GREAT NEWS!

http://phillyrecord.com/2008/0508/0-article-01.html

Sweet. I haven't had pork in while!

__________________
"Let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers - in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people." - B.H. Obama

"Power does what it wants." - George Carlin

I thought the development of Schmidt's site wasn't being held up by brownfield cleanup, but by the crappy, auto-centric design that the neighborhood (rightfully) wouldn't agree to. Regardless, federal money is federal money.

__________________
"What's up Pops!" - Lebron James to Bush 41.

I may be reading it wrong, but it looks like the Fed $ is going to improve the streets??

Yeah, reading that again, it does talk specifically about walkable streetscape. So what does that have to do with it being brownfield? I suppose they're sweetening the deal for Bart to finally step up and develop the cite in an urban (i.e. walkable, transit-oriented) manner. Maybe some kind of a deal was cut, somewhere along the way.

__________________
"What's up Pops!" - Lebron James to Bush 41.

Whomever wrote this article should be sent back to writing school. It's entirely unclear if Blatstein is handing over the land to the state...and what if anything is approved there. It's NOT the food distribution.

I'm going to GUESS that the funds are going to be used to overcome the Brownfield challenges but there's nothing as to whether the NLNA has approved his project. Last I knew, it was approved minutes shy of Street leaving office and Nutter's administration reversed that...and now it's in limbo. Any other updates on this front, Matt Ruben or anyone?

__________________
Resident of Fishtown, Moderator of Fish/No. Libs/Kenzo forum, Real Estate Agent-Prudential Fox & Roach

The NLNA has not yet approved a project for the Schmidt's site. In the near future, Tower Investments (Bart Blatstein's firm) will be coming back to the NLNA zoning committee with a new proposal (I believe this will be the 6th major revision since about 2001).

My understanding of the Brownfields funds is that they will be used for infrastructure improvements, and that Blatstein will not be turning over the site to the City or any other entity.

Further, I very much doubt the funds will be used for actual remediation of environmental issues on the site, as Tower has already done that, as per a PA ACT 2 process it engaged in in '06.

So I think this is basically a federal subsidy meant to help kick-start development on that site. One could say it's a political favor for the developer, but on the other hand it seems the main reason this site's gone through so many proposal versions is that it's tough to come up with a proposal that satisfies community wants and concerns while being economically feasible. I think this has less to do with the brownfields issues (which, while significant, will end up costing probably only 1% to 5% of the total project), and more to do with the sheer size of the site - 14 acres.

So in the end the grant might actually end up, in effect, as a subsidy to the neighborhood, allowing the project to be built in a way that meets more community needs (for green space, light and air, design, traffic flow, site plan, density, and so on).

Best,
Matt

Sounds good to me! Thanks Matt!

__________________
"Let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers - in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people." - B.H. Obama

"Power does what it wants." - George Carlin

Great..The one reason why Bart was gun shy in doing anything there is money.

If this is going ot help him pull the trigger on his (mid)original plans the better..(Besides that lot needs a new sidewalk....)

__________________
"And Lord, I pray that you would guard your own reputation, because they're going to think that their god is bigger than you, if that happens. So I pray that you will step forward and honor your own name with all that happens between now and Election Day."--Rev. Arnold Conrad