22nd and Montrose St. "Park"? - Page 3 - PhillyBlog

lbphilly · #21 (**permalink**) 04-11-2008, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahbinpa

I'm not crazy about it either (I know you didn't like all the hardscaping -- I'm not fond of the stoops), but it seems better (and more thought out) than a handful of benches and a mural. I just checked the park website and the Design Collaborative plans are still posted... perhaps if they post the alternative plans along with the proposed staging, it will make more sense to me.

I don't think that any of us know much about what the plan is for staging. These days, I'm happy to roll with whatever happens as long as it isn't townhouses, so I wasn't thinking about those kinds of questions -- and the two people who would be left early. So probably what's needed if there's enough community interest to get another meeting going is...another meeting, where the PHS folks will come in prepared to answer some of these questions.

There have been enough park meetings with no obvious follow-up that, I suspect, folks aren't that excited about coming out for a meeting. They may feel differently when they know something is likely to happen this season.

Lolly · #22 (**permalink**) 04-11-2008, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahbinpa

I just checked the park website and the Design Collaborative plans are still posted... perhaps if they post the alternative plans along with the proposed staging, it will make more sense to me.

Sterling promised to scan & forward the new plans within a few days after the meeting. As soon as he does that, I will be sure to post them on the site.

Lolly · #23 (**permalink**) 04-11-2008, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lbphilly

So probably what's needed if there's enough community interest to get another meeting going is...another meeting, where the PHS folks will come in prepared to answer some of these questions.

The next meeting was scheduled (at least tentatively) for May 7th. I hope all those posting (& reading) here will attend.

JenniferL · #24 (**permalink**) 04-12-2008, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lolly

The next meeting was scheduled (at least tentatively) for May 7th. I hope all those posting (& reading) here will attend.

Lolly,

I finally managed to get to the "Friends" website - and a couple of things struck me.

On the mural - where is the mural going, and will the community have input on this? Are the Mural Arts folks doing this? Is there a mock-up of the design?

On funding - who is monitoring the funds for the park?

Also, it seems like the park design may have changed a bit, are the new designs going to be posted on the website?

Best,
Jenn Lawson

Lolly · #25 (**permalink**) 04-12-2008, 06:16 PM

Hi Jenn. To answer your questions...

Quote:

Originally Posted by JenniferL

On the mural - where is the mural going, and will the community have input on this? Are the Mural Arts folks doing this? Is there a mock-up of the design?

I think the mural is just an idea at this point, so there's nothing to see yet. And so I also imagine that there should still be plenty of time for community input. I also believe it is hoped that the Mural Arts Program will be involved, though I haven't gotten a sense that anything is a done deal yet. The only things I have heard so far about the mural is that it is proposed to be a portrait of Julian Abele, and it would be painted on a wall of one of the buildings that flank the park, with some sort of focal point commemorating Mr. Abele placed in front of it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JenniferL

On funding - who is monitoring the funds for the park?

I have no idea. However I expect that the 1-page summary that Sterling just mentioned he's preparing (on the Yahoo Group*) will clarify this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JenniferL

Also, it seems like the park design may have changed a bit, are the new designs going to be posted on the website?

Yes, as I mentioned up-thread, Sterling promised to send me a scan of the current park design shortly after the last meeting. I plan to post it on www.MontrosePark.org just as soon as I receive it.

Watch this space.

*PS Have you managed to get signed up for the Yahoo Group yet? (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MontrosePark/)

Lolly · #26 (**permalink**) 04-12-2008, 06:23 PM

For the benefit of those who wouldn't otherwise see it there...

Quote:

As I'm sure that you can understand but to respond to all the questions at this point is beyond the time that I have.

I will post a response that I sent to Mark that will provide a little more background info. But - as I state below, most of the work is still left to be done as the bulk of the work done to date has been primarily done as setup (i.e. property transfer, phase one basic items, sponsorship, time steps in the design process, etc.). for the things that come later (i.e. final park design - including specific design features, friends of the park organization structure, etc. )
And as I state below and has been mentioned by others, what is needed is more folks to come out and participate in the process - not online, which while great for communication, its not a fair forum as it excludes too many people and does not provide equal opportunity. Thus, show up at meetings, volunteer to do the thankless tasks such as distributing flyers to those within their neighborhood and outside, we're all busy so making time to attend meeting when called and responding to request for support when posted, getting ones hands dirty (literally) with maintenance issues, etc.
As was stated in the meeting, our biggest challenge has been how do we more effectively get the word out and increase the participation in the meetings. That is what I'm hoping to see is not only see folks offer up suggestions for - but more importantly, step up and see the execution through on a continual basis. ..... The process is long, we are no where near the end - what is needed now is for folks to step up, roll-up their sleeves and help with some of the heavy lifting that remains.

Quote:

To address some of your concerns and based on the discussion from last night's meeting, I plan to put together a 1-sheet write-up on the design process to date - including details on what has been done and what is still left to do in terms of the park design.

The good news that much of the park's design still needs input from the neighbors, citing of the mother and children areas, details mural design, final paving design, etc. This was not done by accident but was purposely done so that ample time could be allowed so as to continue growth and support for the project. We did not feel that it would be fair to fully conceive the park at this time as that would then short-circuit later possible input as folks began to use the park and so self-identify features that they wanted to add. So the fact that while all the funding was not identified initially, enough was available for some work to begin - maintaining the enthusiasm for the project as we've already lost several participants who voiced concerns that nothing seemed to be getting done. Thus phasing served several functions - 1) it allows us to maintain momentum and continue to build interest; 2) it breaks the construction into more manageable portions, which allow some use of the area immediately, while additional funding is raised (noting - that as no other funding had been identified, our workable timeline would been stuck on indefinite); 3) with phase one doing the demo, underground utilities (electrical, etc.), and basic regrading of the site, it puts us at a nice starting point (i.e. blank slate) to add the features that will make the park unique, which we all want.

So, its important that neighbors stay engaged going forward. What might not have been conveyed last night is that attendance by the neighborhood members has been admittedly spotty and many requests that have been made for assistance, input and overall lead positions on various identified items have gone either un answered or commitment has waned after 1 or 2 meetings. As I'm sure you can understand, its hard to maintain momentum if support while enthusiastic, is not as dependable as it needs to be. So, we all agree that increasing the number of neighbors who are committed for the long haul and willing to shoulder some of the work that still needs to be done benefits us all - with our Park being the beneficiary of such increased "heavy-lifting"-type support.

For no, I will close with the fact that the facilities committee, which I lead (I've an engineer with a PM background as well as an AIA CDC member who has participated in numerous volunteer projects as a cost estimator) was initially set up for items such as park maintenance and design had some 9/10 committee members; tho, the challenge became that when I then sent out notices asking for support, input, and to handle specific work tasks, I got few/most time no responses. So, we kept the process going with those who did show up but always mindful that there were still many important decisions yet ahead. And having been part of this effort since before the CDC design presentation, I can appreciate that the full manifestation is not going to happen overnight, iso f you can help at all with addressing the challenges I've put touched on above - it would be much appreciated.

Sterling

JenniferL · #27 (**permalink**) 04-13-2008, 11:23 AM

Lolly,

Yeah - I just changed my settings so that I would start getting a daily summary from the Yahoo Group.

On the naming -- I went back to see when the name was changed and was impressed that it was covertly covered during a meeting sometime last year. It's always going to be Montrose Park to me - it's where it's located - and Montrose Street is something that will always be there, and was probably, although I would need to do some research, there before Mr. Abel.

Can't say that I'm a fan of murals...I would be curious to see which of the buildings is willing to offer up the side of their new house or the slightly old falling down looking house on the other side facing Montrose that would be willing to do it. Shame that we couldn't focus efforts on a slightly more tasteful plaque or something or even a tree dedicated to Mr. Abel that will continue to grow with the area.

I can't make it to evening meetings M-Wed. due to my out of town work schedule during the week. Last year there had been talks of doing some Saturday or Sunday meetings to accomidate the work schedules of some of the community - it would be GREAT to see one or two of these meetings when design decisions are being made.

As I've said before, I'm always happy to go pick up trash, and when the financial issues are straightened out and I know where the money is going, contribute. I will stay involved as I can, but the evening meetings keep me from being involved in administrative stuff.

Lolly · #28 (**permalink**) 04-13-2008, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JenniferL

Can't say that I'm a fan of murals...I would be curious to see which of the buildings is willing to offer up the side of their new house or the slightly old falling down looking house on the other side facing Montrose that would be willing to do it. Shame that we couldn't focus efforts on a slightly more tasteful plaque or something or even a tree dedicated to Mr. Abel that will continue to grow with the area.

I personally like the Philadelphia murals, in general. And if I were one of those home owners, would be honored to have one painted on my wall.

Having said that, I do hope this mural will be attractive & colorful. I think that can be tricky sometimes with portraits. (For example I think the banners of Marian Anderson throughout her "Village" are very boring, from a design/color perspective. I would have preferred to see them done with a much brighter, eye-catching, design.)

Well for your sake at least I hope the mural will be something you will be happy looking at -- since you'll be staring straight at it a lot more often than me!

lbphilly · #29 (**permalink**) 04-13-2008, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JenniferL

It's always going to be Montrose Park to me - it's where it's located - and Montrose Street is something that will always be there, and was probably, although I would need to do some research, there before Mr. Abel.

It wasn't there much longer than Julian Abele -- and please note the spelling. And, as it turns out, Abele was a child of our end of the neighborhood. He lived at 718 South 21st Street and 1911 Fitzwater Street. You can check the city maps at http://www.philageohistory.org/ to see when the 2100 block of Montrose were built up. I can tell you that the 2000 block of Webster Street was built more or less at the time of Julian Abele's birth, so it's very possible that he and the 2100 block of Montrose arrived about the same time.

Some links about Julian Abele:

http://libwww.library.phila.gov/75th/abele.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Abele

Like many folks I had a "when was this decided and why wasn't my opinion sought?" moment when the name was announced. However, considering the fact that not one but two small housing projects bearing his name got scrapped in the 1990s and 2000 -- one at 18th and Christian and one at 17th and Carpenter -- I'm pleased to see that something around here is bearing the name of the architect who designed the Free Library of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Duke University, and the stately homes of many of Philadelphia's wealthiest families.

Lolly · #30 (**permalink**) 04-13-2008, 03:38 PM

Again, for the benefit of anyone not on the park's Yahoo Group, these are Sterling's responses...

Quote:

Originally Posted by JenniferL

On the mural - where is the mural going, and will the community have input on this? Are the Mural Arts folks doing this? Is there a mock-up of the design?

Quote:

"The mural was discussed as a good way to incorporate the now blank wall. But, nothing else has been done with this - so is another example of how much work still has to be done and so areas where folks can get involved/contribute."

Quote:

Originally Posted by JenniferL

On funding - who is monitoring the funds for the park?

Quote:

"PHS is holding the funds on behalf the park."

Quote:

Originally Posted by JenniferL

Also, it seems like the park design may have changed a bit, are the new designs going to be posted on the website?

Quote:

"The plan that was shown at Wednesday meeting was PHS's copy and so I was not able to take it to copy. We'll be given one shortly that we can use. When I get it, I'll scan and forward."