permits that we needed and they wanted to break ground as soon as possible.
Any questions from members of the Committee? The Chair recognizes Councilman Kelly.
I just have a question. You mention that the facility as it exists today, it's going to be built on a parking lot?
Are you going to have suitable parking when you complete this facility?
Yes. Actually, part of that has already been approved and we've been approved through L&I. We have additional parking across the street in another parking lot. So there's 140 6/6/07 - RULES - BILL 070002, ETC. sufficient parking. We've been approved for that from the zoning.
And that would be sufficient to hold the additional people?
Thank you, Madam President. Are there any City dollars involved with this project?
Any City dollars? That I do not know. I can find that out and let you know that information.
I will confirm that. I will confirm what Mr. Soffer has 141 6/6/07 - RULES - BILL 070002, ETC. said.
If there are City dollars involved, then there would be required an Economic Opportunity Plan.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Let me kind of update members of the Committee on where we are. The building is actually already under construction, is substantially under construction. The foundation is built. We actually had a groundbreaking ceremony about three weeks ago, quite significant. The purpose of this legislation is that the earlier IDD authorization called for a two-story building. As was indicated earlier, there needs to be additional space because they're going to increase the size of the administrative and some of the classroom space, so we had to do this ordinance to add an 142 6/6/07 - RULES - BILL 070002, ETC. additional floor. The construction of the building as a result of Temple's traditional policy, Temple has hired Greater Urban Affairs Coalition to monitor and solicit participation for MBE and WBE. So the traditional process is in place. There is an Equal Opportunity Plan. There is in fact a plan as it relates to residents. I believe that there are going to be more than 100 faculty members. It actually may be more. I think it's between 100 and 200 faculty members that will be moving from the Ambler campus to the local campus, along with all of the students. So it will be an entire relocation of all administrative and classroom operations will move to the site. The parking actually of the -- the building is actually being built on the former parking lot at 12th and Diamond. The Temple University purchased 143 6/6/07 - RULES - BILL 070002, ETC. a parcel adjacent to the site from the Redevelopment Authority approximately a year ago, and the determination was to build a parking lot on that site, because if they had built a building, it would have been a three-story structure directly adjacent to the existing residents from Norris Home. So the parking lot will actually be a buffer from the actual residents. The money that was paid to the Redevelopment Authority for the purchase of the site was actually committed to an affordable housing development in close proximity to the development. I think it's going to be at 10th and Berks. So that's kind of how the transaction worked. I will send my invoices to Temple University.
Any other questions from members of the 144 6/6/07 - RULES - BILL 070002, ETC. Committee of the two witnesses? (No response.)
Do we have anyone else to testify on this bill? Please approach the witness table, kindly identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony.
My name is Judith Robinson and I'm a resident in the immediate area of Temple University, and I'm happy to know that Tyler Art School is coming to North Philadelphia. That's a really good thing. Years ago I took Saturday art classes at Tyler on Temple's main campus on Saturdays. So I'm really happy to note they're coming to town. However, as Temple expands, I want to just make sure that they understand that the community that surrounds them welcomes them and wants to be a part of all that they're doing. There seems to be a little disconnect, and I'll tell you what I mean. The Draft Horse Restaurant, very 145 6/6/07 - RULES - BILL 070002, ETC. nice restaurant in the area on Cecil B. Moore Avenue, it closes on the weekends, which is a little strange for a restaurant. So it appears from the community's standpoint that it's sort of like a Temple restaurant or a Temple entity that's not really for the community, because that's strange for it to close on the weekends. Now, as a businessperson, I know if you don't have business, then you cannot stay open just to be there. But if Temple used all of their clout to encourage their residents, their employees, their students to partake in the community like we're all living there together as a neighborhood, I think that we all together could support a restaurant to be open on the weekends. In addition, I know the community has for many years used Temple's facilities, but they're like health clubs and entities like that that I think should be more open to the 146 6/6/07 - RULES - BILL 070002, ETC. community. Years ago I took dance classes at the student center at Broad and Tioga. I just would like more of that. There's always this health issue. They have this beautiful facility at Cecil B. Moore and 15th Street and maybe there can be some kind of arrangement on off hours or when the student population is not so heavy that the community could use those facilities also. I don't want to get in the way of students, because I understand that it is for the students for the most part, but there needs to be some connectivity to the community so there is not this feeling of them against us, so to speak. Temple students are expanding more and more into the community. That's a good thing. As a property owner, I look to have some of those art students maybe rent my facilities. So it's a good thing.
Thank you. 147 6/6/07 - RULES - BILL 070002, ETC.
But I just want Temple's encouragement. For instance, they could do employee-assisted housing. There is monies from the NTI funds that could assist them in that regard. Temple always cries about not having the endowment that University of Penn does, but just basic marketing and encouragement could be of value. The students seem to be more proactive in intermingling in the community than maybe faculty, because they're more set in their ways, I guess, and I think because the students are there expanding into the community, issues such as safety, cleanliness could be supported community and Temple-wise. So thank you very much for your listening.
Thank you. Thank you very much. Do we have anyone else to testify on this bill? (No response.) 148 6/6/07 - RULES - BILL 070002, ETC.
Seeing no one, I would suggest Mr. McPherson immediately read Bill No. 5 070002. MR. McPHERSON: An ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Orthodox Street, Garden Street, Lefevre Street, Richmond Street, Buckius Street and the Delaware River.
Again, as of 2:30 yesterday, we had not received any testimony regarding this bill.
I will double-check, because we had sent it twice, but I will definitely follow up on that.
I really don't like this practice of we're not getting testimony 48 hours prior to the hearing.
Good afternoon, Madam President and members of the Rules Committee. I am Martin Soffer and I'm here to testify on Bill No. 070002, which was introduced by Councilmember Krajewski on January 23, 2007. This ordinance will rezone the former Philly Coke site, a 78-acre former industrial site that is currently vacant land, from a zoning designation of partly R-9A Residential and partly G-2 General Industrial and partly LR Least Restricted to partly R-9A Residential and partly WRD, that's Waterfront Redevelopment District. The site is located between Orthodox and Buckius Street in the Bridesburg section of the City. The zoning designation requires the adoption of an illustrative site plan as well as a master plan narrative. The proposed development for this site will contain a mix of 150 6/6/07 - RULES - BILL 070002, ETC. residential units with some commercial development. All of the streets in this plan will be public City streets. A maximum 70-foot setback along the riverfront is being provided that will contain public access to the waterfront and a 12-foot-wide bike path. In addition, public parking will be provided on the north side of Orthodox Street to the east of Delaware Avenue. The plan calls for the development of over 1,000 units that will be located in the west of the former bed of Delaware Avenue. The portion of the site east of the former bed of Delaware Avenue is indicated for future development and will require both City Planning and City Council's approvals at a later date. At the request of the Law Department, a copy both of the illustrative site plan and the master plan narrative are to be added to Bill 24 No. 070002 as exhibits. To this end, I have the proposed amendments for your 151 6/6/07 - RULES - BILL 070002, ETC. consideration. The Planning Commission, at its meeting of April 19, 2007, considered and approved Bill No. 070002 and adopted both the illustrative site plan and the master plan narrative for the development of this site. This concludes my testimony. I appreciate the opportunity to appear before you and would be pleased to answer any questions.
Thank you. What is the approximate acreage of this property?
Do you have any indication as to what the approximate cost would be for the 152 6/6/07 - RULES - BILL 070002, ETC. development?
There's different costs for different types of development. I'll defer that to two representatives from the Westrum Corporation.
Madam President, Carl Primavera on behalf of the Westrum. And I also introduce at this time Paul Loney and John Dean. If the question was the total cost to the developer, this is three quarters of a billion dollar ultimate development of investment in the property. With regard to the actual purchasers, I'll let Mr. Loney describe that, but the concept is to provide a variety of housing types at different price points so there will be something available for what we'll call first-time buyers all the way hopefully up for Westrum to people who want to have a more lavish life-style and maybe even on the 153 6/6/07 - RULES - BILL 070002, ETC. undeveloped portion at a later date when we come back to Council, these people will be closer to the water. So the idea is to create a variety of population, all of whom will benefit from the proximity to the waterfront and also, as Paul will tell you, there is going to be a dedicated walking area along the river for everybody. So, Paul, do you want to go into that?
I'm also going to hand this out. There's three plans for each package. They're not stapled. I'm sorry. But I put them in little groups. Thank you.
My name is Paul Loney, Philadelphia Projects Director from Westrum Development. We've worked very hard over the past year or longer with the community and the Delaware River City Corporation 154 6/6/07 - RULES - BILL 070002, ETC. to bring a development to this area that everyone would be very happy with. One of the big concerns of the community that they're very proud of in Bridesburg is that the Bridesburg community would continue into this development. So what we had done was nothing higher than a three-story building or a four-story building, which L&I calls it, will be done west of Delaware Avenue. This is all going to be the continuation of the community that the Bridesburg folks have seen, that they're used to and they're comfortable with. That's what they had asked for. And they understand in the future development that this could be a high-rise or different types of mixed-use property out there. But at this point, we're not ready to say what that is. It's still too early. That's probably not going to be developed for another five or ten years. One of the things that the City had asked us, they're constructing this 155 6/6/07 - RULES - BILL 070002, ETC. greenway along the river. We are dedicating a minimum of 70 feet and a maximum of 200 feet to this greenway, and we will construct the greenway and give public access to that in the first phase of our development. So one of the things that the people in Bridesburg were upset about was that they live along the river, they see the river, but they have no way to get to the river. Well, in the first phase of our development, if it goes through, that's what we're going to do. We're going to give them access to the river. It's for the complete public. They can drive down Orthodox Street, park their car, get their bikes out and go on the bike path. We've met with, again, the community development corporation up there, the business persons association, the civic association. They're all in favor of it. The Councilwoman is completely behind this. And we're going to meet all the zoning qualifications 156 6/6/07 - RULES - BILL 070002, ETC. that are in the waterfront development district. We're not asking for any variances or anything other than what has already been passed by Council in saying that that's what they feel should be developed up here. So that's all I have at the moment and I'd be glad to answer any questions about this.
Thank you. Any questions by members of the Committee? The Chair recognizes Councilman O'Neill.
I have a couple brief questions. Mr. Loney, the area that we're looking at with the proposed homes, filled-in area, about how many acres is that?
And the 157 6/6/07 - RULES - BILL 070002, ETC. proposed Delaware Avenue, I'm just trying to figure out, I drive through this area a lot when 95 is clogged up and I'm always looking for another way.
The proposed Delaware Avenue south of Orthodox, what does it connect with?
Well, it connects with -- there's another section of Delaware Avenue that will go all the way down to Wheatsheaf Lane, which is where it ends now. So it's going to connect to that Delaware Avenue, the big wide Delaware Avenue on the other side of the creek.
So I'll be able to go from Buckius all the way to Wheatsheaf Lane on Delaware Avenue?
Yes, you will. And beyond that. You'll be able to go all the way to Allegheny Avenue at this time.
Terrific. 158 6/6/07 - RULES - BILL 070002, ETC. Will these homes have a brick exterior similar to the neighborhood?
They will. They probably won't be completely brick, but what we'll do is, we'll work as we develop product over the time and, again, we'll go back to the community with that like we did in Schuylkill Falls and say, Is this okay, and different things like that. We're not going to really go too far down the line, because the community and the Councilwoman are very close and we don't need to have our heads ripped off if we're putting ugly things there.
Well, some of the nicest row homes and even singles are being built by, I believe, a small builder, not real large operation, but it's at the foot of Thompson Street going south right where you hit the dead end, so you have to go over to Richmond Street because of the Betsy Ross overpass. And they're all brick -- well, if they're not all brick, they're mostly brick. But 159 6/6/07 - RULES - BILL 070002, ETC. they're very, very attractive, and there's singles on the side that backs up to the highway. These are row homes I'd put anywhere in my district and be proud of them. I don't care what section of my district it would be. They're that attractive. I think it's called Bridesburg Estates or something.
Betsy Ross Estates. And from what I understand, they're getting very nice prices for them.
Any other questions or comments from members of the Committee? (No response.)
We respectfully request if you could suspend the rules as well on this. Thank you. 160 6/6/07 - RULES - BILL 070002, ETC.
Thank you. Do we have anyone else to testify on this bill? (No response.)
Seeing no one, this will conclude our public hearing. We will now go into our public meeting, and the Chair recognizes Councilman Clarke regarding Bill No. 17 070236.
Thank you, Madam Chair. There apparently has been an amendment circulated for 070236. I move for the adoption of the amendment to Bill No. 070236. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that the 161 6/6/07 - RULES - BILL 070002, ETC. amendment be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
Madam President, I move that Bill No. 070236 as amended be reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation and a request for rules suspension as to allow for reading at the next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Bill No. 20 070236 as amended be reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation; further, that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading at our next session of Council. 162 6/6/07 - RULES - BILL 070002, ETC. All in favor will please say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion carries. The Chair recognizes Councilman Greenlee regarding Bill No. 070266.
Madam President, I move that Bill No. 070266 be reported out of this Committee with a favorable recommendation. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Bill No. 19 070266 be reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation. All in favor will please say aye. (Aye.)
Those opposed? 163 6/6/07 - RULES - BILL 070002, ETC. (No response.)
The ayes have it and the motion carries. Bill No. 070342 is being continued until tomorrow morning, June the 7th at 9:45 a.m. The Chair again recognizes Councilman Clarke regarding Bill No. 10 070372.
Madam President, I move the adoption of the amendment of Bill No. 070372. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that the amendment proposed earlier be adopted. All in favor will please say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the amendment is 164 6/6/07 - RULES - BILL 070002, ETC. adopted. Again, the Chair recognizes Councilman Clarke.
I move that Bill No. 070372 as amended be reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation and a request for rules suspension as to allow reading at the next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Bill No. 14 070372 be reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation as amended and, further, that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading at our next session of Council. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion carries. 165 6/6/07 - RULES - BILL 070002, ETC. The Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney regarding Bill No. 070002.
Madam President, I move that Bill No. 070002 be amended accordingly regarding the testimony. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that the amendment as proposed earlier be adopted. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion carries. Again, the Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney.
Thank you, Madam President. I move that Bill No. 23 070002 as amended be reported out of this Committee favorably with a request made for rules suspension to allow for first 166 6/6/07 - RULES - BILL 070002, ETC. reading at our next Council session. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Bill No. 6 070002 be reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation as amended; further, that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading at our next Council session. All in favor will say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it. The motion carries. And that concludes our public meeting. Thank you very much. (Committee on Rules adjourned at 12:50 p.m.) - - - 167 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 June 6, 2007, 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.)