The Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority has picked a local developer to redevelop 36 properties in West Philly that have ties to the infamous MOVE bombing in 1985.
The PRA picked AJR Endeavors, LLC to spearhead the project, stating that the company has “a strong track record” of working in communities in Philadelphia.
AJR Endeavors was one of two developers that sent in submissions to the PRA’s request for proposals (RFP) that was issued in December 2016. The RFP called for a sensitive proposal given the tragic history of the site, which includes the 6200 Osage Avenue and 6200 Pine Street in Cobbs Creek.
In 1985, the city dropped a bomb on this stretch of homes, one of which served as headquarters to the black liberation group MOVE. More than 30 years later, the neighborhood has never fully recovered. The PRA took ownership of the shoddily rebuilt homes in 2000.
AJR Endeavors plans to rehabilitate all 36 homes. The site also qualifies for PRA art program that requires developers to contribute at least 1 percent of the project costs to a public art.
It’s still months away from the start of construction, PRA spokesperson Jamila Davis told Curbed Philly. It may take another six to nine months for the proposal to receive a redevelopment agreement and approval approval from the PRA board and City Council.
When construction does begin, it is expected to take 18 to 24 months.
- Properties tied to 1985 MOVE bombing up for sale [Curbed Philly]
- How Philadelphia Became the City that Bombed Itself [Curbed Philly]