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Infill Philadelphia: Industrial Sites Design Challenge
Philadelphia was once known as theWorkshop of the World. But as manufacturing declined and suburban warehousedistribution grew, many of the handsome buildings that formed the industrialbackbone of the city became symbols of blight. A shifting economy and the new nationalfocus on green industry have led city leaders to re-evaluate
In a collaborative effort, theCommunity Design Collaborative has teamed up with the Philadelphia IndustrialDevelopment Corporation (PIDC) to support a design challenge that will tacklesome of the common issues surrounding retooling older industrial sites in urbanneighborhoods through an original approach-innovative design. The Collaborativeis a nonprofit that promotes strengthening neighborhoods through design. PIDCis a not-for-profit corporation that promotes economic development throughoutthe city.
InfillPhiladelphia: Industrial Sites Design Challenge will officially kick off onTuesday, Feb. 16 at the Urban Outfitters Headquarters at the Philadelphia NavyYard, Building 543 from 4 – 6:30 p.m., when the design teams, jurors, andpartners will be announced and the project sites unveiled. The program will feature a keynote address by William C.Struever, President and CEO of Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse. Struever is aleading figure in green urban revitalization who has pioneered adaptive reuseof industrial buildings and neighborhood development. He received the UrbanLand Institute's Award of Excellence for the Clipper Mill in
Three design firms have volunteered totackle three projects that will serve as prototypes for bringing new industrialsectors and production formats into the city in ways that are sensitive toneighborhoods. The firms will seek input from community-based organizations anda diverse group of experts to create concepts that respond to the requirementsof each site, which range in scale and potential uses. The projects include creatingleasable space for artisanal industries in a wing of an old factory building,
"This initiative is unique because itexplores strategies for repurposing old industrial sites for new industry witha special focus on neighborhood-based sites," said John Grady, Vice President,PIDC. "We want to demonstrate to entrepreneurs and investors that industrial sitesin neighborhoods can be a good match."
This third phase of Infill Philadelphia will build on the Industrial Market and Land Use Strategyundertaken by the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation, thePhiladelphia City Planning Commission, and the Philadelphia Department ofCommerce. "Infill Philadelphia: Industrial Sites will add thoughtful, creative options to the menu of Philadelphia'sindustrial land development strategies and complement the city'ssustainability, green jobs, and economic initiatives," says Alan Greenberger,Executive Director, Philadelphia City Planning Commission.
The Industrial Sites design challengeis the third of a three-phase initiative called Infill Philadelphia. Theinitiative, the brainchild of the Community Design Collaborative, matches localdesign experts with community-based organizations for site-specific designprojects. It is intended to demonstrate the possibilities of inventive designand help older communities re-envision the appearance of their neighborhoodswhile using their existing physical assets to spark community reinvestment.
http://infillphiladelphia.org/
http://blog.cdesignc.org/
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