COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC HEARING COMMITTEE ON RULES - - - Room 401, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, June 18, 1998 - - - In compliance with the Pennsylvania Sunshine Law Act 84, 1986, the Committee On Rules of the Council of the City of Philadelphia will consider the Temple University IDD Master Plan. PRESENT: COUNCILMAN JAMES F. KENNEY, Vice Chair COUNCILMAN DAVID COHEN COUNCILWOMAN AUGUSTA A. CLARK COUNCILMAN W. THACHER LONGSTRETH - - - VINCENT VARALLO ASSOCIATES, INC. Registered Professional Reporters Eleven Penn Center 1835 Market Street, Suite 600 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 (215) 561-2220 2 I N D E X WILLIAM KRAMER, Philadelphia Planning Committee ------------------------------ MARTIN DORPH, Temple University ---------- PATRICIA CLIFFORD, Temple University ----- 5 6 7 3 COMMITTEE ON RULES - TEMPLE IDD MASTER PLAN
Good morning. Council Committee on Rules now in session. Please cease all conversation and take all unnecessary conversation into the hallway. We have a quorum. Council Committee on Rules will now consider the revision to the Temple University Institutional Development District Master Plan, southeastern corner of Broad and Norris Street and the 180 and 1900 block of Park Mall. Good morning. Thank you for waiting please identify yourself for the record.
I'm William Kramer from the Philadelphia Planning Committee.
Martin Dorph, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Temple.
The City Planning Commission at it's meeting on June 4th of 1998, approved a revision to the Institutional Development District of Temple University. We subsequently forwarded a letter dated June 5, 1998, to Council 4 COMMITTEE ON RULES - TEMPLE IDD MASTER PLAN President Street with regard to that. Essentially two items, one was for the construction of a four-story 125,000 square feet building for use as a dormitory containing 500 beds. The second part of it was for the demolition of six existing vacant rowhouses creating an open quadrangle in the 1800 block of Park Mall. Essentially, these were done to create a more viable central district for the university and to help them compete with competing universities and draw more outside students to the university creating a more vital campus structure. Part of that recommendation also permitted under the code the use of buildings in the 1800 and 1900 block of Park Mall for permissible commercial uses IDD District under the code. The Planning Commission had that presentation and approved the recommended Amendment to the Master Plan of the District and has forwarded it to Council for their approval.
Sir, does this plan 5 COMMITTEE ON RULES - TEMPLE IDD MASTER PLAN contemplate closing off any streets.
Thank you very much. Please either one of you gentlemen going testify? Please re-identify yourself for the record and proceed.
I'm Martin Dorph, Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Temple University. I just wanted to reiterate some of the points made by the representative of the Planning Commission. We see these as very important projects. Ultimately, the changes IDD will allow us to do two things. One is to build a new residents hall to attract more students to the campus. Secondly, the demolition that's referred to of townhouses is really part of an overall plan to redevelop the remaining row homes into mix use commercial 21 retail and department complex for the university. 22
Does the plan 24 require relocation of any people, or will you only 25 be dealing with vacant space or unoccupied 6 COMMITTEE ON RULES - TEMPLE IDD MASTER PLAN structures? MR DORPH: It doesn't require the relocation of anyone. All these spaces currently being considered are currently university spaces, and the only folks that would have to move, we're moving a few of our programs out to create the space for these uses.
Has there been any contact with community organizations in the area and have they been heard?
Yes, we have had extensive discussion with the community. We have a number of support letters available if you wish them entered into the record from a number of community representatives from the Beach Interplex which is one of the development corporations in the area, the Cecil B. Moore Community Development Corporation, Messiah College, Columbia North YMCA. So as what we usually do, we have spent a lot of time briefing the surrounding the community on these projects.
Are there any 7 COMMITTEE ON RULES - TEMPLE IDD MASTER PLAN community organizations that have expressed opposition?
We have not received any such notices if there was opposition.
In your community discussions, have you talked to the Yorktown Civic Group, have you talked to the Norris Homes, have you talked to Jefferson Manor? Here now I'm talking residential communities which might be impacted by a substantial change on the Temple campus.
We have reached out to all the surrounding communities. I'd have to defer to others from Temple who handle the day-to-day contact.
Good morning. My name is Patricia Clifford. Councilwoman Clark, in answer to your question, our Associate Vice President for Community Affairs, Tom Anderson, has notified Council President John Street of all those groups that he has spoken to personally and met with, and Councilman Street has agreed that he would touch base with any remaining groups that he felt 8 COMMITTEE ON RULES - TEMPLE IDD MASTER PLAN that were appropriate to communicate with.
Excuse me, Councilwoman Clark, I do want to emphasis that these uses that we are talking about are entirely interior to the existing campus. Not that there will not be some effect on the surrounding community, but these are not uses that we see as directly impinging on the neighborhood in terms of abutting other residences or anything like that.
But like the Apollo, all of the Temple resources are considered neighborhood resources, and as such, those of us who live in the Temple neighborhood like to know in advance of groundbreakings what is the intended use of the land.
And we appreciate that, and as I said, we do have an ongoing program of making that outreach happen.
Any other questions for these witnesses? Do you have anything to add, sir?
Is there anyone else in the room to testify on this proposed revision to the 9 COMMITTEE ON RULES - TEMPLE IDD MASTER PLAN Temple University Institutional Development District Master Plan? Seeing none, that will conclude the hearing of the Rules Committee. We will now convene a public meeting. - - -
The Chair recognizes Councilmember Clark for a motion to approve and recommend this proposed revision.
Mr. Chairman, I move that this Bill be reported out with a favorable recommendation and that the Rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading at our next stated meeting. (Duly seconded.)
Moved and seconded. All in favor, aye. There are none opposed. This revision to the Temple University Institutional Development District Master Plan will be reported from Committee today, and also action by the full Council will be taken. Thank you very much for your attendance. I would ask the Rules Committee to caucus. 10 COMMITTEE ON RULES - TEMPLE IDD MASTER PLAN - - - (Adjourned at 10:45 a.m.) 11 C E R T I F I C A T E I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing proceedings of the Council of the City of Philadelphia of June 18, 1998, were reported fully and accurately by me, and that this is a correct transcript of same. RE: COMMITTEE ON RULES ______________________________ Lisa C. Bradley, RPR