old city vision2026 v1.0

V I S I O N 2 0 2 6F R A M E W O R K

1.0

Philadelphia is growing for the first time in decades. Greater Center City is leading that growth and Old City is full of opportunity for current and future residents, workers, and visitors, alike. Such

opportunity comes with growing pains and the need for important decisions about the future.

Nearly a quarter millennium ago at Independence Hall, America declared its sovereignty, and Old City has evolved, endured setbacks,and flourished ever since. Like the Centennial and Bicentennial

before, 2026 will be an opportunity to consider and showcase what kind of City and Nation we consider worthy of our commitment, investment, and affection.

We have identified this Framework as Version1.0 to indicate that this is a living document that should change over time.

Vision2026 is an effort to embrace change and shape the future of our shared experience. The Old City District does not hold

property or control open space or right of way, but we believe that with facts, vision, mutual understanding, and compromise,

people can come together to tackle persistent challenges, nurture continued growth, and maintain a high quality of life.

- Job Itzkowitz, Executive DirectorMarch 2016

BirthPlace of the Nation

One of Americas Top 12 ArtPlaces

Place to be: Phillys First Downtown

Paradigm-Shifting WorkPlaces

A Place Called Home by Thousands

231 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19106

215.592.7929www.oldcitydistrict.org

prepared by The RBA Group with Urban Partners + Atkin Olshin Schade Architects

Jonas Maciunas + Mark Keener, principal authors

Photographs by CJ Dawson Photography for Old City District

V I S I O N 2 0 2 6 F R A M E W O R K 3

Old City is a special place in Philadelphia.

This is a place people love to live, work, visit, learn, and create. This network of personalities is the foundation upon which this Framework is built.

Vision2026 imagines a future for Old City in which more activity does not diminish the experience, but makes it even better.

Vision2026 will require refinement, partnership, and follow-through; this is the beginning, not the end of the planning process.


Change Happens

At the advent of railroads, High Street (now known as Market Street and shown at 6th Street) carried the original Pennsylvania Railroad to the Delaware River. Market sheds (for which it was renamed) were erected and remained through the trolley era, contributing to the neighborhoods identity. Eventually, this was no longer the right configuration of the street, and the Old City evolved around new transportation needs and preferences.

Photo Credit: The Free Library of Philadelphia


57+50+44+18+8+1+2+6+11100+100+100+100+100+100+100+100+100

2000-201443K GrowthAccelerated since 2010

1950-2000 27% Population Decline Varying losses each decade

The second half of the twentieth century witnessed the managed, and sometimes chaotic, decline of Americas cities. Though there were certainly moments and places of urban investment during this period of suburbanization, on the whole, populations were falling and properties dropped in value. Increasingly, the thick building fabric of sections of Philadelphia, including Old City, physically hollowed out as a result of both market forces and deliberate public policy.

Times are changing. Since the 2000 US Census, population growth has resumed in Philadelphia, after decades of decline. Sixty percent of this growth has taken place in Greater Center City, yielding population growth of sixteen percent since 2000. As a result, market demand for residential development in Old City is especially strong, constrained only by availability of sites and the entitlements process. With the exception of occasional opportunity for creative or co-working space, however, Old Citys commercial office market remains relatively soft.

Retail vacancy in Old City currently hovers around ten percent,including about 60 storefronts. Despite the concern this vacancy presents, existing residents and employees demonstrate the ability to support 122,000 additional square feet of a variety of retail. This latent demand, supported by Vision2026 initiatives to increase foot traffic, is expected to naturally fill much of the current vacancy.

If Center City residential development continues at its current pace, which there is little reason to doubt, Old City can be expected to capture 200-300 units per year and grow to a population of as many as 8,500 residents by 2026. This increased population would be more capable of supporting existing and additional retail, as much as 250,000 additional square feet, though not necessarily all in Old City.

Such growth can be difficult to accommodate without unintended consequences, including unwanted changes in character, a strained transportation network, and rising rents. The central challenge of Vision2026 is to chart a course in which change and increased activity in the neighborhood are broadly viewed as a positive development, not one that inadvertently undermines the quality of life and business pursued by those who make Old City their own, and must either be stopped or reversed.

Bread Street Estates

151-159 N 2nd Street

Photo credit: Hidden City

Proposed: 218 Arch Street

Samuel Machinery Building

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Vision2026 began in June 2015 as a community conversation about shaping the future of Old City. This Framework document is the product of an initial phase of input, research, analysis, and consideration of best practices.

This process has included several walking tours, an economic market study, review of transit and traffic data, a public survey with nearly 500 respondents, three steering committee meetings, a public open house of initial findings, presentation and discussion of draft recommendations and several interviews and briefings with public officials, property owners, and private citizens.

Recognizing that city neighborhoods are complex places where not all interests readily align, the values and aspirations on the opposite page are meant to provide a set of basic tenets that reinforce each other and provide guidance when there are hard choices to be made.


Values + Aspirations that Guide the Vision

Be a world-class walking neighborhood

Foster civic life through great public space

Re-Occupy vacant buildings and unbuilt parcels

Clarify goals of the neighborhood for developers

Cultivate people: more residents, workers, visitors

Enhance and protect historic and creative character

Attract neighborhood-serving retail (especially a grocery!)

Connect better to nearby neighborhoods

Encourage car-free travel as the first choice of most

Photograph by CJ Dawson Photography for Old City District


Elements of the Framework

Parks + Open Space p 11

Benjamin Franklin Bridge + Environs p 15

Improving Walkability p 19

Driving, Parking, and Loading p 21

Bicycling Today + Tomorrow p 23

Transit: The Architecture of Our Mental Map p 29

2nd Street Station Plaza p 33

Character Goals + Development Tools p 37

Key Next Steps + Beta Testing p 41

Independence National Park

Washington Square

Foglietta Plaza

Spruce Street

Harbor Park

Franklin Square

Paris builds parks for Parisians, and tourists love them ... Philadelphia builds parks for tourists, and Philadelphians hate them.Laurie Olin, Philadelphia Landscape Architect

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Old City is framed by The National Historic Park on its west and south side. While an incredible asset, this regional and international destination is not a neighborhood space.

Vision2026 Survey results indicate that while parks just beyond Old City (like Franklin Square, Washington Square, and Race Street Pier) are greatly appreciated, open spaces within the neighborhood are not yet as widely beloved.

With the right physical and programmatic interventions, Old City is poised to boast a patchwork of small-scale public spaces that enrich daily life of the neighborhood, and make it an even more wonderful place to visit.

Race Street

Pier


Parks + Open Space:Where Community HappensHigh quality public open space has repeatedly been shown to improve quality of life and value of nearby property. In fact, study of Bryant Park in New York City found that its transformation over the past several decades has created more than one billion dollars of nearby real estate value. In Old City, it will be essential for improved public space to most fully consider the needs and interests of its most regular users.

Christ Church Park 1This underutilized space has potential

to be Old Citys great central green. The park is centrally located, within a seven minute walk of nearly all of Old City residences and attractions. By collaborating with the National Park Service to implement a series

of tactical improvements, it can meet its potential.

Firehouse Park 2 A midblock space beside the firehouse,

this park often does not feel public; furniture, maintenance and better opening to the street can make it more utilized. The District can work with Old City Green to realize these

possibilities.

Franklin Square Link 3Boldly reconfiguring bridge ramps

would open up this space to better link Franklin Square to Old City, the Bridge, and the Mall. This proposal by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society could actually improve

traffic flow by eliminating the traffic signal currently needed on

Interstate-676.

Elfreths Alley Pocket 4 The adjacent property, the National, is

currently being developed and using this space for construction staging. By transforming this patch of asphalt into a garden oasis, visitors to Elfreths Alley can receive a proper

welcome. The District can work with the Elfreths Alley Association,

resdidents, and the developer of the National to make this happen.

Welcome Park 5Designed by Robert Venturi in concert

with the adjacent garage (meant to be the main arrival point for tour buses), but presently of limited purpose and in moderate disrepair, this space could be restored and programmed as an

iconic space in Old City.

Wood Street Park 6 This unique park space comprises

three sections framed by highway ramps, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and Wood Streets. This linear park can be shared by Old City and neighborhoods to the north.

The District can work with near neighbors to realize this

opportunity.

Delaware River Trail 7Like the Schuylkill River Trail, DRT

is poised to provide space for recreation and transportation to and from Old City. In order to maximize the benefit of this transformative project, it is critical for Old City connections

to improve, and the District can collaborate with the DRWC.

Penns Landing Park 8 The Master Plan for the Central

Delaware calls for a new park framed by the Delaware River, Front, Walnut, and Chestnut Streets. This park, together with induced waterfront development will be a

bona-fide destination and improve Old Citys waterfront connection.

Capping I-95 will facilitate the project.

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Jackson Square, New OrleansThough larger than Christ Church Park, the

elements composing Jackson Square are similar: a larger multimodal street on one side, the park in the middle, and a small stone-paved pedestrian street on the other side, with an historic church presiding over the space. Commerce remains at the edges. The green space, complete with walking paths, trees, and sculpture, provides

opportunity for passive repose.

Models to Consider for Christ Church ParkChrist Church Park is a small space nestled between Market, 2nd, and Church Streets, in the shadow of the spire. While it is a unique space requiring its own design, there are great public spaces around the world that we may draw lessons from to shape the destiny of Old Citys neighborhood green.

Fitler+Rittenhouse SquaresFitler Square is similar in size to Christ

Church Park, and Rittenhouse is significantly larger, but both offer lessons in creating magnetic public spaces and provide replicable materials and design characteristics authentic to Philadelphia.

Especially noteworthy is the perception of Rittenhouse as a very lush space, despite having significant expanses of hardscape.

Paul Revere Mall, BostonThis space was created in the 1930s, much in the way Christ Church Park was decades later, by demolishing buildings in a dense colonial neighborhood to create a vista to an historic church. Though mostly hardscape, the generous tree canopy, central fountain, and many benches create an oasis within the thickly settled, bustling, and historic North End neighborhood.

Rembrandtplein, AmsterdamOnly slightly larger than Christ Church Park,

Rembrandtplein is in the threshold between an entertainment district and a more residential enclave. In 2012, it was redesigned to have

fewer fences and hedges, and more open space... all while maintaining a tree canopy

and hosting a set of bronze statues. The park is integrated with surrounding streets, which have been designed to prioritize trams and bicycles.

credit: northendwaterfront.comcredit: newurbanarchitect.com

credit: Marion Golsteijn


Christ Church Park:A Commons for Phillys First NeighborhoodIn the middle of the 20th Century, commercial buildings at 2nd and Market Streets were condemned to create a viewshed to one of our most important civic buildings. Today, the lawn in the heart of Old City serves that purpose, but little more. Collaborative effort between the Old City District and the National Park Service can transform Christ Church Park into the beloved public space it deserves to be.

New Entrances will help physically open up the park to the sidewalks around it, undoing the perception that it may not be open to the public. The Parks fences and walls provide a frame for the space, but were erected in the mid-twentieth century and speak to aspirations and design sensibilities of the period. Their future must be carefully considered, but a successful public space requires gracious entry points that conform with pedestrians expectations and convenience.

Seating lends an opportunity for socializing, people-watching, a place to eat lunch, or quiet repose during a busy day. It may come in the permanent form of classic park benches or stone seat walls, programmed social forms like movable bistro tables and chairs, or impromptu iterations like picnic blankets. Whatever the form, seating is a key element to making Christ Church Park a hub of community in Old City.

Placemaking is the art of elevating everyday experiences. Water features, monuments, and other public art provide focal points of public space and communicate its culture to regular passersby and newcomers alike. Old City has infinite inspiration to draw upon, and like all great public spaces, Christ Church Park has the opportunity to be enhanced by and oriented around such placemaking features.

Walking Paths are essential to urban green spaces, providing order within and recognizing that such spaces also serve as links between various points in the neighborhood beyond. These paths should be constructed of materials consistent with the aesthetic of the district, follow intuitive desire lines and come together to form both social and solitary spaces within the park.

New Trees + Planting will be important both as existing trees age in the future, and for improving the quality of the park experience tomorrow. If the parks fences remain, adjacent gardens may help soften their effect. Plantings should comprise native species and may help frame spaces within, depending on the overall intent of a future layout, but given the parks small scale, a more simple layout may be preferred.

Keeping Commerce Out of the Park is an important stipulation of the National Park Service. Unlike many contemporary park projects which seek to offset their costs by creating revenue-generating commercial opportunities, Christ Church Park is positioned to be protected as a space for more passive recreation, requiring a conservative yet beautiful design envisioned by these guidelines.

Vision2026 Recommended Christ Church Park Improvement GuidelinesToo often, park renovations require wholesale reconstruction, effectively erasing the past. Alternatively, Vision2026 proposes a more iterative approach, imagining a series of improvements that build upon the existing condition.

Temporary seating simulates a more active space at Christ Church Park

Credit: Volley Studio Shared Street in GermanyQuarry StreetRace Street at Columbus BoulevardCredit: Volley StudioRace Street, Facing West at 7th (DVRPC)

Concept for the Bridge: Atkin Olshin Schade Architects

Louisville, Credit: General Electric Borough Market, approaching London Bridge (photo credit: David Feldman)

Credit: OLIN + PHS Proposed Market Under Brooklyn Bridge (credit: Brooklyn Downtown Partnership + WXY)


Benjamin Franklin Bridge: Shifting Old City from Edge to CenterGeographic isolation is one of the persistent challenges for Old City. Retail and dining establishments in thriving sections of Rittenhouse Square and Midtown Village are supported not only by workers, visitors, and immediate residents, but by residents of the next neighborhoods passing through on their way home from work in Center City. This is, generally, not the case in Old City, given that it is bound by the Delaware River on the east and major infrastructure and quasi-industrial areas to the north. Vision2026 charts a path to overcome this challenge.

The Bridge Overlay is facilitating more dense development in a pocket of Old City. Rezoning the Callowhill area, north of the I-95 ramps, will provide another outlet for development pressure, allowing the district to increase the number of near-neighbors passing through, supporting social and economic life, without adversely impacting architectural character.

Credit: Volley Studio

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Key Elements of Redefining the Bridge RelationshipEnd of the Bridge: Connections, More Park Space, Better Highways. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and the Delaware River Port Authority are working together to determine if more park space can be created by establishing a direct highway link between the Vine Street Expressway and the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. Following through on these initial concepts would vastly improve the pedestrian connection between Old City, Franklin Square, and the Bridge, all while improving highway traffic flow.

Linking Franklin Square + The Delaware. Old City is framed by great public spaces on its east and west, including Franklin Square, Race Street Pier, and the future Delaware River Trail. These assets are ready to be better linked. East of 2nd Street, DRWC has built the south side of the Race Street Connector, and the north side will be built in 2016. The Philadelphia Streets Department has applied for funding to implement DVRPCs recommended eastbound protected bike lane west of 6th Street, and discussions have begun to establish Florist Street as a bicycle-friendly route between 2nd and 5th Streets. The last remaining challenge is to create a safe, intuitive two-way connection between 5th and 6th Streets to create a seamless link between the Bridge, riverfront, and Franklin Square.

Life Under the Bridge. Underutilized space below the Bridge offers the opportunity to create a new and unique destination for commerce and social events, as well as reframing and redefining an iconic portal to Old City, in a way that transforms a barrier between parts of the neighborhood into a hub of the community. Additionally, space under the structure between 2nd and 4th Streets can accommodate up to 150 parking spaces. Structures including I-95 in Philadelphia often shelter parking spaces, and as surface lots get developed, this additional shared supply could prove valuable. Both of these concepts will need to be more fully vetted and accepted for operations and liability by the Delaware River Port Authority before they can be further advanced.

More immediately, however, bridges can be foreboding to pedestrians below, especially at night. This rift is especially problematic as Old City seeks to better connect to existing and future neighborhoods to its north. Uplighting the Bridge, much like the George Rogers Clark Memorial Bridge in Louisville, can create a sense of safety and vitality, welcoming people to cross from one side to the other.

Bicycle + Trail Connections to the North. Burgeoning sections of Northern Liberties, Fishtown, Kensington, and Port Richmond are beyond walking distance from the heart of Old City, and sometimes inconvenient by transit. Fortunately, Old City and these neighborhoods are home to many bicyclists. In order to make Old City an appealing destination for people of all ages, abilities, and levels of confidence, safe and intuitive north-south bicycle routes are critical.

Shared Space on Small Streets. As development materializes in the bridge overlay, property owners currently involved with semi-industrial operations may pursue a broader mix of uses, including on smaller streets like Quarry. If property owners choose to redevelop with a mixed-use building program, especially if involving retailing or restaurants, converting such streets into shared space, would heighten the neighborhoods old world charm, and provide a path to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

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All of our public space is shared and cars should not dominate the public space for any good reason.Jim Kenney, Mayor

Breaking the Traffic + Parking Feedback LoopUrban business districts have inherently limited right of way and developable land. Economic and social vitality require the movement of people and goods.

During periods of decline, the value of land drops, and parking becomes an acceptable use of developable land and the right of way, especially as it supports what limited businesses and residents remain. However, as economies improve, and more productive uses become viable on developable land, demand for traffic and vehicular storage increases. This newly entrenched demand becomes a limiting factor for how much of that new activity will materialize. If these limits are not removed, rents are likely to rise, or the walkable quality of the district that made it an attractive place for investment in the first place will be undermined, and productivity will halt, risking a slide back into decline.

Because of these feedback loops, it is essential that during their revival, urban business districts also shift their transportation paradigm, prioritizing the access and activity of people over the movement and storage of their cars. If the District can successfully shift the paradigm, the movement of people can be achieved through vastly more efficient modes of walking, biking, and public transit. Vehicular access and storage can be oriented principally toward the movement of goods, and the district can continue to flourish.


Transportation:Behavior and Preferences are Shifting

Desire for Change. More people are choosing to visit, live, or work in Old City. Their transportation choices matter. The Vision2026 Survey asked participants if the neighborhood

would get better or worse if more people chose to travel to, from or within Old City by a series of modes. The results were remarkably

consistent across age groups, and various types of people, including residents, workers,

visitors, and business owners.

Change is already under way. Preferences are one thing, but transportation patterns are

already in the middle of a major shift. Between the turn of the century and today, when the

citys economy stabilized and population grew for the first time in decades, a city-wide shift in

travel patterns has taken place. Will Old City embrace these new realities?

SEPTA: 28% ridership growth1999 - 2012 (Philadelphia MOTU)

Bicyling has increased by 260%2005-2013, measured by peak-hour Schuylkill River crossings(Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia)

A Model. Amsterdam is often thought of for its exceptional walkability as an historic city. But it wasnt always so. In the 1960s, its streets were as congested as any city in America, when residents decided they were tired of the crashes, traffic, pollution and noise. Since then, the city has made deliberate policy to shift transportation outcomes.

Today (Credit: Thomas Schlijper)1960s

Market Street: 35% decline in traffic15,629 in 1999 to 10,207 in 2015 - 8th to 5th (DVRPC)

N 3rd Street: 12% decline in NB traffic6,794 in 1999 to 5,956 in 2014 - Market to Race (DVRPC)

Parking spaces + occupancy are declining7% and 1.7% from 2010 to 2015 across Center City (PCPC)

DRIVING WALKING BICYCLE

REGIONAL RAIL+ PATCO

SUBWAY SEPTA/NJT BUS

* Full survey results available on project website

60+16+20+3+1z76% Say Old City would get BETTER with more people walking41+59z41% would like to WALK MORE

78z78% of survey respondents walk in Old City at least several times per week

Urbanites all over the world ... avoid detours, obstacles, stairs and steps, and prefer direct lines of walking everywhere. Jan Gehl, Urban Designer

Pedestrian infrastructure: existing and recommended

Existing Crosswalks

Shared Space Opportunities

Lighting Priorities

Recommended New Crosswalks

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Improving WalkabilityThe scale of Old Citys buildings, blocks, small streets, and modest avenues make it an exceedingly walkable place. To leverage this asset, however, there are key improvements to be made, in order to make walking more comfortable and a true pleasure, on par with the worlds great walking cities and neighborhoods. The key to these improvements is making pedestrian movement as free and unfettered as possible, minimizing unnecessary changes in direction for reaching ones destination and overly cramped walking spaces.

Crosswalks: ADA Improvements to Alleys on Market Street. The current Market Street streetscape has been in place for decades and is showing some deterioration, especially at the alley crosswalks. The Streets Department is preparing to retrofit these crosswalks to create a flush pedestrian crossing surface to benefit users of all abilities.

Formalize Legal Unmarked Crosswalks + Add New Midblock Crosswalks. Not all desire lines occur at presently marked crossings. Rather than discouraging jaywalking, Vision2026 supports new crosswalks for intuitive crossings at links between NPS walking paths and at small streets.

Shared Space Opportunities. In some instances on small, inner-block streets, an even bolder assertion of pedestrian priority may be warranted. Especially if they (now or in the future) feature significant amounts of sidewalk dining, small streets may be converted into curbless spaces, in which cars travel as guests and pedestrians travel freely between buildings.

Lighting: Chestnut Street + Independence Hall. Chestnut Street is among the most important gateways to Old City. Today, a lack of lighting of the 500 block inadvertently suggests that pedestrians ought not proceed further. The street and building can be lit to provide a welcoming ambiance and properly dignify the birthplace of America.

Uplight the Bridge. Bridges can be foreboding to pedestrians below, especially at night. Uplighting the Ben Franklin Bridge can create a sense of safety and vitality, welcoming people to cross from one side to the other.

Pedestrian LED Lighting - 2nd, 3rd, 4th Streets. The Philadelphia Streets Department has a high quality pedestrian light fixtures that have begun to be deployed in Old City, including 3rd Street from Chestnut to Race Street. Installing them along the lengths of the Districts primary streets, especially Arch, Chestnut, 2ndStreet, 4th Street, and even 3rd Street north of the Districts boundaries will cast Old City in the right light.

Hartford, CT

20th Street NACTO

GermanyQuarry Street

4th Street

Strawberry Street

Lit Brothers BuildingIndependence Hall

Benjamin Franklin Bridge Credit: General Electric

The inefficiency of trucks in cities is, in large part, an adaptation by trucks to the competition of so many vehicles. Jane Jacobs

There are over 6000 publicly available off-street parking spaces between Spruce Street, 7th Street, the I-95 ramps and the Delaware River.

43% and 38% of survey respondents said the more and cheaper parking would help them drive more in Old City.

However, 79% of respondents said Old City would become a little worse or much worse if there were more people driving.

If provision of parking induces more driving, then it is in the interest of Old City not to provide more parking, but to optimize the use of existing supply and manage its decline.

Existing public off-street parking spaces (gathered from parkopedia.com)

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Driving, Parking, and LoadingAs the Citys economy improves and land values increase, parking is increasingly selected against as the highest and best land use (especially in a district with a height maximum), and parking occupancy rates in Center City are actually declining. This is a positive trend, but it must be recognized that the parking that remains must be utilized more efficiently than before.

Ultimately, this will require a rigorous curbside management program to identify the best uses of curbside space on all major streets. The following points outline a parking strategy:

Prioritize Curbside Commercial Loading Over Private ParkingCustomers and workers are able to arrive by a variety of modes, but goods, materials, and inventory have more limited options. Ticketing of commercial vehicles making deliveries while parking illegally, in addition to being a burden for business, has been demonstrated to be an ineffective deterrent. More curbside space and time should be restricted to permit-only commercial loading, especially on busy retail streets.

District-Based Valet to Accommodate Busy PeriodsValet parking can more efficiently use limited curbside space by letting guests arrive near their destination and having their car stored further away. Usually, such services are offered by individual restaurants with the unintended consequence of privatizing the curbside. In East Passyunk, however, businesses pooled their assets to provide valet for multple establishments. This approach supports dining without being constrained by immediate parking availability.

Free Up Existing Spaces: Reduce Demand by Improving and Promoting AlternativesThe more workers and visitors who choose to arrive by transit, bicycle, or foot, the less they use a limited and diminishing supply of parking, thereby freeing it up for those who cannot choose those alternatives. The most sustainable step toward managing the parking problem is to maximize the number of people choosing these alternatives. These alternatives must become more user-friendly; the District, the City of Philadelphia, and local businesses can work to promote them.

Support Package Delivery Consolidation InitiativesIn generations past, the Postal Service delivered to local general stores instead of individual residences. Today, Amazon provides the option to deliver directly to partner retailers like 7-11, UPSs new Access Points program partners with local stores to leave packages after the first attempt at delivery, and cities are considering off-hour loading and delivery. Such initiatives can drastically diminish local traffic, eliminate customer headaches, and drive foot traffic to local businesses.

Promote and Locate Space for Car-Sharing for Irregular TripsCar-sharing is ideal for business meetings, large shopping trips - even vacations - and can render private cars less and less important in cities like Philadelphia, unless commuting regularly to transit-inaccessible places. In fact, the average shared vehicle can do the work of 15 privately owned cars, which spend most of their time in storage. Unfortunately, Old City has a limited number today, making them less reliable than they should be. At least one provider is eager to expand.

Assess Co-Development of Shared ParkingOccasionally, there will be opportunities to develop large enough parcels to include parking. If developed, such facilities should not be limited to the immediate tenants of the building, but open to the larger neighborhood, including for use by district-based valet, car-sharing services, bicycle parking, and individual residents willing to pay the cost of construction. Such parking facilities should always be hidden from public view, either by being under ground, or lined with active uses.

New Parking OpportunitiesTwo sites exist where new parking does not compete with better uses: 1) Under the Bridge - structures like I-95 frequently have parking below, and the Delaware River Port Authority is open to the possibility. If security and access issues can be addressed, this space could provide up to 150 flexibly allocated parking spaces. 2) Additional decks on the 2nd Street Garage - the structure was designed to carry an additional two decks. Structural analysis can determine if this is viable.

retailingtoday.com

bizjournals.com

AutoPark Garage

Trail/Sidepath

Protected Bike Lane

Class-2 Bike Lane

Marked Shared Lane

Indego Bike Share Station

Existing bicycle infrastructure

Copenhagen

Spruce Street

18th Street

Market Street

Benjamin Franklin Bridge

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The number one reason people do not ride bicycles is because they are afraid to be in the roadway on a bicycle. Roger Geller, Portland Office of Transportation


Today: Limited Bicycling InfrastructureThough only 4.5% of Old City residents regularly commute by bicycle (compared to nearly 20% in sections of East Passyunk, Bella Vista, and Graduate Hospital), 15% of our survey respondents said they bicycle in Old City at least several times per week (compared to 42% driving that much). Nearly 30% say they would like to bicycle more, and 76% believe Old City would get better with more people bicycling. However, the infrastructure presently provided does not make bicycling a sufficiently safe, intuitive, practical, or pleasant choice for many people.

Limited Bike Lane NetworkOld City bike lanes are limited in quality and quantity. On most streets, bicyclists compete with motorists for space. On the few streets that do include bike lanes, a lack of physical separation results in frequent obstruction by a variety of idling vehicles, leading bicyclists to merge into moving traffic or onto sidewalks. Neither of these conditions engender feelings of safety or pleasure for new riders, walkers, or drivers.

Heavily Utilized Bike ShareIndego has a been a big success to date. With only eleven docks, the station on the 200 block of Market Street is 5th busiest of 72 stations in the system on a rides-per-dock basis and the 14th busiest station overall, serving 78 trips per day in August 2015, many more than could have been handled by two car parking bays in the same space. What use of curbside space provides the most access to and mobility within Old City?

S 3rd Street S 5th Street

Market Street Juniper/Chestnut

Workers Already BikeIn spite of the limited dedicated bicycle infrastructure, many who come to Old City every day already arrive by bicycle. Interviews at The Franklin Fountain and Arcweb Technologies found that almost nobody working at the ice cream shop and digital product development firm drives to work, and that many bicycle regularly. More comfortable streets would make this a viable option for even more people. Arcweb Technologies

Tenuous Waterfront LinksIn addition to very limited bicycle infrastructure in Old City, the districts bicycle connections to the Waterfront are underwhelming. With the success of Race Street Pier and Spruce Street Harbor Park on the north and south, and the forthcoming Delaware River Trail, it is important to provide safe and intuitive bi-directional connections between each of these points.

2nd + Race Streets Dock Street

The Franklin Fountain

Local businesses in NEW YORK CITY saw retail sales increase 49% following the construction of a protected bike lane on 9th Avenue, compared to an average of 3% on other streets in the borough. Not only that, but despite spending less per trip, bicyclists are found to spend more in total than their driving counterparts.

When RITTENHOUSE SQUARE was closed to cars during the Papal visit, residents and visitors of all ages and abilities felt comfortable riding in the street. Not only that, but across Center City, levels of nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide, measures of air pollution, fell by 42 percent and 17 percent, respectively.


Case Studies: What if you prioritize bicycling?In Philadelphia and cities across the country and around the world, steps have been taken to prioritize bicycling. The following case studies provide examples of how this has been done, and what the results have been.

In AMSTERDAM, the establishment of a network of a physically separated bike lanes through the heart of the city, and filtering out of private vehicular travel has resulted in a dramatic drop in traffic fatalities and 38% of all trips being taken by bicycle.

13th Street in MIDTOWN VILLAGE, which has a buffered bike lane and an Indego station, is one of Center Citys most successful commercial corridors. Duross+Lengel Soapmakers estimate that 20-30% of their customers arrive by bicycle and have several employees who ride to work. 13th Street has now been identified by the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia as a top candidate for installing a physical separation of the bike lane.

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Having the flexibility to have 30 developers in Philly who can ride their bikes to work is ... a necessity to remain competitive. Paul Melchiorre, President of iPipeline (a Center City software firm)

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RACE STREET N 3rd Street shops have the most to gain from bicycle access, but the street has many businesses without convenient alley access for loading. Continuous outreach and the most careful design/regulation will be required to determine the best way to provide a continuously safe bicycle route.


Proposed: Safe, Easy BicyclingBicycling flourishes when it is a practical and pleasurable experience, not only one pursued out of principle or poverty. In order to achieve the stated preferences of the community, Old City streets must become significantly more comfortable and convenient for bicyclists of all ages, experience levels, and abilities. This will require careful design and difficult choices about how to prioritize space. Mayor Kenney has pledged to develop an approach to protected bike lanes that work on Philadelphias narrow streets.

Bicycle Priority: 3rd, 4th + South 2nd StreetsPhiladelphia has implemented buffered bike lanes on streets like Spruce, Pine, 10th, and 13th using paint. However, these lanes are frequently obstructed by vehicles. Vehicular volumes on 3rd, 4th and South 2nd Streets appear low enough to bring traffic down to a single lane and create a separated bike lane using a low, mountable curb or flexible delineator posts. Especially given the need loading needs of businesses, a more detailed alternatives analysis and design must be conducted before permanent implementation.

Additional Indego Docking StationsWith the exception of the one on the 200 block of Market Street, most of the Old City stations are at its periphery. In order to better serve residents and bring users to the front door of Old City shops and restaurants, and given the popularity of the Market Street station, an additional station or two should be considered, especially north of Market Street, along the 3rd Street corridor. Vision2026 imagines one south of Race Street, and one north of the Ben Franklin Bridge.

Riverfront Links: Race + DockThe DRWCs Race Street Connector projects help bring Old City to Race Street Pier and the Delaware River. Extending that connection west by creating a bike lane on the south side of Race Street, and a bicycle-friendly treatment on Florist Street will better link Old City, the Riverfront, Franklin Square, and the Bridge. To the south, a clear connection must be created between the Spruce/Pine bike lanes, the proposed 2nd/Dock bike lane, and the riverfront through an inter-agency, community-involved effort.

Stone Street Improvements + LinksStone streets shape the character of Old City, but as experienced by anybody bicycling on Dock Street, they can be difficult to ride on. By retrofitting such streets to include a flat stone inlay, Old City can stay true to this character without re-routing bikeways in confusing directions, or forcing riders to dismount in the middle of the street. This treatment can be deployed on streets with existing and recommended bike lanes, including 5th, Dock, and whichever route is developed to reach Spruce Harbor Park.

District-Wide Bike Racks + CorralsJust like car parking, bicycles are less likely to stop and shop without a place to lock up. However, bike parking provides the same access at a fraction of the space required, and in a tight neighborhood like Old City, thats a real asset. The space required for a single car parking space can provide access to ten bicycles. Vision2026 recommends at least one bike corral on each block of the Districts primary streets - Walnut, Chestnut, Market, Arch, Race, 4th, 3rd, 2nd, and Front. Business partnerships for installation and maintenance will be critical to this endeavor.

Parking-Protected Lanes On Market StreetMarket Street is a key point of activity and arrival in Old City by foot, car, and transit, and should be by bicycle too. As a wide thoroughfare, measuring about 100 feet from building to building, the cartway between 5th and 2nd Streets can accommodate two curbside bicycle lanes, parking on each side, a single travel lane in each direction, and transit stops as needed. Initial analysis suggests such a scheme can be implemented without losing legal parking and that a single travel lane in each direction can be sufficient.8th Avenue, Manhattan

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Varick Street, Manhattan

Credit: Shift Design

Delaware River Trail, Northern Liberties

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Market Street: Co-existence with Bicycling, Improved Frequency, and Considering Waterfront Light RailPriortizing Transit with Station Design. Parking-protected bicycle lanes recommended herein require careful coordination with transit. As recommended by the National Association of City Transportation Officials, offset transit bulbs would separate transit stops from the walkway, keep buses from needing to pull out of traffic to pick up passengers, and keep the bike lane from motorized traffic. By moving stops to the far sides of intersections, negative traffic impacts can be limited without undermining transit.

Off-Peak Frequency to Build Ridership. Beyond block-by-block street design, improved service frequency during off-peak periods can make travel to and from Old City a vastly more convenient. Research finds that people are more likely to ride transit without consulting a schedule when a bus arrives every eight minutes or less. With this in mind, Routes 17 and 33, which serve the North and South 20th Street corridors currently have evening, late night, and weekend headways ranging from thirteen to thirty minutes. By setting a service standard that brings these under ten minutes, SEPTA can help Old City reach its goal of making car-free options the first choice of people traveling to and from the growing neighborhoods served by those routes at all times of the day and week.

Future: Consider High-Capacity Modes. Routes like the 17 are running over capacity at the peak period, frequently turning away passengers north of Washington Avenue, rendering the bus not viable between Rittenhouse Square or Graduate Hospital and Old City. In addition to double-decker or articulated buses, one way to keep up with demand would be upgrading services to light rail, akin to the soon-to-be-modernized West Philadelphia trolley network and trams of many European cities. Light rail has higher capacity, is known to stimulate development, provides a comfortable pedestrian environment, and is more intuitive for unfamiliar users, like tourists.

In 2010, DRPA studied the feasibility of Waterfront light rail to facilitate development, concluding that a Market Street alignment to City Hall would generate the highest ridership. Such service could be incorporated into the street design and frequency improvements above, but is not required by them. If the proposal is revisited in coming years, especially in light of newly strengthened Pennsylvania transit funding and regardless of operator, Old City should actively participate in the process.

Benefit to Old City increases, however, if the service is more than a waterfront project, and extends west of City Hall. Extensions to Penn Center, the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, 30th Street Station, Rittenhouse Square, and neighborhoods beyond, would make the line an intuitive choice for any and all tourists and conventioneers visiting Philadelphia, and provide supplemental capacity to some of SEPTAs most crowded routes, including the Market-Frankford line. This consideration may be especially important as East Market Street re-emerges as one of the regions most robust shopping districts, and should be part of any future study.

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Concept at 8th + Market (Credit: Parsons Brinckerhoff)


Transit: The Architecture of Our Mental MapNot only can it move far more people than personal cars, but transit shapes pattern of walkable development in cities. Just like inner ring suburbs grew up because of streetcar service provided, University City, Penn Center, and now East Market Street have flourished because of the tunnel that, in 1984, linked the Pennsylvania and Reading Railroad lines for the first time. By the same token, cutting back on transit eventually makes places less relevant.

Transit ridership has been growing in Philadelphia for fifteen years, and by establishing new connections and strengthening existing ones, Old City can become an even better place to live, visit, and do business.

2nd Street Station PlazaThe Market-Frankford subway carries about 187,000 daily passengers, more than any other line in the region. The 2nd Street Station is the point of arrival for people arriving from Penn Center, 30th Street Station, Kensington, and points beyond, and witnessed 29% increase in boardings between 2000 and 2014. However, because of todays design of the street, Market Street cleaves Old City in two. By reconceiving the 200 block as a multi-modal plaza, in which pedestrians are the focal point of design, it can be transformed to pull Old City together. Old City has the opportunity to demonstrate leadership to the rest of Philadelphia for how to provide great transit arrival experiences.

Franklin Square PATCO StationDRPA has allocated funding for the design to reopen the Franklin Square PATCO station at 7th and Race Streets. Reopening this station not only provides more convenient access between Old City and New Jersey, but transit between Franklin Square and the west side of Broad Street, making the district at the edge of Old City more attractive to walkable commercial and residential development. Coupled with the PHS proposal to realign the bridge off-ramps and better connect Franklin Square to Old City, this infrastructure investment presents the opportunity to reverse decades of car-oriented development in the northwest part of Old City, stitching it better to the heart of the neighborhood.

Route 57: Enhancing Old Citys Bus RouteCarrying over 11,000 passengers on 3rd and 4th Streets each weekday, the 57 is the busiest route serving Old City that doesnt enter the core of Center City. This provides an opportunity to strengthen its identity and promote Old City through its service.

Bus Branding. With announcements and distinctive signage, the District can solidify itself in growing neighborhoods like Kensington and Pennsport, helping residents see Old City as their downtown, not just another neighborhood or a destination for folks from far away.

Frequency. Route 57operates on a 7-minute peak headway, but service drops off significantly on evenings and weekends. This diminished service keeps the commuter

route from becoming a viable lifestyle option. Increasing frequency to a ten-minute headway during off-peak periods will, in turn, help make car-free travel a practical choice for residents to the north and south, and make Old City a convenient destination.

Routing. Many passengers get off at Market Street to transfer to the subway or a bus to Center City. Similarly, Old City lacks direct transit to residents, employers, and cultural destinations north and south of Center City. As suggested by the Center City District, it may be worth assessing the value of L-shaped routes pivoting off the trunk of the 57, potentially including Market, Spring Garden, or Christian Streets.

Union Station, Toronto

Credit: philly.com

Rapid Bus on Walnut + Chestnut StreetsThe combined headways of Routes 9, 21, and 42 are frequent enough that they should provide convenient access to and from Midtown Village, Rittenhouse Square, and University City. However, because of many competing traffic interests, taking the bus from Independence Hall to Rittenhouse Square can often be slower than walking. Service could improve by more fully dedicating the right-hand lane of each street as transit-only, aggressively enforcing this policy (possibly including bus-mounted camera enforcement, depending on state law), and utilizing the Citys new Traffic Operations Center to provide signal priority.

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Toronto Union StationIn year 2015, the City of Toronto rebuilt Front Street as a curbless street with

only a single travel lane in each direction. The redesign has allowed the station to become a welcoming gateway and a more important civic space.

Poynton, UK: By eliminating traffic signals and redesigning the central junction and main street to double the walking space and remove vertical curbs, the project won the 2013 Highways Magazine Annual Award for congestion reduction.

After (credit: Planit-IE)

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Case Studies: Shared Spaces and Transit NodesHans Monderman, the late Dutch traffic engineer, observed that when you treat people like idiots, theyll behave like idiots. In other words, by always attempting to provide rules for every vehicular and pedestrian movement, the traffic engineer actually encourages irresponsible and potentially anti-social behavior, especially among motorists. Not only are preferences in Philadelphia shifting toward more walkable, bicycle-friendly, and transit-rich city neighborhoods, but nationally, traffic engineers are developing innovative solutions to an age old tension between vehicular mobility and quality of life. These innovators are crafting counterintuitive designs for streets where rigid separation of modes, strict rules of behavior, and seemingly endless markings and signage are replaced by equal standing among roadway users and a responsibility of motorists to proceed cautiously and make decisions by judging their surroundings and others around them. This approach to street design, which embraces the complexity of urban mobility, rather than artificially simplifying it, is called shared space.

Before (credit: Better! Cities & Towns)

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Today (credit: Market Square Merchants Association)

Market Square, PittsburghIn 2010, Pittsburgh invested five million dollars to rebuild its historic Market Square as a European style piazza, where cars are permitted, but must travel slowly. The square has re-emerged as a hub of community and commerce.

Philadelphia as it once was, is today, and can increasingly become

All of our streets, including Market Street, were once shared space. It was only after the advent of the automobile that

travel modes became so rigorously separated, and streets made the domain of motorists, alone. Today, our many of our small streets, like Church or Delancey, retain a shared

space character, because of which people feel comfortable walking in the street, and motorists yield to pedestrians.

By learning from our own traditions and innovative designs from near and far, Market Street can begin a new chapter in

its evolution as a great Philadelphia public space. 19th Century Market Street Church Street today (credit: Old City Coffee)

Lose the Signals: Slower, More Fluid TrafficTraffic signals give cars the green light to zoom through neighborhoods, ultimately handing over streets as the domain of cars, not pedestrians. Cities from Holland to New Jersey are finding that by actually removing signals, drivers proceed more cautiously, pedestrians can be more assertive, and though proceeding more slowly, a similar volume of traffic can be processed over a given hour. Removing the signals at 2nd and 3rd Streets can help change the character of Market Street for the better, while continuing to serve its purpose as a vehicular throughway. Key considerations will include how to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and whether Market Streets I-95 on-ramp best serves neighborhood interests, or would better be closed or relocated. The latter may be raised during planning and design of Penns Landing and the capping of the highway.

Shared Space: A Curbless EnvironmentConventional streets differentiate between pedestrian and vehicular zones with curbs separating asphalt streets and sidewalks of concrete, bricks, or pavers. A shared space design de-emphasizes these hard distinctions by eliminating the use of vertical curbs and differentiating between zones through a more subtle use of material changes, also ensuring ADA compliance. These materials can include stone, asphalt, and high-aggregate concrete, among others. The result is an environment which is unobstructed for pedestrians.

Walkway14 FeetStrolling, shopping, dining, gathering

Bikeway8 FeetContinuous path, separated from vehicular traffic by flexible zone

Flexible zone 8 FeetParking, loading, bike racks, benches, and drainage.

Transition4 FeetTrees + infiltration

The view of Old City from the Delaware River [...] should be as important a postcard image of Philadelphia as the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Robert Venturi, Author of 1976 Old City Master Plan

Rue St Catherine, Montreal


Opportunity for Festivals + Open StreetsAs the center of the community, rather than just being thought of as a highway ramp, Market Street is an ideal location for events and festivals. The shared space plaza design can readily be closed to vehicles for such events, and transit can the be temporarily re-routed on a 4th-Chestnut-Front-Arch-3rd loop.

The District can consider broadening such events to be #OpenStreets events, during which streets beyond Market are closed to traffic, even if they are not heavily programmed. San Francisco, New York, and other cities have found such events to be a boon to business and general quality of life.

Parking, Loading, and BicyclesThe scheme visualized above can be implemented while losing little to no legal curbside parking spaces. Later stages of design may consider re-purposing an amount of parking spaces to more full-time loading space, bicycle parking, or parklets with benches and other seating. By keeping vehicular travel at a single lane of travel in each direction, Market Street has sufficient space for comfortable, parking-protected bike lanes in each direction.

Vehicular travel lane10.5 FeetAccommodates private vehicles, taxis, buses, and delivery trucks

Median9 FeetRefuge for pedestrians crossing; space for vehicles to pass in case of double parking

2nd Street Station PlazaStreets evolve dramatically over generations. Just as Market Street would have become obsolete in the 20th Century if it had kept the freight tracks and market sheds of the 19th Century, measured shifts in the way Philadelphians use streets and changing preferences about what they want from their neighborhoods require us to consider whether the Market Street of the early 1990s will still best serve Old City in 2026.

The 200 block of Market Street, reimagined as a shared-use station plaza, reflects Old Citys goals of being a world-class walking neighborhood, connecting to other neighborhoods, and promoting car-free travel. While not dependent upon it, this project can be integrated with Penns Landing and the capping of Interstate 95.

Modern HeadhousesWhile the interior of the 2nd Street Station is filled with light, the headhouses, themselves, are nearly opaque at street level. By adopting a design similar to that developed by Kieran Timberlake for the Center City District at Dilworth Park, these portals to the neighborhood can have a strong link with the rest of Center City, while providing more transparency.

Credit: CJ Dawson Photography

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Shared Asset Recommendation SummaryThis Vision2026 Framework has outlined as series of public realm improvements, designed to enhance the quality of life of Old City and shape the pattern of growth in the context of a strong Center City real estate market. They have been organized into color-coded groups on the opposite map and list below. Each initiative will require leadership, collaboration, and further input and design. Once again, this Framework is not the end, but the beginning of a community planning process.

Parks Space ImprovementsChrist Church ParkFirehouse ParkFranklin Square ConnectionElfreths Alley Pocket ParkWelcome ParkWood Street ParkDelaware River TrailPenns Landing Park

Transit Links + EnhancementMarket Street: Off-peak Frequency Upgrades + Considering Light RailRapid Bus on Walnut/ChestnutBranding + Increasing Route 572nd Street Station PlazaChristian Street + Spring Garden + Market Street ConnectionsFranklin Square PATCO Station

Pedestrian PriorityADA Improvements of Alleys on MarketFormalizing Legal Unmarked CrosswalksNew Midblock Crosswalks2nd Street Station PlazaShared Street Opportunities: Church + Quarry

Bicycle Safety + Comfort +AccessPriority on 3rd + 4th + South 2nd StreetsParking-Protected Lanes On Market StreetStone Street Improvements + LinksRiverfront Links: Race + DockNew Indego Docking StationsDistrict-Wide Bike Racks + Corrals

Pedestrian-Oriented Lighting2nd, 3rd, 4th Streets - Pedestrian LEDsUplight the BridgeChestnut Street + Independence Hall

Parking Access ImprovementsReduce Demand by Improving AlternativesPrioritize Commercial Loading District-Based Valet Promote Car-Sharing for Irregular Trips New Parking OpportunitiesCo-Development of Shared Parking

Ben Franklin BridgeLife Under the Bridge

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Throughout the Vision2026 process, The Old City District has conducted initial discussions with Councilman Mark Squilla, the Philadelphia City Planning Commission, SEPTA, the National Park Service, Philadelphias Office of Transportation & Infrastructure Systems, and the Philadelphia Streets Department. After further study, design, and coordination with agencies of various jurisdictions, implementation of any changes to street configuration will require the approval of the Philadelphia City Council.

Awnings at retail locations

Pedestrian-scale signage suspended perpendicular to facades

Iconic and historical signage applied to facades

Individual plantings on neighborhood streets

STREET FRONTAGE

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BUILDING ENTRANCES

HIERARCHY

MATERIALS brick / cast iron / stone

Top: cornice in metal, wood, or corbeled brick; depth casts shadowsMiddle: punched openings in brick or stoneBase: cast iron or stone with a high level of transparency

Increased transparency in newer construction

Transparent ground floor; smaller punched openings for decreased transparency in floors above to balance privacy and views

Decreased ground floor transparency on neighborhood streets

Pedestrian scale commercial entries

Large scale entries at civic and cultural buildings

Historic portals sized for carriages

Corner entry Separated entries at mixed use buildings

the warm, dark brick walls, and the deep color values of the trim conform to a 19th century palette. Contrast derives ... from the diversity of the signs and styles of architectural ornament, especially at store front level -1976 Old City Master Plan


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New development can diminish or contribute to the architectural integrity of Old City blocks and to the pleasure of walking along its streets. The summary snapshot to the left shows some of the characteristics that make this part of the city so memorable and so fun. Sustaining these qualities relies on the thoughtful collaboration and active participation of many property owners and business operators across adjoining building fronts.

It is a shared responsibility that operates at the scale of the district, the street, the building and the block.

STREETS as rooms: Most Old City streets are framed by 3 to 6 story masonry facades. Small streets such as Cuthbert, Church, Filbert, American, and Little Boys Court create a walking system connecting a relatively quiet zone to the surrounding hustling commercial streets The 48 width of 2nd, 3rd, and Race Streets is framed by buildings 30 to 60 feet tall, making for a 1 to 1 height/width proportion often described as ideal by experts on great urban places. The Old City Residential Area Overlay, adopted in 2013, established a height limit of 65 so that those qualities are not over-shadowed by future development.

BUILDING details: The typical building type, identified in Robert Venturis 1976 Master Plan as a Victorian commercial/ wholesaling building, built from 1840-1890 and coming in various styles -- from the restrained utilitarian facades along North Front St. to the elaborate cast iron Italianate facades of 103-111 Arch St. These structures are typically 4 to 5 stories in height and approximately 20-30 wide by 70-100 deep. Though there is great variety in the building type throughout the district, certain traditional forms - common to many buildings in the neighborhood should be acknowledged by every future development proposal.

- Continuous ground floor shopfronts and display, with brick walls above.

- First floors facing principal streets are to be a minimum of 15 high - supporting a range of future uses.

-Setbacks and curb-cuts are rare.

- Buildings form a more or less continuous streetwall, with varied cornice heights, and architectural features.

- Mid-block access entrances to parking or commercial courtyards are designed as gateways.

- Inner-block parking and loading should not front directly on principal streets.

Old City buildings set the stage for a variety of experiences and commercial endeavors. Recent development proposals demonstrate the need for a BIG PICTURE, agreed-to understanding of basic principals.

MARKET





Small residential & large cultural/civic buildings; trees in residential & historic areas



Office & Cultural building, 11-12 stories

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1 The RCO Civic Checklist lays out frequent zoning issues and positions. These topics are summarized here. A more detailed discussion is provided as an addendum to the Vision2026 Framework.

The Old City District participates in discussion evaluating the merits and negative impacts of any development projects or substantial building renovations that come before the Zoning Board of Adjustments for consideration of a Variance application or Special Exception. As The Registered Community Organization (RCO), Old City convenes public meetings and reports on proceedings to city departments as needed. In this past year, the RCO was asked to evaluate many applications for both variances and special exceptions typically focused on height, food-related uses, parking requirements, building setback regulations, lot coverage or loading.

Here is a summary of how those themes play out in Old City:

Height Matters - Typically, requests to build above the limit should not be supported.The height of Old City buildings varies with most streets framed by three to six story buildings. The architectural quality of the district is defined by mixed-use loft buildings designed to be occupied in a variety of ways, often with ground floor workshops and storefronts and over-the-shop dwellings, production floors, or warehouse space above. Most were built before elevators were common, so the height is partially the result for how high the upper floor can be if it is to be accessed daily by stairs. The Old City Residential Area Overlay height limit of 65 ensures that future development does not compromise the comfortable scale of the streets in the traditional core. Vitality will continue; taller buildings are planned to the east, north and south.

Monitor Food-Related Uses - Not as urgent a topic as it once was. Gauge potential nuisances.Food-related uses (such as a pub,deli, restaurant, or cafe) are permitted only by special exception in the district. Much of Old Citys ground floor space is accessible, high-ceilinged, and right-sized for these uses. However, businesses that prepare / serve food and drink are sometimes a source of nuisance in compact, urban places like Old City. Typical issues are with noise, odor, vermin, trash, deliveries, and hours of operation. For a while the blocks framed by Front, Market, Walnut and Fourth Streets became a nightlife hotspot, attracting noisy, unruly patrons. Over time this trend has been tempered because of an increase of more localized destinations across the city.

Manage Parking Policy - Requests to roll back parking requirements should usually be granted Parking supports and increasingly competes with the things that make Old City a desirable place to live, work, play or visit. Parking lots, garages, and curb cuts diminish the quality of the walking experience and occupy space that could host commercial activity or homes for people to live. Some Old City businesses do rely on customer parking (furniture stores and art galleries) so that big, heavy purchases can be transported,but more customers of the many other businesses can arrive with equal or greater effectiveness by walking, biking and transit.

Lot Coverage and Setbacks - Typically, requests to exceed coverage should not be supported Lot coverage and setback regulations are intended to ensure that occupants of adjacent buildings have access to light and air. As a steward of that public good, projects seeking to exceed permitted coverage resulting in diminished access to light and air should not be supported. Alternatively, a project where the additional coverage would have no adverse effect should be considered on its merits.

Loading Operations - Evaluate requests to reduce required loading bays for negative consequences.Loading operations should be as efficient and as safe as possible. Large buildings are required to provide off-street loading so that, for example, if a building with many apartments has several leases expire at once, moving day does not impact adjacent neighbors and businesses.

In recent years the number of new building projects has been accelerating. Today over 1,000 new apartments, condos and houses are proposed or presently under construction. Given the beloved qualities of Old City streets and buildings, it is important that each new business, and each new building, renovation or expansion contributes to, rather than diminishes, the overall the experience of Old City. Three new tools are described below:


Development Aspirations + District Tools

3 Design Guide: A Next StepResidents, visitors, and businesses owners explain that handsome period architecture, walkable streets and interesting shopfronts are important to them and to the experience of the Old City section of Philadelphia. Those qualities could be compromised; especially by building projects that diminish, rather than complement, and enhance the character of 2nd and 3rd streets. A simple, illustrated Design Guide will provide a framework supporting constructive discussion and should be appreciated by developers and their architects.

The Old City Design Guide will share observations and advice on design issues not directly regulated by the Zoning Code. Most Design Guide topics are meant to define qualities and standards more or less unique to the district. The Guide will be developed cooperatively with the City of Philadelphia Historic Commission and will augment the Secretary of Interior Standards and Guidelines for Historic Buildings. A 1976 Plan for the district introduced detailed recommendations regarding size, scale, color, and materials for new buildings, renovations and expansions. This, together with standards and specifications recommended by the Historic Commission will be refreshed and presented in a compact, visually compelling document. Additional guidance will describe the nature of Old City architecture -- especially:

- Architectural qualities of the mostly transparent ground floor shopfront.

- Materials, proportions and 3-dimensional character of Old City street-wall facades

- Colors, signage and lighting

RCO Civic Checklist Recommend Legislative Actions Provide Design Guidance

2 Legislative ActionsOld City offers a continuous, engaging, pedestrian experience, only rarely interrupted by curb cuts, blank walls, or great distances between building entrances. For these qualities to endure, some adjustments to the city zoning code would be helpful, such as:

- Prohibit new buildings from presenting blank, windowless walls to 2nd 3rd, Race or Arch Streets.

- Prohibit curb cuts on principal streets

- Require minimum floor-to-floor dimension of 15 feet for the first floor for new building fronting 2nd, 3rd, Race or Arch Street so that a variety of uses can be supported over the decades (or centuries) it is home to people and/or commerce. Presently, an 8 floor-to-floor can be built anywhere ground floor residential is planned.

2

The long-range strategy to protect and improve the quality of the

walking environment will include adding some additional controls.

Advocate for zoning amendments that will encourage more durable

building types and a lively streetlife.

1

Since most variances and special exceptions are focused on height,

food-related uses, parking /loading requirements, or building setback

regulations, the District will prepare a compact summary of underlying issues and implications that inform

community expectations.

3

Illustrated manual providing advice on design issues not

directly regulated by the Zoning Code. Most Design Guide topics would define

qualities and standards more or less unique to the district.

PUBLIC SURVEY RESULTSShould there be more or fewer of the following in people Old City?

RESIDENTS WORKERS VISITORS

Should there be more or fewer of the following shopfronts in Old City?

GROCERIES GALLERIES RESTAURANTS

BARS VINTAGE/LOCAL SOUVENIRS

NOW: Beta-Testing Transformative ChangeThe best way to engage the public is not to invite them to meetings or present drawings and slideshows, but to show them big ideas in action. By simulating some of the proposed transformative changes of Vision2026 at relatively low cost, the District can test hypotheses, achieve early successes, build support (or draw the right criticism!), and generate publicity and interest from the neighborhood, the rest of Philadelphia, and beyond. These six beta-tests can all be conducted in the next year:

North and south of Old City, deploy tactical wayfinding

to encourage ridership on SEPTA Route 57

Bring in temporary seating and small, non-commercial

gatherings during First Fridays or N3rd Market

Pilot bikes lanes using temporary material in 2016,

for only a few hours, up to several days

Test new crosswalks at five key locations in 2016 through use of temporary

materials

Bring festivals to Market Street in 2016; close other streets to vehicular traffic

for #OpenStreetsPHL

During Park(ing) Day 2016, bring a temporary farmers market to the parking lot on

North 3rd Street


NEXT: Key Steps in Planning + DesignThe preceding pages are a framework for Vision2026 and set high aspirations for how Old City can mature over the next decade. Each element of the plan will require leadership, collaboration, and continued input from various stakeholders and the broader community. Equally important, each will need further technical analysis and design development before implementation. The six items below represent next steps in advancing key elements of Vision2026:

SEPTA Route 57: Promotion + ImprovementRidership to Old City on Route 57 can be promoted with changes to bus marquees indicating via Old City and permanent

wayfinding on new bus stops installed by the City. Thereafter, collaborative planning between the District, SEPTA, and the Center City District can determine how service frequency can be

increased and which routing modifications would provide the greatest connectivity.

Christ Church Park: Community Planning + Conceptual DesignThis effort will require a significant community

input process about the desired uses, functions, features, and materials of an iconic public space in the heart of Old City. The process will develop

several alternative concepts and result in an illustrative plan of a re-imagined park space,

which can then be taken to preliminary and final design, and used to raise the necessary funding

for implementation.

Traffic + Curbside Management Plan

Uses of the public right of way are inherited and often tweaked on an ad hoc basis. As Vision2026 contemplates bold changes to these uses, including loading, bicycle, and

transit priority, it will be important to develop a holistic operational curbside management plan,

assigning space and time on a block-by-block basis on primary streets. The focus will not be

to determine if Vision2026 is possible, but how streets need to configured to reach its goals.

More Crosswalks: Joint Traffic Study Request

Given mutual interest in a walkable neighborhood, the District and the National Park Service can submit a joint traffic study

request for the several crosswalks identified in Vision2026. Like the curbside management

plan, it is important that this request not only be tested against potential impact on traffic, but prioritized for the aspiration of safe and fluid

pedestrian mobility.

2nd Street Station Plaza: Concept Design + Fatal Flaw AnalysisThis may be the single boldest proposal of

Vision2026. As such, a traffic, constructibility, and operations fatal flaw analysis should be conducted.

In conjunction with this analysis, a conceptual site plan and materials recommendations begin a collaborative effort with the Streets Department,

SEPTA, and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

Developers Toolkit: An Old City Design Guide

A simple, illustrated Design Guide will provide a framework constructive discussion and

should be appreciated by developers and their architects. The Guide will provide advice on design issues not directly regulated by the

Zoning Code. It will be developed cooperatively with the City of Philadelphia Historic

Commission, augmenting the Secretary of the Interior Standards and Guidelines.

3RD

STR

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5TH

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WALNUT STREET

MARKET STREET

RACE STREET

FRO

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V I S I O N2 0 2 6


Notes, Ideas, Priorities, Questions:

East River BankResident, The Center for Art in WoodResident & PACDCColonial PennBrandywine Realty TrustColdwell Banker CommercialAlbert Taus & AssociatesScout VintageIndependence Visitor CenterResidentDelaware River Port AuthorityPosel ManagementSara Ann Kelly Public RelationsPhiladelphia City Planning CommissionNational Park ServiceCharlies JeansOffice of Councilman Mark Squilla The Kaiserman CompaniesEntrepreneur ResidentResident Penns View Hotel, PanoramaResident, First Service ResidentialResident, Snyderman-Works Galleries Delaware River Waterfront CorporationFork / High Street on Market

STEERING COMMITTEE

Christopher McGill, OCD Board ChairRichard Goldberg, Steering Chair & OCD Board

Lynn Martin Haskin, OCD BoardPatricia J. Lavelle, OCD BoardJoseph F. Ritchie, OCD Board

Peter Rothberg, OCD BoardAlbert Taus, OCD Board

Betsy CasselJames J. Cuorato

Mike FabiusJohn T. Hanson / Fran OBrien

David HessSara Ann Kelly

Ian LitwinCynthia MacLeod Sebastian McCallSean McMonagle

Carolyn PfeifferBob Moul

Gresham RileyJoe SchiavoCarlo Sena

Timothy SnowdenRick Snyderman

Karen ThompsonEllen Yin

VISION2026 DESIGN TEAM

The RBA Groupwith

Atkin Olshin Schade ArchitectsUrban Partners

and contribution fromCenter City District

CJ Dawson PhotographyDelaware Valley Regional Planning Commission

Hargreaves Associates + Red SquareThe Mighty Engine

OLINParsons Brinckerhoff

Philadelphia Office of Transportation + Infrastructure SystemsPhiladelphia Streets Department

SEPTA

For downloadable versions of VISION2026 and its supporting documents, please visit:

www.oldcitydistrict.org/

Comments or questions? email us at:

[email protected]

This Framework was adopted in principle by the Old City District Board of Directors on

16 December 2015. It is the beginning, not the end of the community planning process, and we look forward to further community engagement.

vision2026


vision2026

Thank you to all of those who participated in this process, giving

generously of their time and resources to shape the future of their community.

231 Market Street Philadelphia, PA215.592.7929oldcitydistrict.org

2016 Old City District + The RBA Group

old city vision2026 v1.0

Documents