An important part of a community's physical environment are small intense areas of activity composed of combinations of different uses. These "nodes" are often the functional centers of the adjoining neighborhoods. Such discrete areas are alive with public and private energy. In West Philadelphia many of these nodes developed along the old trolley routes and so include an extra level of hustle and bustle.
Where these "nodes" exist, they should be sustained because of the positive focus they give to the surrounding neighborhoods; where they may have vanished or never developed, they should be established. One happy example of a node in West Philadelphia is at the intersection of 50th Street and Baltimore Avenues where an old firehouse has been turned into a farmers' market. Two other corners of the 50th & Baltimore intersection contain a neighborhood park and a church. This positive community focus was accomplished with public and private cooperation. In the example of 50th and Baltimore, an active retail "node" was reestablished at the same time that the community was able to retain a local "landmark" through creative re-use of the old firehouse.
Along with the "nodes" that lend physical identity to West Philadelphia are its significant "landmarks." Every community has particular buildings or monuments that contribute to the urban fabric because of their architectural, historic or social significance, their contextual novelty or their place identity. Sometime these "landmarks" are important only in the context of their own community, while others have broader recognition. West Philadelphia is rich in both. Our Mother of Sorrows Church at 48th and Wyalusing Avenue may not be well known outside of its community, but its towering spires and grand scale provide a physical focus and pride to the neighborhood. While 30th Street Station and the Urban Education Foundation are landmarks in West Philadelphia, these buildings are also well known to the rest of the City, serving as a visual announcement of West Philadelphia from various distant views.
While much of the positive aspect of well functioning "nodes and landmarks" may be practical, there is just as important an aspect to their communities which is perceptual and aesthetic. Both aspects should be present for maximum effect. In this part of the plan we will recommend strategies for developing and improving "nodes and landmarks" as positive contributors to the urban form of West Philadelphia and its neighborhoods.
Clark Park is the site of the annual May Fair, along with various other official celebrations and festivals. This park is the most important public space in the Spruce Hill neighborhood. Clark Park is situated between a mix of residential and institutional land uses. The northern edge of the park is bounded by Baltimore Avenue and is exclusively residential along the park edge. The eastern edge of the park is bounded by 43rd Street which contains both residential and institutional uses. A City Health Center, a community garden and the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy are located along this 43rd Street edge (the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy assists in the maintenance and upkeep of the park). The western edge of the park is exclusively residential and the northwest edge is occupied by the Merciful Savior Home for Crippled Children. The park is divided into two sections by Chester Avenue.
The park is both a passive and active recreational resource for the neighborhood. It is well landscaped and has benches throughout. The area within the park consists of a network of walkways with the main arteries lighted. Both the northern and southern portions contain toddler play areas and the southern park also contains basketball courts.
This park is particularly fortunate in that it enjoys active community support and interest. The Friends of Clark Park is a well organized group of neighbors and organizations which conduct regular park cleanup and maintenance. Additionally the Friends have established a Planning Committee which has developed a plan which aims "to promote varied uses of the park and to keep the park in good condition." The plan is directed toward issues relating to: (1) how best to use the park; (2) pathway alignments; (3) active versus passive areas; and (4) landscape materials. The City should support the ambitious community effort at Clark Park and promote similar relationships with other communities and their parks.
With a combined effort by the City and the local community, this park will continue to be an asset for the neighborhood. Like the other public parks discussed in this plan, Clark Park is in need of an improved level of maintenance. This should include better care of the park's interior and edges and the grass median strip between the sidewalk and the street. At the corners of the park are boards for the neighborhood to use for posting community news and notices. These boards are currently in disrepair and in need of replacement. If they cannot be replaced, they would be better removed. If funds become available, the park could be shown to advantage if the entry-ways at the corners were celebrated by arches or columns that could also be designed to accommodate community notices. Structures announcing the entrance ways to the park would enhance and reinforce its identity as a special and cared for neighborhood place.
Some of the paved pathways in the park are in need of repair, specifically in the northwest part of the park. Sidewalk improvements should also be made to the park's perimeter.
There is an overgrown vacant lot at 43rd and Chester Avenue. This is a blight in an otherwise well maintained neighborhood. The lot is privately owned and zoned for detached and semi-detached residential use. Any future development should be consistent with this zoning. In the interim, this lot needs to be better maintained by its owner. City codes should be enforced here.
This public open space is an active and passive recreational focus for adjacent residential, commercial and institutional users. This triangular park is bounded by Baltimore Avenue on the south, Catherine Street on the north and 50th Street on the west. Willows Avenue cuts diagonally across the city street grid and creates a five point intersection at 50th and Baltimore Avenue. The surrounding sidewalks and streets are busy with park users and shoppers, making this site the key node in the larger neighborhood.
Over the past ten years the City has invested capital funds for improvements to the park and economic development funds along the commercial strip which fronts the southern edge of the park. Improvements in the park include new toddler play facilities. Along the park's Baltimore Avenue edge improvements are new sidewalks and benches. A new traffic island at the five point intersection adds to the rational flow of vehicles and the safety of pedestrians.
Private investment is also evident in this area; specifically in the reuse and rehabilitation of an old firehouse as a farmers' market at the corner of 50th and Baltimore Avenue. The firehouse facade is handsomely decorated and well maintained. Tables are placed along the wide sidewalk in front of the farmers' market creating an amiable setting for lunchtime gathering.
Another positive feature of the area is the police mini-station which adds to the perception of safety in the area and in turn increases the usage of the park. This contrasts with the nearby liquor store, located so close to the park that it poses a potential nuisance in the area
This marvelous little park clearly serves the neighborhood in a beneficial manner. Use of the park is high with play facilities being utilized by parents with young children and other adults as a place to meet and socialize. The play facilities are also available to the day-care center of the A.M.E. Church at the western end of the triangle.
It is an intent of this plan to reinforce this park as a gathering place for the local community. Success will depend on the mutual efforts of the city and the neighborhood.
Sections of the park have developed into a convenient place for local adults and those underage to drink. This activity is carried out while in the plain view of the adjacent police-mini-station. While there may be no incidence of trouble in this regard, drinking in the park is not conducive to the appropriate image of the park as a safe place for children. The liquor store should be relocated to an area like the vicinity of 52nd Street & Baltimore Avenue where the commercial strip is somewhat apart from the residential neighborhood and where there are fewer opportunities to loiter than there are in a park.
The park is in need of a higher level of maintenance than city resources alone are capable of providing. It is in the interest of the community to participate in the care of this park. Neighborhood volunteers are already helping in this regard.
The city should take the lead in initiating these joint city and community efforts with an emphasis on small projects with big impact and low maintenance needs. Such a possibility exists at 50th and Baltimore in landscaping the traffic island. Maintenance can be kept to a minimum with a landscape plan that relies on plantings and furniture specifically chosen with maintenance in mind. Additionally, the city should continue to concentrate on the commercial revitalization of the Baltimore Avenue strip.
This large city park is a major focus for the surrounding communities, contributing positively to their specific place identity. The western edge of the park adjoins the 52nd Street commercial strip. The park's other boundaries (Pine Street to the north, 51st Street to the east and Larchwood Avenue to the south) are mostly residential streets. Although there is some deterioration to the residential fabric of the southern edge of the park, most of the surrounding homes are occupied and well cared for.
A mixture of land uses, a juxtaposition of quiet and active spaces and different types of pedestrian activity make Black Oak Park one of West Philadelphia's important nodes. A music festival and a community services fair are among the special events that have taken place on the site, which is also known as Malcolm X Park.
The park's primary function today is passive recreation, serving to relieve the dense row house neighborhood with a generous open space. The park's main structure is a network of walkways with landscaping, benches and lights. Increased maintenance along the park's edges, particularly 52nd Street, would enhance the appeal of the whole surrounding area. A noteworthy feature of the park is its gateway columns which announce the entry ways at each of the park's four corners.
A minimal expenditure of resources here would result in a considerable improvement to the surrounding neighborhood's image and esteem. The realization of these improvements will only be possible if there is a combined effort by the city, neighborhood and affected institutions. In addition to the local community associations, the Huey School and Misericordia Hospital may want to participate in the park's maintenance as its condition directly effects their own setting. At least two community organizations are already assisting with park maintenance, and the community is also working with the police to improve security in the park.
Much of what is needed in Black Oak Park are minor repairs. The railings on the perimeter of the park need repair or replacement; surrounding curbs and sidewalks need replacement; and the handsome entry columns need paint and repair. The lighting in the park needs repair and should be extended into the interior of the park for safety.
In addition to maintenance and repair, it may be of interest to the community to add more active recreational opportunities to this very large outdoor setting. Toddler play facilities and basketball and tennis would be appropriate here if funding were available.
This genteel but fading community node would also benefit from the improvement to the surrounding commercial area. The 52nd Street edge in particular is a negative force because of the high rate of vacancy there. This is in stark contrast to the surrounding well maintained neighborhood. The commercial vitality of this area is discussed more thoroughly in Part Three of this Plan.
To strengthen the residential nature of this node's surrounding residential community and compliment the physical improvements made to Black Oak Park, it is recommended that area property owners work with the Planning Commission to rezone the area through a zoning remapping program.
As a good example of how closely a community can identify with its node or its landmark, the Carroll Park community derives its very name from its gracious central open space, Carroll Park. Located on Girard Avenue between 58th Street and 59th Street with Thompson Street on the north, the area surrounding the park is mostly residential. This community is one of the more stable areas in West Philadelphia with a high percentage of home ownership. The majority of row-homes lining the park's edges are well preserved. Like Black Oak Park, this public space serves the community primarily as passive recreation, providing green openness in contrast to the surrounding tightly developed community.
With joint initiatives by the City and the Carroll Park community, a great deal can be accomplished here with a modicum of effort. Simple maintenance to the grounds, benches and utility building is a critical first step in this improvement process. Replacement of some older trees which have reached beyond their viable life should also be a priority.
The opportunity is also present to increase the use of the park with the addition of selective and compatible recreation facilities. More active recreation facilities in the park will certainly generate more concern and care for the park on the part of the neighborhood. With this in mind, the existing but non-functioning wading pool should be repaired and reopened. New play facilities should be designed to be compatible with the primary function of the park as a respite from the pace of everyday.
The positive contribution of the park can be further strengthened by the stabilization of the surrounding clean and orderly community. This includes maintaining the distinctions between the residential portions and commercial areas of the community by having the local civic association work with the Planning Commission to have the neighborhood rezoned so that the zoning more closely conforms to actual land use.
Located at the southeast corner of 50th and Spruce Streets, this small park is bordered on three sides by housing. A City-owned parking lot exists just to the east.
Ben Barkan Park is intended to be used for passive recreation, providing a green respite within the grid of dense residential development. In its current condition the neighborhood considers the park to be a nuisance, because its hilly terrain conceals and promotes illicit activity. The Planning Commission agrees with the Garden Court community that some physical improvements are needed here.
Improved lighting and the removal of visual obstructions will deter crime in the park. Rebuilding of the long-abandoned tot lot, which has been requested by the neighbors, is a sensible idea that should increase usage and security. Finally, storm water must be diverted away from adjoining residential properties. Detailed plans should be prepared by the Recreation Department staff, with input from the community.
As another publicly-owned community facility, the adjacent parking lot is part of the node at this location. The lot is seldom used by shoppers, but it is used on Saturdays for a flea market and on Sunday by a nearby church. The parking lot is surrounded by a four foot masonry wall which obstructs vision just enough to create another popular spot for nighttime loitering. This wall should be removed by the City and replaced with a fence that simulates the appearance of wrought iron. The church should be encouraged to take over responsibility for maintenance and landscaping.
The church at 48th Street and Wyalusing Avenue, a half block from Lancaster Avenue, anchors the east end of Old Cathedral Cemetery. To the south across Wyalusing Avenue are residences and the Clara Muhammad School, formerly St. Thomas Moore Catholic High School. To the northeast is Lancaster Avenue and its attendant commercial uses, as well as several vacant parcels on or near the Avenue. One block beyond Lancaster Avenue, visible from the church, is Blankenburg Public School. A significant element contributing to the special setting of the church is Durham Park immediately across 48th Street, which is an excellent example of an urban park with mature trees, a tot lot and numerous benches. The grounds are in relatively good condition. Durham Park is also known as Clara Muhammad Park.
This combination of activities and significant architecture is just the kind of node and landmark mixture that gives a neighborhood prestige and focus. We believe that public and private initiatives exerted here can reinforce and improve the surrounding community.
There are, however, some impediments to the realization of this area's full potential that must be overcome. The foremost of these negative images are the nearby vacant lots. If there is no economic imperative for the development of these lots, they should be cleaned and planted. The City should also replace broken curbs and sidewalks on the park block and the immediate surrounding blocks. Maintenance of the park and its equipment should be a renewed priority. The existing zoning should be reviewed with an eye toward the encouragement of appropriate development in the area. Finally, the local community group should be aided and encouraged to take an active role in Durham Park as the kind of public place that people feel proud of as a positive image of their neighborhood.
Overbrook High is located on Lancaster Avenue between 57th and 59th Streets on the edge of a stable residential community. This handsome landmark overlooks its surrounding community from a considerable elevation which raises the school's towers into the skyline of West Philadelphia. The school's importance as an architectural landmark is matched by its importance as a cultural institution. As one of the city's largest high schools, Overbrook also provides a center for community meetings and social activities. Students, alumni and faculty provide connections to West Philadelphia and a broad community beyond.
Across Lancaster Avenue from the school are a railroad right of way and industrial uses. On a narrow strip of land between Lancaster Avenue and the railroad are a faculty parking lot, two vacant parcels and a furniture store. A triangular traffic island directly in front of the school's entrance is overgrown with weeds. The residential community abutting the school on Oxford Street and 59th Street presents a neat and cohesive appearance.
Enhancement of the setting of the school and surrounding residential community hinges on the ability to effect change along Lancaster Avenue opposite the school. A slope from the grade of the street upwards to the grade of the rail line forms a backdrop for much of the Lancaster Avenue frontage. This slope is overgrown and unattended, creating a negative impression on the surrounding area. The school's faculty parking lot is relatively unobtrusive and an appropriate use for the site. However, the parking lot is surrounded by a high chain link fence which, while intact, is showing signs of deterioration. Two vacant sites to the east and west of 59th Street are the result of demolition. As with many such sites, demolition has not left a completely clean site. Although trash is not a major problem on the sites, sections of foundation and some rubble remain. Poor maintenance of a furniture store at the northwest corner of 59th and Lancaster further detracts from a more positive image of the area.
Immediate improvement to the school's physical setting would be realized if AMTRAK cleaned, maintained and landscaped its property along Lancaster Avenue. The Streets Department, perhaps with the assistance of an alumni class or school club, should improve and properly maintain the traffic island in front of the school.
The Planning Commission should implement a zoning remapping program, particularly to work with the community to examine the appropriateness of the G-2 Industrial classifications along Lancaster Avenue. And finally, the School District of Philadelphia should improve the faculty parking lot on Lancaster Avenue with new paving and replacement of the chain-link fence with a combination low wall and fence. Materials for the wall section, chosen to reflect those of the school, would tie the two together and soften the appearance of the lot. At a minimum, the existing fence should be painted and straightened.
Landmark: Urban Education Foundation
Located on a 22.2 acre campus at 46th and Market Streets, the Urban Education Foundation occupies the former facilities of the Provident Mutual Life Insurance Company. This extraordinary building has been a landmark structure in West Philadelphia for generations. Resembling a Georgian Revival state house, the building's projecting frontispiece is capped by a gold domed tower. Today, the office building is home to more than 35 organizations including institutions, non-profit community groups and small entrepreneurs.
Landmark: 30th Street Station
Landmark: Memorial Hall
Landmark: Philadelphia Zoo
| webmaster@partners.upenn.edu |