Tag: frankford cdc

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PSA1 March Meeting

The PSA meeting on March 26th was well attended with people from all areas of Frankford.  Representing the police was Captain McCloskey, Lt. Gordon and Officer Lewis.

Officer Lewis noted that the discovery of the woman buried in the alley off the 4700 block of Frankford Avenue was the result of a tip by the other residents.  The beat officer was notified and that set of the chain of events that resulted in the arrest of the suspect.  The victim was identified as Kelly Hepfl who has had addresses in West Chester, Downingtown and other locations in Philadelphia.  The suspect has not been identified so far and no charges have been filed as of today.

Other news from the meeting:

  • Robberies around the Frankford Transportation Terminal are still going on but have slowed down.  SEPTA polie and the PPD are working together to put an end to the problem.
  • The Narcotics Strike force has been active in the Bridge Street area and arrests have been made.
  • Enforcement of the 2AM closing time for businesses in the commercial areas is being enforced.  “Nothing good in Frankford happens after 2AM”.
  • The police have been proactive in being present at school dismissal time on the Avenue and where crowds of teens had after dismissal.
  • There was a discussion about a recent video posted of a car stop by 15th.  The driver was stopped for heavily tinted windows which are illegal.  The driver presented evidence from PennDot that he was allowed the tinting due to a medical condition.  Some viewers have labeled the stop as police over reach.  Others have called it an attempt by the driver to provoke the police into using excess force.  The discussion about the incident was productive.
  • Residents from Castor Avenue say that the traffic between Foulkrod and Pratt Streets has become a real problem with noise and speeding.  In additions there are ATVs running up and down the streets.  Excess noise from a vehicle is an offense punishable with a $300 fine.  Although the police are prohibited from chasing the ATVs for safety reasons, when they are stopped, they can be confiscated and will not be returned.  It is illegal to drive them on city Streets.
  • Kim Washington, Managing Director of the Frankford CDC,  asked about coordination between SEPTA and the PPD regarding the loitering around Margaret-Orthodox.  Lt. Gordon noted that this has been a subject at past meetings and SEPTA police have committed to attending the PSA meetings.  The schedule confusion this month was the cause of no SEPTA representation at this months meeting.  Gordon and Lewis went on to discuss their view of what is going on at Margaret-Orthodox and Captain McCloskey talked about future actions that will be taken to control the activity their.
  • Residents of the 5000 and 4700 block of Griscom both took the opportunity to thank the police for their work during the last year.  They say it is much better now than it was last year at this time.  It takes constant attention but the improvement is clear.

Kim Washington also introduced two new members of the CDC staff to the group.  Illeana Garcia and Ellie Devyatkin are the new Commercial Corridor managers.  You can hear more about their work at the annual public meeting of the Frankford Community Development Corporation which will be held in conjunction with the EPIC Stakeholders on April 30 at 5:30 PM at Second Baptist Church at 1801 Meadow Street.

The next PSA1 meeting will be held on April 23rd at 7PM at Aria Hospital.

 

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Development on Griscom Street

Work has begun on rehabbing 4732-34 Griscom Street.  After years of neglect, this building will be put back into constructive use.  The CDC worked to clear the road blocks in this project which is being done by the owner of the building next door.  This should help drive some of the drug traffic away from this intersection.  4736 griscom

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Frankford CDC is Hiring

THE FRANKFORD CDC IS LOOKING FOR A COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR MANAGER!!
The Frankford CDC is committed to building on the assets of the Frankford community by providing ncreased job opportunities, building affordable homes, supporting the development of increased financial resources and growing stable businesses. 

Frankford’s Commercial Corridor is unique and diverse in its tenants. The qualified candidate will be expected to cultivate relationships with a diverse business/client base.  The Commercial Corridor manager serves as an intermediary between the Business Owners on Frankford Avenue and the City Departments and technical assistance providers.

Duties and Responsibilities:

–Maintain relationships/contacts with local businesses and business association

and other organizations serving the business corridor.

–Coordinate member recruitment efforts for the Business Association

–Respond to referrals and inquiries from potential clients and public officials.

–Establish quarterly newsletter for events involving the commecial corridor and other community events.

–Maintain resource library for businesses along with existing business database.

–Coordinate and execute all special events.

–Responsible for reporting all activities in the established format.

–Other duties as requested by Managing Director.
Qualifications

A bachelor’s degree is required; a master’s degree in urban planning, economic development, or related field is preferred.  A minimum of two years of community and development related experience preferred.  Volunteer/intern work experience will be considered in lieu of paid work experience.  Qualified candidate must work with a diverse population, exhibit strong written and verbal communication skills, be familiar with Microsoft Office.
To Apply Contact:
Kimberly Washington, Esq.
Executive Director
(215) 743 – 6580
kwashington.fcdc@gmail.com

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Frankford Pause: The Pink Park

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Frankford has been the same for a while now, and a team of volunteer designers from the Community Design Collaborative thought it was time to paint it hot pink.

Anticipated for Spring of 2015, on the corner of Paul Street and Frankford Avenue, is the pop-up park dubbed the Frankford Pause. Headed by architect and long time volunteer for the Community Design Collaborative, Alexa Bosse, the design team worked to make the visions that the Frankford Community Development Corporation (CDC) had, come true. Though it was an unusual task, Bosse and the rest of the team, which included her husband Ari Miller, took it on.

Miller and Bosse “had worked on several projects together” in the past says Bosse and therefore the two were easily able to begin designing the Frankford Pause. The first steps they took were to assemble a team. Realizing that the park required a huge lighting component, lighting designer Robin Miller was added, along with architectural designer and long time friend and coworker of Bosse’s, Andrew Allwine. And finally, Ben Cromie joined as a Planner in order to “take into account the entire commercial corridor of Frankford Ave.” and evaluate the surrounding schools and playgrounds to make sure the team would provide a park most usable to the community. Ari Miller also contributed as a landscape architect and Bosse as an architect.

When asked Bosse says, “No, I haven’t done anything of this type” before but she was not daunted by the task. “In a way doing a pop-up was a lot easier than a permanent installation because it’s a testing ground and they only have to last for a year”, adds Bosse. The temporary structure turned out to be “freeing” rather than a challenge for both the design team and the client, the Frankford CDC.

Kim Washington from the Frankford CDC and Ian Litwin from the City Planning Commision have been working on Destination Frankford and its many projects for a while now, including the more recent pop-up gallery done in conjunction with Philadelphia Sculptors this summer. When it came to the Frankford Pause, Washington and Litwin asked Bosse and her team to design a “crazy… unusual park that would bring people to the neighborhood”. This way the park “is not only for Frankford, but will create a destination where people can go and say “Hey, this is a pretty cool neighborhood”, says Bosse. This is how the park became laced with an attention getting hot pink.

With the intention of creating the desire for a permanent park, the design team made sure to make it easy to maintain the Pause long term if need be. The name however, reflects not just the brevity of the park but its location. While taking a tour of the site in order to become acquainted with the area, the team had to take a “Frankford Pause” in their conversation and wait for the El to pass by. The El has been passing through Frankford for almost 100 years and its clamor is such an integral part of the neighborhood, that Bosse and the team couldn’t help but be inspired by the noise. This translated not only into the park’s name but its design.

Ari Miller woke up one night with an idea in the shape of a megaphone. Instead of trying to work around the noise of the train, Miller had the idea to shape the park like a megaphone and have the noise be a part of the Pause. The loops in the park resemble a distorted megaphone and to add to the experience the overhead lighting also works with the noise. As the train passes by the lights will illuminate from one end and get dimmer as the noise fades away.

On the opposite end of the park, Washington requested a stage. Any type of event can now be held on Frankford Avenue, from musical performances to rallies, etcetera. And the music or other sounds from those events will also cause the lights to illuminate where it is the loudest and dim where it is quiet.

Another component added to the park is a community garden curated by the Frankford CDC. It will be maintained by both staff and children from the community. And finally, the designers built a series of platforms and planting beds on the northern wall, as well as seats.

Bosse, Miller, and the rest of the team “didn’t go into it with an idea” of what to do with the assignment. But the neighborhood of Frankford took care of that and inspired them. As they “took it in… the train had the biggest impact” and brought to life the Frankford Pause.

Photos courtesy of Community Design Collaborative and Destination Frankford.

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A Healthier Frankford

This past June, Health Partners Plans, Aria Health and the Frankford Community Development Corporation came to the aid of Frankford residents. The annual Health Fair provided fun and games for children while giving adults the medical care and information they need.

The fair which took place at Aria Health’s Frankford Campus consisted of screenings for blood pressure and Body Mass Index as well as face painting and other activities for kids. Volunteers, along with Events and Outreach Programs Manager for Health Partners Plans, Chi Dang, attended to the long line of eager Frankford residents ready to receive these much needed services. Dang explained that screenings like the ones provided at the fair are simple, but necessary, preventative measures that everyone should have access to. Health Partners Plans works to make sure that those who would otherwise go without testing and information are taken care of.

The event that has been going on for three years now continues to grow and to help members of the surrounding community. Certainly living up to their motto of “doing it right” Health Partners Plans in partnership with Aria Health and the Frankford CDC are making strides in the right direction to help everyone maintain a healthier lifestyle.

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