I agree . . . and there's no reason for being sorry for tooting your own horn. Some of the projects here at probably too big and too expensive to be done by folks in the neighborhoods.

It would be interesting to see what might happen if a small fund was established for innovative neighborhood projects. Seattle has such a fund which gives small grants to neighborhoods and organizations so that they can started. It is these projects that often provide terrific services with little or no funding. United Way (both here and other places) seem to ignore small projects and instead, give money only to large established organizations.

Take a look at Seattle's program:
http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/neighborhoods/nmf/

While you're at it. Look at the entire web site.
http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/html/citizen/community.htm

It's not as pretty as many but it sure has lots of useful information, links, etc. Far better than that stupid pr outlet that is called phila.gov

or just an easier process for setting up your own org's like bryant park and getting cooperation from the city.

It is true that the private sector should be the crux of the involvement of development, yet I believe that visionary planning and landscaping is done by local government. The relation is very close, especially with regard to providing incentives and opportunities to gain.

To put this to the examples above:

1. Statues of the Founding fathers: The proposal would bring reknowned and/or local artists to the project. It would also find sponsorship funding. Example, if there are 20 statues, then 20 companies could sponsor them, and have permanency in such a development. The city could match contributions as an investment. Tourism revenue would be the return on their investment, attracting people to see the majestic statues.

2. The World's Largest Ferris Wheel: Again, a collaborative effort of the private sector to better the skyline, with some investment from the city. Revenue would be charges for rides from tourists and residents.

3. Wifi is a relatively low investment to do. it may just be the collaboration of many as on this site, to map out the hotspots. The city can help fill the gaps. It is a great marketing concept. The WIFI city, not to mention the number of interactive applications such as visual art that can be realized.

4. Italian Market needs reconstruction. For tax incentives, companies can be made to comply to a facelift, and its maintenance. Better developments attract more customers, adding more revenue.

5. Philly Walls of Cinema: With industrial projectors at about $3,000 each and having 10 of them, the relative investment is low. Maintenance and management can be done by comcast, who could also provide content. They can have the sponsorship opportunity. People out and about watching the movies will buy foodstuffs and other things ... more commerce.

6. Gardens... This is enforceable by policy. Abandoned buildings should be leveled into gardens until buyers come along. HUD and CDCs have the ability to do this. Ugliness is unforgiveable when we have the ability to do this. Property owners should give up the property or pay for the levelling and garden to maintain it at a minimum. This is working well in Boston right now.

7. Dancing Fountains: Again, city can invest. Learn from Rome. Here, individuals have little they can do, except pay taxes. But this investment would give Philadelphia more character with 50 foot fountains becoming a national spectacle. We would appear in pictures the world over, and tourism will be the return. Music to the dancing fountains can promote our own Philadelphia orchestra.

8. The SS United States: An evaluation by Norwegian Cruise Lines speak to the revitalization. This is prime real estate that can be sold to an upscale developer. It could be a hotel, a mall, restaurants. Right now it is stuck in typical beaurocracy.

9. Taxes. We want business to move in. We are one of the least competitive cities from a taxable standpoint. All the developments above make us better and better and with some incentives, we can be competitive. Basic example, 10 yr corporate tax free for businesses that move into Philadelphia who hire and maintain over 500 employees. Maintain the tax free status for companies that grow this employment by 10% per year. No city, state or wage tax. For smaller companies hiring over 100 people, tax free for the first 3 years, and continues if they hire 10% per year. For entrepreneurs - from restaurants to others - we have tax incentives depending on location. The city will gain from income tax revenue and commerce revenue from new comers.

10. Bicycles: We can be the premier cycling city. Lots cycle. Again, a 70,000 dollar investment would provide 1000 bicycles for the public to use. I believe it would bring less congestion, less pollution, and character. Parking in this city is a nightmare. Again, small investment, better character, and perhaps a solution. Who knows, since riding is healthy, and insurance companies are into preventative care, we can have Independence Blue Cross or others to sponsor this initiative.



Again, out of the box.. Visionary planning can allow the city to cooperate with the private sector on these developments. Greater Philadelphia Marketing should envision philadelphia as a real destination, not just a weekend one. Grandness and character comes with uniqueness and creativity. Revenue of cities is Demand driven. We need to increase the demand for people to visit, and visit again, and have companies move here. Investments not expenses.

:rolling_:

...

We have the top landscaping design firm in the world here in Philadelphia - Andropogon (www.andropogon.com) .. They would be amazing at creating a plan for development.

;-)

Not sure I agree with that assessment but what the hell. Basically, you are correct. Let me also add, we have Laurie Olin on Chestnut Street, we have Wallace Roberts and Todd somewhere else in the city. Laurie is world reknowned and travels the world doing master planning and landscape planning. WRT did the plan for Inner Harbor in Baltimore, and was brought into the planning for Penn's Landing by neighborhood organizations (as far as I can tell, their efforts were ignored by the city).

Also, Project for Public Spaces, a planning consultant in NYC, was brought here by William Penn Foundation and Center City District to develop an approach to integrating Vine Street from Franklin Square to Logan Square back into the city fabric - rather than allowing it to continue as a "wall" between center city and the neighborhoods to the north. In short, there are a wide range of resources in Philadelphia.

All to often, however, people just want to bitch.

When we wanted to get the streetscape on Market (between 5th and Front) upgraded, people got together and eventually it was done. I'm not certain that the end result is what we wanted (we wanted retail, we got restaurants and nightclubs) but the laws of unintended consequences certainly came into play.

In any event, thanks for your interesting posts. I hope that you get some good responses . . . and I hope my post about "simple" things that we can do gets some good answers, as well.

Chris

hi everyone. im new on the blog but i had a question that i hoped someone could answer. this past weekend my partner and i walked down this new walkway from the art museum all the way to the walnut stree bridge right along ths schuyllkill river. i had never known that that even existed. is it a new project? if so, does anyone here have any resources where i can find more info on it? thanks, and have a great day!

-ron.

p.s. my email is rdm@temple.edu

What I don't understand is why the city keeps shooting down plans for Penns Landing? Could someone please explain this to me?

__________________
"Just go with it."

The trail is called "Schuylkill River Park.

It's been on the official plans for 40 years or so.

There's been an unofficial bike path through there for several years now.

The paved path and landscaping are new as of last year.

There's another park called Schuylkill River Park south of Locust down to Pine street but that is on the other side of the railroad tracks

www.phillyfido.net

Well, I'd posted a few photos of the park, and a .jpg of the park's master plan not too long ago.

There's a big push to connect the new park to the surrounding neighborhood-

freetheriverpark.typepad.com/freetheriverpark


because CSX corp has wanted to close the paths over the railroad tracks at locust - which neighbors have been using for years/decades.

Hal

Question for any of you who have been involved with the Schuylkill River Park project.

The other day I was standing across from 30th Street Station, overlooking the river) and wondered why they simply could not create several stairways from the Market Street and Chestnut Street bridges to reach the park. I know one of the complaints has been that CSX is playing hardball with the access across the tracks. It seems to me that a couple stairways (don't need to be as wonderful and ornate as Paris) could get people to the park without worrying about the damn railroad.

Has anything ever been considered of that sort.

Second question:
A recent article in the Inquirer detailed questions about the existing low-head dams along many rivers in the country and in Pennsylvania in particular. As we all know, they can be killers and claim lives every year.

Why could we not get rid of the low-head in front of the Water Works and thus open up the river. It would be safer and would create improved access.