Peter Longstreth, the president of PIDC, starts by reminding everyone about the national trends that have affected all cities - suburbanization, corporate consolidation and relocation, productivity gains, transformation from manufacturing to service-based, reduction of federal resources and many of the social/poverty problems affecting urban areas.
9:01 AM: Fun fact: there are about 662,000 workers in Philadelphia down from probably over a million in 1950. However, there has been a growth in employees in Philadelphia in 5 of the last 9 years.
Click on "Continue Reading" to read more about Peter Longstreth's presentation on urban economic development in Philadelphia.
Peter Longstreth on Philadelphia's challenges and opportunities
9:04 AM: The quality of the workforce in Philadelphia is this city's number one challenge, followed by a tax structure that is high and "inordinately dependent on wage taxes and business taxes." Minority groups make up about 50% of the population but don't participate in the workforce as much as would be ideal. Finally, there's a "shortage of industrial land."
9:06 AMEconomic development has gone through a multi-phase process in recent years. Phase I: the mayor and commerce director convened an economic development conference in 2004 and came up with a blueprint for moving forward. Phase II: marketing. Phase III: Implementation - yet to come.
9:08 AMTools of economic development include:
(1) land - assembled and banked by groups like PIDC
(2) capital
(3) workforce development
(4) infrastructure - utilities and transportation
9:17 AMSo what is PIDC?
Founded in 1958, PIDC is governed by a board appointed by the mayor and the Chamber of Commerce president. This makes it uniquely a "public-private" partnership. Philadelphia also has an agency called the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development, a state agency managed by PIDC.
PIDC is organized into three units - a market-client group, a product group and the administrative/back office group.
The market-client group "complements the efforts of the state and the city and the chamber of commerce" in marketing, but specifically to the high-tech sector (the "meds" and "eds"). They also focus on the small business sector, especially the minority and women-owned businesses. Third, this group markets the tourism and hospitality sector. Fourth, they push the Center City area for its office capacity (Fun fact: the office vacancy rate in Philadelphia is under 10%!). The fifth sector is the industrial sector that is traditionally in the bailiwick of groups like PIDC.
The product group acquires, improves and sells land for industrial use. They currently have 200 acres on the market but only one or two of them is bigger than 5 acres. The major challenge in an old, developed city is finding the large sites needed for the industrial development that spurs high-paying, good jobs. The other challenge is what to do with the old-fashioned, multi-story factory buildings which are expensive to demolish and sit on very small sites that wouldn't be very useful anyway.
9:21 AMThe effects of military downsizing
According to Longstreth, at one point Philadelphia was home to over 20,000 military jobs (think I got that number) but is now down to 8,000 such jobs. Bases and other facilities, including the Philadelphia Navy Yard, have been shut down creating both challenges and opportunities. The Navy Yard example typifies what PIDC does - attempts to infuse government funding for infrastructure improvement (in the case of the Navy Yard, they're aiming for 150 to 200 million dollars) so that developers can come in and put up the private investment.
9:31 AMWhere does the money come from?
In the past, the federal and city government provided funding for economic development while state funding was very rigidly dependent on old models of employment such as manufacturing. As these traditional models became obsolete, requiring economic development entities like PIDC to pursue small-business and "dynamic non-profits" which didn't fit into what the state would fund. Meanwhile, federal and local funding has since dried up.
They've started to look to the private sector to fill these gaps in funding like the "Philadelphia Welcome Fund." They've also been working with banks to help the banks satisfy their CRA (Community Reinvestment Act) requirements.
The city has also stepped up with the $150 million bond issue that the mayor got passed last year for Arts and Culture organizations and commercial-corridor improvements. PIDC administers this money.
(edited to add: Post script - there's an interesting thread on Phillyblog about PAID - the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development. The thread includes feedback from someone claiming to be a former PAID board member, who attempts to dispel all of the conspiracy theories. As far as I can tell from the feedback that Longstreth is getting from this group, the folks at PIDC are well-regarded and very talented. Just thought I'd share some what my own quick Google searches have turned up. Opinions found on linked threads belong solely to their authors and don't reflect the opinions of The Next Mayor project. They're provided just for your information.)
Comments (10)
I see the real problem is the cost of demolition of buildings to create the empty space needed for modern manufactoring developement.
Open space initiatives in the farm lands should be tied into this somehow.
Also, the school system should also be more orientated toward trade schools that teach people the skills needed for these jobs that are created along with apprenticeships provided.
Posted by Mark Chalupa | October 9, 2007 9:59 AM
It seems to me that PAID and PIDC are just an extra bureaucratic layer that slows things down. I've rarely seen this stuff just auctioned competitively and openly.
Instead, it seems these agencies just want to create a way for the local politicians to put pay to play in action. Remove PAID, and PIDC, and you'd have a Philly market more like the extensive, rich one in the 1950s. There was no need for those agencies, because anyone could come in and buy properties to start businesses with.
The whole "assembly of parcels" business is just a ploy. They really mean "assembly of contributions."
The market is the best economic development engine. Zoning takes care of the rest, and the city has to get out of the way on that as well.
Longstreth hate to say, is one of those inherited names that permeate Philly politics and honestly I see more gumming of the works than results.
Posted by The city has to get out of the way | October 10, 2007 6:47 PM
Workforce development? I don't get why the city has to do more than give a free public education to people to "develop" the workforce.
There's a workforce dying to come and live here, but the city uses wage taxes to keep them out. Why not have wage tax free economic zones at the city level?
Along with property tax abatement for ten years for business, that should take care of every vacant factory in the city.
Posted by Anonymous | October 10, 2007 7:18 PM
Here' the list of property tax delinquents by PAID:
Real Estate Tax Delinquents
* These records come from the Philadelphia Department of Revenue. Hallwatch is not responsible for the accuracy of the Revenue Dept.'s records. They are current as of July 28, 2007
Properties Count 64
Average market value $748,989.74
Total market value $29,210,600.00
Total Delinquency $5,110,151.74
Average Delinquency $79,846.12
Average Years Delinquent 4.38
Parcel # Sort addr Owner1
Owner2 Total amount due Years delinquent Unique mail code Market Value
884079300 00100 W OXFORD ST
191223910 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$19,902.42 2 1910221001500 $310,000.00
192337900 00255 W CAMBRIA ST
191333522 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$702.18 11 1910221001500 $1,000.00
192338000 00257 W CAMBRIA ST
191333522 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$1,190.22 11 1910221001500 $800.00
192337800 00259R W CAMBRIA ST
191333522 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$12,109.88 11 1910221001500 $10,200.00
884812000 00301 E HUNTING PARK AVE
191244211 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$3,920.50 1 191244211 $250,000.00
772525400 00315 S 17TH ST
19103 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$1,219.17 1 191036726315 $311,700.00
884027001 00427R N 08TH ST
191233907 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$33,506.94 11 1910221001500 $120,000.00
781859503 00700 PATTISON AVE
191485339 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$551,731.40 5 1910221001500 $2,631,600.00
781859501 00700 PATTISON AVE
191485339 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$1,207,830.31 6 1910221001500 $5,082,000.00
882049300 01000 S BROAD ST
191462237 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$9,452.22 1 191462237 $337,200.00
057068200 01001 N BODINE ST
191231515 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$1,599.35 11 1910221001500 $7,600.00
057068300 01003 N BODINE ST
191231515 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$3,814.29 11 1910221001500 $10,400.00
884897504 01224 BELMONT AVE
191041001 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
SHMUELI YEHUDA $28,847.62 2 191041001 $450,000.00
884018760 01301R S CHRIS COLUMBUS BLV
191470000 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$319,492.56 2 1910221001500 $5,000,000.00
884756501 01410 WARFIELD PL
191463219 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$23,002.41 11 1910221001500 $20,000.00
521285500 01573 N 52ND ST
191314702 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$8,837.21 7 1910221001500 $45,200.00
885074540 02021 WOODHAVEN RD
191163025 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$359,109.19 7 1910221001500 $1,245,000.00
885074500* 02021 WOODHAVEN RD
None PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$19,599.65 1 1910221001500
885074510* 02031 WOODHAVEN RD
None PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$123,900.79 7 1910221001500
885074530* 02041 WOODHAVEN RD
None PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$37,328.84 7 1910221001500
403219000 02048 S 71ST ST
191421133 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$940.10 11 191422048 $1,400.00
884078000 02050 RICHMOND ST
191254323 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$238,607.37 4 191254323 $2,000,000.00
885074400* 02073 WOODHAVEN RD
None PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$303,429.98 6 1910221001500
571358900* 02614 HERITAGE ST
None PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$188.49 1 1910221001500
571353900* 02615 REDMAN ST
None PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$188.49 1 1910221001500
571353700* 02619 REDMAN ST
None PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$188.49 1 191140000
571358300* 02626 HERITAGE ST
None PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$188.49 1 1910221001500
571339100* 02638 GREGG ST
None PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$188.49 1 191140000
571342700* 02649 GREGG ST
None PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$188.49 1 191140000
571342600* 02651 GREGG ST
None PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$188.49 1 19114
571347200* 02654 REDMAN ST
None PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$188.49 1 191140000
571342400* 02655 GREGG ST
None PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$337.48 2 191140000
571347000* 02658 REDMAN ST
None PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$264.52 1 1910221001500
885068400 02701R WILLITS RD
191143410 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$118,665.51 4 1910221001500 $1,029,600.00
884291500 02751 SOUTHAMPTON RD
191541205 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$43,168.49 1 1910221001500 $1,540,000.00
571361100 02765 HERITAGE ST
191140000 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$139.55 1 1910221001500 $3,300.00
884080381 02811 N 03RD ST
191331280 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$9,959.16 4 191331280 $90,000.00
884080385 02830 N AMERICAN ST
191333517 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$11,414.55 4 191333517 $104,000.00
884194108 03030R CASTOR AVE
191346206 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$2,953.75 11 1910221001500 $5,000.00
884289500 03101 RED LION RD
191141122 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$523.28 1 1911411223101 $1,400,000.00
884736000 03222 H ST
191341914 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$326,247.68 11 1910221001500 $195,000.00
193070700 03243 N 03RD ST
191405718 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$1,681.89 1 1913336403100 $60,000.00
884349070 03252 GOODMAN ST
191405411 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$10,484.47 11 1910221001500 $8,000.00
431129000* 03252 GOODMAN ST
None PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$10,484.47 11 1910221001500
884122570 03670 GRAYS FERRY AVE
191460000 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$35,827.11 6 1910221001500 $150,000.00
885052629 03851 S DARIEN ST
191485330 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$5,317.35 7 1910221001500 $18,000.00
885063500* 03890 ARAMINGO AVE
None PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$2,202.81 1 191371003
132116800 04116 N 16TH ST
191403008 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$6,764.07 11 191403008 $6,600.00
884114750 04300 H ST
191244346 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$12,614.17 1 191244346 $450,000.00
411127634 05149R COMLY ST
191354303 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$802.94 1 191354303 $24,000.00
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Home > Real Estate > Search Delinquency Records > Delinquent Property by Owner
Current Assessments Land Tax Real Estate Tax Delinquents
Real Estate Tax Delinquents
Notes
* These records come from the Philadelphia Department of Revenue. Hallwatch is not responsible for the accuracy of the Revenue Dept.'s records. They are current as of July 28, 2007
* To look at detailed information for a property, click on the parcel number.
* An asterisk next to the parcel number indicates that this BRT number no longer exists.
* To look at other properties that belong to an owner, click on that person's name.
* To look at other properties whose bill is being sent to the same mailing address, click on the unique mailing id.
Properties Count 64
Average market value $748,989.74
Total market value $29,210,600.00
Total Delinquency $5,110,151.74
Average Delinquency $79,846.12
Average Years Delinquent 4.38
(Previous 50 results)
Parcel # Sort addr Owner1
Owner2 Total amount due Years delinquent Unique mail code Market Value
884164625 07116 HOY ST
191421150 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$7,319.09 11 1910221001500 $7,000.00
651298700* 07324 TULIP ST
None PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$2,070.75 3 191364216
884260600 09001 TORRESDALE AVE
191361514 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$89,473.19 2 1910221001500 $1,400,000.00
571318000* 09211 DEWEES ST
None PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$198.62 1 1910221001500
571318900* 09235 DEWEES ST
None PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$198.62 1 1910221001500
571319000* 09237 DEWEES ST
None PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$198.62 1 1910221001500
571319100* 09239 DEWEES ST
None PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$198.62 1 1910221001500
571319800* 09253 DEWEES ST
None PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$198.62 1 1910221001500
571320100* 09265 DEWEES ST
None PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$198.62 1 1910221001500
571320200* 09267 DEWEES ST
None PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$198.62 1 1910221001500
884224530 09400 ASHTON RD
191140000 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$56,452.97 4 1910221001500 $3,861,000.00
884238300 10075 SANDMEYER LA
191163501 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$18,217.20 1 1913627378105 $650,000.00
885238310 10077 SANDMEYER LA
191163501 PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$17,331.29 2 19116-350 $375,000.00
786340001* 11450 NORTHEAST BLV
None PHILADELPHIA INDUSTR IAL DEVELOPMENT
$1,006,461.14 5 19116
Posted by Anonymous | October 10, 2007 7:21 PM
SO, to recap: there are 64 properties the owe property taxes, the average deliquency is $80,000 owed for good schools, so each one could pay for one teacher's salary and benefits if sold.
And the average length of time of nonpayment, over four years.
Uh, yeah, that's what I call "industrial development."
Come on press. Do some research on your own. Don't just take their word for it.
I've always said that PAID is really the Phila. Authority for Industrial NONdevelopment, or PAIN.
The cause a lot of blight, crime, corruption, and PAIN.
Posted by Anonymous | October 10, 2007 7:24 PM
When is it going to be a good day to ask the PIDC what's being done on the above properties, and why has it taken so long for them to get turned over?
Seriously, if you want to build a tax base, using these government agencies as econ dev mediators is the kiss of death.
Tax bases, btw, pay for good schools that you "develop the workforce" with.
Seems like if PAID wants to develop a workforce, they need to unload there properties to whoever wants to take on the task. Worked for Rouse. Worked for Comcast.
Is there any evidence that open, competitive bidding has ever been tried? Or does the potential buyer have to make a mass of calls through an impenetrable maze of politicos and bureaucrats beholden to them?
Yeah. I think we know that answer.
Posted by Anonymous | October 10, 2007 7:30 PM
Rouse had the right idea. He called in the FBI.
That's why Philly has a skyline and not a vacant factor owned by PIDC/PAID.
Posted by Anonymous | October 10, 2007 7:31 PM
This is not a "conspiracy theory." This is how things work in Philly.
Is it a lie that these are 64 properties that have been dormant doing nothing for over four years paying little in taxes and never going to sheriff sale?
At the very least the city has to foreclose on property NO MATTER what agency owns it.
Right now, it's an unwritten rule that if the city or a government agency owns property, the sheriff never gets to auction the property NO MATTER how long it's owed property taxes, NO MATTER how MUCH is owed.
This is why Philly is owned over $500 million property taxes that could save the schools, and fund the police to the level it got in the 90s.
When the public gets tired of paying property taxes when these closed door deals that never come off get a pass from foreclosure, guess what.
The economy will be booming because suddenly people will be able to get property to start businesses with for a reasonable price!
Posted by Wake up and smell that market place coffee | October 10, 2007 7:36 PM
Seriously, what other city does this? Keeps dozens of properties out of private hands for years at a time and lets them get away with not paying property taxes?
This is not a few properties. This is enough to be its own economic miracle in the city for the next several years.
What papers or press lets the local pols use this property as carrots to their contributors and pretends this is a working market?
All this property has never before been this valuable, and the city gets away with pretending there is no worth to them that the market wants. Not so.
Where is the curiousity of the press on this?
Posted by Anonymous | October 10, 2007 7:40 PM
Here's what happened under Street.
Street: "I'll get the engine of the marketplace humming in all the neighborhoods."
Dem party: "You are the single largest controller of property in the city. Fidel Castro doesn't have more property under his control than you. Make it last."
Street: "I'll tow cars away and green the lots" and forget selling them openly to anyone to use the money. I'll borrow the money, get the city in debt, and pass on a huge real estate portfolio that the dems can use in perpetuity.
Ride the R7 from CC to Trenton and see how that's working.
Posted by Anonymous | October 10, 2007 7:43 PM