[Photo via Plan Philly]
Last night was Show and Tell night for Bridesburg residents, who got to view and comment on the Lower Frankford Creek Watershed Brownfields Area-Wide Plan. An Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant will allow cleanup and development of brownfield lands that covers areas in Bridesburg, Frankford, Port Richmond, and Juniata Park.
BTW, brownfields are areas that face limitations in redevelopment, generally due to environmental concerns from potential contamination or pollution.
Residents were given maps, and asked to share thoughts about the community's needs and strengths. Strengths were identified as the elementary school, park, recreation center, churches, and Interstate 95 access. And the needs: a dog park, waterfront restaurant with boat slips, new community center. And a casino was mentioned with a rich tone of sarcasm.
The redevelopment will center on three 'catalyst sites,' as reported by Plan Philly: the former Philadelphia Coke Co. property, a property owned by Dow Chemical (Rohm and Haas), and the Edgewater Dyeing and Finishing site in Frankford.
The public feedback will be incorporated into the zoning land use recommendations, based on the market analysis. Then, the Philadelphia2035 process will continue, and outcomes will be posted on the web.
Incidentally, here's a map of the District Plan Schedule for Philadelphia2035, if you want to consider the bigger picture. And the website.
·http://planphilly.com/articles/2014/09/24/bridesburg-residents-weigh-in-on-brownfields-planning [Plan Philly]