Overview
One of the Frankford CDC’s major projects is developing and implementing a streetscaping plan for Frankford Avenue. With a design grant from the Community Design Collaborative, we are working with a design team to create a conceptual streetscaping plan for the area around Margaret-Orthodox. This conceptual design will explore and address issues of safety, litter and trash, lighting, greening, and stormwater management in the immediate area, while keeping an eye toward repicability along Frankford Avenue. Once the conceptual plan is complete, the Frankford CDC will be able to approach funders to finance the implementation of the plan.
Safe Growth / Safe Commercial Corridor Program
During the summer of 2015, the Frankford CDC participated in the City’s SafeGrowth/Safe Commercial Corridors Program. With a team including police, residents, and business owners, our two commercial corridor managers looked at how design and programming could contribute to the perception of safety around SEPTA’s Arrott Transportation Center, also known as Margaret-Orthodox. The team came up with a number of short-, medium-, and long-term recommendations, including removal of newsstand and benches, more frequent resource tables, improved lighting, and streetscaping.
Task Force Meetings
In early January 2016, we held the first small task force meeting with the design team from the Community Design Collaborative. At this meeting, roughly 30 stakeholders from the residential and business communities as well as from the City discussed various ideas and concerns regarding the area around Margaret-Orthodox to convey to the design team what the major issues and hopes for the area are. From here, the design team will come up with a number of recommendations which will be presented at a second task force meeting. The second task force meeting will provide an opportunity for stakeholders to respond to the preliminary ideas the design team comes up with. With feedback from the second task force meeting, the design team will complete the conceptual streetscaping plan. The second task force meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 17, at 6:30 PM at Second Baptist Church (1801 Meadow Street). Please RSVP to Ellie Devyatkin if you plan to attend.
Timeline
We anticipate having the complete conceptual streetscaping plan in hand by summer 2016. With the conceptual design, we will be able to develop an implementation plan and secure funding for the various stages of implementation. We will also be coordinating with SEPTA’s two-year Arrott Transportation Center project, which will include replacing much of the sidewalk in the immediate vicinity and removal of the newsstand and some benches.
For further information, meeting times/locations, questions, or concerns,
please feel free to contact Ellie Devyatkin
by phone (215-743-6580) or email (edev.fcdc@gmail.com)
