The 35-acres that stands empty in the Logan section of Philadelphia has a sore history, but city officials want a bright future for it. So in April the Redevelopment Authority sent out an ambitious request for proposals for a mixed-use commercial and retail center that would make the area a vibrant, walkable neighborhood again.
Known as the Logan Triangle, the aread bounded by Wingohocking Street, 11th Street, Louson Street and Roosevelt Boulevard is like an open wound. Nearly 1,000 rowhomes built between 1910 and 1930 were bulldozed after the whole neighborhood began sinking into an underground creekbed.
It's now going on 22 years since Logan Triangle was declared a federal disaster area in 1986. This year Councilwoman Marian Tasco was hoping to find a propopsal that could integrate some housing with retail and commercial uses and possibly a community center. Instead, the two proposals that came back, one from Tower Investments and one from The Goldenberg group, had the look and feel of a suburban, big-box, parking-lot dominated shopping center, said Tasco's chief of staff, Derek Green.
Two community meetings were held in the past several months, and Tasco has asked the Planning Commission and the Redevelopment Authority to ask for another set of proposals.
"We're looking for a creative, town-center-type of design that will make the development a destination location and kick-start the redevelopment of the entire Logal community," Green said. The proposal is still being worked on. Making it likely that Logan residents won't have anything to look for another 6 months.
Comments (4)
A Town Center kind of shopping development like what is happening in Warrington, PA at the corner of Street and rte 611 is what would be needed to rejuvenate Logan. Plus, in order to support the center, we need new housing that can be populated by middle class people with fast access to the expressway and only minutes away from downtown Philadelphia. To include a big box store environment will only serve to replicate what is only a few miles away in Sears Center which opened in 1998.
A stable middle class housing setup is what is needed and even more important is housing at an attractive price which will attract white middle class people with ties to local schools and colleges. Suburban living is becoming too expensive and distant to drive when you consider the increasing price of gas and traffic congestion.
In the town center I just created would include space for a new police station and fire house. We would keep existing police/fire stations but add the two to the new location. Plus some acreage for a community playground. The housing could attract police officers needing only a short walk away from their station. THey would help stabilize the neighborhood from the gun violence so prevalent in the area.
Gentrification is something we must accept in order to have attractive housing and shopping in a village setting with high end stores like what we have in Warrington. We cannot insist on developers to include low income housing if that is what will not attract stable middle class buyers. We must give them a stronger incentive to make a profit by providign attractive housing/shopping uincentives.
One more thing, before starting new construction, be sure the soil is fully stabilized to support the buildings otherwise you will have the very same problem happen again.
Good luck on the new ventor. However, please remember that positive thinkers build and negative thinkers whine. Do not let the negatvie thinkers screw up a good plan if they have nothing to add to the mix.
Posted by James Goodwin | November 24, 2007 9:00 AM
Posted on November 24, 2007 09:00
It's about time and long overdue that this section of the city gets rebuilt. Gentrification is WHAT WILL get things "jump-started" like it or not!
Please allow garden like homes with a city feel in the area along with some shopping. How about bringing Nordstrom's to Logan and Starbucks? Yes, both of these would be two great anchors to assist in rebuilding the neighborhood.
Let's get going and STOP talking and START building ASAP.....
Posted by Norman T. | November 24, 2007 9:09 AM
Posted on November 24, 2007 09:09
I didn't realize that Starbucks and Nordstrom was in the business of community building...apparently non-profits should start selling over-priced coffee and smooth jazz CD's if they want to make a difference.
The idea that Logan needs a town center like the one in Warrington with "white middle class people" is insulting. Let's stop talking about trendy suburban new urbanist 'villages' and start talking about putting in some of the services that the EXISTING community needs - a community center, affordable housing for low-income/elderly (yes, there are models that are successful), a nearby grocery store, and build on it from there. People in Logan have waited far too long for this, let's give them something that's theirs, and that they can be proud of.
Posted by Ben B. | November 27, 2007 2:18 PM
Posted on November 27, 2007 14:18
I'd agree with the last post and think the first two posters do not have much of a concept of reality. Where as new homes are needed and increased diversity in the neighborhood would be great, what is the point of attracting white middle class people? That type of thinking is racist and illogical. What we need is a handsome community to be put there that is representative of the people in the community and would also be attractive to outsiders.
Mixed income housing for seniors and all levels of folks with differently modeled row homes that integrate into a community center and allow for street level and preferably local stores to include room for a grocer, a cafe, a coffee shop, a few interesting stores and maybe a trendy bar / restaurant combination interspersed between homes with good public space like stoops or porches and a pocket park would do great.
Starbucks? Nordstroms? How about Uncle Joe's, Aunt Maries, and Cousin Eddy's shops. Mr. Shields, who is working on the proposal and how can we provide input?
Let's do this right for everyone in the community!
Posted by Tony B. | November 27, 2007 5:22 PM
Posted on November 27, 2007 17:22