COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC HEARING COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY AND PUBLIC WORKS - - - Room 696, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Wednesday, February 12, 2003 1:10 p.m. - - - BILL 020759 - an Ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into a lease with Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania... BILL 020814 - an Ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to grant to each of the respective owners of 9001, 9003, and 9005 Jennifer Terrace an easement... BILL 030025 - an Ordinance authorizing the Commission of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to accept from the School District of Philadelphia conveyance of title to a certain parcel of land located at 11th and Venango Streets. - - - PRESENT: COUNCILMAN JAMES KENNEY, Chairman COUNCILMAN DARRELL CLARKE COUNCILWOMAN JOAN KRAJEWSKI COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER COUNCILWOMAN BLONDELL REYNOLDS-BROWN COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO - - - V A R A L L O, INCORPORATED Litigation Support Services Eleven Penn Center 1835 Market Street, Suite 600 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 (215) 561-2220 I N D E X BILL 030025 PAGE KEN SIPOS, Public Property .................. MARGARET ADAMS .............................. CARLTON WILLIAMS, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Recreation ............... CYNTHIA BARNES .............................. GLORIA MARTIN ............................... JOANNE TAYLOR ............................... 7 BILL 020759 8 KEN SIPOS, Public Property .................. 12 DUANE BUMB, Deputy Commerce Director ........ 14 RONALD HINTON, Allegheny West Foundation .... 16 BILL 020814 KEN SIPOS, Public Property .................. 18 3 2/12/03 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 030025
Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. The Committee on Public Property and Public Works is now in session to take testimony on three pieces of legislation. We have a quorum in attendance today. The first bill on the Calendar is an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to accept from the School District of Philadelphia conveyance of title to a certain parcel of land located at 11th and Venango Streets, formerly the site of Richard Wright Elementary School, under certain terms and conditions. Please identify yourself for the record and proceed.
Mr. Chairman, my name is Ken Sipos. I'm testifying for Commissioner Perez. I'm here today to testify in support of Bill No. 030025, an ordinance authorizing the Commission on behalf of the City to accept from the School District conveyance of certain title to a certain parcel of land located 11th and Venango Streets, formerly the site of the Richard Wright Elementary School, under certain terms and condition. 4 2/12/03 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 030025 This parcel will be used as a neighborhood recreation site. This bill supports the Recreation Department and allowing development of the site that is surplus to the School District. The Department of Public Property supports the measure, and accordingly, I respectfully ask that City Council Committee on Public Property and Public Works approve Bill No. 10 030025. I also ask that the rules be suspended so that the ordinance may be passed upon the second reading of Council. Thank you very much.
Thank you very much for your testimony. Any questions for this witness? If not, the Chair recognizes Councilman Clarke.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman we have a couple of residents from the surrounding community. This particular parcel of land actually goes back some time for a number of years prior to me becoming a Councilperson. The community has been trying to develop a re-use strategy for a parcel of land. And fortunately, we've finally gotten the School 5 2/12/03 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 030025 District to agree, hopefully, to convey the property to the City. We have some residents. We have an individual representing Safe and Sound who is also a resident. And we have a representative from the Recreation Commissioner's office to talk about the proposed reuse, and I would like those residents to testify if at all possible.
Please. Whoever would like to speak, please come forward. Anyone who would like to speak.
Good afternoon. My name is Margaret Adams, and I live at 1214 West Butler. The Richard Wright School, it was closed down at least 30-some years ago because it was replaced by Bethune School at Rising Sun Avenue. And in our area, we do not have a playground at all, unfortunately. The closest one is the Hunting Park. And there is no 19 place for the children or even the adults to go for recreation in the area. And we indeed need a playground very badly so we thought that this would be an ideal place for them to have at least a basketball court or a tennis court. And so we are hoping that the City will be able to do what is necessary to make this a safe playground for our 6 2/12/03 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 030025 neighborhood.
Thank you very much for your testimony. Councilman Clarke, did you have anything to add?
Good afternoon, Councilmembers. My name Deputy Commissioner Carlton Williams from the Department of Recreation. I was here today I've attended a couple of meetings with the community group in support their quest to build a passive recreation play area in that area.
Thank you very much for your testimony. Any questions for the Deputy Commissioner?
Passive means a low maintenance area park which consists what the last 7 2/12/03 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 030025 testifier just said about a basketball and a play area.
Thank you for coming in. Could you please identify yourself for the record?
My name is Cynthia Barnes. I am a resident of the 3600 block of North 11th Street. I'm alo an employee of the City of Philadelphia, Mayor's Office of Community Services, former employee of the Philadelphia Safe and Sound where we started this initiative in the beginning. My husband is also block captain. There is a basketball courts or anything. But what we have done for the children is we have bought, you know, the basketball courts that you get from Modell's.
And kids are in line waiting to play. So we definitely something for them to do there.
Great. Thank you for coming in. Thank you for your patience. 8 2/12/03 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 030025 Is there anyone else who would like to testify on this bill? Please come forward. Good after noon.
Good afternoon. My name is Gloria Martin. I don't live in that particular area, but I'm backing them because I know that the children need somewhere to play. If not, then they can cause chaos. So therefore, I'm a neighbor who lives at 19tj and Erie, but I support them. Thank you very much.
Good afternoon. My name is Joanne Taylor, and I'm the block captain of 3500 of Warnock Street. Testimony regarding the proposed recreational site to be located 11th and Venango. President Verna, 5th District Councilman Darrell Clarke, and all Council representatives, good afternoon.
I'm Joanne Taylor, Treasurer, presenting this testimony. Most of the residents within the 9 2/12/03 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 030025 Huntington Park community continues to express their opinions about the lack of capital improvements within the 43rd Ward and especially not having a community center where constructive recreational activities, senior citizens programs, and diversified development programs can be housed. When asked about their support for the proposed recreational site at 11th and Venango, their comments were: Where will our children enjoy recreational activities during inclement weather? And where else is there? Is all the community will receive for our children? There were other questions and comments. However, this isn't the time or the place, for they are too numerous to mention. I would do the community a disservice if I didn't bring to your attention a major problem existing within one block of the proposed recreational site. It is the dangerous condition of vacant and deteriorated houses that have been deemed eminently dangerous L&I dating back to 1985. These properties are about to fall. I only mention this because the children living within this activity organized block will new recreational site and 10 2/12/03 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 030025 wonder why the City continues to disregard the safety and the health and the lives of the people living within the 3500 Block of Warnock, a block with 80 percent voter participation. With that being said and knowing that the 43rd Ward is under-serviced, we are indeed joyous that our Councilman has undertaken the task of providing the community, at a minimum, a bandage approach to our request of having a community center. Therefore, let it be known that we support the proposed development of a recreational site to be housed at 11th and Venango. The record should also show that we are in need of a community center, an ice-skating rink, and all of the other invaluable services provided in our City Council districts. We thank you for your support. Our hard-working Councilman with his attempts to make Huntington Park a better place to live, work, play, and vote.
Thank you very much for your testimony. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Clarke.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 11 2/12/03 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 030025 First, I'd like to thank all the residents and the Deputy Commissioner for coming in and testifying for this bill. As referenced in the testimony that we just had, this is, in fact, just a start. I fully understand that and acknowledge that. But you always have to start somewhere. I found, and I think my colleagues can agree, when the City makes its initial investment in the area, it tends to start somewhat of a domino effect, particularly when you have residents who insist that it, in fact, continue. And I know in this particular case that that's going to happen. So I want to thank you all for coming down. We actually at another forum will be giving you some more good news about the new Hunting Park in that building, and that will at least to some degree alleviate some of the concerns about us having a meeting space. So I want to thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you all for coming in today and for your testimony. If there's no one else to testify on this bill, we will not move to Bill No. 020759, an 12 2/12/03 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 020759 ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into a lease with Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania, to lease from Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania, certain parcels of ground located at 2208 West Indiana Avenue, 2933-53 Croskey Street and a portion of 2942-50 North 22nd Street all in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, under certain terms and conditions. Please identify yourself for the record.
Mr. Chairman, my name is Ken Sipos, Real Estate Specialist with the Department of Public Property. I'm here today to testify in support of Bill No. 020759, an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner on behalf of the City to enter into a lease with Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania to lease from Citizens Bank certain parcels of ground located at 2208 West Indiana Avenue, 2933-53 Croskey Street and a portion of 2942-2950 North 22nd Street, all in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, under certain terms and conditions. Parking is congested in the 22nd Street merchant strip. This bill supports the Commerce Department in alleviating congestion by providing 13 2/12/03 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 020759 merchant parking for the 22nd Street Merchant Business Association. The Department of Public Property supports this measure, and accordingly, I respectfully ask that City Council Committee on Public Property and Public Works approve Bill No. 8 020759 and add Exhibit A which was forwarded which lists the lease purposes, background, the lease, sublease, and other terms and the operations of the lease.
It's my understanding Exhibit A memorializing in writing the terms and conditions that have been negotiated between Councilmembers offices, the community, and the bank.
And that will be provided to the stenographer for the record.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I also ask that the rules be suspended so that the ordinance may be passed upon the second reading of Council. Thank you. I'll be happy to answer any questions. 14 2/12/03 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 020759 And the Commerce Department is here to testify.
Thank you very much. Why don't we take Commerce's testimony and then we'll see if there are any questions. Please identify yourself for the record.
Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman and members of Council. My name is Duane Bumb, I'm the Deputy Commerce Director for the City. I'm here also to provide testimony in support of Bill 020759 which authorizes the City to lease all or a portion of properties at 2208 Indiana Street 2933-53 Croskey Street and 2942-50 North 22nd Street as part of our efforts revitalize the North 22nd Street Commercial Corridor. This project will result in the construction of a parking lot at 22nd and Indiana Streets in the Allegheny West neighborhood of North Philadelphia. This commercial corridor has a shortage of parking spaces and is unable to meet the need of its growing retail demand. This demand has been documented many times, most recently in the Planning Commission's Philadelphia Shops Inventory. Despite growth in total commercial units from 125 to 148 over the 15 2/12/03 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 020759 period between 1988 and 1995, vacancy has dropped by percent. With a parking index up 1.4 spaces per 4 1,000 square feet of gross leasable area, North 22nd 5 Street is one of the most difficult retail corridors 6 to find parking in the entire City of Philadelphia. 7 As you may be aware, neighborhood 8 commercial centers need targeted capital investments 9 to strengthen long-term business viability. Through 10 this ordinance, Citizens Bank will lease an existing 11 vacant and under-utilized lot to the City of 12 Philadelphia. The Commerce Department will fund 13 construction of a parking lot through it's 14 Neighborhood Capital Budget. Once the parking lot 15 is constructed, the North 22nd Street Merchants 16 Association in conjunction with the Allegheny West 17 Foundation will manage the site and provide for 18 ongoing operating costs. This project is critical to the future success of North 22nd Street as a thriving neighborhood commercial corridor. I, therefore, strong urge your support for passage of Bill 020759. I'd be pleased to respond to any questions you might have.
Thank you very much 16 2/12/03 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 020759 for your testimony. Were any questions for the Administration witnesses? (No response.)
Then we'd ask whoever there is to testify to please come forward. Good afternoon.
Good afternoon, Chairman Kenney, Honorable Members of the Committee. My name is Ronald Hinton, I am President of the Allegheny West Foundation. The Allegheny West Foundation is a neighborhood community development corporation which has served the Allegheny West neighborhood in North Philadelphia since we were founded by Tasty Baking Company in 1968. Our current focus is paying attention to the needs of neighborhood residents through the construction of housing, educational programs, job training, and economic development. I'm testifying here today in support of the passage of this Bill No. 020759, also pledging to continue to support the structure of the North 22nd Business Association in assuring the City that insurance, upkeep of the lot, cleaning and maintenance and use by the community will be managed 17 2/12/03 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 020759 through a process that will not cause the City any problems in supporting this legislation.
Thank you very much for your testimony. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Miller.
Thank Mr. Chairman. I just want to thank everyone for coming in to testify for this bill. This has been two years of work. We're wrapping it up and we're going to have parking lot on 22nd Street, a much needed parking lot on 22nd Street. The 22nd Street business corridor is a very vibrant corridor in the heart of North Philadelphia, and we've been working for several years. Years ago we thought we had another location for a parking lot, but Osteopathic Hospital came and built that medical center there and that took parcel of land out of the mix. But this is a good day. I know that the Business Association is very excited and also Allegheny West. And I'd like to thank both Allegheny West CDC, 22nd Business Association, Commerce Department, and my office, my staff has really spent a lot of time on 18 2/12/03 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 020814 this, and all the other entities that's been involved. So thank you and we look forward to this project coming to fruition.
Thank you very much. Thank you for your testimony. Anyone else to testify on this bill? (No response.)
Seeing none, we will now move to Bill 020814, an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to grant to each of the respective owners of 9001, 9003 and 9005 Jennifer Terrace an easement across a portion of a certain parcel of land known as 8582 Bloomfield Avenue. Please identify yourself for the record.
Good afternoon, Chairman Kenney. My name is Ken Sipos. I'm testifying for Andres Perez, Commissioner of Public Property. I'm here today to testify in support Bill No. 020814, an ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property on the behalf of the City of Philadelphia to grant to each of the respective owners of 9001, 9003, 9005 Jennifer Terrace an easement across a portion of a certain parcel of land known as 8582 19 2/12/03 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 020814 Bloomfield Avenue. This is a wooded parcel within a regular boundary and an irregular slope which has become a nuisance. This bill supports the Department's endeavor to maintain the parcel in good condition through the efforts of the abutting neighbors. The Department of Public Property supports this measure, and accordingly, I respectfully ask that the City Council Committee on Public Property and Public Works approve Bill No. 12 020814. I also that the rules be suspended so the ordinance may be passed upon the second reading of Council. Thank you. I'll than happy to answer any questions you may have.
Thank you very much for your testimony. Any questions for the witness? (No response.)
Seeing none, that will conclude the public hearing of the Public 20 2/12/03 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 020814 Property and Public Works Committee. - - - 21 COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC MEETING COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY AND PUBLIC WORKS - - - Wednesday, February 12, 2003 - - - Public Meeting conducted by the Committee on Public Property and Public Works, held in Room 696, City Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the above date, to consider action on the following: BILLS 020759, 020814, 030025. - - - PRESENT: COUNCILMAN JAMES KENNEY, Chairman COUNCILMAN DARRELL CLARKE COUNCILWOMAN JOAN KRAJEWSKI COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER COUNCILWOMAN BLONDELL REYNOLDS-BROWN COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO - - - 22 2/12/03 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - PUBLIC MEETING
We will now convene a meeting of the same committee. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Clarke for a motion on Bill 030025.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I make a motion that Bill No. 030025 be reported out of committee favorable recommendation and request for suspension of rules as will allow reading at the next Session of Council. (Duly seconded.)
There are none opposed. Bill No. 030025 reported out of this committee with a favorable recommendation and a request will be made for rules suspension to allow first reading at our next Council Session.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Miller for a motion to approve the amendment containing Exhibit A to Bill 020759.
Thank you, Mr. 23 2/12/03 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - PUBLIC MEETING Chairman. I move that we approve the amendment to Bill 020759. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and seconded. All in favor, aye? (Aye.)
The Chair now recognizes Councilmember Miller for a motion on the amended Bill 020759.
I move that the amended Bill No. 020759 be reported out of this committee with a favorable recommendation and that the Rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading at out next Session. (Duly seconded.)
There are none opposed. 24 2/12/03 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - PUBLIC MEETING Bill No. 020759, as amended, reported out of this Committee favorably and a request will be made for rules suspension to allow for first reading at our next Council Session.
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Krajewski for a motion on Bill No. 8 020814.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that Bill No. 020814 be reported out of this committee with a favorable recommendation and the Rules of Council be suspended for first reading at the next Session of Council. (Duly seconded.)
There are none opposed. Bill No. 020814 reported out of this Committee with a favorable recommendation and a request will be made for rules suspension to allow first reading at our next Council Session. That concludes the business of the 25 2/12/03 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - PUBLIC MEETING Public Property and Public Works Committee. We thank you for your attendance. (Council adjourned at 1:30 p.m.) - - - C E R T I F I C A T I O N I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing proceedings of the Council of the City of Philadelphia of February 12, 2003, were reported fully and accurately by me, and that this is a correct transcript of the same. RE: COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY AND PUBLIC WORKS ___________________________ Lisa C. Bradley, RPR and Notary Public