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Introduction • Plan for the Richmond Corridor Association

Port Richmond Works. This statement is becoming a rallying cry for a group of in dus tri al business owners in Port Richmond. Simply, it says what they be-lieve about their community: it remains a good place to do business, and it can become an even better place to do business. Port Rich mond weath ered the two eco nom ic storms that dev as tat ed many "rust belt" industrial com mu ni ties: 1) the in cre men tal aban don ment and ob so les cence caused by the evo lu tion of man u fac tur ing in the U.S.; and 2) the dwin dling resources avail able to maintain and mod ern ize public in fra struc ture and streets (while de vel op ment of in dus tri al parks and subdivisions on formerly rural land was sub si dized by public in vest ment). Today, the neighborhood remains home to a large number of industrial businesses. Businesses still fi nd the area very attractive for its skilled workforce and for its easy access to interstate highways and port facilities.

The area, however, is not immune to urban problems; crime, blight and aban don ment have con trib ut ed to business closings and re lo ca tions. Older buildings on small parcels in an area with a down-at-the-heels ap pear ance are diffi cult to sell or re-tenant, so they remain empty, further undermining con fi -dence and in vest ment.

With the the community at a turning point, a new business association, The Rich mond Corridor Association (RCA), formed two years ago, to steer the direction of the com mu ni ty toward re vi tal iza tion and growth.

The area that is targeted by RCA is comprised of a group of distinct busi-ness areas. Along Richmond Street, to the east and west, RCA is a traditional Philadelphia manufacturing district, with factories, homes, and commercial businesses in close proximity; on the east side of I-95, RCA is wholly industrial, with a mixture of small businesses, port-related uses, utilities, and vacant property; and along Castor Avenue, Wheatsheaf Lane, and Butler Street, the area has a concentration of ware hous ing and distribution fi rms, with some commercial uses. This entire district includes over 70 industrial businesses and 2,000 industrial jobs.

RCA began their activities by literally getting out and cleaning up their neigh bor hood. To date, the business as so ci a tion has sponsored four neigh bor -hood clean-ups where they have cleared the community of truckloads of tires and hundreds of bags of debris. RCA has also co-sponsored two neighbor-hood job fairs with adjoining districts, and they have mapped out and begun to im ple ment an im prove ment plan for the area around the Allegheny interchange with I-95.

RCA's next step has been to work closely with a team of design and eco- nom ic de vel op ment professionals to identify necessary actions to reverse decline and stim u late new growth. This process has taken place over the past seventeen months, and this report, Plan for the Richmond Corridor Association: Sustaining a Philadelphia Industrial Com mu ni ty, pre sents the out comes of those planning efforts.

Weber Display and Packaging fabricates packaging from rolls of material, delivered daily, each weighing nearly a ton.

One of RCA's 2000 employees readies bales of product for shipping.

Cargo transit companies capitalize on a long-standing Port Richmond resource: great connections to regional rail, water and roadway transportation.

Another Port Richmond resource: the skilled workforce that sustains area strength in precision machining.

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Though manufacturing and distribution businesses continue to operate in Port Richmond, the com mu ni ty con tin ues to experience outmigration of businesses, jobs and pop u la tion. The two central goals of this re port Plan for the Richmond Corridor Association: Sustaining a Philadelphia Industrial Community are to outline ways to make the com mu ni ty work better for manufacturing and dis tri -bu tion busi ness es, and to improve the image of the com mu ni ty. RCA con clud ed that there are many im prove ments which can be made to create a more hos- pi ta ble environment for business operations. Physical changes to address known problems are needed to make the area look and function better, eliminating access, direction, lighting, and parking defi ciencies. RCA also rec og nized that the com mu ni ty has many assets, but those assets are not well known and need to be promoted. Seven RCA-planned initiatives will position this area to compete for new jobs and in vest ment dollars with industrial parks that lack Port Rich mond's trans por ta tion access, low costs, skilled workforce, and community commitment. These seven RCA neigh bor hood initiatives are summarized below.

Retain existing businesses/Attract new uses to underutilized properties. Pro mote existing and new fi nancial incentives that can help with expansion, acquisition, demolition, cleanup and construction costs. Implement an "Early Warning" survey to alert the business community to the needs of existing busi-nesses planning to leave. Engage city agen cies and real estate pro fes sion als to as sem ble and market underutilized parcels (see pages 7-13).

Create Gateway Landscapes at the I-95 access/egress ramps. At present, a visitor arriving by I-95 is greeted by a confusing, un at trac tive, and sometimes threat en ing land scape. A welcoming design for the Allegheny/Westmoreland and Aramingo ramps will create an attractive, well-lit landscape, free of graffi ti and obsolete signage. Additional improvements will include: bollards or other means to dis cour age short dump ing, cleaning or painting the overpasses, and renewal or re place ment of the several hundred feet of fencing and guardrails (see pages 14-17).

Initiate Collaborative effort to clean-up land controlled by PennDOT, CSX/Norfolk Southern, SEPTA, The Philadelphia Water Department, PGW, and PECO. Rail, highway, and port facilities combined with the holdings of public gas, water and electric utilities, control a sub stan tial proportion of the land in and im me di ate ly adjacent to the area. For Port Rich mond to become com pet i tive ly attractive to new or ex pand ing busi ness es, there must be a commitment to a long term strategy to transform, maintain, and manage the appearance of these properties (see pages 18-19).

Plan for effi cient trucking. Trucking is the lifeblood of industry, and the several I-95 access locations provide the community with a valuable operational asset. This competitive ad van tage is di min ished when trucks are delayed by circuitous routing or by waiting trucks blocking roadways and loading areas. (continued on page 6……)

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RCA: 70+ Philadelphia Businesses Employing 2,000

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RCA businesses have developed a multi-year plan that includes addressing the central challenges to quality of life and competitiveness:

Center City New Jersey

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Also, some streets west of I-95 are too narrow to provide places for trucks to wait. A central, cooperatively managed "staging area" will allow the arrival of material to be effi ciently managed from the loading dock --- a call to the driver will tell him when the way is clear (see page 21).

Erect new signs for safety, wayfi nding, and marketplace identity. Cur- rent ly there is no signage directing people to Port Richmond from I-95, the primary access route for visitors. There are no signs at the main exit ramps in di cat ing that one has arrived in Port Richmond. There is no signage directing drivers to primary destinations in the district. A community-wide approach to operations and "back door" business identity is also needed. A com pre hen sive signage system communicates that a committed business com mu ni ty is working to encourage investment, to attract a quality workforce, to manage the area's growth, and to strengthen the connection to the City as a whole (see pages 23-31).

Improve/repair streets, sidewalks, and parking lots. People and products travel between their business destinations and the I-95 access ramps along Port Richmond streets. A handsome and well-tended "public realm", sidewalks, roadsides, fences, and parking lots, will communicate to the visitor that the Port Richmond business community is vital and productive. A workable plan is needed to establish a viable public landscape based on this community's operational structure and capabilities. Local businesses also need to establish design stan dards to guide sidewalks, fences, landscape, lots and buildings (see pages 32-38).

Light Port Richmond facades, sidewalks and landmarks. A well planned lighting system will provide benefi ts on several levels. Most noted are safety, security, economy, and aesthetic image. Each of these elements of design share equal importance in creating an impression of a well-cared-for place that works both for industry and for the residential neigh bor hoods (see pages 39-42).

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7 Industrial Neigh bor hood Initiatives

• Re-tooling for Redevelopment and Investment

Port Richmond developed initially as a critical transfer point for coal and goods between ships and rail in the 1800's. Since the mid-19th century, this area has been a center of industry, supporting a remarkable community that still includes man u fac tur ing plants, residences, schools, shops, churches, and parks. Port Richmond weathered the two economic storms that devastated many "rust belt" communities: 1) the incremental abandonment and obsolescence caused by the decline of manufacturing in the U.S.; and 2) the dwindling resources available to maintain and modernize public infrastructure and streets (while de vel op ment of industrial parks and subdivisions on formerly rural land was subsidized by state and federal investment). We asked Port Richmond's industrial business owners about the strengths and weaknesses of the community today.

Port Richmond business operators identifi ed this list of area assets:

• I-95• The Port• Residents, the workforce, work ethic, successful job fairs• The emerging network of area businesses• Low cost of property acquisition• Brownfi elds Act, which cuts site prep a ra tion costs• Safety of the neighborhood

At the same time, these business leaders said that the following represented the principal disadvantages:

• Dumping generally, tires and abandoned cars in particular• Graffi ti• Insuffi cient Parking• Truck storage, turning; access for trucks• Philadelphia Wage tax• Transportation costs including tolls• Bad image for customers

Sixty-seven (67) businesses were surveyed from PIDC’s Richmond Corridor list, pro duc ing a 42% response. One set of ques tions dealt with the prospects for expansion and leaving the area. This "early warning" survey is a key tool in business retention. A second question critical to business retention and expansion allowed re spon dents to rate this area in terms of its value to each one’s business. About half gave the area good marks while almost a quarter ranked it poorly.

Many of those who expect to remain in the area cited factors beyond their control such as “can’t sell my building,” “too old to move,” “diffi cult to move machinery.” Another unstated reason may be that the property has long since been paid off and it is easier and cheaper to remain in place. Written comments about factors that could

RCA Business Operators Survey

1. Area “Needs A Lot”

a. Cleaning (other than graffi ti) b. New businesses (tie) c. Improve vacant lots (tie) d. Marketing to attract businesses and improve image

2. Combined: Area “Needs” and “Needs A Lot”

a. New businesses (tie) b. Cleaning (other than graffi ti) (tie) c. Marketing to attract businesses and improve image (tie) d. Improve vacant lots (tie) e. Additional uniformed security at night (tie)

3. Area Trends: “Getting Worse”

a. Businesses leaving b. Cleanliness

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infl uence decisions to leave included “taxes” and/or “crime.”

Vacant properties, and the trash-strewn "in-between" areas along the rail lines and beneath the elevated highway are seen by businesses con sid er ing relocation from or to Port Richmond as signs of economic deterioration and abandonment. This is far from the positive message RCA businesses and the City of Phil a del phia want to share with prospective cus tom ers, clients and employees. With these positives and negatives in mind, the project team and businesses de vel oped a strategy of 7 initiatives to change the business climate as well as perceptions about the neighborhood.

Retooling for Redevelopment and Investment: Urban industrial com mu -ni ties like Port Rich mond present a par tic u lar problem for policy makers, devel-opers, and real estate brokers. They are not industrial parks that can be easily mar ket ed. They are not farmland that can easily be bull dozed for new buildings. They are also not exhausted industrial sites that can be cleared and com plete ly re de vel oped. They are complex patch works of:

• vital businesses that need to be retained• empty build ings which should be marketed, • empty build ings which should be demolished, • and vacant property that should be prepared for redevelopment.

These con di tions do not make it impossible to promote and redevelop an indus-trial community, but they do demand a new approach that focuses on retention, expansion, attraction, and re-use of vacant and under-utilized sites.

Retention: Early detection is the most im por tant fi rst step in a business re ten tion strategy. A successful strategy requires an annual survey of busi ness es (i.e., “Early Warn ing”) to identify potential movers. When a busi ness lists a lot of new complaints or specifi es the prospect of re lo ca tion, a prompt visit by a local business del e ga tion to explore possible remedies is the essential second step. The third step involves working with public sector re sourc es to produce suf-fi cient positive changes or to in tro duce new op por tu ni ties to avert the business loss. The fourth step is mon i tor ing to assure that the promised remedies actu-ally occur. This strategy is an ex pan sion and refi nement of the successful work stim u lat ed in the early 1980s by (the then) New Jersey Bell Tele phone Co. One key feature of that model was the im por tance of busi ness-to-business atten-tion. Sending a hired hand or making a telephone call to the working business leader produced unsatisfactory results. Often the potential mover is not aware of planned improvements or of re sourc es from which he or she may benefi t. Almost always, the visit produces a more positive attitude. Business team members of-ten report that the potential mover said it was the fi rst attention anyone had ever paid to his needs. He had as sumed the city didn’t care if he stayed or left.

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Business Expansion: Port Richmond Businesses contemplating ex pan sion will also be iden ti fi ed by the annual business Early Warning Survey. This fi nd-ing also war rants a business-led visit to un der stand precise needs and efforts made thus far to meet those expansion needs. In for ma tion about nearby site pros pects or those else where in the city can be provided. The business visitors should be joined by PIDC and Department of Commerce staffers who can then promptly begin to work on the owner’s needs.

In the instance of expanders and potential leavers, the annual survey rep re sents a safety device to make sure, to the extent possible, that owners’ plans are understood in a timely fashion. As the Richmond Corridor As so ci a tion expands in numbers, contacts and networking, informal information will provide even earlier de tec tion. RCA will know it is a success when restless or ex pan sion-minded owners call RCA well before they’ve made up their minds.

Business Retention, Early Warning List

Expand Leave

May Likely May Likely

Examples and Comments

Frankford Candy and Chocolate Co. ■ ■ “Need to combine operations in one building”

Gwynn-E-Co, Inc. ■ “Neighborhood going down fast." "The street is a mess and getting worse.”

A&F Corporation ■ ■“Need to clean up the area.”

Probelli Industries, Inc. ■ ■ “Need street cleaning, fi nes for dilapidated buildings” Riverside Power Transmission Co. ■ ■

“Taxes”

Neatsfoot Oil ■ Biddle Co., Inc. ■ Belgrade Parts and Services ■ RCA Business Survey, TAG, January 2000

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New Business Attraction: Realtors who work with in dus tri al prop er ties have the ability to steer pros pects to popular sites where, in all prob a bil i ty, the fee for a suc cess ful deal will be higher than here. Realtors also tend not to be aware of remedial actions that are underway or even of all of the strengths that may already exist. They need to be regularly reminded of current assets such as the potential for selling products to one another. They also may not know of funded com mit ments to important changes in truck loading opportunities or employee parking. The full implications of the I-95/Aramingo connecting ramps may not be ap pre ci at ed. While they can probably recall who has left the area in the past few years, they probably aren’t aware of who remains. In short, the area needs to be known to the real estate industry, not for the site of a di sas -trous tire fi re, but for a series of new and exciting business op por tu ni ties. The mes sage needs to be re peat ed and re peat ed.

The most important ingredient in a successful marketing strategy is the lead- er ship and commitment of the men and women here who own and operate RCA businesses. This evidence of business commitment is our most important asset. RCA should develop the fol low ing mar ket ing tools:

• A Marketing Kit – Generate a marketing kit that identifi es clearly and con- cise ly what makes this a place where industrial businesses can fl ourish. In addition to highlighting available parcels, area data and business facts, the material should feature individual business operators. A contact person and place to call, web address, FAX or e-mail is required.

• Realtors Receptions, and a Website – Every year, there should be a break fast or after work re cep tion for real estate brokers, perhaps in con junc tion with RCA’s annual meeting. Business and government offi cials should speak of plans and ac com plish ments and the latest information should be available in the marketing folder. The intention is to keep this sector in formed and give its members an op por tu ni ty to see fi rst hand the en thu si asm and com mit ment of the RCA non-profi t cor po ra tion members. It is possible that some of this might be done in conjunction with neighboring business associations. When resources permit, RCA should contract with a fi rm to create a video and a web presence that shows off the area to its best advantages, giving par tic u lar attention to the leaders of individual busi ness es who report their sat is fac tion with Port Richmond. The tapes should be available for the second annual meeting with real estate pro fes -sion als. It should be possible to secure spon sor ship for this project or to share the costs among local companies or with the City. The ad van tag es of the area are con sid er able, although they constitute a virtual secret.

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• I-95 Billboard/Environmental Graphics – We propose that RCA plan a bill board or large scale, graphic image that reminds those on the heavily traf fi cked I-95 of the site’s ad van tag es (Pennsauken, NJ uses billboards here to attract residents from Philadelphia). Advantages that should be high light ed by a billboard might include: the port, safe neigh bor hood, strong work ethic, I-95, etc. Again, a billboard should emphasize real industrial leaders who like the area and want to help new com ers. "Port Richmond Works" is a strong slogan for this, as is "Come Grow With Us!"

Another opportunity for a dramatic pos i tive message is presented by the stra te gi cal ly located Philadelphia Gas Works gas om e ter. A thoughtfully de signed, il lu mi nat ed mes sage could create an elegant industrial icon reminiscent of Bir ming ham's Electra, Jer sey City's Colgate Clock, Philadelphia's PSFS sign, Detroit's mon u men tal Dunlap Tire, or Baltimore's beloved Domino Sugar signs. The new Phil a del phia landmark will identify a hard working community in the midst of re-tooling its industrial workforce and in-place infrastructure to sustain competive-ness in tommorow's mar ket place.

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The map to the right shows RCA area properties that are either for sale, clearly underutilized, and those that have recently or are in the process of changing own er ship.

Strategic Redevelopment: In places like Port Richmond, where a vital business community remains, the public sector must stra te gi cal ly target blighted sites for reuse. Acting to secure and reuse those parcels will prevent them from en cour ag ing further neigh bor hood decline. These prop er ties will become a catalyst for im prove ment, bringing in new business or pro vid ing needed parking or expansion space.

Targeting still-vital industrial districts, such as RCA, the City should identify properties which have little reuse potential without public-sector in ter ven tion. The City should also identify groups of properties that can be as sem bled into at trac tive development sites. These sites should then be actively acquired through direct purchase, sheriff sale, or eminent domain. The sites then should be prepared for private-sector reuse or redeveloped by the City for uses that add value to the business community. The City has made important initial steps toward these activities with the Neighborhood Transformation Initiative. This still-evolving strat e gy holds substantial promise for taking control of blighting prop er ties. Much of the discussion to date, however, has been around large blighted areas, where several blocks at a time might be taken down to make way for new op por tu ni ties. Communities like Port Richmond do not have large areas of blight, yet it is important for the Neigh bor hood Trans for ma tion Initiative to also target small blighting prop er ties in otherwise vital business districts. By doing so, entire neigh bor hoods can be stabilized at a relatively low cost.

In its planning efforts, RCA has identifi ed a series of sites which should be as sem bled and prepared for business reuse. It should be noted that a con sid er able amount of underutilized land is held by PGW. This fi scally and operationally strained unit of City gov ern ment has apparently been unable to focus on the potential value of its holdings. Nev er the less, sooner or later at least some of these properties will become available, although for restricted uses com pat i ble with their location near the tank farms. It is in the interest of the City to de ter mine if this property can be part of job retention and/or creation efforts.

The vacant, recently purchased property that runs between the 2600 Blocks of Tioga and Venango bounded by Thompson and Edgemont presents a special challenge to create a design that ap pro pri ate ly addresses potential confl icts between the industrial and residential uses that bound the property.

Application of the State Brownfi elds legislation is a potential resource where environmental cleanup is required, and it may be possible to apply the Tax Increment Financing legislation to a project that generates enough em ploy ment and requires public sector fi nancial assistance for in fra struc ture or other es sen tial project related costs.

While the area is decidedly underutilized, more so on the East side of I-95, there is evidence of market activity. One crude index of land uti li za tion comes from the recent busi ness survey. No re spon dent reported that they had land they were willing to sell. Several fi rms, however, reported a likelihood that they would need to expand in the next fi ve years, implying some potential demand. Ten prop er ties are listed “For Sale”.

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RCA stongly believes that presenting an image at trac tive to new busi ness es, po ten tial employees and customers is essential to the survival of area man u fac tur ing and distribution jobs. At present, a visitor arriving by I-95 is greeted by a con fus ing, un at trac tive, and sometimes threatening landscape. A wel com ing gateway landscape will require the creation of attractive, well lit entrance/exit intersections and sidewalks, removal of graffi ti and obsolete signage, bollards or other means to dis cour age short dumping, some new trees and planting, cleaning or painting the over pass es, and renewal or re place ment of the several hundred feet of fencing and guardrails.

Aramingo Avenue: Port Richmond's Aramingo Avenue is a thriving com mer cial corridor, providing large sites, solid traffi c counts and access to an underserved residential market. The recently completed I-95 access ramp, just north of Wheatsheaf, means that these sites are now easily reached by a greatly expanded regional pool of potential customers. A 1998 study by the Phil a del phia Planning Commission noted that the completion of the I-95/ Aramingo con nec tor "provides the city and the community with once-in-a-generation op por tu ni ties for upgrading the ap pear ance and image of the Aramingo corridor. Specifi c recommendations include:

• Planting at Ramp: Plant wildfl owers or low maintenance hardy shrubs tolerant of severe conditions on the embankment along the southbound off-ramp leading onto Aramingo Avenue.

• Install an ornamental fence along the roadway to Aramingo Avenue. • Directional Sign: Directional signage identifying primary Port Rich mond

Destination Points.• Enhance and maintain the areas under the elevated roadway, keeping

pylons free of graffi ti.• Landscape and maintain Aramingo Avenue shoulders.

Allegheny Avenue: Southbound I-95 traffi c enters and exits on Allegheny Avenue close to the busy Rich mond Street intersection. Monkiewicz Rec re ation Center, a Department of Recreation playing fi eld is bi-sected by I-95 and the north and southbound exit ramps. This im por tant Gate way to Port Rich mond is an op por tu ni ty to create an inviting fi rst im pres sion and to provide the visitor with direction to ef fi cient ly get to his des ti na tion. Instead, the present condition in the area of the ramps and overpasses creates an im pres sion of aban don ment and neglect. If Port Rich mond is to present itself as an attractive place to visit, invest, work or do business – the off ramp, the overpasses, perimeter of the recreation fi eld must be upgraded and maintained. The Plan for the Richmond Corridor Association recommends specifi c im prove ments:

• Street Trees: Replace dead or damaged street trees along Allegheny Avenue adjacent to the Recreation Center property with new appropriately sized trees.

• Planting at Ramp: Plant wildfl owers or low maintenance hardy shrubs tolerant of severe conditions on the embankment along the southbound off-ramp leading onto Allegheny Avenue.

A new banner designed to promote Port Richmond

• Create Gateway Landscapes at the I-95 access Ramps

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• Directional Sign: Directional signage identifying primary Port Rich mond Destination Points.

• Mural at Wall of PAA: There is little room for planting at this site; com- mis sion a mural for the wall at the Polish American Association building.

• Landscape at the Embankments: Keep the embankments mown and free of debris. Install continuous curb along the edge of the em bank ment.

• Lights under Overpass: Install high-pressure sodium lights with prismatic polycarbonite lens. Lamping to match pole-mounted street lights. The new lenses will direct light to retaining walls and side walks.

• Paint Underpass Wall: Paint walls a lighter color using an easily re new -able coating to deter graffi ti.

• Bollards at Overpass: Install bollards at close intervals along the side walk to deter illegal dumping.

• Planting at Bath Street: Plant shrubs along the fence on the east side of Bath Street. This will also be a tough location for plants to grow and thrive so care must be taken to pick hardy species.

• Renew/ Replace Fence: Replace fencing along park. New Fab ric on existing posts.

• Install Truckway "Trailblazer" signs to direct truckers along the preferred routes, avoiding residential streets.

Westmoreland Street: Northbound vehicles leaving I-95 at the Al legh eny exit ramp actually enter local traffi c at Westmoreland Street just east of Rich-mond Street. Cars may then turn left into Port Richmond. Trucks are directed to turn right to take the Bath Street connection to Allegheny in order to proceed to destinations in Port Richmond west of I-95. The area around the ramp, the overpass and Bath street are blighted by short dump ing, grafi tti, and a varity of deteriorating fences, signs and railings. Rec om men da tions to improve the area include:

• Directional Sign: Locate a directional sign adjacent to the parking lot for Byrne’s Tavern identifying primary Port Rich mond Des ti na tion Points.

• Existing trees may require some pruning or limbing up to allow clear sight lines.

• Lights under Overpass: Install high-pressure sodium lights with prismatic polycarbonite lens. Lamping to match pole-mounted street lights. Lens would direct light to piers, sidewalks and the adjacent area to the north that is cur rent ly quite dark and attractive to short-dumpers and graffi ti vandals.

• Paint Underpass Piers and Ceiling: Paint piers a lighter color using an easily renewable coating to deter graffi ti.

• Bollards at Overpass: Install bollards at close intervals along the side walk to deter illegal dumping.

• Gateway Sign: Identifying arrival to Port Richmond. • Landscape of Embankments: Keep the embankments mown and free of

debris. Install continuous curb along the edge of the embankment.• Obsolete Signs: Regularly remove signs posted here that are not part of the

Port Richmond wayfi nding graphic system.

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• Greeting Billboard: A message com ple men ta ry of Port Rich mond business opportunity and the Port Richmond community should be installed

on the large billboard opposite the base of the ramp. • Install Truckway "Trailblazer" signs to direct truckers along the preferred

routes, avoiding residential streets.• Street Trees on Westmoreland Street: Planting could be in cor po rat ed into

the upgrade and redesign of this gateway. Install street trees along the old Westmoreland Street R.O.W.

• Steel “Bumper” Guardrail : Replace the rusting continuous guardrail along the east end of Westmoreland and the Bath Street curve.

• Renew/ Replace Fence: Replace fencing along park. New Fabric on existing posts

Horticultural MaintenanceAny new planting will require thought ful and reg u lar care. As part of this project, the community will develop reliable main te nance mechanisms. No new planting will proceed until a method of main te nance has been identifi ed. PennDOT cur rent ly does a good job keeping the embankments around the in ter change mowed. Any new planting will be designed not to impede ef fi cient main te nance of these areas. If any new planting on the embankment is agreed upon with PennDOT, the com-munity will work with PennDOT to iden ti fy adequate main te nance mech a nisms.

The community will seek the participation of the Penn syl va nia Horticultural So ci ety and the New Kensington Community Development Cor po ra tion to provide tech ni cal assistance on maintenance issues. Both or ga ni za tions are highly regarded for their experience in urban horticulture, and both have ex pressed a willingness to provide technical support to this project.

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• Clean -up Land owned by Utility and Transportation Com pa nies

The RCA steering Committee identifi ed "Trouble Spots" re quir ing priority at ten tion. Most of these focused on land in the public domain, such as parts of Aramingo Avenue, the SEPTA bus loop at Richmond and Westmoreland, and areas ad ja cent to rail lines, beneath the I-95 el e vat ed in ter state highway, alongside highway access ramps, beside athletic fi elds, and along Frankford Creek.

The cumulative blighting impact is profound, however, the remedy is diffi cult because it requires co op er a tion of large public agencies such as PennDOT, Conrail (or its parent com pa nies), SEPTA, the City Streets and Rec re ation Departments,

The map to the left shows, in purple, the ex ten sive area dedicated to utility companies, interstate high- way, or rail road rights-of -way. The typical ur ban pattern of benign neglect around util i ty com pa nies, interstate high ways, and rail lines creates a pow- er ful dis in cen tive to future in vest ment, especially were the pres ence of such uses is so pervasive.

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PECO, PGW and the Philadelphia Water Department.

The pro posed design so lu tions are aimed at making the visitor/cus tom er's ex pe -ri ence a pleas ant one, en sur ing that em ploy ees feel con fi dent about their safety, and enabling everyone involved with receiving and shipping to be as effi cient as possible.

• Clean up and attractively landscape the roadway shoulders at the new I-95 access ramp and along both sides of Aramingo Avenue. The east side north of Wheatsheaf is particularly problematic where a depressed rail R.O.W. is overgrown and trash-strewn.

• Paint and il lu mi nate the railroad bridge that runs over Aramingo Avenue just south of the creek.

• Cleanup and landscape the areas below Aramingo/I-95/Betsy Ross Bridge elevated access-ways.

• Frankford Creek is a hidden asset. The banks should be reclaimed to create an attractive, pollution mitigating, waterway.

• East end of Ontario: Clean up the area in the vicinity of this dead end at the rail crossing. Install additional illumination to discourage short-dumping.

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To PHILADELPHIA TRAMRAIL CO. in Port Richmond Industrial Development Enterprise

From Center City, Philadelphia Airport, and South

I-95 North to Exit 20 (Aramingo Av e nue).

RIGHT at bottom of exit ramp onto Aramingo Av-

enue South.

From North

I-95 South to Exit 20 (Aramingo Avenue). RIGHT at

bottom of exit ramp onto Aramingo Avenue South.

From West via PA Turnpike

PA Turnpike to Exit 24 (Phila./Val ley Forge); merge

onto I-76 East. I-76 East to I-676 East/US-30 East

(Exit 38). NOTE: LEFT Exit. I-676 (Vine Street

Expressway) to I-95 exit on LEFT toward Trenton/

Chester. I-95 North exit on LEFT toward Trenton.

I-95 North to Exit 20 (Aramingo Av e nue). RIGHT at

bottom of exit ramp onto Aramingo Avenue South.

From Northwest via PA Turnpike (NE Ex ten sion)

PA Turnpike Northeast becomes I-476 South.

I-476 South to Exit 6 (I-76 Phil a del phia/Valley Forge);

merge onto I-76 East (Philadelphia).

I-76 East to I-676 East/US-30 East (Exit 38). NOTE:

LEFT Exit. I-676 (Vine Street Expressway) to I-95

exit on LEFT toward Tren ton/Chester. I-95 North

exit on LEFT toward Trenton I-95 North to Exit 20

(Aramingo Avenue). RIGHT at bottom of exit ramp

onto Aramingo Avenue South.

From NJ Turnpike via I-95

NJ Turnpike to Exit 6 (PA Turnpike). Cross turn pike

bridge (stay right); exit im me di ate ly past toll booth

on PA side (Exit 29, Route 13). Route 13 South two

miles to Route 413 North. RIGHT and proceed one

mile to I-95. LEFT onto I-95 South. I-95 South to

Exit 20 (Aramingo Avenue). RIGHT at bottom of

exit ramp onto Aramingo Avenue South.

To PHILADELPHIA TRAMRAIL via Aramingo South

From NJ via Betsy Ross Bridge

Look for “Richmond Street 1/2 mile”, take RIGHT exit

LEFT (South) onto Richmond Street

Richmond Street to Castor Ave. RIGHT to light at Ara-

mingo Ave. LEFT onto Aramingo Avenue South.

2207 E. Ontario Street (cars) , (215) 533-5100 - Aramingo Avenue south to Ontario Street.

Right on Ontario Street. Red brick build ing on right (before railroad over pass) . Entrance to

parking is be tween buildings.

2200 E. Tioga Street (Trucks) - Aramingo Avenue south toTioga Street. Right on Tioga Street.

3 blocks building on left (before rail road overpass).

Philadelphia Tramrail

★

SAMPLE

21

• Plan for Effi cient Trucking and Business Traffi c

A Truck Staging Area: Trucking Dependent businesses need a place for trucks and loaded trailers to "standby". Truckers often arrive at their destinations in the early morning hours after driving most of the night. Presently they must line up along busy neigh bor hood streets blocking traffi c, waiting for a turn to unload. A central co op er a tive ly managed "staging area" will allow the arrival of material to be effi ciently managed from the loading dock-- a call to the driver will tell him when the way is clear. A similar facility will be constructed on Ontario Street, west of Aramingo Avenue in the nearby PRIDE industrial area.

Wh

eats

heaf

Bu

tler

Alleg

hen

yVen

ang

o

Tiog

a

Westm

orelan

d

On

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Delaware A

ve.

Richm

ond

Aramin

go

Casto

r

D e l a w a r e R i v e r

Truck Staging

Center #2

Truck Staging

Center #2

The map to the left shows one possible site for a sec ond Port Richmond Truck Staging Center. A sim i lar fa cil i ty will be con struct ed at the corner of Ontario and Collins Streets. Truck ers typically contact their des ti na tions in advance of ar riv ing from one of the I-95 access ramps. If the load ing area is un pre pared, or is op er at ing at capacity, the driver will be di rect ed to one of the Truck Staging Cen ters, rath er than jamming up local streets. Presently paved and underutilized, the site has ac cess to both Tioga and Venango Streets. From this lo ca tion trucks can travel to the loading docks of most RCA busi ness es without pass ing by neigh bor hood homes. The prop er ty is a good can di date for this activity if an agree ment can be ne go ti at ed with PGW, the current owner.

Aramingo

Exit

Allegheny

Exit

RCA should prepare a Truck Routing map that com pa nies will be en cour aged to use when directing traffic to and from their facilities. A sample of the map being dis trib ut ed to the nearby Port Rich mond In dus tri al De vel op ment Enterprise (PRIDE) busi ness es is shown on page 20.

22

A Preferred Truck Route: Trucks are an essential part of the industrial en- vi ron ment, but in Port Richmond, where industrial, residential, and retail uses coexist closely, it is important to look at ways to mitigate the impact of trucks on non-in dus tri al areas. One way to do this is to identify truck routes that largely avoid non-industrial areas. RCA should prepare a Truck Routing map that compa-nies will be encouraged to use when directing traffi c to and from their facilities. A sample of the map being distributed to the nearby Port Richmond Industrial Development Enterprise (PRIDE) busi ness es is shown on page 20.

Additional Parking for Trucks and Employees: Like many Philadelphia neigh bor hoods, Port Richmond was designed for a time when people walked to work, and when deliveries were made by train. Many older buildings have little parking, and today’s car-reliant, truck-reliant society is a challenge for these businesses. RCA should comprehensively examine the parking needs of busi ness es and look for opportunities to create new parking. Possibilities include shared lots on vacant ground, parking underneath I-95, or the elimination of underused side walks in order to create parking lanes.

Priority Improvements for Traffi c Flow: There are several immediate im prove -ments that can be made to facilitate traffi c fl ow through the area.

• East end of Tioga: Tioga Street needs to be widened and repaved between Balfor Street and Delaware Avenue.

• Create a left-turn lane and install a left turn light southbound at the in ter -sec tion of Richmond Street and Allegheny Avenue.

• Repave, widen, and improve the lighting on Sepviva Street between Castor and Wheatsheaf.

• Make Wheatsheaf Lane one-way eastbound between Sepviva and Aramingo and make Sepviva one-way northbound between Butler and Wheatsheaf. Sepviva be tween Castor and Wheatsheaf is a crucial access way for several businesses. It is too narrow and dimly lit to support its linchpin location delaying the district's employees and trucks. It also provides parallel parking along its length, and frequent pick-up/drop-off of em ploy ees and deliveries cause frustration and delays. It should be redesigned to accomodate these ac tiv i ties. It must be broad ened, better lit, and travel should be re strict ed to north-bound traffi c. This will discourage dangerous high-speed driving through this area.

• Create a left-turn lane at the intersection of Aramingo Avenue and Wheat-sheaf Lane southbound.

23

A good signage system imparts a sense of confi dence to the visitor and creates a unifi ed visual statement that is easily recognizable and imparts a sense of community. A unifi ed sign system com mu ni cates that a com mit ted business com mu ni ty is actively en cour ag ing in vest ment, seeking a quality workforce, and is in ter est ed in the area's trans for ma tion and growth. The system should direct visitors to Port Richmond, announce arrival, and direct the visitor to a specifi c destination. The system should be clear, simple, and durable, as well as easily maintained and updated.

Currently there is no signage directing people to Port Richmond from I-95, the primary access route for visitors. There are no signs at the main exit ramps indicating that one has arrived in Port Richmond. Nor is there signage directing drivers to principal destinations or to main streets.

I- 95 Access Signs

Street Signs

Neighborhood Arrival Markers

Destination Directional Signs

Secondary Destination Directional Signs

Business Destination Signs

Business/ Building Identifi cation

on street Buildings

set-back Buildings

Neighborhood Retail

Shipping and Receiving Zone Identifi cation

Property Access Information Identifi cation

Elements of the Port Richmond Signage System

Build a "Waiting Room" for TrucksBuild a "Waiting Room" for Trucks• Signs to Improve Safety, Wayfi nding and Identity

25

1 – I 95 Access Signage

Signs designate access to destinations. The current Allegheny Avenue and Ara-mingo exit signs should be modifi ed per DOT standards to read “Port Rich mond” as a destination. I-95 exit signs should be located at Allegheny and Aramingo Avenue North and Southbound.

2 – Street Signs

Visual clutter, traffi c, and the width of the major streets make it diffi cult to iden-tify and read street signs in the district. It is recommended that the street signs be adopted to the standard street sign type that is situated above traffi c signal posts, in creas ing legibility and visibility to the motorist. These sign types would be situated at major in ter sec tions along Aramingo and Richmond.

Port RichmondAramingo Ave

Betsy Ross Br

RIGHT LANES

E X I T 2 0

CASTOR AVE2400

CASTOR

26

➔

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

3– Neighborhood Arrival Markers:

These signs mark the edges of the neighborhood. They will tie in thematically with the sign system and express the identity of Port Richmond. Gateway signs clearly identify the major entrances to Port Richmond and enhance the visitor's ex pe ri ence. They should be located at the base of Allegheny and Aramingo Av-enue exit ramps, and the intersection of Richmond Street and Westmoreland Street. The scale of these signs could allow for visibility from the I-95 Interstate.

4– Destination Directional Signs

These signs direct the motorist from the interstate or primary arterials to the primary Port Richmond destination points.

The Direction Philadelphia system could also be adopted for these sign types. They are typically aluminum single-sided signs mechanically fastened to ex trud ed alu mi num or steel posts in a concrete footing. Existing poles may be utilized where feasible to reduce costs and the number of obstructions. The sign panels are a com bi na tion of paint, silkscreen and/or re fl ec tive copy; with a painted or an od ized post.

PORT

RICHMOND

★

★ ★ ★ ★ §

★

Phil adel phia

27

PORT

RICHMOND

BIDDLE COMPANY

TIOGA PIPE OFFICE

APA

TRANSPORTATION

CORP

5– Secondary Destination Directional Signs

These signs direct and alert the motorist along primary arterials in the Industrial Park areas to approaching intersections. Aluminum signs mechanically fastened to extruded aluminum or steel posts. Sign panels are a combination of paint, silkscreen and/or refl ective copy; painted or anodized post. Single-sides. Direct burial in concrete footing.

6– Business Destination Signs

These signs direct and alert the motorist along primary arterials in the Industrial Park areas to approaching businesses. Aluminum signs mechanically fastened to extruded aluminum or steel posts. Sign panels are a combination of paint, silkscreen and/or refl ective copy; painted or anodized post. Single-sides. Direct burial in concrete footing.

PORT

RICHMOND

ONTARIO STREET

TIOGA STREET

ALLEGHENY AVE

28

7– Business/Building Identifi cation

Port Richmond includes a diverse mix of industrial, commercial and retail busi ness es each with their own needs for building and business identifi cation graphics. Businesses that are set back from the street require larger sign types readable from a distance. Others require small street level signs identifying pedestrian entrances

On Street Industrial Buildings: For On-Street Industrial buildings, business-identifi cation signs will be painted on the building face, in the original sign location if possible. A graffi ti resistant clear coating will be applied that will not yellow or fl ake and that can be cleaned periodically. It is recommended that these signs be fl ood lit for nighttime visibility.

Should unrepairable building surfaces prevent painting, then signs will be painted on aluminum and mounted to the building face. Location Criteria: Ve hic u lar and pedestrian visibility, Night visibility [in de pen dent ly illuminated], Applied to or cantilevered (projecting) off of building surfaces.

For smaller scale business identifi cation sign types, aluminum panels are pre- ferred. Multi-tenant buildings may require additional signs.

Aluminum signs are to be mechanically fastened directly to building surface, ex trud ed aluminum post or brackets. The sign panel is a combination of paint and refl ective copy; painted or anodized post, double-sided where necessary. They may also be can ti le vered from building surfaces. A graffi ti resistant clear coating will be applied that will not yellow or fl ake and that can be cleaned periodically. Location Criteria: Vehicular and pedestrian visibility, Night visibility (in de pen dent ly illuminated), Projecting signs (cantilevered off of building sur fac es) are desirable on small streets.

Building Types and Business ID Sign Location(s)

facade projecting @ entry @ fence freestanding

On Street Industrial Yes Yes Yes No No

Set-back Industrial Yes Yes Yes Yes *

Neighborhood retail Yes No Yes No No

29

Set-back Industrial Buildings: Address and Business Identifi cation signs for set-back industrial buildings should to be evaluated on an individual basis. Buildings in an industrial park are often set back from the road, surrounded by fencing, requiring identifi cation at the building or property at the street en- trance. Signs should be attached to fencing identifying the address and busi- ness name.

Custom signs identifying the business name could take on a range of forms– Channel lettering or cast brushed aluminum letterforms stud-mounted to the building face – or a free-standing panel or monolith with or without posts. It is recommended that these signs be fl ood lit for nighttime visibility.

Address and Business Identifi cation signs for set-back industrial buildings situated along an avenue or a street require large-scale address and business name iden ti fi ca tion as well. These signs will made of cast brushed aluminum letterforms stud mounted to the building face.

2601 WHEATSHEAF LANE

from

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30

8– Neighborhood Retail Buildings

Most of the area's retail shops are located on Richmond Street between a few blocks south of Allegheny Avenue. However, there are shopfronts, often at corner locations, here and there all along Richmond Street. It is recom-mended that the Center City District Design Standards be considered when improving retail storefronts. Successful storefront design creates a strong image, open and inviting to the customer, eliminating clutter and confusion which detract from the merchan-dising image. These principles apply both to “high-end merchants”, as well as to ”off-price” merchants. Recommendations include using individual dimensional let-tering fl ush to the building face, avoiding box signs, and using awnings to conceal the housings for roll-down security grills. .

9– Shipping and Receiving Zone Identifi cation

A systemic, community-wide approach to op er a tions and "back door" business identity gives visitors and truck drivers assistance in confi dently fi nding their des ti na tions. A consistent design for signs that mark in di vid u al shipping and re ceiv ing zone areas is an essential component of RCA's overall plan to "work better".

These signs are to be painted on the building surface. Alternatively, aluminum signs with a combination of paint and refl ective copy could be mechanically fas- tened directly to building surface. --- Location Criteria: Ve hic u lar and pe des tri an visibility, Night visibility is important, so these signs should be in de pen dent ly illuminated.

10– Property Access Information Identifi cation

Many businesses currently display custom signs that address property access information. The RCA "family" of sign types should include a sign designed to be mounted to the front of chain link that carries this kind information. When ordering this sign type, busi ness es may specify message(s) specifi c to their plant operations, i.e.: "check with shipping department before entering", "ring bell" or "MAXIMUM SPEED 5 MPH".

Cour

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of C

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Dis

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and

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Ass

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31

Environmental Graphics

Many opportunities exist within Port Richmond to design environmental graph-ics that would enhance the visitor’s experience, serve as gateways, destination arrival markers, or to promote Port Richmond’s Identity and Mar ket ing Cam- paign. Examples of these surfaces include:

• Railroad trestles which could carry the Port Richmond Logo and slogan “Port Richmond Works”

• Long fences along Castor Avenue on the east side, which could serve as a destination marker, “Port Richmond Industrial Park East”

• Chainlink fences to which large signs of the Port Richmond logo could be at tached.

33

Richmond Street: Although Port Rich mond's namesake street still accommodates cer e mo ni al events and local commerce, the street is not a neighborhood des ti na tion universally frequented as it was in past decades

Small Streets: A strategy to attract new uses to underutilized prop er ties, and to improve land scape, lighting, parking, and delivery practices is necessary, especially in the vicinity of com mer cial uses.

Aramingo Ave. should be a welcoming boulevard with right-sized signs for wayfi nding and business identifi cation.

"Spine streets" like Ontario should should be tidy, well-lit and landscaped to be attractive to new businesses and the skilled workforce Port Richmond industries must employ and recruit.

People and products travel between their business destinations and the I-95 access ramps along Port Richmond streets. Yet the condition of these areas only makes it more diffi cult to do business in Port Richmond. Day as well as night, unkempt areas lacking lighting are as so ci at ed with high crime areas. Em ploy ees and visitors worry about their cars and are willing to walk only short distances. This down-at-the heels appearance produces fear that has an unmeasurable but certain negative effect on busi ness es, if only because it limits the labor pool.

A handsome and well-tended “public realm”, sidewalks, roadsides, fences, and parking lots, will provide the visitor an indication that the business community of Port Richmond is vital and productive. A workable plan is needed to establish a viable public landscape based on this community’s operational structure and capabilities.

Avenues, Spines, and Streets: Penn’s plan for Philadelphia has structured Center City’s growth and has accommodated the technological changes of the last three centuries. The measured grid of blocks and the well known order of its four squares, the “tree streets” and numbered streets, all centered around the crossing of Broad, and Market at City Hall, is easily understood and explained by a child.

Few communities have so elementary and easily understood a structure. Most are, like Port Richmond, created by cir cum stance and compromise over time. However, Port Richmond does have a more subtle organizational structure that is un der stood and that works in practice every day. It is based on the hierarchy of street and roadway types that weave through the community, connecting and sometimes separating various activities and land uses. If this characteristic structure is to become a factor in future decisions about investment, land uses, zoning issues, infrastructure improvements (including the landscape and light-ing recommendations on following pages) and priority actions, this “hierarchy of street and roadway types” must become as easily understood and explained as the basic elements of Penn’s plan for Philadelphia. This document suggests such an approach, and categorizes Port Richmond’s streets as:

• The avenues (Allegheny, Aramingo, Delaware), • the small streets (too many to name), • the main street (Richmond Street), • and the "spines" or "spine streets": Wheatsheaf, Venango, Tioga, Ontario,

and Westmoreland.

These categories are meant to be evocative of their present use and future character.

• The View from the Street

.

34

• Interstate underpasses could carry welcome mes sag es and graphics.Avenues: Allegheny, Delaware, and Aramingo Avenues are the "big streets". Though very different from each other, they certainly have the greatest capacity and the grand est scale. The Avenues play an important role as part of a larger regional network con nect ing Port Richmond with the Greater Phil a del phia Area. Av e nues defi ne the geography of an area by bounding its neigh bor hoods. Func tion al ly, the avenues are doing their job. Now is the time to plan improve-ments in rec og ni tion of their im por tant civic role, as com mu ni ty gate ways and primary thor ough fares. Rec om men da tions focus on civic or na ment and envi-ronmental im prove ments such as trees, lighting and signage that support this symbolic role.

Near-term plans for Delaware Avenue should acknowledge that it is, at pres-ent, a fragment of a planned grand avenue linking waterfront activities all along the river. Construction of the extension north to Bridesburg will probably start next year, an action that is supported by local communities as a remedy for the intrusive truck traffi c through the residential neighborhoods. It is to be designed to accommodate industry-related and terminal-related traffi c as well as rec re -ation al river-side access (especially biking to points north). Linkage south to Christopher Columbus Boulevard is also under consideration.

Aramingo Avenue was, at the turn of the century, a canal, providing river access inland to about where Tioga Pipe is today. It has become a thriving commercial corridor, providing large sites, solid traffi c counts, and access to an underserved residential market. The recently completed access ramp to I- 95 ramp, just north of Wheatsheaf, means that these sites are now easily reached by a greatly expanded regional pool of potential customers. A 1998 study by the Phil a del phia Planning Commission noted that completion of the I-95/Aramingo connector "provides the city and the community with once-in-a-generation op-portunities for upgrading the appearance and image of the Aramingo cor ri dor"; opportunities, not yet foreclosed, but not yet realized. Plans to connect to the Betsy Ross Bridge and the I-95 Torresdale connector are ongoing.

A 1898 map of Port Richmond shows a canal along the present-day Aramingo Avenue roadway to a location near where Tioga Pipe is today.

Avenues

Allegheny, Aramingo, Delaware: Plant Appropriately -scaled, hardy trees to create distinctive ribbons of green on major RCA rowdways

35

Allegheny Avenue, between Richmond Street and Frankford Avenue has long been an im por tant center of Port Rich mond life, host to its most venerable com-munity institutions. A future, thriving vital Port Richmond will sustain these his-toric assets and attract new investment. The Plan ning Com mis sion's 1998 study " Port Rich mond at the Cross roads" rec om mend ed that the 2000 to 2800 blocks of Al legh eny Avenue become the core of a "Village or Town Center" and lays out a number of redevelopment goals without spelling out specifi c eco nom ic objec-tives. A recent PIDC publication; "Allegheny/ Westmoreland Gate ways" proposes eight concrete "Priority Action Steps" for establishing an attractive threshold connection to I-95 and a detailed set of initial actions that create a foun da tion for realizing the hoped-for outcome en vi sioned in the Planning Com mis sion report.

"Spine Streets": Wheatsheaf, Butler, Venango, Castor, Tioga, Ontario, and Westmoreland: are referred to in this plan as "Spine Streets". Historically, and even today, this is "where the work goes on". Sites along these streets were, in the past, es pe cial ly valuable because these they provided direct access to rail and deep water transfer sites and thus were blessed with direct con nec tion to the wider economy. This privileged position is reproduced now since the No- vem ber 1999 opening of the Aramimgo/I-95 connection. However, as the map on page 15 reveals, virtually all of the presently vacant and underutilized sites in the RCA district lie along these seven major streets. These properties can be made at trac tive to the modern marketplace and compete successfully for industrial businesses seeking to expand or relocate. Modern in dus tri al parks, com pet ing for the same busi ness es, would augment the assets of great access and low property costs with a well-main tained landscape, facility-wide design and sig-nage standards and a marketing strategy to attract good companies.

"Spines"

Wheatsheaf, Butler, Castor, Venango, Tioga, Ontario, Westmoreland: Design a "borrowed landscape" to improve the streetscape image of RCA by adding vegetation, wherever possible, within the property lines

36

If Port Richmond has a "Main Street", it is Richmond Street between Ann Street and Allegheny Avenue; just south of the RCA area. This is the Cen-tral Business District of the local retail and service econ o my. Al though Port Rich mond's namesake street still accommodates cer e mo ni al events and local commerce, the street is not a neighborhood des ti na tion universally frequented as it was in past decades.

Central to any effort to assist Rich mond Street's "main street busi ness es" or to develop a re vi tal iza tion strategy that refl ects the opportunities particular to this corridor will be to create a workable landscape plan that invites long-term reinvestment. That should certainly include the blocks between Allegheny to Castor. The diagram below notes that smaller trees should be selected where there are over head wires.

Small Streets: Most of Port Richmond's residents and many of its small businesses lie along its many Small Streets. Thompson, Edgemont, Almond and Schiller are narrower one-way streets that are the scene of the daily life of hundreds of households, children's play, and family businesses. In this complex en vi ron ment, neighborly cooperation substitutes for a 24 hour-a-day operational plan to avoid creating unwelcome noise, unnecessary obstacles, light pollution, and security prob lems.

A strategy to attract new uses to underutilized prop er ties, and to improve land- scape, lighting, parking, and delivery practices is necessary, especially in the vicinity of commercial uses. Specifi c action items include: new parking lanes, better signage, lighting, land scape and fencing standards, and a mar ket ing ef-fort to attract new appropriate businesses to vacant properties.

.

Small Streets

Residential: Create green vistas and visual relief by planting trees in appropriate locations

Commercial: Upgrade sidewalks, crosswalks, lighting, signage, parking and enforcement.

Richmond Street: Develop and install a coordinated palette of streetscape furninshings to support the street's role as a mixed-use neighborhood center

"main street"

37

Fences and walls defi ne edges and ter ri to ries, separate use zones, dis tin -guish pri vate from public areas, and secure prop er ty. Several different types of barriers including, chain link fences with and with out barbed/razor wire, corrugated metal fences, and brick or stone walls, presently exist within the industrial areas of Port Richmond. Since there are thousands of linear feet of fence, the gradual re place ment of deteriorating fences provides an op por tu ni ty to enhance the ap pear ance of streets throughout the community.

Adoption of design standards for fences and walls is an important part of an overall plan for attractive neigh bor hood streets, handsome avenues, a vital Richmond Street, and for enhancing the appearance and effi ciency of Wheat-sheaf, Butler, Castor, Venango, Tioga, Ontario, and Westmoreland streets.

There are several options for standard fence and wall designs that can cre ative ly combine commonly used materials into practical solutions. Three fence/wall types have been identifi ed:

• Security Fence• Screen Fence• Decorative Fence

Security Fences are typically in stalled around property edges, especially in areas remote from daily activity. Security fences should be standard chain link fence at heights that are appropriate for each property own er. If these fences require barbed/razor wire along their top rails it should be installed as neatly and uniformly as possible to maintain a ‘cared for’ image for the landscape. If individual property owners wish to up-grade their security fences the use of black vinyl coated chain link is rec om mend ed.

Screen Fences are typically installed around storage yard and loading areas where there may be materials or activities that businesses do not want in pub-lic view. Within RCA, it is recommended that these fences should be standard chain link with a black slat infi ll. Depending on the screening density required, the slats can be installed to form a decorative pattern. Application of super graphics on the slats to create a more lively streetscape is also a pos si bil i ty. Heights of these fences will vary to match individual needs, however if uniform materials are used it will help to present a coordinated image in the district. To up-grade screen fences property owners can install black vinyl coated chain link instead of standard chain link.

Decorative Fences are typically installed at front doors and along public access areas to help direct visitors and defi ne the public vs. private realm. Within RCA it is recommended that black post and rail fencing be installed in these

38

lo ca tions. This fence type can be easily combined with chain link if square posts are used for both installations. To up-grade a simple post and rail estate fence owners can install brick piers at appropriate intervals between the rails. The brick of the piers will ac knowl edge the predominate building material within RCA and help to integrate the im prove ments with the surroundings.

Port Richmond street trees face a diffi cult environment. Constant truck traffi c on congested streets through semi-residential neigh bor hoods com- bined with the predominance of over head wires and utility poles create a dif-fi cult en vi ron ment for Port Richmond street trees. There is how ev er a desire to ‘green’ the district because mem bers of RCA feel that trees are a positive sign that the business community of Port Richmond is vital and pro duc tive.

The drawings that accompany the descriptions of each street type (pages 34-36) show generic sections for each type (Avenue, Spine, Main Street, Small Street- Business and Res i den tial). Each section shows trees planted where they could logically be installed, al though placing trees on all streets may not be the best solution. Trees are living things and require on-going main te -nance, there fore they are best located adjacent to prop er ties where owners or renters will assume their care. Con fl icts with over head wires must also be addressed in any future tree in stal la tions.

There have been several recent initiatives undertaken by various groups and agencies within Port Richmond to defi ne and enhance gateways to the com- mu ni ty. Rec om men da tions have been prepared and presented to PennDOT, The Department of Rec re ation, and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s Phil a del phia Green Program to enlist their help in coordinating efforts to improve im por tant in ter sec tions, and arrival and departure zones within Port Rich mond. The gateways include the I-95 on and off ramps at Allegheny and Aramingo Avenues, the I-95 off ramp at Westmoreland Street, and the intersection of Rich mond and Westmoreland Streets. Improvements under consideration include the in stal la tion of new planting, lighting, and signage as appropriate at each location.

Many sidewalks within RCA are de te ri o rat ed and unsightly, contributing to the overall impression that the district has lost its vibrancy. Installation of new sidewalks using standard City of Phil a del phia ma te ri als with special scoring patterns that defi ne different use zones will be a prac ti cal and cost effective means to upgrade RCA’s image. Proposals illustrated here dovetail with stan dards already accepted by PRIDE and will help to unify the dif fer ent

39

Security lights shining out from the building may pro-duce glare and actually reduce visibility at the building perimeter.

Adding accessory shields to existing cobra head style fi xtures cuts down un want ed glare.

Standard cobra head style fi xtures add glare and provide only the most basic function of light.

The daytime appearance of a city is often carefully planned, but its nighttime look is usually left to chance. By night, the city streets are illuminated for the basic requirements of vehicular traffi c rather than the appearance of buildings or the comfort of pedestrians.

This limited design approach throws illumination indiscriminately onto building facades and into the air. Glare and light-tres-pass from ad ver tis ing and security illumination compete with the street lighting and produce a random and chaotic collage of light. Port Richmond suffers from this random approach to lighting design. The urban streetscape elements that are visible during the day, disappear at night. The illumination in the RCA neighborhood should be or ga nized to integrate the street light-ing grid and the building and signage il lu mi na tion. This process can be controlled through the planning effort, and encouraged with neighborhood education and participation.

A well planned lighting system will provide benefi ts on several levels. Most noted are safety, security, economy, and aesthetic image. Each of these el e ments of design share equal importance in creating the overall com po si tion.

A primary visual concern in this neighborhood is glare created by the streetlights. People walking down the street see the bright streetlight lenses against the dark night sky. This contrast in light intensity is very un com fort able and creates a neg a tive impression. Shadows seem darker, signs are more diffi cult to see and the neighborhood feels less safe. Another problem is the random character of the illumination. Some important elements, such as identifying signage, are missed, while less important elements are over-lighted.

The solutions to these problems include:

• Improved shielding for the streetlighting. This will reduce direct glare.• More illumination on building facades. This will increase the background

illumination and reduce visual contrast.• Accent illumination on landmark features. This will add to the enjoyment

of being in this neighborhood.• A more focused approach to signage and security lighting that reduces

glare and light trespass.

• Light up Port Richmond

40

There is a hierarchy of roadway types in the RCA District. Specifi c lighting recommendations for Avenues, Spines, Main Street and Side Streets follow.

Consistant, glare free, illumination along RCA's Aramingo, Al legh eny and Delaware Av e nues, can be provided with a few enhancements to existing street-lighting. The Av e nues should have the highest level of il lu mi na tion and some element of feature lighting to set them apart from the other roadways. These roadways are cur rent ly lighted by cobra head streetlights located on both sides of the roadway. There are some sections where the current pattern of streetlights is in con sis tent, leaving blank areas in the lighting coverage. Streetlights should be added to all available utility poles. Dis col ored lenses on existing lu mi naires should be replaced to afford the highest level of il lu mi na tion. A shielding device should be added to the existing luminaires to reduce direct glare from the bright lens against the dark sky. The main thoroughfare in this dis tri bu tion and trucking sector is Aramingo Avenue. Its existing street lighting is adequate. Dark areas along the three cross streets in this sector could benefi t from sup ple men tal light fi xtures added to existing wood utility poles. The street lighting along Delaware Avenue is adequate for vehicular traffi c. The lighted tank farms are in ter est ing features that enhance the overall ap pear ance and industrial character of this area. How ev er, the cross streets in this sector are in disrepair and have patchy street lighting. Lighting levels could be im proved by adding new lighting fi xtures to existing street poles. The new lighting would increase illumination levels and produce a more at trac tive and in vit ing visual environment. The Avenues should incorporate some architecture and land scape lighting to defi ne these areas at night. Specifi c land marks (the Rail road bridge across Aramingo Avenue is an example) and facades should be washed with light to enhance identity of the neigh bor hood and reduce the visual contrast between the streetlights and their surrounds.

Aramin

go

Alleg

hen

y

Delaware

41

Bracket mounted lights provide verti-cal illumination on a factory wall. This en hanc es the building’s ap pear ance while pro vid ing security lighting for its perimeter.

Lighting for RCA's "Spine Streets" (Westmoreland, Ontario, Tioga, Venango, Castor, Butler and Wheatsheaf) should provide general il lu mi na tion and should also draw visitors attention to building walls, identity signage, and en tranc es. These two-lane road ways provide for ve hic u lar and pe des tri an traffi c through industrial and com mer cial areas. The existing lighting consists of cobra head streetlights mounted to wooden utility poles. The streets appear dark at night due to gaps in the streetlighting pattern, limited back ground il lu mi na tion on building walls and high contrast between the bright streetlights and the night sky.

The Spines need the same lighting changes as the Avenues. These include adding streetlights to improve the consistency of the streetlighting pattern, replacing deteriorated lighting equipment and providing shielding for cobra head streetlights. In addition, building facades along the Spines need more vertical illumination. Lighting the walls will reduce contrast, help defi ne the pedestrian path and heighten the sense of security. This lighting could be provided by fl oodlights added to existing utility poles or with building mounted lighting equip ment. The fl oodlight luminaires should have cut-off optics or be fi tted with louvers to minimize glare and light trespass. The lighting on signage should be improved to facilitate wayfi nding and enhance the pedestrian experience.

Nighttime lighting of structures creates attractive visual landmarks and height ens the sense of safety and security. This is a good way to make a favorable im pres sion with a small investment.

Wh

eats

heaf

Bu

tler

Casto

r

Ven

ang

o

Tiog

a

Westm

orelan

dO

ntar

io

42

Richm

ond Street

Richm

ond Street

Illumination along RCA's "mainstreet", Richmond Street, should be designed to provide a more hospitable environment for pedestrians. It is a two-lane roadway with a mix of res i den tial and com mer cial/retail prop er ties. Although the street is de signed for both vehicular and pedestrian traffi c, no trucks are allowed on Richmond Street below Allegheny Avenue. The com mu ni ty has a desire to make this Main Street more pe des tri an-friendly.

The existing lighting consists of cobra head streetlights mounted to wooden utility poles. Although functional streetlighting is adequate on Richmond Street, there is no lighting to encourage pedestrian traffi c at night. More lighting is needed on building walls to reduce contrast, help defi ne the pedestrian path and heighten the sense of security. Improved signage lighting would enliven the streetscape and enhance wayfi nding. A visual pathway of decorative lu mi naires could be added to existing utility poles. They would be mounted below the existing street lights - at 14 to 16 feet above grade. These luminaires would provide a pedestrian scale and improve the ap pear ance of the streetscape. In general, any new building mounted lighting fi xtures must be durable, vandal-resistant and mounted away from easy reach by vandals. Any new lighting adjacent to property lines must be carefully placed to avoid excessive glare onto adjacent properties.

43

Lighting for RCA area "small streets", which travel through res i den tial and light com mer cial areas, should minimize light tres-pass and glare in order to be considerate of the residents on these streets. The existing lighting consists of cobra head streetlights mounted to wooden utility poles. As noted above, the existing streetlighting creates glare. A shielding device should be added to the existing luminaires to reduce direct glare from the bright lens against the dark sky.

Many of the residents have added low level pedestrian light posts in front of their properties. These light posts are available through a PECO program for homeowners. These light posts provide a resi-dential character and an im proved sense of security in these streets. All residents should be encouraged to par tic i pate in this program.

Commercial properties on small street must be careful to use cutoff or louvered lighting fi xtures for signage and security lighting to maximize comfort for res i den tial neighbors.

On a portion of the south side of Wheatsheaf, the area feels more secure because of several illuminated building facades. This same effect could be repeated along Sepviva where illuminating a block-long building would improve the nighttime character of the entire area.

44

Co

mp

leted

Un

der

way

Pr

op

os

ed

NA

NA

$3,000

NA

$ 250,000

$ 43,500

$ 10,000

$ 9,000

$ 30,000

$ 12,000

$ 5,600

$ 5,000

$ 20,000

NA

$ 40,000

$ 200,000

$ 2,500

$ 170,000

$ 10,000

$ 25,000

$ 130,000

$ 175,000

$ 12,000

$ 35,000

$ 35,000

$ 120,000

$ 72,000

$ 12,000

$ 9,000

$ 5,000

$ 100,000

$ 50,000

$ 21,000

$ 54,000

*Order-of-magnitude costs, for discussion and planning purposes

❍ ❍ ❍ ❍

❍

❍ ❍ ❍ ❍

❍ ❍

❍ ❍

❍

❍ ❍ ❍

❍

❍

❍

❍

❍

❍

❍

❍ ❍ ❍

❍

❍

❍ ❍ ❍ ❍

Cost Information*

Note: implementation of items listed in italics will involve local gov ern ment participation and/or external funding.

1. Business Retention/ Business Attraction

A. -Strategic acquisitions and prep of vacant land

B. -Establish funding for facility improvements/ ex pan sion

C. -Create RCA identity material and marketing kit

D -Budget and plan for ongoing marketing efforts

E -Design and build new promotional civic landmark

2. Allegheny/Westmoreland/Aramingo gateways

A -Design and installation of gateway landscapes & lighting

B -Mural at Wall of PAA

C -Paint underpass walls and piers

D -Renew/replace fencing and guardrails

E -Gateway Signage

F -Bollards

G -Remove obsolete signage and posts

3. Rail, highway, and creek corridor clean-up A -Prepare design for rail, highway and creek corridors

B -Secure agreement with landowners and maintenance commitments

C -Implement annual corridor projects (per year)

4. Plan for Effi cient Trucking

A -Design, construct truck staging area (if existing paved site is used)

B -Develop truck routing plan and map

C -Complete intersection and roadway improvements

5. Signs for safety, wayfi nding, & marketplace

A -Develop/Install district signature banners

B -Design wayfi nding, ID & info signage program

C -Install district identifi cation and wayfi nding signage

D -Upgrade Aramingo traffi c signals and street signs (7 intersctions)

E -Remove obsolete signage and posts

6. Improve/repair streets, sidewalks, and parking lots

A -Establish district-wide design standards

B -Develop and implement planting plan (per year)

C -Fence replacement/repair (50/50 replacement/repair of 3,000 ft.)

D -Sidewalk replacement/repair (per year @ 1,000 lin. ft ea. year)

E -Improve vacant lots (allowance for vacant lot cleanup)

7. Light Port Richmond facades, sidewalks & landmarks

A -Improved lighting below I-95 overpasses (north of Tioga)

B -Create lighting standards for parking lots & work yards

C -Illuminate some building facades

D -Illuminate ID signs, entrances and loading areas

E -Install cutoff feature on "spine street" streetlights (105 proposed)

F -Install several new street lights on existing poles (108 proposed)

45

•

Conclusion

RCA's plan does not stop at the boundaries of their target area. In early dis cus sions about creating a "zone" that they would improve and promote, the clear message from the business community was that they do not work in a zone, they work in a neighborhood. RCA's mission is to improve and promote the whole neighborhood.

Groups like RCA deserve recognition and support as the essential grass-roots machinery for reversing job and population loss. Self-help deserves greater appreciation in urban economic development. In surveys, these owners grumbled about taxes, but they placed most of their emphasis on place-related problems. Gloomy at night, fi lthy and cramped in daylight, the recurrent image of blight deters employees, limits full plant use and discourages visiting customers. The Plan for the Richmond Corridor Association: Sustaining a Philadelphia Industrial Com mu ni ty describes a community-driven strategy to reverse job and business loss at the neigh bor hood level, producing the kind of business environment that will attract, not deter, new business and retain existing Port Richmond com- pa nies. This is a powerful and exciting de vel op ment. For many years, industrial busi ness es have withdrawn from involvement with their communities. They have moved their facilities away or walled them selves off from real and perceived problems. The Richmond Corridor Association has taken the opposite approach; they have reached out to the com mu ni ty, with clean-ups and job fairs, and they are now seeking to implement changes that will positively impact the way that Port Richmond works for everyone.

While this plan has taken 18 months to complete, the longterm and challenging work begins now. RCA must take these recommendations and transform them into physical changes in the community. And it must enlist the involvement and cooperation of a broad range of businesses, agencies, and individuals to do so. In order to set this process in motion, RCA has identifi ed a series of prior-ity items that it will target fi rst. These actions will begin the transformation process and set the stage for later improvements. RCA will begin immediately to enlist partners in this project and seek committments from these partners to assist in implementing the action items as well as future improvements.

46

RC

A

RFK

CD

C

PID

C

Co

mm

er

ce D

ep

t

Pen

n D

OT

City (

Str

eets

& R

ec

)

PH

S

FFA

STA

TE

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

✔ ✔ ✔

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

✔ ✔ ✔

✔

✔

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

✔ ✔

✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

✔ ✔ ✔

Priority Next Steps

Introduce the plan to Community Implement improvements to

Neighborhood Gateways and

I-95 Interchanges (2a-2g) Develop reuse strategy for

vacant land (1 a)

Develop business attraction

strategy for key parcels (1 a-d, 6e)

Implement Early Warning Survey

(1c,d)

Seek Funds to implement large

scale public improvements

(2A-7F)

Develop logo for RCA and

promote its use by businesses (1C)

Develop and implement

Neighborhood directional

sign system (5C)

Develop truck routing plan (4B)

Implement priority physical

improvements: Tioga, Sepviva, and

Ontario Streets (E. of I-95) and

Aramingo Ave (4c)

Develop/implement Neighborhood

promotional/marketing strategy

(1e, 2e, 5a-c)