5.2 Activity Two - Identify Greening Project Opportunities

5.2 Activity Two - Identify Greening Project Opportunities

Creating an image and identity for Powelton Village through proposed greening projects was an important component of the Powelton*Drexel Community Greening and Action Plan that evolved during Activity Two which began with presentation of the Existing Conditions and Site Analysis Plans at the Community Open House. The Open House was a means of informing neighborhood residents and stakeholders about the Community Greening Project and other related topics such as the Drexel Master Plan and the West Bank Greenway Plan. The Design Team was interested in receiving feedback from the community as well as reaching additional stakeholders who may have been unaware of the Community Greening Project.

The Open House attendees were very interested in and enthusiastic about the project. A number of people volunteered to assist the Greening Committee in accomplishing the Early Action Projects. Several persons volunteered their time on more than one project. The 31^st Street and 32^nd Street Corridor Project received the most volunteers. A summary of the Community Open House compiled by the Design Team is included as Appendix 9.5.

Through the Open House process, the Design Team gained a broader understanding of community opinions regarding neighborhood greening opportunities. This information was used to augment data about potential project areas obtained from Greening and Steering Committee members. The goal of Activity Two was to identify and define greening project opportunities based on the information and opinions gathered during Activity One and to examine the challenges and opportunities for greening the nodes of activity within the community. After the Open House, the Design Team prepared a preliminary list of potential greening projects, two of which would be targeted to be developed through schematic design during Activity Three.

The Site Analysis Plan generated discussion about many issues within the Greening Committee and led to the formulation of criteria for the evaluation of greening projects.

Criteria for Evaluation of Priority and Future Greening Projects

·	Potential for Success: Projects shall reflect the goals of the Steering/Greening Committee and other stakeholders, encourage ongoing stewardship, and enhance the environment.
·	Visibility: Projects shall be located where they will have the highest significance and impact for residents of the Powelton*Drexel neighborhood and for passersby.
·	Affordability and Appropriateness: Projects shall be cost effective, easy to install and maintain, and be likely to generate interest from identified funding sources.
·	Collaboration: Projects shall encourage long-term cooperation and interface between the Powelton and Drexel communities.

At the Greening Committee Meeting in June 1999, potential funding sources for future projects and stewardship alternatives for active community management of installed projects (Appendixes 9.6 and 9.7, respectively) were presented. Also in June the Criteria for the Evaluation of Priority and Future Greening Projects and a preliminary list of potential greening projects were distributed to both the Greening and Steering Committees. The Greening Committee agreed to adopt the Evaluation Criteria as a means of determining the viability of present and future projects.

The Greening Committee was also asked to review and rank the potential greening projects. Members were reluctant to prioritize the projects at this meeting and asked the Design Team to provide additional information about specific project types before they would express preferences. The Design Team prepared and presented supplemental greening project category descriptions and definitions to the Greening and Steering Committees at their July 1999 meetings.

Priority and Future Greening Project Category Descriptions

·	Streetscapes: Enliven the pedestrian and vehicular realms of a given street through the coordinated use of site amenities (lighting, benches, banners), paving materials, and planting at a human scale such as street trees, planters, and hanging baskets.
·	Green Spaces: Preserve and enhance the quality of the existing green spaces through landscape improvements, coordinated clean-up efforts and active management. Explore alternative long-term ownership/stewardship options.
·	Gateways/Crossroads: Reflect the character of the neighborhood and inform the passerby of significant intersections and transition zones through the installation of appropriate design elements such as planting, paving, flags, and banners.
·	Urban Forest: Create a greener, more environmentally appealing neighborhood within the urban fabric through the installation and ongoing maintenance of scattered site street tree planting.

The Project Category Descriptions were agreed to and Greening Committee members were asked to choose their top five priority projects and to submit their preferences in writing to the Design Team. The Design Team tallied the lists using the top three responses submitted from each Greening Committee member. The five top priority projects included Powelton Avenue from Lancaster to 31^st Street, Lancaster Avenue from 34^th Street to 38^th Street, 32^nd Street from Market Street to Powelton Avenue, the Tot Lot on Powelton Avenue and 35^th Street, and 31^st Street from Powelton Avenue to Spring Garden Street. The Design Team added the eastern gateway on 32^nd and Market Streets to the list. PG and the Design Team felt that this site would be an excellent opportunity for collaboration between the residents of Powelton Village and Drexel University.

Once the potential projects were prioritized, the Design Team prepared order of magnitude estimates of probable cost for each one. The estimates of cost were another means of ensuring that the projects met the agreed to Criteria for the Evaluation of Priority and Future Greening Projects. Each possible project was separated into two cost categories: one with modest and the other with enhanced design improvements. The Design Team felt that the Greening Committee needed to understand the associated costs for a project in order to agree on the projects to develop in Activity Three. (It should be noted that these preliminary estimates of cost were developed as a guide for project selection and did not represent actual design decisions for specific site elements.)

Based on the order of magnitude estimates of probable cost, the projects most likely to be implemented while remaining within the budget allocated under the grant were the Tot Lot and the eastern gateway on 32^nd and Market Streets. Two projects that could have a first phase installed were 31^st Street (east side) from Powelton Avenue to Spring Garden Street and, 32^nd Street (east side) from Market Street to Powelton Avenue. Two projects that could have one block, both sides of the street developed, were Lancaster Avenue from 34^th Street to 38^th Street and Powelton Avenue from 31st Street to Lancaster Avenue. (See Appendix 9.14.2)

At the September 1999 meeting, the Greening Committee was asked to comment on the potential projects and their associated costs with respect to the success of the project, affordability, visibility, and potential for collaboration between Powelton Village and Drexel University. There was a lively discussion on the pros and cons of several of the sites. After the discussion, each member was given two votes to cast. Greening Committee members who were not present at this meeting were later contacted and asked for their votes. The projects receiving the most votes were the Tot Lot and the eastern gateway at 32^nd and Market Streets.

Contents:
5.2.1 Recommendations from Activity Two