WFS NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN FINAL

Acknowledgements

The Waterfront South Neighborhood Plan is the result of a 12-month community-driven planning process led by the Heart of Camden CDC with funding support from the Camden County Municipal Utility Authority (CCMUA) and the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (NJ DCA).

Over 200 residents participated in this process, contributing their time, commitment and ideas to the plan. City and County agencies, community organizations, local businesses and institutions also participated as community stakeholders and as critical partners in future implementation steps.

Planning Team

Heart of Camden

Carlos Morales, Executive Director

Donna Helmes, Community Development Consultant

Jessica Franzini, Community Development

Tawanda “Wawa” Jones, Community Engagement

Holly Walker, Community Engagement

Kitchen and Associates

Claudia Bitran, AICP, PP, Project Manager

John Theobald, AICP, PP, Project Planner

Dan Farrell, Planner

Heart of Camden Board

Ben Hill, Board President

Pepe (Aldoph) Piperno, Vice President

John Mapes, Treasurer

Janice Lynch, Secretary

Andrew Kricun

Gliselle (Nimi) DelValle

Michael Vassalotti

Monsignor Michael Doyle

Nickolas Cangelosi

Patrick Mulligan

Sandra Kelly

Shaneka Boucher

Stephanie Culbreath (deceased)

Steve Ayscue

Tabatha Stevens

Timothy Heatwole Shenk

Cover image: Mosaic mural installed on Ferry Ave.

Artist: James Schlishting

Stakeholder Interviews

Angel Osorio, DCCB

Angel Perez, CFET

Armando Alfonso, NJ DEP

Asiyah Kurtz, Fireworks

Commissioner Jeff Nash, Camden County

Councilperson Shaneka Boucher, City of Camden

Dr. Ed Williams, City of Camden Dept. of Planning

Father Vince, Sacred Heart

Frank McLaughlin, NJ DEP

Kathey Cullen, Camden Community Partnership

Kathryn Cruz, CFET

Kevin Becica, Camden County

Jack Bernardino, Covanta

Jack O’Byrne, Camden Shipyard Museum

Joe Balzano, EMR

Jon Compton, CFET

Jon Latko, Cooper-Grant Neighborhood Association

Mark Smouha, Mynt Properties

Meishka Mitchell, Camden Community Partnership

Olivette Simpson, Camden Redevelopment Agency

Rick Bolton, Compass (Microgrid)

Robert Bingaman, South Camden Theatre Company

Robin Pailey, Nick Virgilio’s Writers House

Scott Schreiber, CCMUA

Sulena Robinson Rivera, Camden Redevelopment Agency

Wawa Jones

Residents

Aicha Gonzaloz

Alexis Narvaez

Alicia Lawrence Amon Daves

Anisha Pitman

Ashley Powell Asia Brown

Betty Musetto Bill Antinore

Brenda Antinore Brian Alston

Brandon Troutman Brianna Fowler

Brittany Grange Captain Brandon Kersey

Captain Simpson Captain V. Coley Carl Carpenter Charlene Loman Charmaine Cherise Skinner Cheryl Heatwole Shenk Christina Allen Darnell Hance David Taplin Diana Foster

Ellen Pavlacka Francine Richards Gary Skinner

Geraldine Margo Greta Culbreath

Gloria Asal Gloriana Curdero Gwendolyn Peterson Hannah Hallis Holly Walker Jackeling Caldwen Jackie Vincent Jacqueline Rodriguy Jaemarine Jones Jasmine Walker Jason Birriel Jessica Carruolo Jon Compton John Mapes John R. Shaw Jordan Mc Joselina Ramos Juan Maysonet Keeosha Smith Kendra McBride

Kristin Schrum Lakeysha Waitman Latrayia Jackson Linda Delengowski Lt. Kevin Wilkes Margarita Rodriguez Maria Narvaez Maria Popora Marion Ross Marion Trusty Michelle Prillis Mike Biles Mike Morgan Missy Biles Myrlie MIsskelly Natalie Corn

Natalee Mullings Officer Marcus Matthews Patricia Howell

Patricia Wells Paula Fisher Portia Simmons Precious Thomas Richard Thomas Robert Agurs

Robin Palley Ronen Walker Rosemarie Kolmer Ruth Garbarino Sarah Roes Shannon Johnson Shelly Brooks Silvia Mincey Stacey Pierce Stephaine Epps Stephanie Bipps Reid Sue Brennan Tansalia Parker Terri Colemot Timothy Heatwole Shenk Tom Bingham Tonya McCo Toya Walker Vercy Dupont Veronica Apine Virgina Westbrook Wanda H Willie Barnes Will Davis Yasmin Figuenoa

Fall Festival

Mr. Willie

Sophisticated Sisters Parade Source: Camden Sophisticated Sisters

Dear Waterfront South Residents & Stakeholders,

It has truly been an honor for our organization, The Heart of Camden, to spearhead the development of the “Catch the Wave: Waterfront South Neighborhood Plan.” This 10-year vision honors the legacies of the past while amplifying the voices of the present and laying the groundwork for a thriving, revitalized neighborhood of the future.

In the words of Monsignor Michael J. Doyle, “From the first day I was here, I always dreamed that…the people of Camden would see the water and the river and know the beauty of the place they reside.”

Thank you to the community residents and stakeholders who dedicated your time and efforts to this year-long planning process. Hundreds of residents and two dozen stakeholders contributed, including non-profit organizations, local businesses, industries, and government agencies. This comprehensive 10-year plan is a culmination of your advocacy and activism. We cannot thank you enough for investing your time and talents in creating a shared vision for the revitalization of Waterfront South.

This plan builds on the successes of the past by continuing the momentum achieved through decades of community organizing, activism, and redevelopment. The challenges of yesterday were met with fierce tenacity and grit by Waterfront South’s local leaders including but not limited to Monsignor Michael J. Doyle, South Camden Residents in Action, and previous Heart of Camden leadership. We honor their efforts. It is because of them that the community is here today, standing in its power, wellpositioned for continued redevelopment and regrowth.

This Plan belongs to everyone. Much like the development of the plan itself, its implementation will require an all-hands-on-deck approach that maximizes community impact and inclusivity. We at The Heart of Camden ask that you join us as we work over the next decade to collaboratively implement the recommendations and strategies outlined in this Plan. We cannot do it on our own. We must build the neighborhood’s capacity to achieve progress together.

At this time, it is my honor to invite you to “Catch the Wave.” As you venture through the Waterfront South Neighborhood Plan, I hope you will be inspired by all that has happened, all that is still possible, and all the ways you personally can get involved and make a difference.

Sincerely,

Ben Hill Board President Carlos Morales Executive Director

Glossary

CCMUA: Camden County Municipal Utility Authority

CFET: Center for Environmental Transformation

CSS: Camden Sophisticated Sisters

DCCB: District Council Collaborative Board

U.S. EPA: Environmental Protection Agency

HOC: Heart of Camden

LIHTC: Low Income Housing Tax Credits

ROWS: Residents of Waterfront South

TOD: Transit Oriented Development

NJ DCA: New Jersey Department of Community Affairs

NJ DEP: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

CHAPTER 1: NEIGHBORHOOD OVERVIEW

19

CHAPTER 2: NEIGHBORHOOD PRIORITIES & RECOMMENDATIONS ..... 51

Priority 1: A Healthy and Clean Environment.................................................................. 53

Priority 2: Improved Neighborhood Connections ......................................................... 61

Priority 3: Housing Choices .................................................................................................. 65

Priority 4: Safe and Clean Streets........................................................................................ 71

Priority 5: Economic Growth and Opportunity .............................................................. 75

Priority 6: Community Amenities and Services .............................................................. 79

Priority 7: Waterfront Access and Enhanced Public Realm .......................................... 83

Priority 8: Environmental Standards and Social Equity................................................ 87

Priority 9: Atlantic Avenue as a City Gateway ................................................................. 89

Priority 10: Build Capacity .................................................................................................... 91

CHAPTER 3: IMP LEMENTATION STRATEGY ............................................... 95

APPENDIX I: NP-3

111

APPENDIX II: NP-4 ..................................................................................... 121

APPENDIX III: GREENING WATERFRONT SOUTH PLAN (2020) .............. 131

Neighborhood Plan Fall Festival

Introduction

The Waterfront South Neighborhood Plan is the result of a twelve-month communitydriven planning process facilitated by the Heart of Camden with financial support from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (NJ DCA) and the Camden County Municipal Utility Authority (CCMUA). It sets forth a shared vision for the future of the neighborhood and outlines recommendations and strategies guiding revitalization initiatives to bring that vision to fruition within the next ten years.

Over the past twenty years, a series of public and private investments introduced a new vision for Waterfront South, looking to shift the community’s identity away from the industrial legacy of the 20th century through the preservation of its historic residential core and introduction of a lively arts and culture scene as anchors for revitalization. That period also renewed attention to the negative impact of neighboring utilities and industrial activities on the environment, health and quality-of-life for local residents. All in all, significant progress was made, resulting in long standing community partnerships with the Heart of Camden, CCMUA, neighborhood arts and cultural organizations, and others.

Despite these many successes, there is still much work to be done to fulfill Waterfront South’s potential as a neighborhood of choice. This neighborhood plan capitalizes on the many accomplishments of the past decade, and the unique assets defining the community to address some of the neighborhood’s most pressing needs and identify solutions for the future. Above all, this plan seeks to leverage the resiliency and commitment of neighborhood residents and organizations to promote a culture of collaboration, partnerships and collective action.

Everyone

Neighborhood Vision

… A place where residents are fully empowered to have an active role in their community where economic growth walks hand in hand with quality-of life, and where businesses are environmentally and socially responsible.

… A place where history, arts and culture reflect and strengthen neighborhood identity and character, and where small businesses and entrepreneurship can flourish and thrive.

… A clean, safe and walkable neighborhood, with improved access to the waterfront where housing choices are available across incomes and household needs and where quality services and amenities can be found within walking distance from people’s homes.

has access to resources that

a healthy, clean, safe, thriving community

In 10 years, Waterfront South will be a neighborhood of choice.

Overarching Goals

Strengthen

Build from within, leveraging neighborhood assets to reverse population loss and promote a clean, healthy, safe and thriving community for all.

Connect

Improve neighborhood connections with the Waterfront, Economic Zone and City Assets.

Grow

Establish a framework for expanded neighborhood capacity to implement the goals of the plan

Neighborhood Priorities

A Healthy and Clean Environment

Improved Neighborhood Connections

Housing Choices

Safe and Clean Streets

Economic Growth and Opportunity

Community Amenities and Services

Waterfront Access and Enhanced Public Realm

Environmental Standards and Social Equity

Atlantic Avenue as a City Gateway

10

Build Capacity

CITY

YOU

HighwayCity of Camden Primary CorridorNeighborhood Boundary

PATCO River Line

Circuit Trails

Parks/Open Space PATCO Station River Line Station

Walter Rand Transit Center Historic District

Neighborhood Boundaries

Waterfront South is situated in the southwestern section of the City of Camden, with boundaries defined by Atlantic Avenue to the north, Interstate Highway 676 to the east, Newton Creek to the south and the Delaware River to the west. These boundaries coincide with Census Tract 6018.

View of the Delaware River from the neighborhood waterfrontResidential street

RIVER

HISTORIC DISTRICT

Why a Neighborhood Plan?

A neighborhood plan describes a shared vision for the future of the neighborhood, a 10-year vision established by the people who live, work and invest in the community. It reflects the collective commitment to that vision and provides a roadmap for strategies and initiatives bringing that vision to fruition.

The last neighborhood plan developed for Waterfront South (2007-2017) had a tremendous impact for the community as it guided much of the work done over the past fifteen years to protect the historic section of the neighborhood and reverse a pattern of disinvestment that characterized the community for decades. This new 10-year plan builds on the good work of the past to respond to today’s communities’ needs, goals, and opportunities.

Local Impact

An updated neighborhood plan will:

1. Empower residents and community organizations to have an active role in neighborhood decisions and community building;

2. Guide future public and private investments;

3. Open up new funding opportunities towards project implementation;

4. Promote opportunities for collaboration and partnerships between residents, community organizations, governmental agencies and businesses;

5. Promote coordination and effective use of limited resources.

Regional, State, & National Opportunities

This neighborhood plan also builds on new trends and opportunities at the national, state and local levels which favor a renewed dialogue about neighborhood goals and priorities:

1. A national housing shortage and growing demand for affordable housing helps refocus attention to cities and the need to re-invest in neighborhoods;

2. Increased investments at the federal level in housing and infrastructure make new resources available to local communities;

3. A new regulatory environment at the state level that seeks to mitigate the environmental challenges historically faced by legacy industrial communities while also addressing the effects of climate change;

4. New economic development programs at the state level, geared to attract new businesses and generate jobs with a focus on equitable and inclusive outcomes for impacted communities;

5. Finally, Camden’s own economic renaissance coupled with a renewed commitment by the current Mayor to neighborhood investments as the backbone the City’s successful revitalization.

The 2007 Revitalization Plan informed strategic investments to preserve the historic core of the community through new housing initiatives and the adaptive reuse of historically significant structures into arts and cultural organizations. It renewed the community’s focus on projects aimed to mitigate the environmental impact of neighboring utilities and industrial activities. The plan helped facilitate strategic alliances, resulting in long standing community partnerships with the Heart of Camden, neighborhood arts and cultural organizations, CCMUA among others.

Nick

Planning Initiatives

The Waterfront South Neighborhood Plan, is informed by a number of planning initiatives and studies at the City and County level that focus on the neighborhood and the city around it.

Camden Master Plan (2002)

The City of Camden Master plan is the blueprint for development in the city. This plan lays out several ways to help improve Waterfront South. The overall plan is focused on housing and industry. There is a need to rehab the occupied and vacant housing stock, create new infill housing in the historic core, create new housing for seniors, and continue with housing improvement and technical assistance to home buyers. The State is to release port land to create industrial centers. Transportation improvements include upgrading roads to lead to these new centers as well as a station from a new light rail line to Glassboro. Other planned benefits include the construction of a new elementary school and a new mini police station in the neighborhood.

Waterfront South Revitalization Plan (2007)

The Heart of Camden developed this plan to focus on creating a light-commercial corridor on Broadway, create market-rate and affordable housing as well as improving the existing housing stock and creating a cleaner and healthier environment. The area addressed here is the historic neighborhood core. The plan was for the Heart of Camden to rehab and construct 200 housing units from 2008-2017. While being the developer they would also help get would be homebuyers in contact with financial institutions. Environmental cleanups like brownfield and superfund site remediation as well as the minimizing the smell from the sewage plant were proposed.

South Jersey Freight Transportation & Economic Development Assessment (2010)

This study, done for the New Jersey Department of Transportation, focused on freight infrastructure and the growing shipping industry associated with Camden’s port terminals (Broadway and Beckett Street).

The plans for the Broadway Port, located in Waterfront South, are to create or repair infrastructure as well as develop ways to lessen the impact the port has on the residential neighborhood. To keep truck traffic out of the neighborhood the plan calls for a new I-676 interchange that directly connects to the Port of Camden. This, combined with a new local connector roadway within the port, would take the traffic off of Broadway and out of the neighborhood. Improved gate access and queuing lanes would improve security as well as reduce congestion.

Cooper-Grant/Central Waterfront Plan (2015)

Led by the Coopers Ferry Partnership and the Cooper-Grant Neighborhood Association, this plan is the culmination of ideas to transform multiple neighborhood identities ranging from downtown institutions and employment areas, waterfront attractions, and a port and industrial district. The plan brings recommendations for plan area through economic development, healthy neighborhoods, resiliency and open space, and circulation. The goal is to help revitalize these neighborhoods by investing in housing, parks, jobs, and encouraging the screening of industrial areas from residential view. The planning area borders Waterfront South and many of the ideas from this plan can affect the neighborhood. Creating better biking connections along with waterfront will connect Waterfront South with the downtown. Pushing for a more environmentally friendly port in the planning area will also affect how the port functions in Waterfront South.

Camden County Bicycling and Multi-Use Trails Plan (2015)

The Camden County Bicycling & Multi-Use Trails Plan is built upon existing Greenways plan from the DVRPC’s Camden County Open Space and Farmland Preservation Plan. It also builds off the Camden GreenWay plan. The plan is to create an interconnected network of roadway bicycle lanes and separated multiuse trails to help create a safer network for residents to use to commute (work/school) or for leisure. This would connect to and be an addition to the region’s Circuit Trails. There are two projects in consideration for this

plan that would impact Waterfront South. One is the Light Rail with Trail project which would run along the rail lines and I-676. This is an off-road trail. The other would be a bike lane on Ferry Ave running from 2nd St in Camden to Haddon Ave in Collingswood.

T he Camden Greenway Circuit Trails Plan (2016)

The plan done by the New Jersey Department of Transportation establishes a network of greenways along the waterways throughout the city connecting to the regional Circuit Trail. It calls for pedestrian upgrades, bike routes, and bike paths along with critical upgrades and repairs to existing sidewalks. New greenways in Waterfront South would be down Ferry Ave and 4th St as well as a loop trail connecting the Michael J. Doyle Fishing Pier, Phoenix Park, and Liney Ditch Park via the side of rail right of way. A Circuit Trail connection would go along the rail line adjacent to I-676. This would connect downtown Camden with Gloucester County

T he Camden Parks and Open Space Plan (2020)

Camden Community Partnership and The Trust for Open Land came together to create a plan that establishes a vision to ensure access to a high-quality park within a 10-minute walk for all Camden residents. The plan address the need for spaces promoting social gatherings, exercise, and flooding mitigation. The plan identifies priority areas according to four main categories: Equity, Absorb, Protect, and Cool. It focuses on the need to support communities with historic under-investment, address stormwater challenges, minimize coastal and riverine flooding, and mitigate urban heat islands. All of the parks in Waterfront South require some sort of repairs.

Greening Waterfront South (2021)

This plan was created by Rowan University, Cerulean LLC, Heart of Camden, and Camden Fireworks which was funded by the Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority. The purpose of the plan was to locate and propose green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) solutions for areas prone to flooding. The community input led the team to where the worst flooding occurred.

The team identified 47 locations for GSI projects which include stormwater bumpouts, tree trenches, rooftop disconnects, naturalized areas, parking lot or other impervious surface retrofits, rain gardens, and bioswales. The plan also calls for placemaking features for Liney Ditch Park and Phoenix Park.

T he Camden Health Element (2021)

The plan done by DVRPC establishes a policy framework to help improve the physical and emotional health of Camden residents. The Health Element provides a high-level vision and concrete strategies to promote health as a priority for Camden’s future growth and development. It describes the relationship between planning and public health, reviews current health conditions and social determinants, and proposes policies and actions to improve the environmental and social conditions for better health for all residents.

The Last Mile Solution (2022)

This is an ongoing study being done by Rowan University, Camden Community Partnership, and the South Jersey Transportation Authority with results to be released by December of 2022. The focus of this report is to study the traveling habits of Camden’s residents to determine ways to better connect them to public transportation. They will also study the effectiveness of ridesharing, shuttles and expanded park-and-ride lots as some potential ways to more easily connect residents to public transportation.

Glassboro-Camden Light Rail Line Study (On-going)

NJTransit and PATCO are studying The GlassboroCamden Line (GCL) corridor to restore passenger rail service along an existing rail line traversing Gloucester and Camden counties. The line would make station stops in Glassboro, Pitman, Sewell, Mantua Township, Woodbury Heights, Woodbury, Westville, Gloucester City and Camden. The plan is to have a stop in the Waterfront South neighborhood between Ferry Ave and Carl Miller Blvd. This will connect the neighborhood to regional universities and major job, shopping, and health care centers.

Planning Process

The planning process for the Waterfront South Neighborhood Plan started in the Summer of 2021, when efforts by HOC helped secure financial support for a comprehensive update to the neighborhood plan. The planning effort was led by HOC and builds on the success of the organization’s previous experience leading planning initiatives and community development work in the neighborhood. HOC procured the services of Kitchen & Associates to help facilitate the planning process and prepare the final plan report.

This effort is driven by input from neighborhood residents and community stakeholders who, despite the challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, found the time and energy to participate in full force, attending community events, meetings, responding to surveys, and sharing ideas for the plan. This planning process has provided the community an opportunity to come together, discuss concerns, developed shared goals and identify priorities for future investments.

Neighborhood Walking Tour

Fall Festival

Community Review Session - April 2022

Neighborhood Walking Tour

Fall Festival on Broadway

Final community event - June 2022

Listening Session #1: Public Safety

Planning Steps & Timeline

Summer 2021: Organizational Structure and Inventory of Existing Conditions

The planning effort initiated with a comprehensive overview of existing conditions, demographics indicators, mapping and data collection. Along with a review of neighborhood history and applicable planning initiatives, this phase provided the baseline information supporting the planning process. HOC and its team also developed the structure for community outreach and engagement, establishing an outreach team and timeline of community activities. The organization met with local, county, regional, state, and national stakeholders to provide baseline information and understand any and all proposed activities, investments, and plans for Waterfront South.

Fall 2021: Asset and Needs Assessment / Community Input Winter 2021: Plan Development/Community Review and Feedback I

The asset and needs assessment phase included community engagement activities aimed to elicit residents’ input on neighborhood vision, goals and priorities. Approximately 200 residents participated in a variety of events and shared their thoughts and ideas for the future of the Waterfront South.

Informed by the wealth of information and insights gained from the community engagement phase, the planning team developed a framework for the neighborhood plan along with initial recommendations addressing key community themes and priorities. Results from this effort were presented to the community for feedback at two community review meetings.

Spring 2022: Final Plan/Community Review and Feedback II

The last step of the planning effort focused on refining recommendations and development of the implementation strategy identifying strategies, key partners and implementation timeline. This phase also included plan documentation and a final presentation to the community.

Community Meeting

Neighborhood Walking Tour

❱

Community Engagement

The Waterfront South Neighborhood Plan is the result of a 12-month community-driven planning process informed by the input and participation of neighborhood residents and community stakeholders. Approximately 200 people contributed their time, knowledge, and commitment to a shared vision for the future of the neighborhood. Despite challenges imposed by COVID-19, community members showed up at community events, in-person meetings and Zoom sessions to share insight about neighborhood priorities and help shape a path for the future.

1. Community Events

Two community events were held in the Fall of 2021 to disseminate information about the Neighborhood Plan and invite the community to participate in upcoming focused discussions:

The Fall Festival provided the planning team an opportunity to meet with residents and gain their insights about community assets, challenges and vision for the future. As a day-long outdoor event with food, music, activities and giveaways, the festival set a positive tone for community engagement and helped expand the reach to people and age groups who are typically underrepresented in planning efforts.

Spreading the Word

❱

The Neighborhood Walking Tour was held two weeks later and counted with the participation of 13 residents who walked the neighborhood with the planning team and shared their thoughts, concerns and ideas for neighborhood improvements.

Fall Festival community mapping

As the lead organization for this effort, the Heart of Camden strived to ensure meaningful opportunities for participation, making a concerted effort to invite community members to the process through community events, door-to-door community surveys, flyers and posters distribution, regular updates by text and social media, emails and a website dedicated to planning updates.

Neighborhood Meeting Poster

Catch the Wave Website

2. Listening Sessions

Six listening sessions were held in the Fall / Winter of 2021 and 2022. Although these sessions were originally planned as in-person events, COVID restrictions forced the need to pivot to online gatherings. Each meeting addressed a key topic of the neighborhood plan, including public safety, environment, open spaces, housing, economic development, transportation and infrastructure. Meetings (both in-person and online) were recorded and made available for review on the plan’s website: (www.icatchthewave.com)

3. Stakeholder Interviews

Stakeholder interviews were held throughout the planning process. The interviews provided the planning team with critical information about each organization’s involvement in the community, current and future work, goals and initial thoughts regarding partnerships leading to implementation efforts.

4. Community Surveys

The Heart of Camden conducted a comprehensive survey with neighborhood residents in the Winter of 2022. Surveys were conducted online and in-person

by members of the HOC team. A total of 107 responses were received, providing additional insight into themes discussed during listening sessions.

5. Community Review meetings

Three review meetings were scheduled in the Spring of 2022 to elicit residents’ feedback on proposed recommendations. Two of the meetings were held via Zoom providing residents the opportunity to review findings and recommendations and help steer the plan to reflect key priorities for the next ten years. A final Open House meeting is scheduled for May 2022 as a first opportunity for comments before the final completion of the plan.

6. Other outreach efforts

In an effort to maximize reach and community involvement, the planning team attended local meetings including resident meetings (ROWS) and public safety meetings held by DCCB, door to door outreach, texting SMS community, a website, one-onone resident discussions, social media, and zoom virtual meetings.

As part of the Fall Festival residents were asked to imagine what they wanted to see for the future of their neighborhood. They were given three different prompts to finish which were then displayed.

Coloring pages of neighborhood landmarks were given out to children so they could participate at the Fall

What We Heard

Housing

Waterfront South’s housing stock consists primarily of single-family attached and detached homes most built in the early twentieth century.

Population and housing stock have shown decades of decline and vacant homes and land are found throughout the area.

Despite the extensive vacancy, there is pent up demand for both rental and ownership housing in the neighborhood and a low inventory of available housing on the market. Survey respondents indicated significant interest in purchasing and renting homes in Waterfront South.

Challenges to expanding the housing stock include a disparity between market values and construction cost, tax lien and title encumbrances on much of the vacant real estate.

There is need in the community for a broad variety of housing to serve a range of income levels and family demographics from market rate family homes to affordable senior housing.

A few larger parcels, including the former Croft Mills site on Broadway and the shuttered Mickle School present opportunities to introduce new typologies such as senior or special-needs rental housing.

Community members are concerned that future development remains equitable, and that the community remains affordable for those who live there with development opportunities are inclusive of local and minority entrepreneurs.

Economic Development

With just over one thousand residents, Waterfront South struggles to sustain neighborhood serving commercial uses. Broadway, the historic commercial corridor, is home to a handful of businesses, several cultural institutions and social service organization. However, residents must travel outside of Waterfront South for most basic needs.

Surrounding the residential heart of the community are numerous large-scale utility and industrial uses that are economically important for the region but provide little direct economic benefit to the community. Scattered smaller light industrial operations are also present.

The cluster of arts and culture organizations, along with highly valued parks and open spaces, are seen as major assets in the community driving opportunities for neighborhood reinvestment and development.

Arts organizations would also increase their impact on the community by better aligning their programming, spaces and operational hours with residents’ interests and needs.

Residents also identified job readiness and food access as areas where residents need enhanced assistance.

Public Safety

Residents feel generally safe on their blocks. However activities surrounding the sale and use of drugs and prostitution bring concerns to residents.

While community policing has improved the sense of safety in the area, abundant vacancy and unkept industrial areas continue to harbor significant criminal activity.

Residents sense of safety decreases significantly after dark when poorly lit streets provide additional cover for illicit activity. While over 90% of survey respondents felt safe outside their house during the daytime, that number falls to only 66% at night.

Narcotics sales in the community are fueled by easy access from I-676, significant truck traffic and a large population of homeless and in-crisis individuals accessing nearby supportive services.

In addition to the violence, prostitution and vagrancy that accompany the robust narcotics sales in the area, Waterfront South is also impacted by illegal dumping with much of the refuse being deposited in the community originating outside of Camden.

While many residents are familiar with the “Stop It” app and nearly 65% of survey respondents indicated regular use of the app, residents often lack clarity on the best methods of communication with the City regarding safety and nuisance issues. Residents are also often hesitant to involve law enforcement in response to social problems.

Open Spaces

Waterfront South is home to an abundance of open spaces, some of which are heavily used and programmed with community activities and others which are less utilized.

Liney Ditch Park and the Fishing Pier are both heavily used by residents who contribute to keeping these spaces clean and safe.

Peace Park and Memorial Park are located on Broadway and while they are highly valued as central community spaces, they became spaces that harbor illicit uses. Temporary shelter, refuse and narcotics paraphernalia inhibit community use of these spaces.

Phoenix Park, a large and relatively new public amenity on the waterfront, provides valued waterfront access however lacks the amenities and access to make it fully safe and usable by the community. Residents identified spaces for private parties, outdoor fitness opportunities and events such as movies and music as priorities for investment.

Infrastructure and Transportation

The presence of port related industrial uses and proximity to I-676 generate truck traffic in Waterfront South, impacting quality-of-life for residents. While a new port access plan seeks to limit truck traffic in residential areas, conflicts remain between residents and industry regarding truck routes and access, particularly on Ferry Ave and in coordination with bicycle routes.

Heavy truck traffic and decades of neglect have left neighborhood streets in dire need of repair. While the City is presently coordinating street repairs with underground utility upgrades, surface conditions remain poor on several residential streets.

Deferred sidewalk maintenance also further inhibits mobility. Insufficient and inconsistent street lighting is another area of concern for residents. A survey of lighting conditions has identified street lights in need of repair and the areas of most need of enhanced lighting.

Bus stops in the neighborhood also suffer from insufficient lighting along with lack of seating and poor signage, discouraging transit use. Over 60 % of survey respondents identified private vehicles and carpooling as their primary transportation methods.

A proposed light rail station would enhance connectivity and could attract new businesses and residents, however the area around the proposed station is currently underdeveloped and requires investment to reconnect with the neighborhood’s residential core.

Environment

Community Amenities and Services

Sacred Heart Church is a major asset in the community as an active house of worship, with many local parishioners and others who commute to Waterfront South from other parts of the region and who are also involved in ministry and services.

Waterfront South is home to a cluster of social services which is seen by residents as a plus and helps define the character of the neighborhood as a giving, charitable community.

The concentration of recovery and human service providers located in and adjacent to Waterfront South include an adult shelter and a methadone clinic located on Atlantic Avenue. Residents cite these organizations for attracting significant numbers of people suffering from substance abuse, disorder and homelessness into the community, putting increased pressure on public spaces and law enforcement. Residents would like to see a balanced approach where services can continue to exist without the negative impact on the streets.

The cluster of arts and cultural organizations contribute to a lively arts scene and attract patrons from surrounding communities. Residents expressed interest in more arts programming geared toward the community at hours that work with their schedules.

Residents also mentioned the wish to have spaces associated with the local arts groups shared with the broader community as spaces that can be used by other neighborhood groups and private functions.

Environmental justice and the challenges faced by the community as an overburdened community are top priority in the neighborhood. Residents expressed concerns about air quality, truck traffic and their impact on the health of local families and children.

Over 80% of survey respondents rated air quality as needing improvement. Trucks were identified by residents as the primary source of noise pollution.

Community members want information and consistent monitoring regarding the impact of adjacent industrial uses. Residents also want to be engaged in land use decisions that impact the environment and residents’ quality-of-life. Ultimately, it is the community’s goal to see a shift in land uses to less impactful activities.

Rowhomes on Jasper Street

CHAPTER

Neighborhood Overview

Waterfront South is situated in the southwestern section of the City of Camden, with boundaries defined by Atlantic Avenue to the north, Interstate Highway 676 to the east, Newton Creek to the south and the Delaware River to the west.

Covering approximately 0.8 square miles of land area, the neighborhood is defined by a historic residential core and an extensive economic zone along the waterfront comprising port related activities, active industries and regional infrastructure facilities. Two active freight rail lines run through the neighborhood, to the west and east of the residential core.

According to the last U.S. Census (2020), 1,102 people live in Waterfront South, primarily within the 25 residential blocks that make up the historic district. The core residential area is also home to a neighborhood school, local churches, arts and cultural organizations, small businesses, community services and parks. Broadway and Ferry Avenue are two primary corridors

organizing access and circulation in the neighborhood. Broadway also serves as the neighborhood’s main street with a small but growing concentration of shops and services, and a thriving cluster of arts & culture organizations. Industrial uses extend along 1.4 miles of the Camden’s waterfront including the South Jersey Port Corporation and their related manufacturing, warehousing, storage facilities, regional recycling plants, trucking businesses and other mixed industrial activities. The neighborhood also includes the regional utility Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority, a natural gas power plant, and the Covanta Trash-toSteam Co-Generator plant.

Waterfront South is a state-recognized Environmental Justice community. The abundance of industry in close proximity to this large residential community, coupled with associated diesel truck traffic, places an environmental burden on families of Waterfront South.

Neighborhood Boundary

Railroads

Park

Shipyard

Maritime Museum

Camden Fireworks

Camden Theatre Co.

Heart

Hope

Holy Bethel Pentecostal Temple

Sacred Heart Church

Urban Promise Camden Rescue Mission Grace Apostolic Church G.H. Bass Comprehensive Recovery Center

Sacred Heart School

Neighborhood Assets

One of the first questions brought to the community during the initial phases of the planning process relates to community assets. The Fall Festival allowed the planning team to learn from community members about the places, people, services and amenities that make Waterfront South a special and unique place. Responses received highlighted the following as significant community assets of importance and positive impact in residents lives:

Neighborhood Asset Mapping

Neighborhood Asset Mapping

Neighborhood Asset Mapping

Neighborhood Assets

Waterfront & Parks

Access to the waterfront, whether it be through the Fishing Pier or Phoenix Park, is a big highlight of life in Waterfront South. Although connections to the waterfront are not as direct or intuitive as they could be, local residents value the opportunity to enjoy a sunny day along the river and appreciate the open views. Expanding connections to the waterfront and maximizing the use of that area for recreational purposes is a top community goal for the future of the neighborhood.

Parks play a large role in the neighborhood. Every resident lives within a 10-minute walking distance of a park. There are 13 acres of park land ranging from large riverfront parks to small neighborhood gathering spots.

❱ LINEY DITCH PARK: Although the neighborhood offers several opportunities for outdoor recreation, Liney Ditch stands out as residents’ favorite neighborhood park. With primary access from Jasper Street, the park sits at the very heart of the residential section of the neighborhood and offers multiple opportunities for active and passive recreation, including an active community garden, a sports court, a playground and an amphitheater. The park also functions as gathering place for community events and provides students at the adjacent Sacred Heart school a safe space for recess and physical education activities. Liney Ditch is also partially connected to Phoenix Park and Michael Doyle Fishing Pier through footpaths and easements around the CCMUA property.

❱ PHOENIX PARK: A recent addition to the waterfront and to the neighborhood, Phoenix Park was converted from a contaminated brownfield site to a park in 2015 through coordinated efforts between NJ DEP and CCMUA. The park is currently operated by CCMUA and is connected to the neighborhood on Jefferson St and through a footpath running on the south side of CCMUA. The park offers residents and

visitors a rare opportunity for access to the waterfront along the southern end of the Camden riverfront. Concerns about safety, lack of activities for families with children were raised as opportunities for future improvement.

❱ MICHAEL J. DOYLE FISHING PIER: The Pier is another key neighborhood highlight among residents who use the area as a fishing spot and as a place to meet friends for chess games or just admire the views of the Philadelphia skyline. The fishing pier is accessed by car from Ferry Avenue and connects to Phoenix Park through a pedestrian walkway along the CCMUA property.

❱ MEMORIAL PARK: With frontage on Broadway, Memorial Park was originally conceived to accommodate a memorial for Camden residents from the 8th Ward who served in WWII. Despite its central location in the neighborhood, this City park is underused and underkept favoring illicit activities and fostering a general perception among residents of an unsafe place. Restoring the space as an active community amenity is a priority for residents.

❱ PEACE PARK: Centered in the very heart of the neighborhood, this small park has an incredible potential as a neighborhood pocket park and focal point in the areas main intersection (Broadway and Ferry) and across the street from the Sacred Heart church. In recent years, however, the park has been used as a gathering place and shelter for homeless individuals.

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OTHER OPEN SPACES: The neighborhood also includes Stone Circle Park, Ferry Ave Rain Garden and the Waterfront South Rain garden as small open spaces. Although they are lightly used as recreation amenities, they provide a relief with greenery within the residential area. Maintenance and upkeep were highlighted by residents as a concern related to those spaces.

Phoenix Park Peace Park

Waterfront views of the Philadelphia Skyline from the Fishing Pier

Neighborhood Assets

Community Services

Local community services and organizations rank high as important community assets, connecting residents to services and resources, promoting community events and providing assistance to those in need.

❱ HEART OF CAMDEN: Established in 1984 by Monsignor Michael J. Doyle, the Heart of Camden carries his vision for community building and has become a natural partner for organizations in the region looking to investment in the neighborhood. As the local community development organization, the Heart of Camden is involved with various aspects of community development. Residents identify the Heart of Camden as a reference for services and resources and appreciate its work in bringing the community together around holidays and seasonal events. The organization is also focused on brick and mortar neighborhood initiatives, including affordable housing and economic development.

❱ MJD FIELDHOUSE: The Fieldhouse is a focal point for the neighborhood, especially for youth who benefit from local sports programs, activities, and services. The community center and gymnasium are also some of the few spaces in the neighborhood large enough to accommodate community gatherings and private events. Example activities held in this location include The Village with Camden County Metro Police Department, health clinics, food distribution, and programs of Camden Sophisticated Sisters, and LUCY Outreach.

❱ SACRED HEART SCHOOL: As the only school in the community, this PreK-8 school serves approximately 185 students, many of whom are residents of the Waterfront South. The school has strong ties with the community and established partnerships with local organizations for some of its educational programs. Located on Jasper and 4th Street, the school is part of the Sacred Heart ‘campus’ which also includes the church and the Center for Environmental Transformation.

❱ SACRED HEART CHURCH: Sacred Heart stands on the corner of Broadway and Ferry. An iconic neighborhood building is a symbol of the power of community and resistance in the fight for social and environmental justice. This historic church is at the

heart of much of the work done in the past 40 years to rebuild the Waterfront South after the decline of the shipbuilding industry. The church fulfills many roles in the area, serving as a traditional place of worship, and as a bridge between community and volunteers through a variety of services and programs.

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SEEDS OF HOPE MINISTRIES: Seeds of Hope Ministries is a faith based organization focused on providing assistance to individuals experiencing homelessness, sex workers and reentry assistance for formerly incarcerated individuals. Operating out of a renovated building at 1700 Broadway the organization operates three ministries; My Father’s Hands, South Jersey Aftercare and She Has a Name. The ministries provides weekly breakfasts, drop in services, and assistance in connecting to recovery services.

❱ CAMDEN RESCUE MISSION: The Camden Rescue Mission located at 1634 Broadway is a nondenominational mission with a 90 year history of providing services in Camden, NJ. The non-profit organization provides emergency assistance including clothing, food, furniture and counseling to families in crisis. An annual book bag drive gives away up to eight hundred supply packed bookbags a year to area students.

❱ G.H BASS COMPREHENSIVE RECOVERY CENTER: The recovery center occupying a 16,000 sf facility at 508 Atlantic Avenue houses Camden Treatment Associates a CARF-accredited medicationassisted treatment program providing care for individuals with opioid use disorder. Outpatient programs available include methadone maintenance treatment, group and individual therapy. In addition to supporting treatment programs case managers also work to connect clients to ongoing services such as employment placement, housing and medical care.

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JOSEPH’S HOUSE OF CAMDEN: Joseph’s House located at 555 Atlantic Avenue and opened in 2014, provides food, shelter and social services to individuals experiencing homelessness. The overnight shelter can provide services for up to 75 individual guests per night. In addition to overnight shelter with cots, clients are provided with dinner and breakfast,

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access to laundry and toilet facilities, emergency clothing and hygiene and case management services. Joseph’s House also provides case management services for additional adults.

JOE’S PLACE: Joe’s Place, is located at Broadway and Ferry Ave. Named after Joseph A Pacera, it serves meals on Saturdays and holidays to people in need. Each week, a different family or group prepares and provides the meal to be served. The organization is sponsored by Sacred Heart Church.

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URBAN PROMISE: Urban Promise is a faith based organization focused on youth and young adult development. The organization operates youth focused services across the City of Camden and works in collaboration with the Maritime Museum on Urban Boatworks. In 2018 Urban Promise took over operations at the Fellowship House facility on Broadway in Waterfront South and operates Camp Peace, a youth summer camp, and other programming serving local youth.

❱ URBAN BOATWORKS: Since its founding in 2009, Urban Boatworks has been building character and skills through the craft of wooden boat building. Middle and high-school youth partake in the craft of building wooden paddle boards, canoes, and kayaks and launching them on local waterways. Working alongside volunteer mentors and instructors, students develop leadership and problem solving skills.

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SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY THRU ME: The organization’s mission is to engage, employ and empower youth through building the skills they need to become community leaders. Programs immerse students in government and justice issues through model United Nations, Youth and Government programs and Justice Advocacy.

Sacred Heart Church

Seeds of Hope

Heart of Camden

Urban Boatworks

Social Responsibility Thru Me

Neighborhood Assets

Arts & Culture

In the same way that trees and grass produce oxygen around us, being surrounded by the arts makes a community a healthier place to be. The Waterfront South arts and cultural organizations grew from the 2007 Waterfront South Stategic Neighborhood Plan and have become an integral part of the neighborhood’s identify over the past 20 years. The neighborhood’s budding Arts & Culture District offers residents opportunities for expression, reflection, entertainment, and education. Moreover, Waterfront South arts organizations serve as economic drivers and builders of community. Six organizations, all within walking distance from each other and in the heart of the historic district, provide a variety of opportunities to the local community, City and region. In an effort to improve collaboration, consolidate resources and maximize their reach, these organizations have formed an alliance in 2021, representing a new chapter for the arts and culture scene in Waterfront South and reinforcing the neighborhood’s potential as an arts & cultural destination in the region.

❱ THE SOUTH CAMDEN THEATRE COMPANY: The South Camden Theater Group was started in 2005 and became a non-profit corporation in 2008. The company is now located in the Waterfront South Theater, opened in 2010. It is the first free-standing theater to open its doors in over 100 years. the 6,000 sq. ft building provides auditorium seating for up to 96 people and additional support spaces. The Theater Company is a professional theater company that puts on live theater productions.

❱ THE SHIPYARD AND MARITIME MUSEUM: The Camden Shipyard and Maritime museum, founded in 2006, provides a cultural link to Waterfront South’s proud shipbuilding past. The museum is located in the former Church of Our Savior, constructed in 1893, and houses exhibitions dedicated to Camden’s rich maritime and ship building heritage. Urban Boatworks operates in partnership with museum and teaches middle and high school youth how to build wooden paddleboats, canoes, and kayaks while developing life and leadership skills.

❱ CAMDEN FIREWORKS: Located in the historic fire house once home to Camden Engine Company 3 the Camden Fireworks opened their gallery and artist’s space in 2016. The ground floor gallery provides exhibition space featuring local artists. Studio spaces available on the upper level offer affordable space to artists, makers and designers. A series of workshops provides leaning opportunities throughout the year for community members

❱ THE NICK VIRGILIO WRITERS HOUSE: Opened in 2018 with assistance from the Heart of Camden, the Writers House is home to the Nick Virgilio Haiku Association dedicated to forwarding the work of famed Camden poet Nick Virgilio and promoting the writing of Haiku Poetry. In partnership with Mighty Writers the association provides educational programs to support literacy, creative writing, and self-expression through the writing of haiku and other verse forms. The Writers House facilities include spaces for writing, presentations, a small kitchen and a garden area.

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CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSFORMATION: The Center for Environmental Transformation (CFET) is an environmental justice and awareness organization that developed from a group of parishioners at Sacred Heart Church. CFET works in collaboration with neighbors sponsoring gardening project tree plantings and education. CFET manages three garden sites in Waterfront South, covering approximately one half acre of land including raised beds and a hoop house. The organization is housed in the former convent at Sacred Heart Church and has facilities to house up to twenty-four guests.

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CAMDEN SOPHISTICATED SISTERS: The Sophisticated Sisters Drill Team specializes in a variety of dance styles include Drill, Step, Hip Hop, Contemporary, Ballet, Modern and Jazz. The organization is a non-profit youth-based organization, with a 30 year legacy of providing structure and teaching leadership skills. CSS is currently based out of the MJD Fieldhouse. The Boys drill team (the Distinguished Brothers) and drum line (The Almighty Percussion Sound) complete the Sophisticated Sisters team.

Center for Environmental Transformation

Camden FireWorks

The South Camden Theatre Company

Camden Sophisticated Sisters

The Nick Virgilio Writer’s House

Camden Shipyard and Maritime Museum

Neighborhood Assets

When residents speak about what they love about Waterfront South, neighbors and community are repeatedly highlighted as the neighborhood’s most important assets. Residents prize the strong connections established between neighbors and a deep sense of belonging. A diversity of races, ethnicity and ages are also emphasized as contributing to the neighborhood uniqueness. Waterfront South is a community where families help each other and where people come together in both good and challenging times.

Fall Festival on Broadway Community & Neighbors

Easter EventFall Festival on Broadway

Community event at MJD Fieldhouse Source: Camden Sophisticated Sisters

POPULATION

Waterfront South is home to 1,102 of Camden’s 71,191 residents. (U.S. Census 2020) Over the past 20 years, the neighborhood has lost approximately 30% of its population. The community has a high percentage of young residents with roughly 32% under 20 years old and over 55% of residents between the ages of 20-65. Just over 11% are above the age of 65.

RACE AND ETHNICITY

The neighborhood has an unemployment status of 14.6% which is roughly double Camden’s average of 7.2%.

Neighborhood History

Today’s Waterfront South lies on the ancestral lands of the Leni Lenape indigenous peoples. Recently unearthed artifacts date the existence of a Native American community on the riverfront back to approximately 1,400 BC. The extension of railroads to the area in the 1850s started the transformation from a rural, agrarian community into an industrial center. The community, originally named Stockton, was annexed to the City of Camden as part of the 8th ward in 1871. Ferry service via steamboat connected Camden’s waterfront to the City of Philadelphia across the Delaware River and a maritime industry grew around the rail-served port. Through the middle of the 20th century, the New York Shipbuilding Company and other maritime and manufacturing industries dominated the waterfront and brought prosperity to families and businesses in the community’s growing residential core. Houses of worship such as Sacred Heart and The Church of our Savior (now the Camden Shipyard and Maritime Museum) served a tight knit immigrant community where residents were largely employed locally. From 1899 through the 1960s, the shipyard produced over 500 vessels for the U.S. government. The community’s labor made significant contributions to the WWI and WWII efforts, building warships and aircraft carriers such as the USS Independence, while also producing commercial cargo barges and passenger liners.

During the second half of the 20th Century, a decline in industry along with urban renewal projects brought new challenges to Waterfront South. The New York Shipbuilding Company saw its last contract ( for the USS Pogy), cancelled in 1967 and the North-South Freeway was extended between Railroad Ave and Master St, severing the community from city neighborhoods to the East. The Waterfront South was increasingly disconnected both physically and economically from the City and disproportionally impacted by the urban decline that defined the era. During that time, increasingly noxious uses began to fill the vacancies left by the departure of maritime Industry along the riverfront. Regional and county development decisions that prioritized the environmental health of the region at the expense of the residents of Waterfront South. This resulted in the citing of negative land uses and regional facilities such as an expanded sewage treatment facility that processed the bulk of the

region’s sewage refuse and regularly released sickening smells into the air while increased diesel truck traffic to the port rattled residential buildings and produced dangerous emissions, a trash-to-steam incinerator mere blocks from residential buildings. The neighborhood population declined, homes were abandoned, and businesses shuttered.

In the 1980s, Monsignor Michael Doyle of Sacred Heart Parish founded the Heart of Camden Community Development Corporation and brought widespread public attention to the social and environmental justice issues plaguing the City of Camden and, more particularly, Waterfront South. Father Doyle appeared on CBS’s ‘60-minute Show’ in 1983 with harsh criticism of plans for the massive expansion of the sewage facility. Grass roots community activists, aiming to protect their community from the threat of environmental hazards and sickening smells, organized in opposition to sewage plant emissions forming South Camden Citizens in Action (SCCA) in the 1990’s. SCCA successfully challenged the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to enforce air quality regulations that led to the CCMUA’s construction of enclosed sewage storage and reduced odors. The group brought the battle for environmental justice to the courts, the press and the streets bringing much needed awareness to the issues of racism, poverty, and environmental overburdening. While the legal fight to prevent expansion of the sewer plant by the Camden County Municipal Utility Agency (CCMUA) and subsequent construction of the St Lawrence Cement Plant on a portion of the former Shipyard was not fully successful, the fight for environmental justice continued in the community, bringing significant quality of life improvements to residents. The creation of Liney Ditch

USS Independence at the NY Shipyards

Park and the Fishing Pier, the rerouting of truck traffic away from the residential core, and additional green spaces grew out of the organizing work of residents of Waterfront South. Ultimately the City Redevelopment Plan that threatened the area was overturned and historic designation for the residential core was protected. While the overburdening of the community continues, significant progress was made at mitigating environmental hazards and a strong community was formed around environmental justice.

In the early 2000s, the community organized around new goals for community change, highlighting opportunities for investments in housing, commercial activity, arts, and culture. In 2007, the Heart of Camden and neighborhood residents collaborated to create the Waterfront South Strategic Neighborhood Plan. The plan prioritized the revitalization of the Broadway Corridor, expansion and upgrades to the housing stock, and mitigating environmental hazards. With guidance from Monsignor Doyle, assistance of Heart of Camden and contributions from private philanthropy, several arts and cultural organizations were established in the community including the Maritime Museum, Camden Fireworks Gallery, Nick Virgilio Writers House and the Waterfront South Theatre. New open spaces were created, and the historic Liney Ditch Park was revitalized. Advocacy from the community encouraged the South Jersey Port Authority to begin plans to manage and mitigate truck traffic. CCMUA embarked on a series of facility improvements and green infrastructure initiatives adding new parks, shelterbelt tree plantings and rain gardens to the community while also mitigating odor emissions.

In the past decade, significant efforts have been made at rebuilding the neighborhood’s core residential area, cultivating a budding arts & cultural district, improving the physical environment and establishing a thriving community of residents and organizations who are dedicated to improving quality of life. Despite these efforts, the community remains overburdened by social and environmental challenges, heavily generated by external pressures, such as heavy industrial uses. Tax Credits administered by the New Jersey Economic

Development Agency created opportunity for new businesses to relocate to the City, occupying fallow industrial land surrounding the Waterfront South’s residential core. In contrast to the historic maritime industries which were deeply connected to the economic and cultural life of the community, these new businesses remain largely disconnected from the neighborhood. This disengagement leads to weakened meaningful involvement in decisions that affect residents’ lives and health and increases the community’s environmental burdens. Residents have grave concerns regarding the environmental practices occurring on these sites as well as their site maintenance and traffic management. The dual epidemics of homelessness and substance abuse disorders have also had a significant impact on the community. A concentration of social services and public health agencies draws a significant number of citizens in need from the region to the area. The growing population of those seeking services have burdened the community social fabric and has led to neighborhood challenges. Easy highway access and abundant vacancy provide safe harbor for narcotics sales and related activities such as prostitution and gun violence. While today’s residents are deeply committed to helping those in need, the need to balance that reality with the community’s safety and well-being remains a priority.

The Waterfront South community embarked in this planning process building on a culture that deeply values environmental and social justice and a history of collective advocacy for change. Residents prize the unique tight knit community life in their neighborhood and the community’s historic role in the history of Camden. Residents remain committed to reducing the environmental and social overburdening of the neighborhood, reconnecting to the larger City of Camden and it’s neighborhoods, growing its successful arts & cultural district, while continuing to build and expand the unique assets within the community in order to make it possible for current residents to continue to live and thrive in Waterfront South and for new residents to choose to make it home.

Historic Timeline

Historic Map of Camden

Historic Croft Mills

South Camden Theatre Company Camden Fireworks

New York Ship Building Company

Waterfront South Neighborhood

Neighborhood Boundary

Commercial Community Services

Industrial Parking Recreation Residential Transportation/Utility

Vacant Railroads

Land Use

Land use patterns in Waterfront South reflect the neighborhood’s historic past as a working class residential community connected to a regional center for port and industrial activity.

❱ NEIGHBORHOOD CORE: The neighborhood is made up primarily of a core of 25 residential blocks covering approximately 15% of the neighborhood’s land area. The Broadway corridor defines the center of the neighborhood as a primary circulation corridor and the community’s commercial node. Residential blocks are short and walkable and lined with single family homes. The majority of the neighborhood core is made up of rowhomes with some apartments over commercial on Broadway and a scattering of detached single-family homes throughout.

❱ BROADWAY: This is the primary access to downtown Camden and the only commercial street in the neighborhood. The corridor includes residential properties with some commercial and mixed-used buildings scattered along. This area also includes a cluster of arts and culture organizations.

❱ ECONOMIC ZONE: Rail access and connections to the Delaware River have been the primary vectors of development in the neighborhood, contributing to define the industrial zone as a north / south stretch along the waterfront and additional properties inland directly connected to highways. Between active industrial uses and utilities and legacy sites (brownfields), industrial uses are responsible for approximately 70% of the land area of the Waterfront South.

❱ ATLANTIC AVE & BROADWAY: Atlantic Avenue provides access to exit 4 of I-676 and is a major access point for commercial and vehicular traffic accessing Waterfront South and the City of Camden. Land use along Atlantic Avenue to the west of the North-South Freeway represents a transition between the mixed neighborhood uses of Central Waterfront and the industrial use of Port of Camden controlled land to the south and west. The area is home to a mix of industrial and institutional uses and concentrates several vacant and underutilized parcels.

Residential: 4th Street

Mixed Use: Broadway Corridor

Industrial: MAFCO

Historic District Railroads

C1:

C2:

CV2:

GI2:

Boundary

PRI:

Industrial

Light Industrial

Related Industrial

Zoning

Development in Waterfront South is regulated by the City of Camden Zoning and Land Use Ordinances.

❱ R-2 | MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL: Approximately 682 parcels in the neighborhood are zoned for residential uses allowing primarily single and two-family housing types.

❱ PRI | PORT RELATED INDUSTRIES: This zoning designation covers the majority of the land along the Delaware River. The PRI zone permits manufacturing and light industrial uses with the exception of fabrication and food processing. The majority of the current port uses follow the warehousing, cargo yard, docks, offices, manufacturing, or light industrial uses. Some specific uses are not permitted in this zone, such as junkyards and automobile graveyards.

❱ LI-1 | LIGHT INDUSTRIAL: LI-1 covers the blocks north of Jackson Street and along Atlantic Avenue, permitting light industrial uses. Heavy manufacturing activities and port uses are not permitted in this area.

❱ C-1 AND C-2 | COMMERCIAL: C-1 and C-2 designations extend along the Broadway corridor, between Jefferson and Jackson Streets. Both districts permit residential and commercial uses as well as mixed-use structures.

❱ SOUTH CAMDEN HISTORIC DISTRICT: The historic district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990 and represents a self-contained working class district dating to the late 19th century with development continuing through the early 20th century. The district includes residential structures, houses of worship, schools and commercial buildings. The Church of our Savior erected in 1880, now the Maritime Museum, and Sacred Heart Church erected in 1886 are contributing structures along with the former Fire Engine #3 from 1889 which now houses the Fireworks gallery and art space. In 2004, Preservation New Jersey listed the historic district as endangered due to the threat of demolition to expand industrial and port uses. A portion of the National Register Historic District is recognized in the City of Camden Zoning Code with an historic overlay which affords additional city review for new development within its boundaries.

Commercial

Light Industrial Residential Port Zone

Housing

The residential fabric of Waterfront South is concentrated within a 25-block area defined by Jackson Street, 6th Street, Chelton Avenue and 4th Street. The area consists primarily of rowhomes built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Built originally as workers housing for the port and shipping industry, this residential area was listed in the New Jersey and National Register of Historic Places in 1990. Although the South Camden Historic District designation includes churches, mills, factories and commercial buildings along Broadway, the traditional residential blocks bring significance to the entire district as one of the few examples of an early 20th century workingclass community in Camden.

Today, there are 549 residential units in the neighborhood and 85% of these homes are singlefamily units, attached or detached. The majority of these units are two-story brick structures with small façade variations including porches, stoops and other architectural elements that lend character to these historic structures.

Despite the significant vacancy that challenges the area, existing homes form consistent and attractive residential blocks. Homeownership rate (at 50.9%) is substantially higher than the City’s average of 39%, demonstrating residents’ pride in their home and community.

Significant efforts were made in the 1990s and early 2000s by the Heart of Camden with support from private foundations and public funding to rehabilitate the neighborhood’s housing stock, breathing new life into the old homes. Approximately 25% of the neighborhood’s homes received some type of investment towards rehabilitation and upgrades. Significant efforts were made at the time to promote homeownership through first time homebuyers’ assistance programs geared to local residents and incentives to attract new residents to the area. The efforts demonstrated successful results in the revitalization of the community.

Although there is ongoing demand for homes in the community, issues connected with property title, tax foreclosures and other encumbrances limit the availability of homes on the market. At the same time, limited resources at the household level have resulted in properties in deteriorating conditions.

Attached Homes (Rowhomes)

Semi-Detached Homes (Twins)

Apartments above Retail on Broadway

Source: U.S. Census,

HOMEOWNERSHIP RATE

Approximately 50% of all homes in Waterfront South are owner occupied. This rate has slightly decreased over the past two decades but remains higher than the City’s rate of approximately 39%.

HOUSING TYPES

Over 75% of the neighborhood consists of rowhome style housing. The next most typical building types are detached homes at 11% and 2-unit buildings at 12%.

MEDIAN HOUSING VALUE

The median housing value was $71,600 in 2019. The neighborhood has seen the median value increase by approximately $16,000 over the last 10 years.

ECONOMIC ACTIVITY

Neighborhood Boundary

Railroads

Recycling Industry

Port Industry Manufacturing Industry

Freight Industry

Energy Industry

Broadway Corridor Utility

Economic Activity

The Broadway Corridor

Broadway is the neighborhood’s commercial corridor and a focal point for the community. Once a thriving neighborhood business area, Broadway businesses were deeply impacted by the economic downturn of the 1960s and the resulting loss of jobs and incomes in the neighborhood. Today, the corridor includes a small number of businesses and community organizations interspersed with residences and vacant properties.

Targeted investments made by the Heart of Camden in the late 1990s and early 2000s towards rehabilitation of historic structures and the establishment of the arts and cultural organizations contributed to create a more dynamic environment, attracting residents and visitors to the corridor and adding a new identity to the area as a cultural district. New housing opportunities were created to attract residents to the corridor and ensure pedestrian traffic and activity. However, that process of revitalization did not fully succeed in overcoming some of the fundamental challenges impacting the neighborhood as a whole: population loss, a decline in household incomes, issues with public safety and environmental hazards were some of the factors preventing businesses from keeping their doors open or new businesses from moving in. The physical interruption of the corridor by industrial activities between Atlantic and Jackson streets further reinforce the challenges faced by local businesses.

Economic Zone

The economic zone of the Waterfront South comprises multiple businesses ranging from small light-industrial activities such as print shops to extensive and land intensive industrial operations. A significant section of the economic zone lies within land owned by the South Jersey Port Corporation who manages two terminals in the City while also leasing land and space to a variety of operations. Recycling, freight and port related activities prevail in the area, employing workers from across the region. Other businesses include Lehigh Cement and Camden Steel Yards among others.

The neighborhood has experienced a significant influx of industrial activities in recent years as part of the City’s efforts to attract new businesses and jobs through state tax credit incentives under the 2013 Economic Development Act. Such efforts brought a number of businesses to Waterfront South. Holtec and EMR stand out due to their extensive footprints in the neighborhood and specific community concerns about the environmental impact of those activities. While new industries moved in, others left or closed. MAFCO, a traditional licorice manufacturing plant situated on Jefferson Street and occupying a significant stretch of the neighborhood’s waterfront, closed doors in recent years.

Beyond industrial activity, this majority minority community also hosts regional utility and energy plants, including the County Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant (CCMUA) and the Camden Energy Recovery Center (Covanta). The neighborhood also includes the Camden Power Plant on Chelton Avenue.

Mini Market on Broadway

Covanta

Environmental Risks

Waterfront South faces a multitude of environmental challenges. Contaminated brownfields, persistent remnants of the area’s industrial past, lie adjacent to currently active high-impact industrial concerns that process the material waste of the region. Sewage, trash and scrap metal of Camden County and beyond are funneled to Waterfront South for processing. These industries release toxins into the air, ground and water, raising alarm of the health risks incurred by residents and their families. The community’s riverfront location brings additional risks with much of the community located within the 100-year floodplain. These compound risks contribute to an overburdening of environmental stressors on the Waterfront South community.

Climate Change

Waterfront South is at risk of stormwater and tidal flooding as the majority of the neighborhood sits within the 100-year floodplain. As extreme weather becomes more frequent and severe, the neighborhood will be at risk of more flooding in the future. Its location along the Delaware River and Newton Creek only increases the chances of frequent flooding. The prevalence

of impervious surfaces and the combined sewer system (CSS) makes the neighborhood even more at risk for flooding. During heavy rain events the CSS can be overwhelmed and sewage can back up into neighborhood streets.

Brownfield Sites

DEP data from 2016 identifies over twenty brownfield sites within the boundaries of the neighborhood. Most of these conditions are the result of the area’s industrial past when shipbuilding and manufacturing dominated the waterfront. With the collapse of the maritime economy in the second half of the 20th century, Waterfront South was left without its economic engine and an abundance of fallow contaminated land was left in its wake. Work has been done in recent years to remediate and convert contaminated sites into community assets and spaces for industry: Phoenix Park was remediated by the CCMUA and now serves as one of the few waterfront access points for the neighborhood; Holtec campus is located on another, larger, remediated site at the southern end of the community. Despite these efforts significant brownfield acreage remains surrounding the residential

Environmental Justice and Overburdened Communities

National and Statewide attention has recently focused on protecting residents of environmentally overburdened communities from the expansion and proliferation of environmental stressors. Years of environmental advocacy helped shape New Jersey’s state law S232, effective as of September 2020 as a first step at targeting environmental legislation to specifically protect communities like Waterfront South, historically impacted by environmental stressors without adequate input or review. Through new criteria used to identify overburdened communities and implement protocols for the permitting of new and expanded environmentally impactful uses, the law mandates a public process that brings residents to the table and makes permits conditional to meeting environmental justice requirements. Importantly, the law allows NJDEP to apply special permit conditions to avoid or minimize environmental or public health stressors and enables review of the of environmental strain on a community during the permitting process. While the law does not regulate the performance of existing stressors, most of the industrial activity in Waterfront South would be subject to the requirements of S232 if seeking to modify or expand existing operations. New Jersey’s Environmental Justice Law is considered as precedent for proposed national action on the overburdened communities through the Environmental Justice for All Act S.872 and is bringing additional national attention to the need for enhanced scrutiny to the overburdening of low-income and minority communities nationwide.

Vacancy

The decline in industry, residential flight from the city, environmental burdens, and shifting demographics have contributed to the vacancy found throughout Waterfront South. There are approximately 400 vacant properties and 85 abandoned or not occupied buildings with 27.5% of the housing stock sitting vacant. The majority of the vacant lots can be found north of Ferry Ave and south of the dense intact core at Winslow St. Some have been taken over as yards or used as storage but the majority are empty lots. Many of these lots are owned by the City which makes them good contenders for redevelopment. A concentration of city owned lots exists near the planned future passenger train station north of Ferry Ave. Targeted consolidation of certain lots with infill in more intact blocks could lead to a stronger development approach.

Primary Corridor Neighborhood Boundary Highways

Building Not Occupied

Building Abandoned

Vacant Lot Railroads

Property Ownership

The majority of the land in Waterfront South is privately owned. A significant portion of land is either held by homeowners or by businesses in the industrial zones. The largest public and institutional landowners are the South Jersey Port Corporation, Camden County MUA, the City of Camden and the Heart of Camden (HOC). A large concentration of industrial land is owned by the port while City and HOC owned land is scattered throughout the residential core. Since the areas along the river are largely occupied, the City and HOC owned-lots are prime for infill housing and larger development efforts.

Primary Corridor Neighborhood Boundary Highways

Railroads

Camden Board of Education

Camden Count MUA

Camden Redevelopment Agency

NJDOT Conrail City of Camden

Heart of Camden South Jersey Port Corporation

Railroads

Primary Corridor Neighborhood Boundary Highways Bus Lines

Bus Stop

Bridgeton to Philadelphia 401 Salem to Philadelphia

410 412 402 Pennsville to Philadelphia

Glassboro to Philadelphia

457 450 Cherry Hill Mall to WRTC

453

Broadway to Ferry Ave Station

Moorestown Mall to WRTC

Proposed Light Rail Station

Waterfront South is currently served by seven New Jersey Transit bus lines. These routes run through the neighborhood connecting it to downtown Camden and Philadelphia to the north and suburban and rural towns to the south and east. Riders can take advantage of connections at the Walter Rand Transportation to the statewide NJ Transit bus network, Patco HiSpeed rail Line between Philadelphia and Lindenwold (connecting to the Atlantic City rail line), and NJ Transit Riverline light rail to Trenton. Bus lines run on primary neighborhood corridors, including Broadway, Ferry Ave, and Atlantic Ave. Bus stops are typically located in every block.

There is a plan for a station between Ferry Ave and Carl Miller Blvd. for the proposed light rail line between Camden and Glassboro. This would provide connection between the neighborhood and the region to shopping, education, healthcare, and jobs.

NJ Transit Bus

Source: Glassboro-Camden Line Final Environmental Impact Study Proposed Light Rail Station layout in Waterfront South. The future South Camden station is proposed between Ferry Ave and Carl Miller Blvd

Light Rail Station Rendering

Source: Glassboro-Camden Line Final EIS

Neighborhood Priorities & Recommendations

Plan recommendations are organized around three overarching goals and ten priorities. Overarching goals describe ultimate outcomes anticipated once neighborhood projects are completed.

Strengthen

Build from the core, strengthening residential blocks and creating economic opportunities for neighborhood businesses and local entrepreneurs. Leverage neighborhood assets to reverse population loss, retaining existing residents and attracting new ones. Promote a clean, healthy, safe and thriving community for all.

Connect

Improve connections with the Waterfront as an integral part of the community.

Improve connections to businesses located in the Economic Zone with a safer and improved public realm.

Improve connections with downtown Camden and adjacent neighborhoods.

Grow

Establish a framework for growth with improved neighborhood capacity, where residents are engaged and organized, community organizations have the resources required to advance community projects and solid partnerships are established between residents, organizations, institutions, government and businesses

Connect to the City

• Atlantic Ave as a city gateway

• Improved connections

• New services and amenities

• Mix of land uses

• Anchor development

• Healthy and clean environment

• Green infrastructure

• Improved connections

• Housing choices

• Safe and clean streets

• Economic growth and opportunity

• Community amenities and services

Connect to the Waterfront

• Waterfront as a public amenity

• Improved public realm

• Improved connections Strengthen

Connect to the Economic Zone

• Improved public realm

• Address eyesore industrial areas

• Signage and wayfinding

• Green infrastructure

Mike Morgan, Waterfront South Resident

conditions, and leaving residents stranded and unable to return to their homes for hours. Concerns inform the strategies presented below.

1.1 Establish regular communication with NJ DEP and the Office of Environmental Justice

Work in partnership with NJ DEP and the Office of Envrionmental Justice to remove barriers to accessing resources to better inform and advocate for environmental justice in Waterfront South. The Office Environmental Justice was created by NJ DEP to ensure fair and equitable treatment in decisionmaking that affects residents and their environment, communities, homes and health. It directs NJ DEP to develop guidance for all NJ state departments to incorporate environmental justice considerations into their actions. And, it calls for the NJ Department of Health and the NJDEP to continue to expand the NJ Environmental Public Health Tracking Network. The Network collects data on health, human exposures, and environmental hazards.

While NJ DEP makes data about air emissions generated by individual uses available to the public, there is little information about the cumulative impact of those uses to the community. The NJ Environmental Justice Law passed in 2020, stipulates that DEP assess the public health and environmental risks created by facilities as they renew or expand licensing permits in overburdened communities. Waterfront South residents will benefit from a clear understanding about the permitting process and mechanisms to stay up to date regarding permit applications. A first step in that direction could include outreach to NJ DEP for educational seminars, walking residents through the new regulatory requirements and opportunities for community input. Furthermore, the NJ DEP should provide periodic reports and updates to local neighborhood groups and their representatives regarding information about new requests for expansion of existing businesses, potential siting of new industry, brownfield identification and remediation updates, and provide information on how the DEP, itself, is actively reducing the negative environmental impacts on the overburdened community of Waterfront South.

1.2 Monitor neighborhood air and water quality

a. Leverage community-based air monitoring as tools for education and informed action

An important step in addressing risks associated with air pollution is to raise awareness and help educate residents and local businesses about air quality in the community. Community-based monitoring efforts such as the Purple Air monitor installed at CFET on Ferry Avenue provide up to date information about air quality that is both relevant and actionable for individuals and communities. The Purple Air monitor is a sensor that collects local air quality data and enables CFET to share that data with the Waterfront South community. Identifying mechanisms to expand awareness about the neighborhood monitor and educating residents about the information available will help increase awareness and lead to proactive engagement in the dialogue with industrial neighbors and governmental agencies. Potential ways to disseminate information in the community include:

❱

Include regular updates about air quality in the agenda for monthly resident meetings.

❱

Invite residents to educational sessions about air quality monitoring along with information about monitors installed in the City and neighborhood.

❱

Spread the word about resources available online and through apps such as Purple Air (https://map. purpleair.com) and EPA’s AirNow (https://www.airnow. gov

❱

Secure funding for citizen science projects to collect data on local pollution and evaluate potential risks to public health.

Air Monitor

The purple air monitor in Waterfront South is a resident led initiative. The monitor is located at CFET and provides up to date air quality information on particulate matter. The above screenshot exemplifies the information available online.

b. Advocate for, receive, and assess comprehensive air monitoring and data

While community-based air monitoring provides a helpful low-cost reference about local air quality, the need for comprehensive monitoring beyond the typical particulate matter data provided by systems like Purple Air remains as a priority for community members. The Spruce Street Station located in downtown Camden tracks a broader range of pollutants but may not capture the more specific conditions presented in the southern section of the city. Re-installing the air monitor originally located at CCMUA should provide a closer portrait of the environmental conditions in the neighborhood. NJ DEP is the agency responsible for the CCMUA sensor.

c. Identify household level solutions to mitigate the impact of air pollution in indoor air quality. This two-fold recommendation includes both an educational and financial component.

❱ Education: While permanent solutions addressing air quality are the ultimate goal for the Waterfront South and region, short-term initiatives at the household level will help mitigate the impact of air pollution and minimize potential health effects for individuals at risk living in the neighborhood. Educational seminars about household level solutions to improve indoor air quality is a potential community initiative to help ensure livable conditions within people’s homes.

❱ Financial: Individual indoor solutions are often costly for residents living on fixed incomes. Grants and partnerships with manufacturers can help bridge that gap. A potential approach can include a stipend for air quality solutions as a component of home repair and upgrade programs recommended under Priority 3 –Housing Choices.

d. Advocate for and undergo an updated air quality report with NJDEP

The Waterfront South Air Toxics Pilot Project prepared by NJDEP in 2005 provided the community with a critical reference about air toxics and particulate matter impacting air quality in the neighborhood. The study assessed air pollution sources, identified air toxics and particulates with greatest health risks,

assessed levels of pollution found in the area and identified strategies to mitigate health risks. Although the 2005 study remains relevant as historic baseline data, having informed several mitigation efforts over the past decade, much has changed since 2005 with respect to industrial activities, with new industries moving in and other businesses closing or relocating. Likewise, environmental parameters have changed over the years, justifying the need for a new comprehensive air quality assessment.

1.3 Ensure community decision making in land use decisions that may increase environmental and health risks

“…Overburdened communities must have a meaningful opportunity to participate in any decision to allow in such communities certain types of facilities which, by nature of their activity, have the potential to increase environmental and public stressors and, that it is in the public interest for the State, to limit the future placement and expansion of such facilities in overburdened communities”

(NJ State Environmental justice Law, Chapter 92, C.13:1 D-157)

The 2020 NJ Environmental Law provides a framework for community participation in decision making related to industrial facilities planning to establish or expand their footprint in the neighborhood. While standard City permitting and processes around development projects welcome public input and participation, a special review process should be considered for environmental justice communities with an eye on the specific environmental impact of new projects in the area. Beyond land use impact, communities should be informed about the environmental implication of proposed projects.

1.4 Target brownfield sites within the residential core for redevelopment

There are several brownfield sites in close proximity to the residential core of the Waterfront South. This plan provides general recommendations for the future use of these sites, establishing priorities for investment according to community priorities.

a. Prioritize the Howland Croft mill property for site clean-up and redevelopment

Situated on the south end of Broadway, the Howland Croft Mill housed a garment factory for over 70 years. In 1928, the mill employed over 300 people from Camden, drawing its workers heavily from the surrounding neighborhood. The business remained open until the 1950s and served primarily as a storage

opportunities generating jobs, services and housing options in the neighborhood. The property is currently zoned for residential uses (R-2) and could accommodate the community’s vision for a mixedincome multi-family housing development with ground floor retail or community services and an affordable senior development. Site remediation is naturally a key first step in that process and one that will inform the feasibility of residential uses in the property. Efforts should be made on the short-term to place the property in the City’s priority list for funding towards remediation.

b. Assess the conditions of other brownfield sites for future redevelopment

The planning team identified 16 other brownfield properties in the neighborhood for consideration in future redevelopment plans. Six of these properties

The Howland Croft Mill building was destroyed by a fire in 2011. The site should be prioritized for environmental assessment, remediation, and redevelopment.

Waterfront South Neighborhood Plan 56

One of the brownfield properties situated along the eastern end of the neighborhood is included in plans for the future Light Rail Stop proposed between Ferry Ave and Carl Miller Blvd.

Legend:

Property for remediation and redevelopement

Croft Mills site

Brownfield sites

1.5 Green Infrastructure

The City of Camden, through the Camden SMART Initiative, has been aggressively focusing on the implementation of green infrastructure projects to mitigate the risks of flooding and combined sewer overflow. Waterfront South has been a key target area for such projects due to its character as a lowlying waterfront community prone to flooding and combined sewer overflow events. CCMUA, a key partner of the Camden SMART Initiative, has been at the forefront of neighborhood initiatives, as both a neighborhood partner and as an agency seeking to minimize the impact of CSO events on the City’s infrastructure. As the agency sponsoring both the 2020 Green Infrastructure Plan and this 2022 Neighborhood Plan, CCMUA is the natural implementation partner for future green infrastructure projects. Recommendations described below prioritize opportunities within City owned properties, public rights-of-way, parks and open spaces. Partnerships with industrial facilities should help identify additional opportunities within port land and other privately owned industrial properties. Further details about those opportunities are described under Priority 7 of this Neighborhood Plan.

a. Expand tree coverage at parks and neighborhood streets

The Camden Parks and Open Space Plan identifies the Waterfront South as a high to very high priority area for mitigating urban heat islands. Expanding tree coverage along neighborhood streets is an effective strategy to reach that goal. Beyond their role in helping offset rising temperatures, trees also trap pollutants and mitigate runoff and flooding. Partnerships between residents, CCMUA, the NJ Tree Foundation, local organizations and businesses can help leverage technical capacity, funding, coordination and community participation towards a multi-year effort targeting residential blocks on a first phase and expanding the reach along neighborhood corridors and industrial areas. Phoenix Park was identified by residents as a priority area for tree planting to further encourage the use of the park in the summer. Trees will also have a positive impact on future plans for Broadway Avenue, providing shading and cooling and encourage pedestrian traffic.

The Greening Waterfront South Plan focuses on mitigating flooding and combined sewer overflows in the neighborhood. Multiple types of GSI projects have been identified as stormwater management solutions for the community:

❱

Source: Camden Parks & Open Space Plan, 2020

Waterfront South is identified as a priority area for projects mitigating urban heat islands

b. Parks and open spaces

The 2020 Greening Plan describes improvement opportunities at two of the neighborhood’s main parks: Liney Ditch and Phoenix Park. Conceptual plans highlight options for bioswales, rain gardens and storm inlets at Liney Ditch. Tree planting and deeprooted planting zones are identified at Phoenix Park. In an effort to align these recommendations with the input received from the community in this planning process, the following steps are recommended:

Target Liney Ditch as a priority park for investment. Liney Ditch is highly valued as an active community

amenity and has been identified as a priority for investments. A first step in that direction includes the development of a comprehensive improvement plan integrating programming, safety, green infrastructure, and maintenance. Organizations like Project for Public Spaces and The Trust for Public Land can support this effort through design grants and community driven solutions to re-activate the park while maximizing green infrastructure opportunities.

❱ Support CCMUA’s ongoing efforts to improve residents’ experience at Phoenix Park through a combination of tree planting, green infrastructure, programming, and public safety initiatives.

❱ Among existing neighborhood parks, Memorial Park provides another great opportunity for coordinated programming, beautification, and green infrastructure initiatives aimed to reclaim that open space as a focal point for the community. Situated along the southern end of Broadway Avenue, the park is rarely enjoyed by local residents, having become a place for prostitution and drug activity. Green infrastructure initiatives including a rain garden should be an integral part of the future planning of the park.

Source: Greening Waterfront South Plan, 2020

Proposals for Liney Ditch and Phoenix Parks from the Greening Waterfront South Plan

c. Leverage maintenance of green infrastructure as an economic opportunity for residents

A recurring concern expressed by residents with respect to green infrastructure projects relates to maintenance and upkeep of those spaces.

PowerCorps Camden, a current partner for the City’s green infrastructure initiatives, provides job training and opportunities to young residents in the City.

A targeted effort to identify young residents of the Waterfront South as ambassadors for local green infrastructure projects with a key role in maintaining and educating neighbors about existing and future neighborhood installations, would ensure consistency in maintenance efforts while also promoting skill building and leadership opportunities among young residents.

Power Corps Camden

Power Corps Camden provides training and a living stipend to Camden youth working on projects that improve stormwater management, clean and green vacant lots and improving community space and parks. On completion of the six-month term of service Power Corps, alumni receive assistance with continuing education, extended national service opportunities and job placement in career-related fields.

d. Adopt property-based solutions

Solutions at the residential level will be a key component in the effort to improve resilience and mitigate the growing impact of weather events in the community. Several organizations in the region already have programs dedicated to education and technical assistance to residences and small commercial property owners looking to implement stormwater solutions in their properties. CCMUA and the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program are key community partners in the City. A targeted campaign to Waterfront South residents could include classes and training sessions along with supplies such as rain barrels and other materials at no cost or discounted prices.

1.6 Promote Environmental Awareness and Stewardship

Beyond public and private investments aimed at improving environmental conditions in the neighborhood, programs engaging local families in environmental initiatives will help raise awareness among residents about the positive impact of individual choices and actions and the role each person can play as a caretaker of the environment. The following activities exemplify positive initiatives to be developed in partnership with local groups. CFET is a natural partner in this effort:

❱ Promote zero waste events and discourage single use disposable giveaways in local community events.

❱ Develop a local campaign educating residents about trash, re-use and recycling.

❱

Create a community tool shed.

❱ Promote neighborhood walks along the waterfront with opportunities to learn about the wildlife diversity that inhabits the area.

1.7 Adopt and Enforce Green Standards

As the community moves forward with plans for future housing and economic development, efforts should be made to minimize the impact of new buildings on local infrastructure while also contributing to improve neighborhood environment through ecologically sound design and construction solutions. Between State, County and City ordinances, there is a solid regulatory framework guiding future development towards best practices. Residents and community stakeholders can have a critical role tracking proposed development projects and ensuring the critical attention required to minimize any potential negative impact on the neighborhood.

Camden Sustainability Ordinance

The City of Camden became the first municipalitiy in New Jersey to adopt a sustainablity ordinance in 2015. The ordinance requires an Environment Impact and Benefit Assesment before projects are approved.

2.1 Eliminate and reroute truck traffic away from the residential area

a. Short-term steps

Despite recent County and City efforts to restrict truck traffic to a limited area of the neighborhood, truck presence in the residential area, and especially on Ferry Avenue and Broadway, are still a top concern among residents. Beyond noise, air pollution and constant vibrations generated by large size trucks, residents reported a number of circulation issues experienced by local drivers and pedestrians including speed, visibility at crosswalks and intersections, and incidents with cars parked on the streets.

b. Long-term step

While the ultimate goal is to have truck traffic eliminated from the core residential area, steps should be taken on the short-term to manage trucks by regulating traffic hours, enhancing signage and limiting the types and sizes of vehicles allowed in the neighborhood. Traffic enforcement, including penalties and fines is a critical component of this strategy, requiring regular police enforcement and monitoring from the neighboring businesses that generate truck trips in the area.

Source: City Assesment, 2021

Existing Street Conditions

2.2 Repair streets in bad conditions

Like many of the City’s neighborhoods, several streets in Waterfront South are poorly maintained and inadequate for safe driving and circulation. Potholes, grade defects, cracks and other hazardous conditions damage cars and promote accidents. A citywide assessment of street conditions performed in the past two years will help guide priorities for road repairs. The existing street conditions map describes the results of the street assessment, highlighting Filmore Street, Winslow street and 6th Street as top priorities for road repairs.

Serious Poor

Very Poor Fair Good Satisfactory Failed

Emerald St shows poor street conditions from City’s assessment

2.3 Pedestrian safety

Waterfront South’s dense residential core is a compact and walkable community with a street network established prior to automobile dominance of the cityscape. While the community’s DNA is naturally pedestrian friendly, degraded sidewalks compromise walkability and deter pedestrian movement. Assisting homeowners and property owners with critical sidewalk repairs and addressing the gaps in sidewalk maintenance created by vacancy is a priority to help maintain walkability. Targeted crosswalk and signage improvements at critical locations such as the area around the Sacred Heart School will enhance safety in the community. The intersection of Broadway and Ferry Ave, a critical crossroads at the heart of the community, deserves specific attention with potential reconfiguration geared at prioritizing pedestrian safety and deterring commercial traffic from cutting through residential blocks.

2.4 Establish a safe bike route to the waterfront and downtown Camden

Efforts to improve bike connections throughout the City should include a safe and dedicated bike route connecting Waterfront South residents to downtown Camden. The following diagram describes a proposed route down Ferry Avenue to 2nd Street. Broken down in three segments, the proposed bike lane would run as a shared lane on Ferry Avenue, and as a dedicated lane within the 70ft right-of-way of 2nd Street. This concept is consistent with three other plans calling for a bike route on Ferry / 2nd Street corridors. County’s efforts to implement sections of the Port truck traffic circulation plan provide a concrete opportunity to fund and build this bicycle connection in the next few years.

Bicycle Connection

2.5 Implement green and complete streets along Broadway and Ferry

Waterfront South is one of the neighborhoods identified by EPA on a 2016 Green and Complete Streets report for the City of Camden as an opportunity area for green and complete streets. The report lists Ferry Avenue as a top contender due to flooding risks and recommends further investigation for other potential streets. Converting the two main neighborhood corridors into green and complete streets will positively impact the community, enabling residents to move safely along these high traffic areas while integrating much needed green stormwater infrastructure as concrete measures to decrease flooding risks and minimize impact on the City’s combined sewer systems.

2.7 Re-imagine existing underpasses as safe and attractive neighborhood gateways

Underpass connections between the Waterfront South and other South Camden neighborhoods present a wonderful opportunity for streetscape improvements focusing on safety and beautification initiatives. The three east-west corridors – Carl Miller Blvd, Ferry Avenue and Chelton Avenue - are key links to other parts of the City and region and frequently used by residents in daily trips. Residents expressed specific concerns around the underpasses, as dark and isolated areas. A combination of public art, lighting and sidewalk improvements can help transform these spaces into welcoming neighborhood gateways.

2.6 Reconfigure 4th street as a one-way street

4th Street is an important residential corridor in Waterfront South with intense vehicular traffic generated by residences, school, park and the theater. Concerns about traffic and pedestrian safety have led community members to identify the conversion of the street from a two-way to a one-way corridor as a desired solution to discourage drivers who speed through the street from Ferry Avenue. A traffic study is recommended to identify the most appropriate solution for the area, taking in consideration traffic and parking needs generated by the school, theater and residences, emergency access and pedestrian safety. Safety around school pick-up and drop-off hours is a top priority for local families and neighbors.

Example of a complete street with safe accomodations for pedestrians, bicycles, and drivers

Neighborhood Underpasses

Underpass Improvements Philadelphia

Waterfront South Neighborhood Plan

Shaneka Boucher, Waterfront South Resident

❱ There is an unmet demand for housing options beyond the typical rowhomes that characterize 90% of the housing stock in the area. Residents reported a lack of housing options for seniors who wish to downsize from their current homes and families who

prevent potential investors from acquiring and developing vacant properties. Clearing those properties and bringing them back to use is a third component of the housing strategy guiding future investments.

Legend:

Historic Overlay

Rezone for mixed-use development

Promote mixed-use along Broadway

Rebuild

Leverage vacant land for infill and redevelopment TOD opportunity

Adaptive Reuse

Proposed Light Rail Station Game Changer Opportunity

Strengthen

Camden Count MUA

Camden Redevelopment Agency

City of Camden

Heart of Camden

South Jersey Port Corporation

Private Camden Board of Education

Building Not Occupied Building Abandoned

Vacant Lot

Rehab Infill

Multi-family redevelopment opportunity

3.1 Strengthen well established residential blocks

The residential core of Waterfront South that lies South of Ferry Avenue includes largely intact blocks of traditional rowhomes. These blocks harbor the rich community and cultural life that make Waterfront South unique within Camden and are predominantly owneroccupied, with limited vacancy. The few scattered vacant homes and lots throughout the area are, however, attractive nuisances, inviting squatters, illegal dumping and irregular activities into an otherwise stable residential area. A concerted effort to tackle these isolated properties through residential rehabilitation and new construction will create new housing opportunities in the area with minimal investment but a positive impact to surrounding homes. A key challenge about redevelopment of vacant properties relate to title and deed issues. While several of these vacant properties are owned by the Heart of Camden or the City, some still remain entangled in private estates and tax delinquencies. To bring these abandoned parcels into the development pipeline, a coordinated effort with the City will be required to identify and resolve ownership and tax lien issues. New homes in this area will certainly address the unmet demand for ownership and rental housing, creating an excellent opportunity for near term development projects that will further strengthen the neighborhood and expand the residential base. Key strategies to achieve this goal include:

a. Create new homeownership opportunities through rehab and new construction

New homeownership opportunities will be a critical component of a housing strategy south of Ferry Avenue. Combined, properties owned by the City and Heart of Camden provide an excellent opportunity to jump start an early development phase. The Heart of Camden anticipates a near term development of up to 39 new construction and rehab units targeted for affordable homeownership within the neighborhood residential core. Funding will draw from a combination of City and corporate grants, Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit funds, Historic Tax Credit funds and construction loans. Development in this area should focus on fostering equity and opportunities to build wealth locally. Developer assistance programs such as Jump Start Philly provide a model for local partnerships, expanding development opportunities to small developers and local entrepreneurs.

Jump Start Philadelphia

Jump Start Philly, sponsored by Philly Office Retail a community focused real estate company, partners with local non-profits and the Philadelphia Housing Authority to support aspiring developers and create opportunities for residents to invest and develop in their own neighborhoods. The program offers a combination of training, networking, and loans to finance the acquisition and renovation of residential properties. Short term loans are available for up to 85% of total project cost in qualified areas of the city. Properties are made available to investors via a lottery administered by the Housing Authority.

Solid block housing: Ferry Ave

b. Assist current homeowners with essential home repairs and upgrades

Most of the homes in Waterfront South are within the historic district and nearly 60% of them are over 100 years old, dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Older homes require significant and costly maintenance. They tend to also have outdated systems and are not energy efficient. Programs and funding to help homeowners upgrade systems and make basic repairs already exist in Camden and have demonstrated successful results in upgrading the local housing stock, one property at a time. The ‘My Home’ program administered by St Joseph’s Carpenters Society in East Camden provides a good example of a local program that assists low-income homeowners with essential repairs and helps preserve equity in their homes. Although home repair programs target primarily life and safety improvements, a closer look at the specific needs of the Waterfront South will help tailor the program to include additional items such as porch lights and sidewalk repairs.

c. Support renter residents who wish to purchase a home in the neighborhood

Current residents who wish to become homeowners have struggled to find housing available to purchase in the neighborhood. Keeping residents with community ties in Waterfront South is a critical step in reversing decades of population decline. In addition to improved access to affordably priced for-sale homes, residents can also benefit from connections to lending institutions and homeownership literacy programs such as the Homeowner Academy operated by St Joseph’s Carpenter Society in East Camden. The program provides financial literacy training and assists residents who wish to become homeowners in their journey through the process.

d. Partner with corporate neighbors to establish a local homeownership assistance program

At one time, Waterfront South was a community deeply connected to local employment with much of the neighborhoods’ workforce connected to jobs in the shipyards and other maritime industry along the waterfront. While the nature of employment today is not as hyperlocal as it was a century ago, there is an

opportunity for larger employers such as EMR, South Jersey Port Authority and Holtec to assist employees with down payment assistance and other incentives towards the purchase of homes in the Waterfront South.

e. Promote Adopt-a-lot program for nondevelopable vacant lots

Some vacant parcels in the neighborhood may not be appropriate for new construction due to size or orientation. In such cases, the City’s Adopt-a-lot program provides adjacent property owners the opportunity to acquire the parcel at minimal costs for use as an open space or off-street parking. Residents who tried to engage in this program in the past have reported that challenges with deed transfer and costly property insurance requirements inhibit broader participation in the program. City assistance to streamline this process will empower residents to reclaim and repurpose vacant lots while enhancing the physical and safety character of residential blocks.

f. Redevelop the former Croft Mills site as an anchor mixed-use development

The Croft Mills property provides a unique opportunity to anchor the Broadway corridor in Waterfront South with a new residential/mixed-use development project. The full block site is currently vacant and could accommodate a sizable multi-family housing development. Located on Broadway and with direct access to bus lines and neighborhood services, the site can provide an ideal opportunity for senior housing. New and affordable senior housing will help retain residents in the community as their housing needs change and release existing housing stock for new families.

3.2 Rebuild residential blocks with high vacancy

While the residential fabric south of Ferry Avenue is largely intact and will benefit from targeted infill and stabilization efforts, the blocks north of Ferry provide an opportunity for more significant redevelopment, expanding the residential base of Waterfront South and attracting new residents who will support local businesses and organizations. The area is currently characterized by significant vacancy and a concentration of city-owned parcels, some of which are slated for the future light rail stop proposed on Ferry Avenue. Future redevelopment initiatives in that section of the neighborhood will require a comprehensive land acquisition and consolidation effort. The following strategies will help advance the goal of restoring residential blocks north of Ferry Avenue:

a. Identify mechanisms for land assembly and potential partnerships for redevelopment A partnership between the City and potential development partners will be required to generate meaningful redevelopment opportunities north of Ferry Avenue. While the City will take the lead in land acquisition and assembly efforts, private investment coupled with multiple funding opportunities will be required to realize the potential of these properties as mixed-income housing options. In order to facilitate development in this area, potential development partners should be identified based on performance record and with a commitment to sustainable and equitable development.

b. Prioritize mixed-use development along Broadway

The process of restoring residential blocks north of Ferry Avenue should include a careful approach to the Broadway corridor. Resident surveys and discussions indicate the desire to see a variety of housing options along the avenue, combined with ground floor retail, services or community spaces. Live / work solutions, mixed-use multifamily apartment buildings and traditional apartments above shops were some of the housing typologies identified by the community as appropriate solutions for the corridor.

c. Redevelop the former Mickle School building for housing and mixed-use

The former Mickle School building at the corner of 6th Street and Carl Miller Boulevard can be a catalyst project, anchoring development north of Ferry Ave. The adaptive reuse of this historic school structure can accommodate unmet housing needs such as special needs or artist work/live apartment, along with other neighborhood related uses.

Former Mickle School building

Example of mixed-use buildings with ground floor commercial space and upper floor residential units.

d. Leverage future transit investments for a transit-oriented development Plans for the future Camden-Glassboro light rail line anticipate the location of a station in the neighborhood, between Carl Miller Blvd and Jackson Avenue just west of the I-676 underpass. The extension of light rail service to Waterfront South provides a unique opportunity for a gateway development anchoring the residential core with higher density, mixed-income and mixeduse development. A mix of uses can bring jobs, new programs and services to the neighborhood, coupled with higher density housing options. In anticipation of the new transit amenity, careful consideration should be given to zoning and development standards surrounding the proposed station and forward efforts at land assembly and lot consolidation.

Legend: Proposed Light Rail Station

Building Not Occupied

Building Abandoned Vacant Lot

Extensive land availability along the north-eastern end of the neighorhood provides an opportunity provide an opportunity for a transit oriented development

A Game Changer Opportunity!

While neighborhood blocks between Jackson Street and Atlantic Avenue are primarily industrial in use, the opportunity to reclaim that area as an extension of the neighborhood fabric should be looked at as a future goal for the community, should current businesses choose to relocate, and properties be available for sale. The future light rail station serving the neighborhood and increased housing demand are key factors driving that potential. Moreover, as described on Priority 9, a reimagined Atlantic Avenue that serves as a City gateway can reinforce opportunities for commercial uses and services and help establish that area as a mixed-use zone promoting commercial and residential uses. Rezoning of properties along Broadway, between Atlantic and Everett will allow for a broader variety of uses.

Example of Transit Oriented Development

Enhanced lighting is critical to improving public safety in Waterfront South. Community members currently feel far less safe at night than during daylight hours. Street lighting in the community is insufficient with many of the limited number of streetlights not operational. While repairing and expanding street lighting is a critical step, additional illumination can be provided by incentivizing the installation of exterior lights on residential porches and public building facades. Beyond illuminating dark streets public safety will be increased through enhanced communication with the Camden County Police and continued support of DCCB’s efforts to support neighborhood safety. A regular schedule of community cleanups will assist in keeping neighborhood streets clean and build community through the coordinated

work of community groups and block leaders. While residents are able to assume responsibility for keeping their own blocks free of trash and litter expanding the operations of Camden Special Services District, already active in the area around Holtec, can provide critical support towards cleaning major corridors and deterring short dumping. Securing vacant lots and installing cameras at critical locations is another important step in eliminating the illegal dumping that burdens Waterfront South with refuse originating elsewhere. Businesses and industrial uses should also be expected to do their part to keep their neighborhood clean by implementing improved property management and remaining aware of their residential neighbors and location within an urban community.

4.1 Improve neighborhood lighting conditions

Research shows that lighting improvements in residential neighborhoods have a positive impact in crime reduction. Well-lit streets inhibit crime activity by making areas more visible to neighbors and police, and encourages people to spend more time outside, thereby increasing movement and informal surveillance. Three measures will help improve lighting conditions in Waterfront South:

a. Street lighting: The District Council Collaborative Board (DCCB) has been a critical partner of the Waterfront South community in the effort to improve lighting conditions. In collaboration with residents and the CCPD, DCCB completed a comprehensive street lighting assessment in 2021, reporting outages and identifying areas where new lighting is needed. Conversations with resident indicated the areas around 6th street, Filmore and Viola as areas of concern. Parks and pedestrian connections to parks were also identified as places where residents feel unsafe due to limiting lighting.

b. Porch lights: DCCB has also started a porch light campaign to encourage residents to keep their porch lights on at night as an additional lighting and safety measure. The campaign assists residents with energy efficient light bulbs and installation of porch light fixtures. This effort was initiated in the past year and will have a positive impact with additional funding and assistance to DCCB in their outreach efforts.

c. Exterior lighting at public buildings: Another measure to help enhance lighting in the neighborhood includes exterior lighting at public buildings. Structures like schools, churches and community buildings can help improve safety through lighting installation on building facades. As a historic district with wonderful examples of historic structures, enhanced lighting on individual buildings will also help highlight these special neighborhood assets and beautify their areas. Buildings on Broadway like the Heart of Camden, FireWorks, churches and the old bank building can be targeted for that initiative.

4.2 Enhance communication with Camden County Police Department

A recurring topic in conversations with the community about public safety relates to lack of clarity among residents about ways to communicate and report incidents to the CCPD. Although CCPD makes multiple channels available for reporting, there is confusion about the proper use of each channel, especially when it comes to the use of online tools and smart phone applications. Residents have also reported hesitancy in calling the police with concerns about potential implications to themselves, family members or neighbors. At the same time, CCPD reports that call data helps determine the assignment of officers throughout the City, so residents are encouraged to call if they would like to have a certain level of police presence in the neighborhood. A concerted communication campaign from CCPD can help address these issues. Although the police participates in monthly meetings and makes itself available for questions and updates, information shared at meetings does not reach all residents. Additional coordination with HOC and local resident groups can help the CCPD disseminate information about reporting tools. Information sessions, informational materials distributed at community events and door-to-door outreach can help maximize CCPD’s reach and impact.

Facade lighting Philadelphia

4.3 Support DCCB’s efforts in the neighborhood

District Council Collaborative (DCCB) has been supporting neighborhood safety efforts in Waterfront South community since 2019. Along with the Camden County Police Department, DCCB is a critical neighborhood partner, helping residents identify concrete solutions to improve safety in the community. Several community meetings were held to date, both in-person and remote, helping identify neighborhood challenges around public safety and actionable steps to address those challenges. The street lighting campaign is the first of those steps. Future initiatives include a porch light program and the development of a block captain system.

4.4 Expand Camden Special Services District’s presence in the neighborhood

Through their Clean and Safe Program, the Camden Special Services District (CSSD) provides street maintenance services in various sections of the City. Beyond downtown Camden, CSSD ambassadors (known around town as ‘yellow-jackets’) also serve neighborhood corridors, parks and other public spaces. Although they are solely responsible for street maintenance, the ambassadors’ regular presence on the streets ensures a safer and welcoming environment. CSSD already serves the area around Holtec in Waterfront South. Expanding these services to Broadway and Ferry Avenue is a natural next step, benefiting both businesses and residents. A partnership between CSSD and local industrial businesses can help create a dedicated funding stream to support services. CSSD is also dedicated to hiring Camden residents, so the initiative can also help secure employment opportunities for Waterfront South residents as local CSSD ambassadors in the neighborhood.

4.5 Establish a neighborhood cleanup program targeting residential blocks

Beyond Broadway and Ferry, residents and community organizations can organize to establish a neighborhood cleanup program addressing trash and clutter on residential streets and public spaces. As a compact community of 25 residential blocks, a collective community effort can be a manageable initiative to keep streets, parks and residential front yards clean and well maintained. A cleanup program can include two levels of neighborhood efforts:

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Connect residents to City resources and advocate for City services. Local resident groups can lead a campaign to provide residents with trash cans and recycling bins that comply with City requirements while also advocating for consistency in trash removal and recycling. An effort to establish a direct channel of communication with DPW will help address City services and code enforcement regarding property maintenance.

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Neighborhood wide efforts can be initiated by a central organizing group (local organizations, resident groups) and focused on a schedule of seasonal clean up events targeting parks and public spaces. Neighborhood clean-ups require significant planning, coordination, outreach and supplies. An ongoing partnership with the City and businesses can help support these activities.

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Block level efforts can be initiated by block residents and target the clean up of individual blocks. Block cleanup efforts can be done more regularly as they require coordination primarily between same block residents. Block efforts provide a great opportunity for neighbors to meet and come together around shared goals. New community leadership can also emerge from these activities and can lead, on the long-term, to the establishment of a block captain / block ambassador program. Micro-grants can be made available to block groups as incentives towards beautification projects.

CSSD

4.6 Maintain and secure vacant lots

While residents can help maintain their properties and streets clean, maintenance of vacant lots falls within individual owners’ and, ultimately, in the case of absentee owners, the City’s responsibility. The upkeep of vacant lots is an important component of a safe and clean neighborhood program and requires consistent efforts to clear overgrown vegetation, remove trash and litter. Given the magnitude of vacant properties in the Waterfront South, priority should be placed on infill lots between occupied homes.

4.7 Address illegal dumping

The City of Camden is aggressively working to address illegal dumping, a problem that has challenged Camden neighborhoods for decades. In Waterfront South, this problem is amplified by the extensive amount of vacant land and underutilized industrial sites.

To address this issue, the City has recently secured funding for the installation of cameras at illegal dumping sites. Waterfront South is a natural candidate for one or more cameras at most critical sites to be identified by the community. Another important step in the process of eliminating illegal dumping is to disseminate information to residents about ways to report illegal dumping events. Information should be shared at public meetings, social media, posters and fliers.

4.8 Enforce property maintenance by local businesses and industrial uses

Proper upkeep of industrial properties should be an integral component of a clean and safe neighborhood program. Large industrial sites with extensive stretches of unkept land have been reported by community members and contribute to amplify an already challenging task to keep the neighborhood clean. Issues like litter and overgrown vegetation should be regularly addressed. A possible way to monitor and encourage businesses to do their part as neighbors is to establish a direct channel of communication between the community and industrial businesses to report trash and maintenance issues.

Did you know?

Did you know that ILLEGAL DUMPING can be reported anonymously online through Camden Reports?

https://www.camdenreports.com/dumping-form

4.9 Address irregular activity by truck drivers

Beyond the environmental hazards and safety risks they bring to the neighborhood, truck traffic adds an additional layer of safety issues and nuisance experienced by residents with contracted truck drivers who solicit prostitutes on residential streets and feed into the drug activity taking place in the area. Industrial businesses should have an active role in addressing this issue with initiatives to discourage irregular behavior.

4th and Winslow St illegal dumping

Philadelphia More Beautiful Committee

This program works with registered block captains to keep City blocks clean. The committee promotes and organizes clean up events, provides block captains with cleaning tools and with information and guidance, in support of volunteer block captains.

4th & Winslow St illegal dumping

A vision for economic development and opportunity builds on the unique assets of Waterfront South to revitalize Broadway as a thriving commercial corridor, attract new investments to the neighborhood and connect residents to economic opportunity.

The cluster of arts and culture groups, along with neighborhood parks and industrial businesses generate opportunities for the neighborhood as drivers of economic development. Arts and culture, along with parks, can help define the neighborhood’s unique identity in the City and region, drawing visitors and generating additional demand for businesses and services. Industrial businesses can help expand local

employment opportunities, support training and professional development while also creating demand for local retail and services on Broadway.

The following recommendations leverage community resources to promote the neighborhood’s identity as a hands-on community seeking to restore its economic vitality through the creativity, skills and resources of its people combined with positive partnerships leading to jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities. A focus on green light-industrial economy as a new economic engine makes up the third pillar of the economic strategy guiding investments in the next ten years.

Robert Bingaman, Waterfront South Arts & Cultural Alliance

5.1 Leverage arts & culture as an engine for economic development

The six Waterfront South arts and cultural organizations are unique assets in the City of Camden. Clustered in the neighborhood core, they form a strong pillar for future growth and economic development. The following strategies will help solidify the neighborhood’s potential as an art and culture district:

a. Seek designation as an Arts and Culture District. A first step in solidifying the neighborhood’s identity includes the City’s recognition and designation as an arts and culture district.

b. Host annual citywide arts & cultural event, inviting artists from the City to showcase Camden’s work and talent. Seasonal events anchored by local arts and culture groups will put the neighborhood on the map of regional events, highlight Camden’s arts scene, and reinforce the neighborhood identity as an arts district.

c. Identify and recruit new arts and culture partners to locate in the neighborhood. Proximity to the existing cluster of organizations can help attract new creative groups and businesses to Waterfront South. A concerted campaign led by the Waterfront South arts and culture community with support from Heart of Camden and the City should be considered to identify and market existing structures within the neighborhood with potential for rehabilitation or conversion into new offices and art studios.

d. Promote the creative economy with artist housing and/or spaces and infrastructure that support small-scale manufacturing and artistic endeavors.

Recent efforts by local groups to coalesce around shared goals and improve collaboration can expand their opportunities for funding and expanded capacity. A new staff position within that coalition to oversee and coordinate collective initiatives will be a critical step to bring projects to fruition.

e. Promote the creative economy with spaces and infrastructure that support small-scale manufacturing and artistic endeavors. There is a growing interest from residents and local groups to establish a flexible makers’ space in support of local residents’ initiatives and collaborative efforts between organizations. A local makers space can provide the space for people to produce and sell their own goods and attract artisans, micro and small-scale manufacturing businesses that benefit from a collaborative environment and proximity to highways and the region for supplies and distribution. A makers space on Broadway, right at the heart of the neighborhood, can be a strong catalyst for economic development and help develop a niche demand for services and retail spaces along the corridor. A few spaces were identified by the community as potential location for that type of facility. Some of the historic structures on the avenue, such as the old Bank Building and the Olsen Hardware store could be good contenders for such uses. The bank building is currently owned by Holy Bethel Pentecostal Temple. A closer understanding of their use of the space along with future plans could help identify opportunities for partial use of the space.

A first step in support of a makers initiative includes further explorations with the community and a closer understanding of the steps required to create a community makers space. Nation of Makers, a national organization aimed to support the maker movement, can provide initial guidance in that direction.

Forge in Greensboro is a

5.2

Re-imagine Broadway as a thriving mixed-use corridor

“Commercial corridors have a crucial role in building healthy vibrant communities. They are not just places where local residents shop and gather, but places where people build wealth through small businesses, find jobs, and share, celebrate and preserve community culture.”

A series of incremental initiatives and targeted investments will help restore Broadway as a commercial corridor and focal point of community life. Efforts described under Priority 2 to maintain a clean and safe corridor will enable residents and local organizations to re-imagine possibilities for short-term and long-term interventions targeting the core stretch of the corridor, between Jefferson and Jackson streets.

a.Promote mixed-use development through rehabilitation and new construction Broadway’s revitalization provides an opportunity to explore mixed-use development opportunities that emphasize housing, services and commercial spaces as critical components for a successful corridor. New housing opportunities along the avenue can help attract new residents to the neighborhood and steadily build the critical mass required to support the types of businesses and services that make up a healthy community. Housing, in particular, was identified as a top priority for future development, with emphasis on small units and creative work-live arrangements. Partnerships with small developers can help identify small mixed-use development opportunities between Jackson and Jefferson that match the scale of the neighborhood as 2 to 3-story structures with new storefront opportunities, flexible living/working arrangements and upper floor residential uses.

b. Target the preservation and rehabilitation of historic structures as neighborhood assets and anchors on the Broadway corridor

Past efforts by the Heart of Camden and City of Camden to rehabilitate historic neighborhood structures have been critical components of the neighborhood’s revitalization. In the next 10 years, efforts should be made to preserve and repurpose the Olsen Hardware store and Bank Building. A variety of State programs coordinated by New Jersey Historic Trust can help advance these projects with funding through grants and loans.

c. Promote streetscape improvements, placemaking and beautification projects

A partnership with the local arts and cultural community can help establish a creative, hands-on, community-based approach to streetscape and placemaking initiatives along the corridor. Artists and residents can come together to re-energize the avenue with public art installations, sculptures and seasonal interventions on vacant structures and empty lots that reflect the neighborhood’s character. Signage with markers for historic structures, banners and wayfinding are additional components of a successful strategy. There is already a solid public art tradition in the neighborhood. Building on that experience can help define the character Broadway’s character as a live ‘community art gallery’ and a place for creative expression.

Coral St Arts House in Philadelphia provides an example of live/work and artists housing.

ARTeriors Ocean Ave Gallery in Atlantic CIty is a community art project inviting local artists to reimagine the spaces of an abandoned home in the neighborhood. The resulting work was open for public visitation during the Summer of 2021.

Source: Atlantic City Arts Foundation

d. Identify partnerships for essential community services along the corridor

Residents reported that basic services are, for the most part, met outside of the community. This pattern especially impacts residents who do not own a car and who rely on transit or rides from family and friends for essential shopping and services. Results from the resident survey indicate the following types of businesses and services residents would like to see in the neighborhood:

❱ Laundromat

❱ Convenience store

❱ Small grocery store

❱ Fresh food stand

❱ Clothing store

❱ Medical offices

❱ Hair salon

❱ Restaurants

❱ Coffee shop

❱ Gym and fitness center

While current demand generated by residents may be insufficient to support brick and mortar investments for some of these services, partnerships with existing businesses in the City can help create pop-up events bringing services to the neighborhood in coordination with neighborhood events. Food trucks can be brought during theater days and groceries can be made available via Virtua’s Mobile Grocery Store.

Essential and medical services can also be connected via mobile services.

5.3 Promote local jobs and small business opportunities

a. Connect residents to local job opportunities

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Partner with local employers for local training and employment opportunities

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Expand access to City employment resources including Camden Works, community job fairs and

b. Connect residents to entrepreneurship programs

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Partner with LAEDA for training program

❱ Create jobs within the neighborhood

c. Invest in minority and women owned businesses

❱ Identify local financial partners as investors in inclusive growth

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Identify service providers with programs tailored to MWBE businesses

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Identify grants and other funding opportunities in support of start-up MWBE businesses

5.4 Seek partnerships with local institutions for non-industrial uses

Camden has a wealth of institutions with ambitious expansion plans and space needs that may exceed their existing footprints. Rutgers University, Cooper and Virtua hospitals, Camden County College are some of these institutions with potential requirements for additional spaces and satellite locations. Waterfront South can provide a desirable option due to proximity to downtown, highway and future light rail

A Game Changer Opportunity!

Waterfront South is uniquely positioned in Camden and, perhaps in the region, to develop a new type of industrial economy that focuses on reduced carbon emissions, energy efficiency and zero impact to the environment. While existing companies located in the economic zone advance goals to minimize their environmental footprint, a focus on Green Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Business Practices can help transform the area’s identity attracting businesses that, by nature of their own activities, advance sustainability goals with the well-being of people and communities as primary priorities. A green economy can help redefine the Waterfront South economic zone as a GREEN economic zone and, on the long term, shift Camden’s identity from a legacy industrial city to a forward looking green, resilient and sustainable community.

Portia Simmons, Waterfront South Resident

In the past twenty years, investments in Waterfront South helped build the infrastructure required to support community. Between new and improved parks and the emergence of several community and arts organizations, Waterfront South has developed an excellent network of amenities and services. The following strategies will leverage local neighborhood assets for community development, through placemaking, arts, cultural and educational opportunities. A special emphasis is placed on young residents through leadership, recreation, and development initiatives and on opportunities to maximize the use of neighborhood facilities, whether they be community buildings or parks, to meet the community needs. Strategies for enhanced community connections and improved access to services are also included. Community spaces and parks can be employed to highlight the neighborhood identity, promote community and improve access to family services.

6.1 Leverage local arts & cultural assets for community development

a. Partnerships for placemaking projects

Local arts and community groups will be key community partners in future placemaking, beautification, and wayfinding initiatives aimed to improve Waterfront South’s public realm. Individually or collectively, they can help lead the creative process around placemaking projects and facilitate the dialogue between artists and the community during design and implementation efforts. Local arts groups can also help identify potential funding opportunities for such projects. The following projects described in different sections of the plan are good contenders for such partnerships:

Underpass gateway projects (Priority 4)

Gardening and front yard projects (Priority 4)

Broadway beautification projects (Priority 5)

Redevelop boarded up and vacant buildings near Broadway as artist live-work spaces (Priority 5)

Public art installations in the arts and culture district which can expand outward as funding allows (Priority 5)

Connections to the waterfront (Priority 7)

b. Partnerships for community arts and culture

Beyond placemaking initiatives, local arts and culture groups can also leverage their spaces and resources towards programming for local residents:

Children and youth focused programs, including art related workshops and summer camps

Work with community groups to identify inclusive programming opportunities

Schedule events at times that work for residents

6.2 Support and celebrate neighborhood youth

Waterfront South is a young community with 31.9% of residents under 20 years of age. Community conversations during the planning process suggested a scarcity of options for young residents in the area and the need to connect them to opportunities in the City and region. The following strategies can help address these needs:

a. Establish a youth leadership group to help inform and implement future community projects

An organized youth group will provide young residents the opportunity to develop leadership skills while actively participating in their community. A local youth group can tackle community projects in partnership and with guidance from local leaders. The group can have an advisory role and serve as a bridge to connect local youth to services and programs in the city and region. MJD Fieldhouse and CSS are critical parties in the process of creating this group.

b. Expand youth programs at existing neighborhood facilities

The MJD Fieldhouse is a valuable community space and the main venue for youth activity in the neighborhood. The space has the potential to become a hub for local youth programs with extended hours and expanded opportunities. After school programs and summer camps are just some examples of additional opportunities to be explored in partnership with local organizations in the City and region. Arts and culture groups in Waterfront South provide a unique opportunity for youth development programming. Coordinated efforts between these groups and the youth leadership group will help develop programming that will engage the areas youth.

The Museum initiative includes the development of a multi-purpose vocational training facility housing a variety of programs in partnership with local organizations. Current plans include workshop space and classrooms serving the Carpenters Union PreApprenticeship program, movie set development and other initiatives in collaboration with Urban BoatWorks and Camden FireWorks. The Museum initiative exemplifies the creative re-use of one of the neighborhood’s most significant structures, the Church of Our Savior, to advance important community goals.

c. Youth employment and job readiness

Expanding access to existing youth development programs and forging training and internship opportunities with local employers will help young residents connect to the local economy and develop skills necessary to break cycles of generational poverty.

neighborhood moniker “DA Bottom” aims to bring influence to community engagement, provide access to educational opportunities and raise awareness of social and economic issues that impact urban communities.

Camden’s expanding business community provides opportunity to connect local youth to workforce training and internship opportunities. Local nonprofits offer development opportunities that connect directly to the environment, culture and history of the community.

❱ Connect local youth to workforce training and internship opportunities in Camden expanding businesses such as American Water, Subaru, and Campbells

❱ Expand access to youth development programs that build skills and connect youth to their local history and environment such as Urban Boat Works at the Maritime Museum. and CFET’s summer youth farming internships.

❱ Connect neighborhood youth to City recreation and employment and job readiness programs such Power Corps and CSSJ jobs

6.3 Maximize the use of existing community spaces

Waterfront South residents expressed a desire for greater access to shared spaces within the community. Residents identified need for spaces for community events, private rentals, and room for new community programming. Several local organizations are home to spaces with the potential to accommodate broader community use, however, residents are often unclear on what locations are available for their use and how they may access them. Developing an inventory of available spaces within Waterfront South and assessing their potential uses will identify opportunities to maximize community access. Developing a central point of information and calendar where community members can identify community spaces and reserve them will broaden access and enable greater programming within the community.

6.4 Activate parks and open spaces

Parks and open spaces in Waterfront South are highly valued by the community, providing opportunities for recreation, gardening and gathering. While each open space plays a unique and important role in community life, they all face challenges related to maintenance, programming and the social challenges associated with homelessness and irregular activities that impact the neighborhood.

Liney Ditch is the main forum of outdoor civic life in Waterfront South. It is heavily used as an amenity by the adjacent Sacred Heart school, neighborhood families and gardening groups. Phoenix Park, managed by CCMUA, is more remote from the residential core and has less active uses

but provides a critical link to the waterfront and river access. Residents identified a need for enhanced programming and physical improvements to maximize the benefit of these important public spaces. Memorial Park, a smaller public space at the southern end of the residential core, is home to a well revered WWII service memorial but it is severely disinvested and requires a more in depth vision for long term sustainability. Two sets of strategies including programs and park improvements will help re-energize Liney Ditch and Phoenix Park. Memorial Park will benefit from a long-term vision plan and short-term steps leading to that vision.

a. Programs and events

❱ Sports and recreation activities: partnerships with local organizations can bring existing and well established recreation programs to the neighborhood.

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Seasonal park activities: Seasonal events provide residents with opportunities to enjoy time outdoors and in community. Summer movie nights, holiday festivals, community picnics were some of the suggested activities to be added to the schedule of either Liney Ditch or Phoenix Park.

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Health and wellness activities: Group walks, dance, Zumba, or other fitness classes exemplify activities that can be coordinated by local residents.

❱ Arts and culture: local arts and culture organizations are unique partners for creative programming of park spaces. Public art installations, arts & crafts festivals, outdoor theater performances and group reading sessions are examples of activities that will activate the parks and foster connections between arts groups and the neighborhood.

b. Park Improvements

The 2020 Greening Waterfront South Plan outlines a program of physical improvements for Liney Ditch and Phoenix Park with amenities identified by the community geared at enhancing park safety, sustainability and useability. During the planning process, neighbors identified the need for additional lighting, interpretive signage and a maritime themed playground at Phoenix Park. Other improvements may include:

c. Memorial Park

Previous efforts to form partnerships for the maintenance and improvement of the space have stalled and the park is currently plagued by litter, illicit drug use and neglect. While residents occasionally utilize the space for cookouts, the physical condition of the park limits community use and fails to honor those memorialized on the monument.

Restoration of Memorial Park to a viable public space in the heart of the residential area requires a plan for physical improvements and long term maintenance. In the short-term, the City should re-establish basic services to clean and maintain the park. The public alley running from Viola to Jefferson street should be included in that effort. On the longterm, the community should seek partnerships with organizations like Trust for Public Land or Project for Public Spaces to fund community-driven plans for the park. The long-term sustainability of the park is an important component of a plan. Consistent maintenance and programming will ensure the longterm success of that open space. Partnerships with City institutions and private sector businesses may provide a path for successful implementation.

6.5 Establish a Family Success Center

Family Success Centers consolidate programs and provide family-friendly activities geared at strengthening families and crisis aversion. Establishing a Family Success Center In Waterfront South will provide much needed resources to local families including housing services, life skills training, parent education and parent-child activities.

6.6 Promote coordination between regional service providers

Waterfront South is home to a number of regional service providers that serve at-risk and in-crisis individuals from a broad geographical area.

Community residents understand the value of these organizations and the important role they play in the region but have expressed concern about the impact of their concentration in the community, attracting significant numbers of clients to the area for daily services. By working together and including the community in the conversation, these organizations can identify opportunities to minimize their unintended impact on the neighborhood’s streets and public spaces. Regional service providers should be invited to participate in community dialogue and identify collaborative efforts to ensure a better experience for their clients and the community.

“Supportive Services are important to a healthy and strong community. I am an advocate for our community to focus on building life skills that are essential to Waterfront South: home support, public housing, companion service, waiver respite care services, senior adult services, student support services (college), nutritional services, health and wellness, supported employment training, family counseling, and social group monthly events. A healthy community is a strong community”

Sharine Eliza, Waterfront South Resident

Memorial

Waterfront Access and Enhanced Public

Realm

“Call Camden to life. It is a cry to this generous nation, to people of good will everywhere, to do what needs to be done and what surely can be done, to make this city worthy of the thousands of children trying to grow up in it. It can become a beautiful city on the mile-wide Delaware River flowing between it and Philadelphia. From the first day I was here I always dreamed that…the people of Camden would see the water and see the river and know the beauty of the place they reside.”

Monsignor Michael J. Doyle , Waterfront South Resident

Today, the physical appearance of the area does not reflect the significant business activity and extensive public funding that fuel the district’s economy. Organizational pledges of values such as Sustainability, Equity and Community featured on corporate websites defy the atmosphere of disinvestment and disarray created by poor site management practices and a recurring pattern of disinvestment in the neighborhood’s public realm. While some industrial concerns have shown evidence of greater attention to their physical environment than others, the overall physical appearance of the district is poor and telegraphs a deep disconnect between industrial businesses and the neighborhood

where they are located. Fencing, sidewalks and cartways are in poor conditions, trash and debris are strewn about the area and unused trucks and equipment deteriorate on unkept lots. Businesses on the industrial waterfront would benefit from coordinated efforts and collective solutions to improve the physical appearance of the district and better reflect their corporate missions and important roles in the regional and global economy. Established buffers and improved site maintenance along with enhanced lighting, branding and navigational signage will reflect the area’s economic significance and show a commitment to being better neighbors to the residents of Waterfront South and the City of Camden.

7.1 Reclaim the waterfront as a public amenity

While much of the waterfront in the neighborhood is occupied by industrial uses and is mostly inaccessible to the community, significant investments were made over the years by CCMUA and other governmental agencies to improve access to the area, resulting in public spaces like the Michael J. Doyle Fishing Pier and Phoenix Park. Looking into the future, further efforts should be made to build on these investments and expand waterfront access through a network of greenways and safe connections to the neighborhood with easements through EMR and the old MAFCO property.

The map below describes the community’s vision for a waterfront greenway running from the old MAFCO property to the north end of EMR’s property, in the area historically known as Kaighn’s Point, where the old ferry terminal connecting Camden to Philadelphia operated. Coordinated investments between EMR, CCMUA and Mynt properties can bring about a transformational improvement to the neighborhood and City. An important first step in that direction includes enhanced connections between the neighborhood and waterfront, establishing a safe and attractive Waterfront Loop between Liney Ditch Park, the Pier and Phoenix Park. Signage, sidewalk improvements, landscaping and lighting are key components of that effort.

Kaighn’s Point

Proposed

Loop

Former

Property

Existing connection

Proposed waterfront path

Neighborhood connections

Reading Railraod Terminal at Kaighns Point

Proposed linear park along the waterfront on industrial properties which gives residents a greater connection to the water. This would run from the MAFCO property up to Kaighns Point. It would also connect Liney Ditch Park directly to the fishing pier.

Atlantic Ave

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7.2 Secure and beautify perimeter of industrial properties

Each of the businesses located in the Waterfront South have the responsibility to maintain their properties and ensuring an enhanced neighborhood environment. Key individual site improvements include the following:

Install green buffers around industrial uses that abut residential areas. CCMUA’s buffer at Liney Ditch Park is an example that should be followed by other port industrial businesses.

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Increase safety and security at night with improved street lighting and additional site and building lighting.

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A Game Changer Opportunity!

As companies close or relocate away from the neighborhood, new opportunities arise to introduce new uses and integrate community improvements into future waterfront development. The recent purchase of the old MAFCO property by Mynt Properties represents one such opportunity favoring a positive dialogue between the new owner and the community about site improvements and potential initiatives favoring public access to the waterfront and other amenities.

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Secure perimeter boundaries with walls, fencing and landscaped areas.

Develop consistent signage identifying businesses and providing directions for traffic flow. Signage should reinforce truck free zone and assist in directing commercial traffic away from residential areas.

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Keep sidewalks clean and litter free

“From the first day I was here I always dreamed that…the people of Camden would see the water and see the river and know the beauty of the place they reside.”

Monsignor Michael J. Doyle

Hargrove Property in Cramer HIll provides a good example of a well maintained industrial property with enhacements to the public realm

Birdseye of former MAFCO site

7.3 Address eyesore industrial areas

Conrail’s right-of-way cuts a swath through Waterfront South creating a long stretch of unmanaged land from the main rail line along I-676 to the port. The area around the railroad is poorly maintained and poorly secured and includes perilous pedestrian and vehicular crossings. A coordinated effort between the City, Conrail, South Jersey Port Corporation (SJPC) and other businesses that rely on the railroad should include a plan to maintain and improve fringe areas and address abandoned right-of-ways.

7.4 Improve signage and wayfinding for industrial district

Navigating Camden’s economic zone in Waterfront South is challenging and hazardous. Insufficient signage creates confusion for truck drivers and vehicles arriving from I-676 and conflicts with other patterns of circulation generated in the neighborhood, including private vehicles circulation and parking, transit, foot and bike traffic. Wayfinding signage will go a long way in helping improve circulation and establish the area’s identity as a neighborhood and a distinct district within the city, reflecting the importance of the area as an economic engine in Camden and in the region. Navigational signage will help steer commercial traffic away from the residential core and is an important component of an overall strategy to improve the public realm in south Camden.

7.5 Identify opportunities for green infrastructure in industrial properties

Industrial sites with extensive land areas and higher than necessary percentages of impervious surfaces can help mitigate environmental risks through targeted green infrastructure practices. Partnerships between private businesses, City and County agencies can help identify opportunities for private investments with long term benefits to the community. Examples of green infrastructure initiatives include:

Tree planting along public streets

Green buffers and stormwater

Rain gardens

High Impact

As two of the largest uses in the neighborhood’s industrial waterfront. SJPC and EMR’s efforts to upgrade and enhance their facilities will have a significant impact in the community.

Improved railroad right-of-way is a central strategy for a safer and enhanced public realm

Rails with Trails in Oregon shows the potentiol to optimize the use of the railroad right-of-way creating a community greenway

These organizations publicly share commitments to social equity and environmental responsibility, but few have successfully aligned their impact at the local level, in this majority minority community, with their corporate goals. Residents have expressed concern about the multinational corporations, calling for compliance with environmental standards. Specifically, residents identified the Covanta and EMR corporations as industries of concern due to their potential environmental and health impacts.

A key priority for the next ten years includes a broader and concrete commitment from industrial businesses to the community, working to minimize their environmental footprint and maximize their social impact. Stronger environmental standards for their operations in Waterfront South and commitment to the adopted corporate values of equity will foster the development of a green and socially responsible economic zone that is a both a better neighbor to the Waterfront South’s community and a stronger

The

representative of the resurgent economy of the city of Camden. To that end, EMR has publicly pledged to encapsulate their grinder equipment and to beautify their facility located in Waterfront South. The Covanta corporation has committed to a new baghouse installation at the Camden plant, making emissions data publically available, minimizing emissions and reducing discharges, and continued open communication with the local community.

In that same vein, future businesses looking to locate within the neighborhood’s industrial zone should be evaluated according to their commitment to both environmental responsibility, environmental justice, and social equity. These parameters will foster the development of a green economic district that redefines its relationship to the community from one of resource extraction and overburdening to an example of equitable creation of wealth and opportunity, with a net positive social and environmental impact.

8.1 Report environmental impact

Baseline data on pollutant emissions is critical to understanding environmental risks in Waterfront South and the region. Although some businesses already make their data easily available to the public, this is not yet common practice across the neighborhood’s economic zone. Commitment to shared and current data is a first meaningful step towards communication and a helpful tool in the dialogue towards environmental goals.

At the state level, communication with NJDEP to advocate for regular and updated information about the cumulative impact of environmental hazards to the community should be advanced. As discussed under Priority 1, the neighborhood is due for an update to the 2005 Air Quality report.

8.2 Develop and communicate goals for a clean and green economic zone

The 2020 New Jersey Energy Master Plan establishes ambitious goals of 100% clean energy by 2050. The 2018 Sustainable Camden County Plan establishes additional benchmarks at the local level for sustainability. These plans provide a helpful framework for collective responsibility. Private businesses in Waterfront South can do their part in this effort and help achieve local goals through a shared vision and commitment to individual organizational steps charting a path to sustainability, resiliency and reduced environmental impact. On the long-term, businesses should be looking at opportunities to move from a fossil fuel economy to a green economy fueled by clean and renewable energy.

8.3 Commit to socially equitable business practices

Commit to socially responsible business practices that focus on extending economic benefits to the residents of Camden and Waterfront South. Establish programs to hire locally and source locally and support to minority and women-owned businesses.

8.4 Commit to sustainable waterfront development practices

Much of the industrial land in Waterfront South is also part of the environmentally critical Delaware River waterfront. The City of Camden sustainability standards and WEDG standards developed by the Waterfront Alliance provide a roadmap for sustainable waterfront development and a process for verification and vetting of proposed development. Businesses looking to upgrade and expand their facilities should strive to incorporate those guidelines in their projects.

8.5 Prioritize socially and environmentally conscious businesses

Future businesses locating in the neighborhood’s economic zone, who benefit from public funding in infrastructure as well as tax incentives should be evaluated on the basis of environmental and social performance standards. The Aspire Program, the new economic development program managed by NJEDA, incorporates these goals as parameters for project selection with a focus on development projects that advance climate resilience, environmental justice, equitable development and workforce housing opportunity.

8.6 Plan for the long-term reclamation of the waterfront land

Industrial uses in Waterfront South have evolved over the last century in response to economic trends and technological advancements. These shifts have had a significant impact on land uses. While current industrial uses play an important role in the regional economy and may remain in the area for years to come, demand for land in the area will continue to change and opportunities to re-imagine the use of land may arise. Residents expressed a desire to see the waterfront restored and reimagined.

Atlantic Avenue as a City Gateway

Atlantic Avenue plays an important role as an entry point to Camden from I-676, serving as a gateway to the City and a primary access to both the industrial waterfront and South Camden neighborhoods. Running from Front Street to Haddon Ave, the avenue serves as an important connector but has the potential to become more than a throughway with an effective land use strategy that builds on convenient access from the region to establish a new node of services and commercial activity in the City. The area can cater not only to the demand for services and amenities generated by local residents and industrial businesses, but to a broader regional market that includes visitors and commuters who access the City from I-676.

A number of concerns were expressed by the community with respect to Atlantic Avenue and surrounding blocks. Traffic and public safety rank high among those concerns, with an emphasis on the conflicts between truck traffic and neighborhood circulation. Drug activity, homelessness and prostitution have also found a home in the area, reinforced by the cluster of regional social services located on the avenue and a desolate environment marked by abandoned properties and vacant land.

Traffic and circulation improvements proposed by Camden County and anticipated for implementation in the next few years can be the catalysts for change around Atlantic Avenue and help leverage public and private investments towards the area’s revitalization. A strategic plan, focusing on land use, infrastructure upgrades and an assessment of market potential will help identify redevelopment opportunities for the corridor and surrounding blocks. A re-imagined Atlantic Avenue can spur economic development and have a transformative impact for Waterfront South and other neighborhoods in south Camden.

9.1 Improve safety and connectivity between neighborhoods

As the County embarks on physical and traffic improvements for Atlantic Avenue, consideration should be given to additional measures, aimed to strengthen connections between Waterfront South and surrounding neighborhoods, primarily Central Waterfront and Bergen Square. Additional improvements to the area should include:

a. Clear and secure vacant land along the corridor. Much of the land along Atlantic Avenue functions as a cemetery for abandoned trucks, shipping containers and other vehicles. A first step in the

transformation of the avenue involves full removal of abandoned vehicles along with efforts to clear and secure vacant lots.

b. Pavement and re-surfacing. Streets around Atlantic Avenue that are in severely deteriorated conditions should be included in the County’s plans for road improvements.

c. Improved sidewalks, crosswalks, signage, lighting and ADA compliance. Streets around Atlantic Avenue that are in severely deteriorated conditions should also be included in the scope of improvements, ensuring safer pedestrian connections between neighborhoods.

9.2 Create a long-term plan for the Atlantic Avenue gateway zone

While roadway and infrastructure improvements will address immediate needs for the avenue and the industrial zone, a strategic plan will help establish a long-term vision for the future of the area, identify potential market opportunities and redevelopment priorities. The future implementation of a light rail stop in Waterfront South will generate a renewed demand for land in the area, expanding services, amenities and job opportunities. A vision for the Atlantic Avenue Gateway Zone will require a coalition of neighborhood organizations, businesses and City agencies in support of planning and implementation efforts.

9.3 Leverage access and economic activity to promote new services and amenities

Atlantic Avenue can serve as a commercial corridor for South Camden, serving multiple needs at the local, city and regional level:

a. Community-oriented services: Such as medical offices, healthcare facilities and pharmacies will serve neighborhoods to the north and south of Atlantic Avenue.

b. Free standing commercial spaces: Such as food stores, chain stores and restaurants, banks and garden centers can be accommodated with space for parking and service areas.

c. Light industrial uses: Such as construction offices, carpentry shops and light manufacturing can benefit from easy access to I-676 and the region.

9.4 Identify opportunities for anchor development on Atlantic & Broadway

The concentration of vacant properties around the intersection of Atlantic & Broadway provides an opportunity for a meaningful gateway development. Much of the first block of Broadway between Atlantic and Mechanic Street is vacant and lends itself for an anchor mixed-use development opportunity. Coordinated efforts between the City Planning Department, CRA and neighborhood organizations can help identify potential uses for the site.

A Game Changer Opportunity!

Invest South/West in Chicago provides a useful model for an equity driven process that could inform development of a long-term plan reimagining Atlantic Avenue as a vibrant city gateway. A coalition of city agencies, local service providers, business interests and community groups including Heart of Camden, Cooper-Grant Neighbors Association, the South Jersey Port Corporation and Camden Community Partnership can come together to develop a wholistic strategy for public improvements addressing the needs of local businesses and community residents. The concentration of vacant land at Atlantic and Broadway provides an ideal opportunity for a catalytic anchor development that can transform Atlantic Avenue.

The Invest South/West initiative layers economic development resources and planning tools to spur the development of new public amenities, retail, and community services for 10 historically disinvested commercial corridors in the city of Chicago. The initiative marshalled resources of multiple city departments, community organizations and corporate and philanthropic partners toward the reimagining and reinvesting in the targeted corridors. The process provided support for local businesses, funded public realm improvements, and spurred the restoration of historic buildings. Input from community engagement events and roundtable groups of stakeholders informed the alignment of public investments and guided an RFP process for catalytic private investment. Winning RFP responses responded to the community planning process with mixed-use development proposals that included business incubator space, community centers, commercial and industrial development.

Waterfront South Neighborhood

The Invest South/West website shows the extensive community engagement process and one of the winning RFP responses.

Build Capacity

The successful implementation of this Neighborhood Plan and any other community initiative hinges on the ability displayed by residents and local organizations to organize, advocate, coordinate and execute projects. The path to project implementation is long and requires consistency, representation and coordination. A careful assessment of the current capacity and commitment from local groups and individual organizations will help inform the steps and resources required to strenghten community capacity.

10.1 Build Capacity for Civic Engagement

Waterfront South has a long tradition of community organizing, advocacy and action. Over the years, residents have come together regularly to fight for environmental justice and to advance goals for community building and neighborhood improvements. The implementation of this neighborhood plan provides the community a renewed opportunity to organize and revisit goals towards civic engagement and community action. A multilayered approach to capacity building will help solidify the community’s organizational ability to advocate for and advance neighborhood priorities

while creating new opportunities for resident involvement and leadership. It should also help establish clear channels of communication between residents, City agencies and other stakeholders in the community. The following strategies will help reinforce engagement and reconnect neighbors around shared goals:

a. Strengthen the resident groups

A key immediate goal includes the need to broaden resident participation at local resident groups, expanding lines of communication with residents who do not traditionally engage in community affairs. That effort should focus on outreach to immigrants and resident representation across age, race and income groups.

❱ Identify an existing organization and/or resident group to act as the organizing body and community voice. Secure funding to engage a community organizer and collaborate with regional and national organizations for training opportunities preparing residents for organization, advocacy and social change activities.

❱ Improve outreach and communication, developing a communication plan with platforms that maximize reach across multiple resident groups. A community website, Facebook page, community texting and printed newsletters are some of the standard options available at minimal costs. Consider the need to communicate in multiple languages as needed.

❱ Maintain a regular schedule of community meetings throughout the year and identify potential opportunities for an annual community gathering or hands-on community project (annual neighborhood clean-ups, annual community picnic, and others).

South Camden Citizens in Action

South Camden Citizens in Action’s history of grass roots neighborhood activism and fighting for environmental justice provides a hyper-local example of an organized community achieving results. Formed in 1998 to “Stop the Stink” SCCA battled environmental racism impacting Waterfront South in the press, street and courtroom. Spurred by opposition to a concrete slag grinding factory South Camden Citizens in Action vs NJDEP, filed in 2001, charged that the DEP employed discriminatory permitting practices in locating a concentration of high impact uses within Waterfront South. While their initial legal victory was ultimately overturned in Federal court the group’s advocacy won millions of dollars in concessions and improved environmental controls. Importantly, through the activism of SCCA, the environmental hardships of Waterfront South were brought to the attention of the public and put to bear on local politicians. Community action successfully overturned a redevelopment plan that threatened to displace the community, forced the city to reroute diesel trucks and spurred significant investment in improved environmental operations at CCMUA. The grass roots actions of SCCA forms the basis for the dialogue around environmental justice in Waterfront South today amid new threats of expanding industrial use and a need for renewed attention on dangerous practices and equitable development.

Source: Courier-Post

❱ Identify regular funding streams in support of community events, communication and outreach.

❱ Establish a resident training program to educate, empower and build capacity around planning, zoning and development issues shaping land use decisions in Camden.

b. Establish a block ambassador program

In its work with the Waterfront South community, DCCB identified the development of a block ambassador program as a key public safety initiative. Block leaders, identified in the neighborhood as Community Connectors, can help advance multiple neighborhood initiatives including community communication, public safety projects, tree planting and other physical improvements. A block-level program will help residents take ownership of their immediate areas and work in collaboration with their neighbors to improve living conditions, one block at a time.

c. Establish environmental justice task force

Multiple conversations held with residents during the planning process suggest the opportunity for a dedicated community initiative around environmental justice. While Waterfront South residents have been able to quickly mobilize around recent environmental threats and incidents, a consistent effort to advance the community goals for a clean and healthy

environment through information, organization and advocacy will increase community awareness and empower residents to take a more active role in the dialogue about the future of their neighborhood.

The Waterfront South Environmental Justice Task Force can convene and lead the establishment of a Camden Environmental Justice and Climate Action Plan, addressing a comprehensive strategy around environmental issues at the city level and its impact on the environment and public health.

d. Establish a Youth civic group

Residents have also expressed the desire to find opportunities for actve youth participation in community projects. The DB4 youth team in Mantua, Philadelphia, provides an inspiring example of a local youth group supported by the local civic association to promote projects and events geared to young residents and addressing topics of their interest. In partnership with local service providers and institutions, DB4 held community events around community projects and hosted seminars and round tables about employment opportunities, higher education, health and wellness among others. A similar initiative in Waterfront South could help leverage teenagers and young adults to action advancing community projects included in this neighborhood plan.

10.2 Build Organizational Capacity for Project Implementation

Local neighborhood organizations fulfill incredibly important roles as local partners on the ground who are charged with turning the community’s vision into concrete projects. Their ability to carry out short- and long-term revitalization initiatives hinges on a number of factors, including clarity about their mission in the community, an effective board of directors and a skillful executive staff able to address the multiple facets of community development work.

Organizations like the Heart of Camden and the six groups that form the Waterfront South arts and culture community are tasked with addressing a broad range of community needs. While originally organized around a primary mission, they have taken on a number of additional roles over the years, in response to the community’s growing demand for services. Recommendations from this very neighborhood plan assign potential new roles to each of these groups, further justifying the need for a thorough assessment of current and future capacity required to advance neighborhood goals. A close focus on board capacity, technical and financial capacity will help prepare community groups for plan implementation:

a. At the board level

A focus on inclusion and diversity will help ensure equal representation, including resident representation and local groups who are typically underrepresented in organizational leadership. Strategic review of their mission and organizational goals will also help existing boards revisit their roles in the process of plan implementation.

b. Administrative, staff and technical capacity

Capacity at the organizational level includes a primary focus on the people, skills, and resources required to deliver services. Coordinated efforts should be made to identify opportunities for strategic hiring, training, and technical assistance. Recent efforts by the Waterfront South Arts and Culture community to identify opportunities for coordinated work between organizations and shared resources exemplify effective initiatives for enhanced capacity.

10.3 Establish Partnerships

Positive partnerships and coalition building between community stakeholders are critical to the successful implementation of this neighborhood plan. Consistent collaboration between residents, community groups, governmental agencies and local businesses will allow the stakeholders to act on plan implementation, working towards common goals, shared efforts and bringing resources to bear towards positive outcomes.

a. Waterfront South Collaborative Establishing a collaborative forum for stakeholders to work together is a first critical step towards implementation. The Waterfront South Steering Committee, formed originally by the Heart of Camden to help inform the neighborhood plan, can easily pivot as an implementation collaborative, establishing a regular channel of communication between residents and organizations in the private, public and non-profit sectors, focused on information sharing, project updates, shared initiatives and relationship building. The Waterfront South Collaborative (suggested name for this implementation entity) should include representation from the community and organizations identified on the plan as key implementation partners.

b. Camden Waterfront Coalition

At the City level, residents discussed the goal to establish a Camden Waterfront Coalition, bringing Waterfront South neighbors together with residents of other waterfront communities in the City to address challenges around waterfront access, environmental risks, land use and resilience against the impact of climate change. Shared efforts between communities like Cramer Hill, North Camden, Central Waterfront and Waterfront South will help amplify community voice around significant issues faced by Camden residents.

Mural at 4th Street and Jasper Street

Implementation Strategy

The implementation of a neighborhood plan as multi-faceted as the Waterfront South Neighborhood Plan will require leadership and coordinated efforts between Heart of Camden, local community organizations, residents, City and other governmental agencies, local institutions, and partners in the private and non-for-profit sectors. Successful implementation will rely on solid partnerships, consistent communication, community outreach and active pursuit of funding opportunities to advance projects into completion.

The following pages describe the steps required to translate the recommendations outlined on this plan into action. While the timeframe for implementation extends through the next ten years, several recommendations can be quickly acted on and at low to no costs. Other recommendations will require multiple steps before execution, including fundraising, and project development.

❱

Immediate Steps

Over the next months, the Heart of Camden will initiate the process of implementation and convene community partners to solidify roles and identify priority projects. An important first step in that direction will be the plan’s acceptance and adoption by the City of Camden. An adopted plan confirms the City’s recognition and support of the neighborhood plan, ensuring alignment of local investments with community goals and priorities. Equally important will be NJ DCA’s acceptance of the plan, which will ensure support at the state level and potential access to multiple funding opportunities.

Implementation Roles

As the local community development organization and primary driving force behind the plan, the Heart of Camden plays a critical role as facilitator and advocate for plan implementation. However, responsibility for implementation lies on multiple community partners who are already doing important work in the neighborhood and who can take ownership of specific components of the plan, contributing their capacity, expertise, and resources to the process and translating strategies into projects through execution.

WATERFRONT SOUTH COLLABORATIVE

As discussed in Priority 10 of this plan, an implementation committee should be established as soon as possible to help guide implementation work associated with each of the ten neighborhood priorities. The Waterfront South Collaborative will build off of existing relationships and of those established during the planning process to provide a regular channel of communication between residents, community organizations, governmental agencies and businesses. This platform will help partners share updates about their initiatives, coordinate efforts and identify opportunities for collaboration. A shared platform for implementation will help define priority projects and reinforce collaboration and accountability between partners.

GETTING THE WORD OUT

Tracking and communication about progress on implementation efforts are two key components of the Collaborative’s responsibility. Establishing tools from the onset to help track implementation steps will help maintain members of the Collaborative and other partners up to date progress on projects and initiatives.

In the same vein, efforts should be made to set up a platform for outreach and communication with the broader community, including Waterfront South residents, to disseminate information about the Collaborative’s activities and where individual partners can share updates about their initiatives. The website created for the planning process (www. icatchthewave.com) can be quickly transitioned into a communication tool supporting implementation efforts. Newsletters and annual events are some other ways to get the word out and celebrate projects completed.

The following groups of stakeholders should be represented as core members of the Waterfront South Collaborative.

Neighborhood Residents

Heart of Camden

Waterfront South Arts & Cultural Alliance

Small neighborhood businesses

Sacred Heart Church

Sacred Heart School

City of Camden

CCMUA

Camden Redevelopment Authority

Camden Community Partnership

Camden County

Camden County Police Department

CFET

Corporate industrial businesses

South Jersey Port Corporation

Regional community services

DCCB

Local Nonprofit Organizations

Implementation Steps

A first step towards implementation of the neighborhood plan was taken in the Spring of 2022 as the planning process was finalized. On June 2nd, a community event held by HOC at Fireworks brought together community partners and residents to review recommendations outlined on the Neighborhood Plan, provide comments and identify priorities for implementation. Residents were invited to weigh in on two key questions:

❱ Which recommendations and strategies would you like to see tackled in the next 3 years?

❱ Which areas are you passionate about and would like to be personally involved with?

Residents were also invited to sign up for the implementation effort by joining the Waterfront South Collaborative. Over x residents signed up to participate in implementation projects.

A summary of top 10 priorities for implementation for the next three years along with projects residents feel particularly interested to be part of is presented in the next page. This same information is included in the comprehensive implementation matrix presented in the following pages.

Implementation Matrix

The Implementation Matrix described in the following pages summarize the plan’s priorities, recommendations and strategies. The matrix also describes anticipated outcomes - quantitative or qualitative associated with each of the strategies. Timeframe for implementation and a description of core partners required to carry the recommendations through completion are also described, along with potential funding sources available to support the work to be done.

Catch the Wave Waterfront South Neighborhood

Images from the final planning event held on June 2nd

10 TOP

1

2

Community Priorities

WHAT SHOULD BE A PRIORITY FOR THE NEXT 3 YEARS?

RECOMMENDATIONS

3.1 Strengthen well established residential blocks

5.1 Leverage arts & culture as an engine for economic development

STRATEGIES

f. Redevelop the former Croft Mills site as an anchor mixeduse development

b. Identify and recruit new arts and culture partners to locate in the neighborhood

3 2.2 Repair streets in bad conditions Streets repaired and repaved

4 8.6 Plan for the longterm reclamation of the waterfront land

Long-term vision plan for the waterfront is completed

WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT?

TALLY RECOMMENDATIONS STRATEGIES

12 3.1 Strengthen well established residential blocks

12 8.2 Develop and communicate goals for a clean and green economic district

11 6.2 Support and celebrate neighborhood youth

8

5.2 Re-imagine Broadway as a thriving mixed-use corridor

f. Redevelop the former Croft Mills site as an anchor mixeduse development

Industrial businesses establish green operational goals for their facilities in WFS

c. Youth employment and job readiness

d. Identify partnerships for essential community services

5

3.1 Strengthen well established residential blocks

a. Create new homeownership opportunities through rehab and new construction

8 5.1 Leverage arts & culture as an engine for economic development

b. Identify and recruit new arts and culture partners to locate in the neighborhood

6

3.1 Strengthen well established residential blocks

7 5.2 Re-imagine Broadway as a thriving mixed-use corridor

b. Assist current homeowners with essential home repairs and upgrades

d. Identify partnerships for essential community services

8 6.4 Activate parks and open spaces

8 3.1 Strengthen well established residential blocks

b. Park Improvements

b. Assist current homeowners with essential home repairs and upgrades

8

2.4 Establish a safe bike route to the waterfront and downtown Camden Bike route implemented

7 6.2 Support and celebrate neighborhood youth

b. Expand youth programs at existing neighborhood facilities

9

5.3 Promote local jobs and small business opportunities

10

1.2 Monitor neighborhood air quality

b. Connect residents to entrepreneurship programs

b. Advocate for comprehensive air monitoring and data

7 6.5 Establish a Family Success Center

New center located in the WFS

6

9.1 Improve safety and connectivity between neighborhoods

b. Pavement and resurfacing

Implementation Matrix

Community Input

WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT?

WHAT SHOULD BE A PRIORITY FOR THE NEXT 3 YEARS?

ANTICIPATED FUNDING SOURCES

KEY PARTNERS

IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE

6 0

3 0

6 3

3 0

2 0

and Clean Environment

METRICS

Immediate

Quarterly communication with NJDEP and the WFS community is established

Immediate

Immediate

Air monitoring devices are installed. Data is collected and shared with the WFS community

STRATEGIES

Establish regular communication with NJ DEP and the Office of Environmental Justice

a. Leverage community-based air monitoring as tools for education and informed action

b. Advocate for, receive, and assess comprehensive air monitoring and data NJ DEP air monitor installed in the neighborhood; Data captured and shared with community

1.1

3 0

2 0

0 0

1.2

Brownfields Remediation Fund Campbells Foundation NRTC CCMUA City of Camden Dodge Foundation NJDCA NJDEP US EPA Other environmental funders to be determined Subaru Others to be determined

WFS Residents Heart of Camden Camden Collaborative CCMUA CFET City of Camden CRA NJ DEP NJ Tree Foundation Rutgers Cooperative Extension Water Resources Program

Short-term

Short-term

Educational campaign; funding opportunity under Home Repair program

c. Identify household level solutions to mitigate the impact of air pollution in indoor air quality

Monitor neighborhood air quality

Updated air quality report

Establish Environmental Justice Task Force Short-term 0 1

Short-term

Short-term

Short-term

Medium-Term 2 2

1 1

1 0

1 1

Immediate

Short-term

Medium-term

Immediate 2 1

P erform Phase I environmental assessment. Include property in priority list for site remediation

d. Advocate for and undergo an updated air quality report

1.3 Ensure community participation in landuse decisions that may increase environmental and health risks

a. Prioritize the Howland Croft mill property for site clean-up and redevelopment

b. Assess the conditions of other brownfield sites for future redevelopment P erform Phase I environmental assessment. Include property in priority list for site remediation

1.4 Target brownfield sites within the residential core for redevelopment

Plant 10 new trees annually; Maintain 50+ trees annually; Partner with the NJ Tree Foundation; Establish Waterfront South Tree Keepers Program

Install and maintain 10 new green infrastructure projects

Establish or Enhance Programs to increase resident employment in green infrastructure jobs

Install property-based green infrastructure such as rain barrels and downspout planter boxes

Establish environmental stewardship and education program

New development built according to green standards

Implementation timeline subject to change.

a . Expand tree coverage at parks and neighborhood streets

b. Parks and open spaces

c. Leverage maintenance of green infrastructure as an economic opportunity for residents

d. Adopt property-based solutions to mitigate stormwater

Green Infrastructure

1.5

Promote environmental awareness and stewardship

1.6

1.7 Adopt and Enforce Green Standards

Implementation Timeline : Immediate (Up to 1 Year) / Short-Term (13 Years) / Medium-Term (36 Years) / Long-Term (610 Years)

Some activities may be implemented throughout the entirety of the 10 year time frame.

Community Input

WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT?

WHAT SHOULD BE A PRIORITY FOR THE NEXT 3 YEARS?

ANTICIPATED FUNDING SOURCES

IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE KEY PARTNERS

Neighborhood Connections

METRICS

STRATEGIES

RECOMMENDATIONS

4 0

11 2

Short-Term

3 0 b. Long-term step: Eliminate truck traffic Truck traffic reduced and/or eliminated within the residential area. Medium-Term

3 3

7 3

3 3

4 3

CCIA CCMUA City of Camden NJ DCA NJ DEP NRTC US EPA William Penn Foundation Others to be determined

WFS residents Heart of Camden Camden Community Partnership Camden County Camden Greenways CCIA CCMUA Camden Fireworks Camden Sophisticated Sisters  CFET City of Camden DVRPC NJDOT The Nick Virgilo Writers House The Shipyard & Maritime Museum The South Camden Theatre Co.

3 1

Eliminate and reroute truck traffic away from the residential area a. Short-term steps: Regulate truck traffic hours, enhance signage, limit vehicle sizes Short-term steps implemented

2.1

Repair streets in bad conditions a. Conduct street repair projects Streets repaired and repaved Short-term

a. Perform study; Improve sidewalks and intersections with signage, beacons, crosswalks, or traffic calming measures Study performed. Improved sidewalks, improved intersections, Installed signage or safety devices Medium-Term

2.2

Pedestrian safety

2.3

2.4 Establish a safe bike route to the waterfront and downtown Camden a. Identify and implement bike route Bike route implemented Short-term

Long-Term

2.5 Implement green and complete streets along Broadway and Ferry Avenue a. Identify opportunities to add greenery and complete street features Green and complete streets implemented on Broadway and Ferry Avenue

Short-term

a. Perform traffic study to present community with alternatives. Implement preferred alternative. Traffic study performed. Alternative selected. One-way project implemented.

2.6 Reconfigure 4th Street as a one-way street

Short-term

2.7 Re-imagine existing underpasses as safe and attractive neighborhood gateways a. Utilize public art and lighting in the underpasses. Perform public art and lighting improvements.

Implementation Timeline : Immediate (Up to 1 Year) / Short-Term (13 Years) / Medium-Term (36 Years) / Long-Term (610 Years)

Implementation timeline subject to change. Some activities may be implemented throughout the entirety of the 10 year time frame.

Community Input

WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT?

WHAT SHOULD BE A PRIORITY FOR THE NEXT 3 YEARS?

ANTICIPATED FUNDING SOURCES

IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE KEY PARTNERS

8 1

Medium-Term

METRICS

STRATEGIES

a. Create new homeownership opportunities through rehab and new construction # of new housing units rehabilitated and/or new construction

Established home repair program. # of homeowners benefiting from the program. Short-Term 8 4

b. Assist current homeowners with essential home repairs and upgrades

4 1

RECOMMENDATIONS

0 0

4 2

12 7

City of Camden Home Program Federal Opportunity Zone NJ DCA Affordable Housing Trust Fund NJ DCA HOME Program NJ EDAAspire Program NJHMFA NJ Transit NRTC Others to be determined

WFS Residents Heart of Camden Camden Board of Education City of Camden Corporate businesses CRA Local developers Neighborhood housing services

Short-Term

# of residents participating in homeownership program and connected to homeownership opportunities

c. Support renter residents who wish to purchase a home in the neighborhood

d. Partner with corporate neighbors to establish a local homeownership assistance program Established homeownership assistance program Medium-Term

3.1 Strengthen well established residential blocks

e. Promote Adopt-a-lot program for non-developable vacant lots # of residents benefiting from program Short-Term

f. Redevelop the former Croft Mills site as an anchor mixed-use development Site redeveloped Medium-Term

0 0

Short-Term

Revitalization plan identifying redevelopment opportunities development partners Land acquisition plan Land acquired

a. Identify mechanisms for land assembly and potential partnerships for redevelopment

0 2 b. Prioritize mixed-use development along Broadway New development on Broadway Medium-Term

1 0

c. Redevelop the former Mickle School building for housing and mixed-use School building redeveloped Long-Term

3.2 Rebuild residential blocks with high vacancy

2 0

New housing opportunities north of Ferry and east of Broadway Long-Term

d. Leverage future transit investments for a transit-oriented development

Implementation Timeline : Immediate (Up to 1 Year) / Short-Term (13 Years) / Medium-Term (36 Years) / Long-Term (610 Years)

Implementation timeline subject to change. Some activities may be implemented throughout the entirety of the 10 year time frame.

Community Input

WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT?

WHAT SHOULD BE A PRIORITY FOR THE NEXT 3 YEARS?

ANTICIPATED FUNDING SOURCES

IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE KEY PARTNERS

2 0

1 0

0 0

Streets

METRICS

Short-Term

Short-Term

1 0

1 0

0 1

4 2

STRATEGIES

Repaired and Improved street lighting

# of homes participating in the program

RECOMMENDATIONS

a. Street lighting

b. Porch lighting program

Short-Term

4.1

Camden County Campbells Soup CCMUA City of Camden Industrial partners Local businesses NRTC Subaru NJ DOT PSE&G Others to be determined

WFS Residents Heart of Camden Camden Community Partnership Camden County Police Department City of Camden DCCB Industrial businesses Local businesses Power Corps PSE&G

Immediate

Improved lighting at public buildings and neighborhood landmark structures

Established communication program disseminated to WFS residents

Resident involvement in public safety efforts led by DCCB Immediate

CSSD services in the neighborhood Immediate

Short-Term

Ongoing effort 3 0

Resident led clean-up efforts are held regularly at the neighborhood and block levels

Regular maintenance of vacant lots

Immediate 3 3

Significant reduction in illegal dumping. Increased enforcement and resident reporting

1 0

Improve neighborhood lighting conditions

c. Exterior lighting at public buildings

2 0

Immediate

Industrial properties are wellkept and maintained

Immediate

Corporate businesses take measures to discourage irregular activities including communication with CCPD and residents

/ Long-Term (610 Years)

/ Medium-Term (36 Years)

/ Short-Term (13 Years)

Support DCCB’s efforts in the neighborhood

4.2

Enhance communication with Camden County Police Department (CCPD)

4.3

Expand Camden Special Services District’s presence in the neighborhood

4.4

Maintain and secure vacant lots

4.5

Establish a neighborhood cleanup program targeting residential blocks

4.6

4.7 Address illegal dumping

Enforce property maintenance by local businesses and industrial uses

Address irregular activity by truck drivers

4.8

4.9

Implementation Timeline : Immediate (Up to 1 Year)

Implementation timeline subject to change. Some activities may be implemented throughout the entirety of the 10 year time frame.

Community Input

WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT?

WHAT SHOULD BE A PRIORITY FOR THE NEXT 3 YEARS ?

ANTICIPATED FUNDING SOURCES

KEY PARTNERS

IMPLEMENTATION

TIMELINE

5 3

12 5

3 1

Short-term

METRICS

Economic Growth and Opportunity

3 3

STRATEGIES

Seek the City’s recognition and designation as an arts and culture district

a. Seek designation as an Arts and Culture District

1 0

4 0

Short-term

b. Host annual arts & cultural event WFS Arts and culture event held annually

Growing number of arts and culture organizations in the neighborhood Medium-term

c. Identify and recruit new arts and culture partners to locate in the neighborhood

Short-term

Expanded funding opportunities in support of A&C programs

d. Seek funding to expand capacity for the WFS arts and culture community

Leverage arts & culture as an engine for economic development

5.1

3 3

Bloomberg Philanthropies Dodge Foundation National Endowment for the Arts NJ Arts and Culture NJ Community Foundation NJ Council of Arts NJDCA NRTC Renewal Fund William Penn Foundation Others to be determined

Artist housing built. Makers space established in the neighborhood Medium-term

e. Promote the creative economy with spaces and infrastructure that support small-scale manufacturing and artistic endeavors

a. Promote mixed-use development through rehabilitation and new construction New mixed use development and new structures along Broadway Long-term

Medium-term

Historic structures receive funding for rehabilitation and adaptive reuse

b. Preserve and rehabilitate historic structures as neighborhood assets and anchors for the Broadway corridor.

Streetscape improvement plan completed and implemented; Placemaking and beautification projects planned and performed Short-term 3 1

c. Promote streetscape improvements, placemaking and beautification projects

5.2 Re-imagine Broadway as a thriving mixeduse corridor

7 0

5 3

WFS Residents Heart of Camden Camden Fireworks Camden Sophisticated Sisters  Camden Works CFET City institutions City of Camden City of Camden Historic Preservation Office Corporate businesses Neighborhood businesses NJ DCA NJ Tree Foundation NJ Historic Preservation Office LAEDA Local developers The Nick Virgilo Writers House The Shipyard & Maritime Museum The South Camden Theatre Co.

Incremental growth of essential services in the neighborhood Long-term 8 6

d. Identify partnerships for essential community services

Short-term

Increased number of local employment options in the neighborhood. Residents participate in local training and job placement programs

# of residents participating in entrepreneurship programs Short-term

a. Connect residents to local job opportunities

0 0

Medium-term

# of minority and women owned businesses in the neighborhood, # of mini grants provided to minority and women owned businesses, # of other investments made

b. Connect residents to entrepreneurship programs

c. Invest in minority and women owned businesses

Long-term

/ Long-Term (610 Years)

/ Medium-Term (36 Years)

/ Short-Term (13 Years)

: Immediate (Up to 1 Year)

Promote local jobs and small business opportunities

5.3

Seek partnerships with local institutions for nonindustrial uses New investments and new development by local institutions

5.4

mplementation Timeline

Implementation timeline subject to change. Some activities may be implemented throughout the entirety of the 10 year time frame.

Community Input

WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT?

WHAT SHOULD BE A PRIORITY FOR THE NEXT 3 YEARS?

ANTICIPATED FUNDING SOURCES

2 1

Amenities and Services

KEY PARTNERS

IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE

Long-term

METRICS

Placemaking projects funded and completed

STRATEGIES

RECOMMENDATIONS

Art and culture programs expanded to include local residents (families, children, senior residents) Medium-Term 5 2

3 3

3 4

a. Partnerships for placemaking projects

b. Partnerships for community arts and culture

Leverage local arts & cultural assets for community development

6.1

0 0

Catholic Charities City of Camden Corporate businesses Promise Neighborhoods Others to be determined

2 3

Short-term

Youth leadership group established with dedicated plan, structure and funding stream. At least 10 youth engaged, meeting 2x/year.

a. Establish a local youth leadership group to help inform and implement future community projects

New programs expanded in the neighborhood to reach 25% more youth Short-term

b. Expand youth programs at existing neighborhood facilities

Short-term 3 6

# of young residents participating in training programs, internship opportunities and job readiness programs increases by 25%

c . Youth employment and job readiness

Short-term

List of spaces available for rent is compiled and distributed widely to WFS residents. 10% or more of residents report utilizing community spaces for personal activities.

Short-term

# of new programs available in neighborhood parks increases by 25%

WFS Residents Heart of Camden Camden Community Partnership Camden FireWorks Camden Sophisticated Sisters CCMUA CFET City of Camden Corporate businesses CSSD Lucy Program Mighty Writers MJD Fieldhouse Power Corps Shipyard Maritime Museum Social Responsibility thru Me Supportive service providers located in the neighborhood Trust for Public Land Urban Promise / BoatWorks

Community driven plan for the plan completed and implemented Medium-term 1 2

New center located in the WFS, benefiting 200+ local families annually Short-term 2 4

0 0

New platform of coordination between providers is achieved. Quality of life issues are addressed. Immediate

6.2

Support and celebrate neighborhood youth

Maximize the use of existing community spaces

a. Programs and events

b. Park Improvements Improvements implemented at local parks Short-term 5 5

c. Memorial Park

6.3

Activate parks and open spaces

Establish a Family Success Center

6.4

6.5

Promote coordination between regional service providers

6.6

mplementation Timeline : Immediate (Up to 1 Year) / Short-Term (13 Years) / Medium-Term (36 Years) / Long-Term (610 Years)

Implementation timeline subject to change. Some activities may be implemented throughout the entirety of the 10 year time frame.

Community Input

WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT?

WHAT SHOULD BE A PRIORITY FOR THE NEXT 3 YEARS?

ANTICIPATED FUNDING SOURCES

IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE KEY PARTNERS

Enhanced Public Realm

METRICS

6 1

STRATEGIES

3 0

6 1

CCMUA City of Camden Environmental Infrastructure Trust Industrial property owners NJ DCA NJ DEP NJ DOT NRTC William Penn Foundation Others to be determined

3 1

WFS Residents Heart of Camden Camden Community Partnership Camden SMART CCIA CCMUA Center for Aquatic Sciences CFET City of Camden Conrail EMR Industrial Partners Mynt Properties NJ DEP NJ DOT NJ Tree Foundation SJPC

Medium-Term

Expanded waterfront access with safer and improved connections

Reclaim the waterfront as a public amenity

7.1

2 1

Medium-Term

Secure and beautify perimeter of industrial properties Safe and Improved public realm around industrial properties

Conrail right-of-way and private industrial properties are maintained and improved Medium-Term

Medium-Term

New and improved signage and wayfinding installed. Truck traffic impact on community is minimized.

Medium-Term

New green infrastructure projects installed within private industrial properties

7.2

Address eyesore industrial areas

7.3

Improve signage and wayfinding for industrial district

7.4

Identify opportunities for green infrastructure in industrial properties

7.5

Implementation Timeline : Immediate (Up to 1 Year) / Short-Term (13 Years) / Medium-Term (36 Years) / Long-Term (610 Years)

Implementation timeline subject to change. Some activities may be implemented throughout the entirety of the 10 year time frame

Community Input

WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT?

WHAT SHOULD BE A PRIORITY FOR THE NEXT 3 YEARS?

ANTICIPATED FUNDING SOURCES

I MPLEMENTATION TIMELINE KEY PARTNERS

4 2

Environmental Standards and Social Equity

METRICS

Short-term

Industrial business located in WFS make their environmental data available to the community

6 6

STRATEGIES

3 2

8.1 Report environmental impact

Short-term

Industrial businesses establish green operational goals for their facilities in WFS

Develop and communicate goals for a clean and green economic district

8.2

EPA NJ DCA NJ DEP NRTC Others to be determined

WFS Residents Heart of Camden Camden County Economic Development City of Camden Covanta EMR Holtec SJPC NJ DEP

Short-term

Industrial businesses establish and communicate to equitable business practices

Establish programs to hire locally, source locally, and support minority and women-owned businesses.

Short-term 5 1

Industrial businesses adopt high standards for sustainable practices in their projects

6 1

Medium-term

City and County include social and environmental impact in their process of recruiting new businesses to the City and to the WFS; New development meets NJEDA Aspire Program criteria

8 2

Long-term

8.3

Commit to socially equitable business practices

8.4 Commit to sustainable waterfront development practices

Prioritize socially and environmentally conscious businesses when attracting new companies to WFS

8.5 Prioritize socially and environmentally conscious businesses

Plan for the long-term reclamation of the waterfront land Long-term vision plan for the waterfront is completed

8.6

Implementation Timeline : Immediate (Up to 1 Year) / Short-Term (13 Years) / Medium-Term (36 Years) / Long-Term (610 Years)

Implementation timeline subject to change. Some activities may be implemented throughout the entirety of the 10 year time frame.

Community Input

WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT?

WHAT SHOULD BE A PRIORITY FOR THE NEXT 3 YEARS?

ANTICIPATED FUNDING SOURCES

IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE KEY PARTNERS

2 0

Avenue as a City Gateway

METRICS

Short-Term

Properties along Atlantic Avenue are maintained and cleared of abandoned trucks, shipping containers

4 4

STRATEGIES

a. Clear and secure vacant land along the corridor

b. Pavement and re-surfacing Streets are repaired and repaved Short-Term

c. Improved sidewalks, crosswalks, signage, lighting and ADA compliance in Atlantic Avenue area Safer and Improved pedestrian connections around Atlantic Avenue Medium-Term 2 1

3 1

0 1

x x

WFS Residents Heart of Camden Camden Community Partnership Camden County Central Waterfront Residents CGNA City of Camden LAEDA Private developers CCIA CCMUA City of Camden EPA NJ DCA NJ DEP NJ EDA NRTC Others to be determined

Long-Term

Vision plan is prepared and completed with resident and stakeholder input

Long-Term

Medical/healthcare facilities and/ or pharmacies established to serve neighborhoods to the north and south of Atlantic Avenue.

Long-Term

Food stores, restaurants, banks, garden centers, parking and/ or other commercial spaces established.

Long-Term x x

4 0

Long-Term

Strategic plan for Atlantic & Broadway is prepared and completed with resident and stakeholder input

a. Community-oriented services

b. Free standing commercial spaces

c. Light industrial uses Construction offices and/or carpentry shops established, benefiting from easy access to I-676 and the region.

Work with City, CRA, and other stakeholders to identify mixed use anchor development at intersection of Atlantic and Broadway

Improve safety and connectivity between neighborhoods

9.1

9.2

Create a long-term plan for the Atlantic Avenue gateway zone

Leverage access and economic activity to promote new services and amenities

9.3

9.4 Identify opportunity for anchor development on Atlantic & Broadway

Implementation Timeline : Immediate (Up to 1 Year) / Short-Term (13 Years) / Medium-Term (36 Years) / Long-Term (610 Years)

Implementation timeline subject to change. Some activities may be implemented throughout the entirety of the 10 year time frame

x: Option not provided at community event

Community Input

WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT?

WHAT SHOULD BE A PRIORITY FOR THE NEXT 3 YEARS?

ANTICIPATED FUNDING SOURCES

IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE KEY PARTNERS

2 3

2 2

4 2

1 1

METRICS

2

1 1

American Water Bank foundations Bread and Roses Foundation Camden County Campbell’s Soup Community Foundation of South Jersey Dodge Foundation Impact 100 NJ Community Foundation NJ DCA NRTC Subaru William Penn Foundation Others to be determined

3 1

5 0

WFS residents Heart of Camden Camden County  Camden Fireworks Camden Sophisticated Sisters  Camden waterfront neighborhood civic organizations  CCMUA  CFET City of Camden Housing and Community Development Network of NJ  Industrial businesses NJ DEP Nonprofit Center of LaSalle University Nonprofit Center of South Jersey Statewide Enviornmental Justice Task Force The Nick Virgilo Writers House The Shipyard & Maritime Museum The South Camden Theatre Co. Youth based organizations

Short-Term (with some immediate steps)

Increased number of residents participating at meetings and community events. Improved channels of communication between residents. Regular funding stream in support of community events. Civic participation in City dialogue.

a. Strengthen the local civic association

Short-Term

Program is established with resident representation, guidelines and support

b. Establish a block ambassador program

Short-Term

E J task force is established by WFS residents with support from local community organizations and environmental groups

c. Establish environmental justice task force

Civic group is established with leadership and opportunities for involvement Short-Term

Short-Term (with some immediate steps)

Short-Term (with some immediate steps)

Organizations have revisited their board structure, membership and include representation from WFS

d. Establish a youth civic group

a. Board capacity

Immediate

Organizations focus on the people, skills, and resources required to deliver services.

b. Administrative, staff and technical capacity

Collaborative is established with representation from residents and community partners

a. Establish Waterfront South Collaborative

Immediate

Coalition is established with representation from waterfront neighborhoods, regular schedule of meetings and action plan

b. Establish Camden Waterfront Coalition

Build Capacity for Civic Engagement

10.1

10.2

Build Organizational Capacity for Project Implementation

Establish Partnerships

10.3

Implementation Timeline : Immediate (Up to 1 Year) / Short-Term (13 Years) / Medium-Term (36 Years) / Long-Term (610 Years)

Implementation timeline subject to change. Some activities may be implemented throughout the entirety of the 10 year time frame

FORM NP-3: PROJECTED STRATEGIES, ACTIVITIES & OUTCOMES

PRIORITY 1 | A Healthy & Clean Environment

STRATEGIES ACTIVITIES

1.1 Establish regular communication with NJ DEP and the Office of Environmental Justice

1.2 Monitor neighborhood air quality

1.3 Ensure community participation in landuse decisions that may increase environmental risks

1.4 Target brownfield sites within the residential core for redevelopment

1.5 Green Infrastructure

1.6 Promote environmental awareness and stewardship

1.7 Adopt and Enforce Green Standards

METRICS / PROJECTED OUTCOMES

a. Establish regular communication between NJ DEP and Office of Env. Justice Quarterly communication with NJDEP and the WFS community is established

a. Leverage community-based air monitoring as tool for education and informed action

b. Advocate for, receive, and assess comprehensive air monitoring and data

c. Identify household level solutions to mitigate the impact of air pollution in indoor air quality

Air monitoring data is used to create public education campaign.

NJ DEP air monitor installed in the neighborhood; Data captured and shared with community

Campaign developed to improve 100 homes with air quality upgrades

d. Advocate for and undergo an updated air quality report with NJDEP Updated air quality report

Ensure community participation in landuse decisions that may increase environmental risks

a. Prioritize the Howland Croft mill property for site clean-up and redevelopment

Community education campaign re: land use and planning; Conduct community organizing; Provide transportation to planning board meetings

Perform Phase I environmental assessment. Include property in priority list for site remediation.

b. Assess the conditions of other brownfield sites for future redevelopment Perform Phase I environmental assessment. Include property in priority list for site remediation.

a. Expand tree coverage at parks and neighborhood streets; Increase stewardship of existing trees

b. Parks and open spaces

c. Leverage maintenance of green infrastructure as an economic opportunity for residents

d. Adopt property-based solutions to mitigate stormwater

Establish environmental stewardship and education program

Plant 10 new trees annually; Maintain 50+ trees annually; Partner with the NJ Tree Foundation; Establish Waterfront South Tree Keepers Program

Install and maintain 10 new green infrastructure projects

Establish or Enhance Programs to increase resident employment in green infrastructure jobs

Install property-based green infrastructure such as rain barrels and downspout planter boxes at 100 homes

Establishment of environmental strewardship and education program

New development built according to green standards at local, county, state level New development built according to green standards at local, state, federal level

EVALUATION DATA SOURCE

Documentation of increased communication between NJDEP and Waterfront South community

Documentation of community outreach efforts; Residents demonstrate increased awareness

Evidence of air monitor device installation; Documentation of data recorded and shared with community

Documentation of campaign, 100 households improved

Documentation of updated air quality report

Documentation of community educagtion campaign, community organizing, and residents benefiting from transportation assistance

Documentation of Environmental Assessment

Documentation of Environmental Assessment

Meeting minutes, records of correspondence via email and/or letter, handouts/information provided by NJDEP to the community or vice versa

HOC records. Resident surveys. Handouts/information provided to community.

Photos of device, raw data received from device, records of compiled data shared with community

Fliers/handouts, records of repairs done, list of homes improved from organization's records

The report and supporting documents/records

Sign in sheets, activity logs, meeting minutes, member list of WFS Environmental Justice Task Force from organization's records

Letter of No Further Action from NJDEP or development of Remedial Action Plan

Letter of No Further Action from NJDEP or development of Remedial Action Plan

Evidence of new trees planted in Waterfront South; Evidence of trees pruned, mulched, or maintained List of trees planted or maintained from organization's records

Evidence of new projects installed and maintained List of new projects from organization's records

Evidence of jobs created and/or job training provided to local residents

List of jobs created and trainings provided from organization's records

Evidence of installation of property-based solutions at 100 homes List of property-based solutions from organization's records

Evidence of environmental stewardship and education activities

Documentation of development built according to green standards

List of environmental stewardship and education activities kept by the organization

Data provided by government sources such as Planning Board etc.

FORM NP-3: PROJECTED STRATEGIES, ACTIVITIES & OUTCOMES

Neighborhood Connections

STRATEGIES ACTIVITIES

2.1 Eliminate and reroute truck traffic away from the residential area

2.2 Repair streets in bad conditions

2.3 Pedestrian safety

a. Short-term steps: Regulate truck traffic hours, enhance signage, limit vehicle sizes

METRICS / PROJECTED OUTCOMES

Short-term steps implemented

b. Long-term step: Eliminate truck traffic Truck traffic reduced and/or eliminated within the residential area.

Conduct street repair projects Streets repaired and repaved

Perform study; Improve sidewalks and intersections with signage, beacons, crosswalks, or traffic calming measures

Study performed. Improved sidewalks, improved intersections, Installed signage or safety devices

2.4 Establish a safe bike route to the waterfront and downtown Camden Identify and implement bike route Bike route identified and implemented

2.5 Implement green and complete streets along Broadway and Ferry Avenue

2.6 Reclassify 4th Street as oneway street

2.7 Re-imagine existing underpasses as safe and attractive neighborhood gateways

Identify opportunities to add greenery and complete street features

Green and complete streets implemented on Broadway and Ferry Avenue

Perform traffic study to present community with alternatives. Implement preferred alternative. Traffic study performed. Alternative selected. One-way project implemented.

Utilize public art and lighting in the underpasses.

Perform public art and lighting improvements.

EVALUATION DATA SOURCE

Evidence of added signage and increased regulation

Photographs, activity logs, Police Department records

Evidence of reduced and/or eliminated traffic Photographs, activity logs, Police Department records

Documentation of repairs

Study completed, if applicable. Documentation of improvements made.

Map of bike route; documentation of installation

Photographs and records from entity doing the repairs

Photographs and records from entity doing the repairs

Map and documentation from organization's internal records or government entity's internal records

Documentation of implemented green and complete street projects

Documentation of traffic study performed, alternative selected, one-way implemented, residents satisfied with upgrades

Documentation of improvements made.

List of completed green and complete streets projects from organization or government records; photos; municipal approvals

Resident survey. Internal records from organization and government.

Photos, designs, activity logs, internal records.

FORM NP-3:

PROJECTED STRATEGIES, ACTIVITIES & OUTCOMES

Choices

STRATEGIES ACTIVITIES

METRICS / PROJECTED OUTCOMES

a. Create new homeownership opportunities through rehab and new construction # of new housing units rehabilitated and/or new construction / 100+ units anticipated

b. Assist current homeowners with essential home repairs and upgrades

c. Support renter residents who wish to purchase a home in the neighborhood

d. Partner with corporate neighbors to establish a local homeownership assistance program

Established home repair program. # of homeowners benefiting from the program. 100+ homes anticipated.

# of residents participating in homeownership program and connected to homeownership opportunities

Corporate neighbors establish a workforce housing incentive program to assist employees with purchasing homes in Waterfront South

e. Promote Adopt-a-lot program for non-developable vacant lots # of residents benefiting from program

EVALUATION

Documentation in increase in new or rehab housing units produced with NRTC funds

Documentation of repairs done in owner-occupied units

Documentation of increase in organization's marketing efforts, number of residents who attend homeownership classes, and # of residents who apply to purchase homes

Establishment of workforce housing initiative

Documentation of increase in # of vacant lots maintained by residents through the Adopt a Lot program

DATA SOURCE

List of units sold from organization's records

Applications, list of properties that benefitted, photos, etc. from organization's records

List of marketing efforts, class sign in sheets, applications from organization's records

List of incentives provided by employer, List of employees who apply to HOC for a home

List of Adopt a Lots from City records

3.1 Strengthen well established residential blocks

f. Redevelop the former Croft Mills site as an anchor mixed-use development Site redeveloped into 70+ housing units and ground floor retail

Development partner identified. Documentation of redevelopment, proof of increase in new housing and retail

Revitalization plan identifying redevelopment opportunities development partners Adoption of project-specific redevelopment plans

a. Assemble land and identify potential partnerships for redevelopment

Land Acquisition Plan, Land Acquisition Fund

Land acquired for redevelopment

b. Prioritize mixed-use development along Broadway Avenue At least 5 new mixed-use development projects on Broadway Corridor

c. Redevelop the former Mickle School building for housing use School building redeveloped

3.2 Rebuild residential blocks with high vacancy

d. Leverage future transit investments for a transit-oriented development

Identify development partner. Establish 100 new housing opportunities north of Ferry and east of Broadway

Establishment of land acquisition/blight reduction strategy and Land Acquisition Fund

Documentation of increase in land acquired for redevelopment

Documentation of increase in mixed-use development along Broadway corridor

Documentation of school building redeveloped

Documentation of redevelopment partner. Increase in housing opportunities north of Ferry and east of Broadway

Activity logs of redevelopment performed. List of units from organization's records. List of businesses.

Planning Board adoption of redevelopment plans, CRA stewardship of plan

City of Camden and HOC records

List of land acquired from organization's records

List of projects from organization's records

Development approvals, construction records, internal documentation from organization

List of newly constructed or rehabbed housing units from organization's records

FORM NP-3: PROJECTED STRATEGIES, ACTIVITIES & OUTCOMES

PRIORITY

Safe & Clean Streets

STRATEGIES ACTIVITIES

a. Street lighting

b. Porch lighting program

METRICS / PROJECTED OUTCOMES

Repaired and Improved street lighting

Approx. 100 homes participating in the program, leaving porch light on overnight

4.1 Improve neighborhood lighting conditions

4.2 Enhance communication with Camden County Police Department (CCPD)

4.3 Support DCCB’s efforts in the neighborhood

4.4 Expand Camden Special Services District’s presence in the neighborhood

c. Exterior lighting at public buildings

Establish communication program that invites WFS residents to use Stop It App and attend public safety meetings.

Partner with DCCB to engage residents in various public safety efforts

Improved lighting at public buildings and neighborhood landmark structures

At least 3 public safety meetings held annually with CCPD and WFS residents. Additionally communication outlets created.

100+ residents involved annually in public safety efforts led by DCCB

Partner with Camden Special Services District to bring more cleaning and greening to Waterfront South CSSD services increase in the neighborhood

4.5 Establish a neighborhood cleanup program targeting residential blocks Establish a neighborhood cleanup program targeting residential blocks

4.6 Maintain and secure vacant lots Maintain and secure vacant lots

4.7 Address illegal dumping Address illegal dumping

4.8 Enforce property maintenance by local businesses and industrial uses

4.9 Address irregular activity by truck drivers

Resident led clean-up efforts are held regularly at the neighborhood and block levels

Increase in the # of lots regularly maintained and well kept

Significant reduction in illegal dumping. Increased enforcement and resident reporting

Enforce property maintenance by local businesses and industrial uses Industrial properties are well-kept and maintained

Address irregular activity by truck drivers

Corporate businesses take measures to discourage irregular activities including communication with CCPD and residents

EVALUATION DATA SOURCE

Documentation of repaired or improved light fixtures

Increase in residents participating in the program; Increase in porch lights left on overnight

Increase in lighting provided by public buuldings and landmarks

Documentation of outreach, engagement, and communication between CCPD and WFS residents.

Documentation of # of public safety meetings held and # of residents participating

Documentation of increase in # of residents involved in public safety activities

Documentation of CSSD increase in services within neighborhood footprint

Increase in # of clean ups held and # of residents involved in clean-up activities

Increase in # of vacant lots maintained by HOC, the City of Camden, or another partner

Documentation of decrease of illegal dumping. Documentation of increase in enforcement and residential reporting.

Documentation of well kept industrial properties.

Documentation of maintenance plan.

Documentation of increased measures taken by corporate businesses to discourage irregular activity by truck drivers including solicitation and/or drug use.

List of street light locations and identification numbers repaired or improved from organization's records

Resident pledges; comparative sidewalk surveys of lighting conditions

Public building/landmark pledges; comparative sidewalk surveys of lighting conditions

List of public safety meetings and sign-in sheets from organization's records; meeting minutes and agendas from organization's records

List of residents involved and list of projects performed from DCCB's records

Contracts with CSSD from organizatino's records, List of sites/spaces maintained by CSSD, before/after photos

List of clean ups, list of residents involved/leading, list of blocks benefiting from program

List of vacant lots maintained, before/after photos

Illegal dumping, enforcement, and residential reporting data from CCPD's records

Before/after photos. Walking survey of industrial area. Maintenance activity logs from industrial companies' records.

Corporate business records, CCPD police records

FORM NP-3:

PROJECTED STRATEGIES, ACTIVITIES & OUTCOMES

PRIORITY 5 | Economic Growth and Opportunity

STRATEGIES ACTIVITIES

METRICS / PROJECTED OUTCOMES

a. Host annual arts & cultural event WFS Arts and culture event held annually

b. Identify and recruit new arts and culture partners to locate in the neighborhood Growing number of arts and culture organizations in the neighborhood

c. Seek funding to expand capacity for the WFS arts and culture community

5.1 Leverage arts & culture as an engine for economic development

5.2 Re-imagine Broadway as a thriving mixed-use corridor

Expanded funding opportunities in support of arts and culture programs

d. Promote the creative economy with artist housing and/or spaces and infrastructure that support smallscale manufacturing and artistic endeavors Artist housing built. At least one Makerspace established in the neighborhood

a. Promote mixed-use development through rehabilitation and new construction At least five new mixed-use developments or structures along Broadway

b. Preserve and rehabilitate historic structures as neighborhood assets and anchors for the Broadway corridor.

c. Promote streetscape improvements, placemaking and beautification projects

d. Identify partnerships for essential community services

a. Connect residents to local job opportunities

b. Connect residents to entrepreneurship programs

5.3 Promote local jobs and small business opportunities

5.4 Seek partnerships with local institutions for nonindustrial uses

c. Invest in minority and women owned businesses

Seek partnerships with local institutions for non-industrial uses

Historic structures receive funding for rehabilitation and adaptive reuse. Special attention will be given to the redevelopment of Bank building at Broadway and Ferry intersection.

Streetscape improvement plan completed and implemented; At least 10 placemaking and beautification projects planned and performed

Incremental growth of essential services in the neighborhood such as laundromat, grocery, and clothing stores.

Increased number of local employment options in the neighborhood. Residents participate in local training, job fairs, and job placement programs

# of residents participating in entrepreneurship programs

# of minority and women owned businesses in the neighborhood, # of mini grants provided to minority and women owned businesses, # of other investments made

New investments and new development by local institutions

EVALUATION

DATA SOURCE

Documentation that annual event held Flier of event

Documentation of increased # of arts and culture organizations in the neighborhood List of arts and culture organizations

Documentation of increased capacity of arts and culture efforts in the WFS community

Documentation of increase in housing for artists. Documentation of development of a makers space in the neighborhood.

Documentation of increase in mixed-use development and new structures along Broadway

Documentation of funding received and rehab/adaptive reuse implemented on historic sites including but not limited to Bank building

Increase in beautification projects, placemaking projects, and streetscape improvement projects

Documentation of increased community services and increased partnerships

Documentation of increased jobs in neighborhood. Increase in WFS residents trained and/or locally employed.

List of arts and culture programs/efforts

List of homes, Address of makerspace, List of artists impacted by activity

List of mixed-use properties established on Broadway from organization's records

Before/after photos, Historical Society records, HOC records, list of sites improved

List of projects from organization's records

List of essential community services, List of partnerships in support of activity

List of jobs in neighborhood. List of trained residents. List of residents employed through local job initiatives

Increase in WFS residents participating in entrepreneurship programs List of entrepreneurship programs. List of residents participating.

Increase in investments made in minority and women owned businesses

Increase in new investments and developments by local institutions

List of investments made. List of minority and women owned businesses in neighborhood.

List of investments and developments from local institutions' records

NP-3: PROJECTED STRATEGIES, ACTIVITIES & OUTCOMES

PRIORITY 6 | Community Amenities and Services

STRATEGIES

6.1 Leverage local arts & cultural assets for community development

ACTIVITIES

a. Partnerships for placemaking projects

b. Partnerships for community arts and culture

a. Establish a local youth leadership group to help inform and implement future community projects

b. Expand youth programs at existing neighborhood facilities

METRICS / PROJECTED OUTCOMES

Partnerships developed. At least 2 placemaking projects funded and completed annually.

Art and culture programs expanded to include local residents (families, children, senior residents)

Youth leadership group established with dedicated plan, structure and funding stream. At least 10 youth engaged, meeting 2x/year.

New programs expanded in the neighborhood to reach 25% more youth

EVALUATION DATA SOURCE

Increase in placemaking projects in WFS; Increase in partnerships that support placemaking

Documentation of increase in arts and culture programming; increase in residents engaged through programs

Documentation of established youth leadership group. List of members and meetings. Documentation of increased efforts to inform and implement development projects.

List of partners and placemaking projects from organization's records

List of arts and culture programs from organization's records. Sign in sheets from arts and culture events.

List of members, meetings, and activities from organization's records

Demonstrated 25% increase in youth reached through existing facilities Attendance logs, facilities' records

6.2 Support and celebrate neighborhood youth

6.3 Maximize the use of existing community spaces

c. Youth employment and job readiness

Increase resident access to existing community spaces for personal use such as celebrations

a. Programs and events

b. Park Improvements

# of young residents participating in training programs, internship opportunities and job readiness programs increases by 25%

List of spaces available for rent is compiled and distributed widely to WFS residents. 10% of residents report utilizing community spaces for personal activities.

# of new programs available in neighborhood parks increases by 25%

Improvements implemented at local parks

Demonstrated 25% increase in # of young residents participating in training programs, internship opportunities, and job readiness programs Attendance logs from employers and/or providers

Documentation of content development and community outreach. Resident participation achieved.

Demonstrated 25% increase in # of new programs availabe in neighborhood parks

List of spaces available for rent from organization's records. Handout/flier from organization's records. Community outreach activity log. Resident surveys.

List of new park programs, Signin sheets and attendance logs

Documented increase in improvements implemented at local parks List of improvements from organization's records

6.4 Activate parks and open spaces

c. Memorial Park

Redevelopment of park. Improved maintenance of the park is achieved. Community driven plan is created to activate the park with programming.

6.5 Establish a Family Success Center Establish a Family Success Center Center established in WFS, benefiting 200+ local families annually

6.6 Promote coordination between regional service providers

Promote coordination between regional service providers to address quality of life issues in WFS

New platform of coordination between providers is achieved. Quality of life issues are addressed. Residents report satisfaction with improved quality of life conditions.

Documentation of redevelopment, increased maintenance, and improved conditions. Documentation of space activated.

Establishment of Family Success Center. 200+ local families benefit annually

Demonstrated increase in coordination between providers. Documentation of reduced quality of life issues.

Redevelopment plans/designs. Maintenance records. Planning materials. List of maintenance and planning activities from organization's records.

List of services offered and individuals/families benefiting from organization's records

Agendas and meeting minutes from organizatino's records. List of coordinated efforts achieved with regional service providers. Before and after photos of WFS. Resident surveys.

FORM NP-3: PROJECTED STRATEGIES, ACTIVITIES & OUTCOMES

PRIORITY 7 | Waterfront Access and Enhance Public Realm

STRATEGIES ACTIVITIES METRICS / PROJECTED OUTCOMES

7.1 Reclaim the waterfront as a public amenity

Reclaim the waterfront as a public amenity

Expanded waterfront access such as pier extension and boardwalk/greenway development, with safer and improved connections

7.2 Secure and beautify perimeter of industrial properties Secure and beautify perimeter of industrial properties Safe and Improved public realm around industrial properties

7.3 Address eyesore industrial areas Address eyesore industrial areas

7.4 Improve signage and wayfinding for industrial district

7.5 Identify opportunities for green infrastructure in industrial properties

Improve signage and wayfinding for industrial district

Identify opportunities for green infrastructure in industrial properties

Conrail right-of-way and private industrial properties are maintained and improved

Establish "No Trucks" campaign. New and improved signage and wayfinding installed. Truck traffic impact on community is minimized.

New green infrastructure projects installed within private industrial properties

EVALUATION

Documentation of increase in waterfront access. Documentation of new access points. Resident satisfaction with waterfront safety and connections.

Documentation of actions taken to secure and beautify the perimeter of industrial properties. Resident satisfaction with improvements made.

Documentation of maintenance and improvements of Conrail ROW and private industrial properties

Documentation of increased and improved signage and wayfinding. Reduction in truck traffic in core neighborhood

Documentation of increase in green infrastructure projects installed within private industrial properties

DATA SOURCE

Map of waterfront access areas. List of safety/connector improvements. Resident surveys.

List of improvements made by industrial properties from organization's records. Resident survey.

List of improvements made by Conrail and private industry. Maintenance schedule from Conrail and private industry. Before and after photos of sites.

List of signs installed. List of improvements to existing signage. Traffic counts in core neighborhood. Provided by Gov partners such as City, County, NJDOT

List of green infrastructure projects installed from organization's records

FORM NP-3: PROJECTED STRATEGIES, ACTIVITIES & OUTCOMES

PRIORITY 8 |

Environmental Standards and Social Equity

STRATEGIES ACTIVITIES METRICS / PROJECTED OUTCOMES

8.1 Report environmental impact Report environmental impact

8.2 Develop and communicate goals for a clean and green economic district

Develop and communicate goals for a clean and green economic district

Industrial business located in WFS make their environmental data available to the community

Industrial businesses establish green operational goals for their facilities in WFS

EVALUATION DATA SOURCE

Documentation that industrial businesses make their environmental data available to the community

Documentation that industrial businesses establish green operational goals for the facilities in WFS

List of environmental data from industrial businesses. Fliers/handouts from industrial businesses' records. Meeting agendas/minutes.

List of green operational goals from industrial businesses' records

8.3 Commit to socially equitable business practices

8.4 Commit to sustainable waterfront development practices

Establish programs to hire locally, source locally, and support minority and womenowned businesses.

Businesses looking to upgrade and expand their facilities should strive to incorporate City of Camden sustainability standards and WEDG Waterfront Alliance guidelines in their projects.

Industrial businesses establish and communicate to equitable business practices. Programs are established that hire/source locally.

Industrial businesses adopt high standards for sustainable practices in their projects, such as those established by the City and the Waterfront Alliance

Documentation that industrial businesses establish and communicate to equitable business practices. Documentation that programs are established to hire and source locally.

Documentation that industrial businesses adopt high standards for sustainable practices into their projects. Documentation that City of Camden sustainability standards or WEDG Waterfront Alliance standards were used.

List of socially equitable business practices from industrial businesses. List of programs created to hire/source locally from industrial businesses' records.

8.5 Prioritize socially and environmentally conscious businesses

8.6 Plan for the long-term reclamation of the waterfront land

Prioritize socially and environmentally conscious businesses when attracting new companies to WFS

Plan for the long-term reclamation of the waterfront land

City and County include social and environmental impact in their process of recruiting new businesses to the City and to the WFS; New development meets NJEDA Aspire Program criteria

Long-term vision plan for the waterfront is completed; Significant community involvement is demonstrated.

Documentation that City and County assessed social and environmental impact of new business and recruited them based on results of assessment; Documentation that new development meets NJEDA Aspire Program criteria

Long-term vision plan completed, adopted, and distributed. Significant community involvement occurs throughout planning process.

List of sustainability standards and practices from industrial businesses' records

Assessment from City and County records. List of social and environmental impact of new business. NJEDA Aspire Program criteria checklist.

Agendas, meeting minutes, sign-in sheets, surveys, planning materials, etc. from organization's records. Long-term vision document from organization's records.

8.7 Address Resident Concerns about Trash Incinerator

Coordinate with residents, government, and Covanta to create action plan and long-term vision to address resident concerns with air quality and health

Action plan developed. Long-term vision created. Resident satisfaction with action plan and long-term vision demonstrated.

Documentation of action plan and long-term vision developed with community involvement. Resident satisfaction with action plan and long-term vision demonstrated.

Agendas, meeting minutes, planning materials, action plan, long-term vision document, etc. from Covanta and HOC's records. Resident surveys.

FORM NP-3:

PROJECTED STRATEGIES, ACTIVITIES & OUTCOMES

STRATEGIES ACTIVITIES METRICS / PROJECTED OUTCOMES

a. Clear and secure vacant land along the corridor

Properties along Atlantic Avenue are maintained and cleared of abandoned trucks, shipping containers

b. Pavement and re-surfacing Streets are repaired and repaved

EVALUATION

Documentation that properties along Atlantic Ave are cleared of abandoned vehicles and debris and then maintained well

Documentation that streets are repaired and repaved

9.1 Improve safety and connectivity between neighborhoods

9.2 Create a long-term plan for the Atlantic Avenue gateway zone

c. Improved sidewalks, crosswalks, signage, lighting and ADA compliance in Atlantic Avenue area

Create a long-term plan for the Atlantic Avenue gateway zone

Safer and Improved pedestrian connections around Atlantic Avenue

Vision plan is prepared and completed with resident and stakeholder input. Plan includes potential market opportunities and redevelopment priorities.

Documentation that pedestrian connections are improved.

DATA SOURCE

List of properties cleaned up and maintained from City, County, or organization's records

List of streets repaired and repaved from City and County records

Pedestrian safety data from County. List of pedestrian connection improvements made from City, County, or organization's records.

a. Community-oriented services

b. Free standing commercial spaces

Medical/healthcare facilities and/or pharmacies established to serve neighborhoods to the north and south of Atlantic Avenue.

Documentation that vision plan is prepared and completed with resident and stakeholder input.

Documentation of medical/healthcare facilities and/or pharmacies established. Resident satisfaction with communityoriented services.

Vision plan document. Agendas, meeting minutes, sign in sheets, and planning materials from organization's records. List of market opportunities and redevelopment priorities from plan.

List of services established from organization's records. Resident survey.

Food stores, restaurants, banks, garden centers, parking lots and/or other commercial spaces established.

Documentation of food stores, restaurants, banks, garden centers, parking areas, or other commercial spaces established. Resident satisfaction with commercial spaces.

9.3 Leverage access and economic activity to promote new services and amenities

9.4 Identify opportunity for anchor development on Atlantic & Broadway

c. Light industrial uses

Work with City, CRA, and other stakeholders to identify mixed use anchor development at intersection of Atlantic and Broadway

Construction offices and/or carpentry shops established, benefiting from easy access to I-676 and the region.

Strategic plan and redevelopment plan for Atlantic & Broadway is prepared and completed with resident and stakeholder input

Documentation of light industrial uses established. Resident satisfaction with newly established light industrial uses.

List of services commercial spaces established from organization's records. Resident survey.

List of uses established from organization's records. Resident survey.

Documentation of strategic planning and redevelop plan completed for mixed-use anchor development at Atlantic and Broadway Planning materials from organization's records

PRIORITY 9 | Atlantic Avenue as a City Gateway

PROJECTED STRATEGIES, ACTIVITIES & OUTCOMES

PRIORITY 10 | Build Capacity

STRATEGIES

ACTIVITIES

METRICS / PROJECTED OUTCOMES

EVALUATION DATA SOURCE

a. Strengthen the local civic association

b. Establish a block ambassador program

Minimum of 25 residents hold 6 meetings annually. Increased number of residents participating at meetings and community events. Improved channels of communication between residents. Regular funding stream in support of community events. Civic participation in City dialogue.

Program is established with resident representation, guidelines and support. At least 50% of WFS blocks participating.

Increase in residents participating in meetings and community events. Documentation of improved communication between residents and community organizations. Documentation of regular funding stream in support of community events. Documentation of resident participation in City meetings.

Documentation that program is established. Documentation of resident and block participation in program.

Activity logs, sign in sheets, meeting agendas/minutes, list of community events, list of funding sources, list of city meetings attended, fliers and marketing materials from local civic organization and/or HOC's records

List of residents and blocks involved with program. List of program guidelines and marketing from organization's records.

c. Establish environmental justice task force

EJ task force is established by WFS residents with support from local community organizations and environmental groups . At least 10 participants meeting 4 times annually.

Documentation of EJ task force established and increase in residents and organizations meeting to discuss environmental justice issues/projects

List of EJ task force members. Meeting agendas and minutes from EJ task force meetings. List of environmental justice priorities group is addressing. Docs to be provided by EJ task force.

10.1 Build Capacity for Civic Engagement

d. Establish a youth civic group

a. Board capacity

Civic group is established with opportunities for leadership and community involvement. At least 10 youth engaged, meeting 2x annually

Organizations have revisited their board structure, membership and include representation from WFS

Documentation of civic group established and increase in youth participation in meetings, events, and leadership opportunities

Increase in local organizations who have integrated WFS residents into their boards

Organizational

for Project Implementation

b. Administrative, staff and technical capacity

a. Establish Waterfront South Collaborative

Organizations focus on the people, skills, and resources required to deliver services.

Collaborative is established with representation from residents and community partners. At least 25 participants meet 4x annually

Organizations hire, train, and support staffing in efficient ways that maximize service delivery.

Documentation that collaborative is established and community residents/stakeholders are represented

List of youth civic group members. Meeting agendas and minutes from youth civic group meetings. List of youth civic group projects and priorities. Docs to be provided by civic group.

List of organizations with WFS residents on their boards

List of new staff hired and job descriptions. List of trainings offered to organizational staff. List of collaborations.

List of members. List of meeting dates. Meeting agendas and meeting minutes from organization's records.

Partnerships

b. Establish Camden Waterfront Coalition

Coalition is established with representation from waterfront neighborhoods, regular schedule of meetings and action plan

Documentation that coalition is established with representation from city-wide waterfront neighborhoods. Documentation that regular meetings occur. Documentation of action plan.

List of members, meeting dates, meeting agendas/minutes, and action plan items from organization's records

Appendix

Recommendations

1.1 Advocate for regular communication with NJ DEP and the Office of Environmental Justice

Proposed Activities Estimated Cost Sources of Funding

Advocate for regular communication and updates with NJ DEP $500,000.00

Leverage communtybased air monitoring as tools for education $500,000.00

Brownfields Remediation Fund, Campbells Foundation, NRTC, CCMUA, City of Camden, Dodge Foundation, NJDCA, NJDEP, US EPA and others TBD

Brownfields Remediation Fund, Campbells Foundation, NRTC, CCMUA, City of Camden, Dodge Foundation, NJDCA, NJDEP, US EPA and others TBD

Uses of Funding Role of Lead Org and Partners

Community Meetings with NJDEP, Establish transparent reporting and communication systems, community organizing/advocacy

Air Monitors, Community Reporting Systems and ongoing meetings with NJDEP, Training Classes and Materials

Advocate for comprehensive air monitoring and data $500,000.00

Identify household level solutions to mitigate the impact of air pollution in indoor air quality

$1,000,000.00

Brownfields Remediation Fund, Campbells Foundation, NRTC, CCMUA, City of Camden, Dodge Foundation, NJDCA, NJDEP, US EPA and others TBD

Brownfields Remediation Fund, Campbells Foundation, NRTC, CCMUA, City of Camden, Dodge Foundation, NJDCA, NJDEP, US EPA and others TBD

NJ DEP air monitors installed throughout the neighborhood, Reporting system established and community organizing

Air monitors installed in households, Marketing and Management of Home Improvement Program

1.3 Ensure community participation in landuse decisions that may increase environmental risks

Advocate for an updated air quality report $250,000.00

Ensure community participation in landuse decisions that may increase environmental risks $100,000.00

Prioritize the Howland Croft mill property for site clean-up and redevelopment $1,000,000.00

Assess the conditions of other brownfield sites for future redevelopment $2,500,000.00

Expand tree coverage at parks and neighborhood streets

Parks and open spaces

Leverage maintenance of green infrastructure as an economic opportunity for young residents

$200,000.00

Brownfields Remediation Fund, Campbells Foundation, NRTC, CCMUA, City of Camden, Dodge Foundation, NJDCA, NJDEP, US EPA and others TBD

Brownfields Remediation Fund, Campbells Foundation, NRTC, CCMUA, City of Camden, Dodge Foundation, NJDCA, NJDEP, US EPA and others TBD

Brownfields Remediation Fund, Campbells Foundation, NRTC, CCMUA, City of Camden, Dodge Foundation, NJDCA, NJDEP, US EPA and others TBD

Brownfields Remediation Fund, Campbells Foundation, NRTC, CCMUA, City of Camden, Dodge Foundation, NJDCA, NJDEP, US EPA and others TBD

Brownfields Remediation Fund, Campbells Foundation, NRTC, CCMUA, City of Camden, Dodge Foundation, NJDCA, NJDEP, US EPA and others TBD

Environmental Community Organizer

Community Education on Land Use and Planning, Community Organizing, Transportation to Planning Board Meetings, Meetings with City of Camden

Site Identification, Site Investigation, Site Remediation and NJDEP No Further Action

Site Identification, Site Investigation, Site Remediation and NJDEP No Further Action

Site Identification, Tree Installations, Community Education Classes/Meetings

$5,000,000.00

$1,500,000.00

Brownfields Remediation Fund, Campbells Foundation, NRTC, CCMUA, City of Camden, Dodge Foundation, NJDCA, NJDEP, US EPA and others TBD

Brownfields Remediation Fund, Campbells Foundation, NRTC, CCMUA, City of Camden, Dodge Foundation, NJDCA, NJDEP, US EPA and others TBD

Community participation, Project Design, Construction Documents and Park and Open Space Construction

Green Jobs training program, Marketing, Outreach, Operations, Equipment, Staffing

Adopt property-based solutions to mitigate stormwater $1,000,000.00

Brownfields Remediation Fund, Campbells Foundation, NRTC, CCMUA, City of Camden, Dodge Foundation, NJDCA, NJDEP, US EPA and others TBD

1.6 Promote environmental awareness and

Timetable (Short 1-2, Medium 3-5, Long 5+)

Lead: Identify Sites for Redevelopment Partners: Outreach to NJDEP and commitment to regular updates, Coordinate meetings with community Short

Lead: Establish Environmental Justice Task Force in order to provide updates about air quality at meetings; Partners: Establish educational sessions; awareness about local air monitor; ongoing outreach and advocacy Short

Lead: Establish Environmental Justice Task Force in order to provide updates about air quality at meetings; Partners: educational sessions; awareness about local air monitor; ongoing outreach and advocacy Short

Establish Educational campaign; Conduct Home Improvements to HVAC and Air Quality Systems under Home Repair program short

Establish the Environmental Task Force for ongoing and updated air quality reporting, communications and meetings short

Lead: Establish Environmental Justice Task Force in order to provide updates about air quality at meetings; Partners: educational sessions; awareness of projects and land use meetings; transportation to public meetings, ongoing outreach and advocacy short

Lead: Sites Identification and Prioritization Partner: CRA to Perform Phase I environmental assessment and remediation. Include property in priority list for site remediation short

Lead: Sites Identification and Prioritization Partner: CRA to Perform Phase I environmental assessment and remediation. Include properties in priority list for site remediation short

Lead: Marketing Program and Outreach, Host Community Meetings Partners:Established Neighborhood tree planting program short

Lead: Site identification, provide space for community meetings, participate in design process Partners: The development of New green infrastructure projects medium

Lead: Provide space for training residents, market job training program, identify sites for ongoing maintenance/clean up Partners: train residents, # of WFS residents employed by Power Corps, CCSD and a local Block Intitiative Program short

Storm Water Barrels, Greening Projects, Education and Storm Water Home Improvements (gutters and drains)

Promote environmental awareness and

$100,000.00

$100,000.00

Brownfields Remediation Fund, Campbells Foundation, NRTC, CCMUA, City of Camden, Dodge Foundation, NJDCA, NJDEP, US EPA and others TBD

Brownfields Remediation Fund, Campbells Foundation, NRTC, CCMUA, City of Camden, Dodge Foundation, NJDCA, NJDEP, US EPA and others TBD

Community Education on Environmental Justice, Land Use and Planning, Community Organizing

Enforce City, County, and State Green Standards; Raise awareness of standards at city planning level; New Developments/Projects using standards

Lead: Marketing Program and Outreach, Host Community Meetings, Manage Home Repair Program

Partners: Community Outreach, Education, Program Marketing short

Lead: Establish Environmental Task Force Partners: Established Neighborhood training program medium

Lead: Raise awareness of city, county, and state green standards. Educate community and city government.

Partners: Community Organizing/Meetings,Outreach short

Use

and outcomes of the Neighborhood Plan and describe how they will be measured and evaluated. Please copy and attach

Recommendations

2.1 Eliminate and reroute truck traffic away from the residential area

Proposed Activities

Short-term steps: Regulate truck traffic hours, enhance signage, limit vehicle sizes

Estimated Cost Sources of Funding

$500,000.00 NJDOT, CCIA

Uses of Funding Role of Lead Org and Partners

Truck rerouting, new route established, traffic study, new signage, police enforcement

Long-term step: Eliminate truck traffic $1,500,000.00 NJDOT, CCIA, City of Camden

2.2 Repair Streets in bad conditions Identify and Prioritize Street Repairs $10,000,000.00

2.3 Pedestrian Safety Improved Pedestrian safety $5,000,000.00

2.4 Establish a safe bike route to the waterfront and downtown Camden

2.5 Implement green and complete streets along Broadway and Ferry Avenue

Establish a safe bike route to the waterfront and downtown Camden $2,000,000.00

Green and complete streets implemented on Broadway and Ferry Avenue $2,000,000.00

2.6 Reclassify 4th Street as one-way street Reclassify 4th Street as one-way street $250,000.00

2.7 Re-imagine existing underpasses as safe and attractive neighborhood gateways

Re-imagine existing underpasses as safe and attractive neighborhood gateways $2,000,000.00

Truck rerouting, new route established, traffic study, new signage, police enforcement and new roads amd off ramps

City of Camden, Camden County, NJDOT Street Repair and Curbs

Lead: Meeting with local employers at the SJ Port, EMR, CCMUA, Convanta and Holtech. Establish New Truck Routes. Meet with NJDOT to discuss signage from 676.

Timetable (Short 1-2, Medium 3-5, Long 5+)

Partners: Community Organizing/Outreach, Host Community Meetings with Local Industry short

Lead: Meeting with local employers at the SJ Port, EMR, CCMUA, Convanta and Holtech. Establish New Truck Routes

Partners: Community Organizing/Outreach, Host Community Meetings with Local Industry medium

Lead: Meet with public officials to establish priorities and timelines for street repairs

Partners: Community Outreach/Advocacy and Management/Implementation short

City of Camden, Camden County, NJDCA, NJDOT

City of Camden, Camden County, NJDCA, NJDOT

City of Camden, Camden County, NJDCA, NJDEP, CCMUA, NJDOT

Improved Sidewalks, Walkways, Traffic Calming Measures

Bike Route Established and Constructed

Lead: Meet with public officials to establish priorities and timelines for improvements

Partners: Community Outreach/Advocacy, Project Design, Management/Implementation medium

Lead: Meet with public officials to establish priorities and timelines for improvements Partners: Community Outreach/Advocacy, Project Design, Management/Implementation short

Community Engagement, Design Development, Project Management and Construction

City of Camden, Camden County, NJDCA, NJDEP, CCMUA Traffic Study, and One Way Project established

NJDOT, CCIA, City of Camden, William Penn Foundation

Lead: Meet with public officials to establish priorities and timelines for improvements Partners: Community Outreach/Advocacy, Project Design, Management/Implementation long

Lead: Meet with public officials to establish priorities and timelines for improvements Partners: Community Outreach/Advocacy, Project Design, Management/Implementation long

Public Murals Installed, Improved lighting, and repairs at all underpasses

Lead: Meet with public officials to establish priorities and timelines for improvements Partners: Community Outreach/Advocacy, Project Design, Management/Implementation short

Use the following format to outline the strategies, activities and outcomes of the Neighborhood Plan and describe how they will be measured and evaluated. Please copy and attach

Recommendations Proposed Activities Estimated Cost Sources of Funding

Create new homeownership opportunities through rehab and new construction $20,000,000.00

Assist current homeowners with essential home repairs and upgrades $2,500,000.00

Support renter residents who wish to purchase a home in the neighborhood $100,000.00

City of Camden, NJDCA, FHLB NY, Foundations and Lenders

City of Camden, NRTC, Wells Fargo and others TBD

City of Camden, NRTC and NJ AHTF and others TBD

Uses of Funding Role of Lead Org and Partners

The rehabiliation and new construction of 100 + units by the Heart of Camden

100 + owner occupied homes critical repairs of systems through an established home repair program

Rental to Ownership Program established, Homeownership Training Program, Outreach/Marketing

3.1

Partner with corporate neighbors to establish a local homeownership assistance program $1,000,000.00

Promote Adopt-a-lot program for nondevelopable vacant lots $1,000,000.00

Redevelop the former Croft Mills site as an anchor mixeduse development $20,000,000.00

EMR, Convanta, Holtech, SJ Port, City of Camden and NJHMFA

EMR, Convanta, Holtech, SJ Port, City of Camden, Tree Foundation

LIHTC, NJHMFA, NRTC, City of Camden, FHLB-NY, NJDCA, NJEDA, Lenders and Foundations

Workforce Housing Homebuyer Down payment and closing cost program

Purchase and Development of vacant lots for open/green spaces

The development/construction of a 75 + units mixed use development at the Croft Mill Site. Residential and ground floor retail

Assemble land and identify potential partnerships for redevelopment $2,000,000.00

Prioritize mixed-use development along Broadway Avenue $2,000,000.00

Private Foundations, Lending Institutions, EMR, Covanta, Holtech, SJ Port, City of Camden and NRTC

Private Foundations, Lending Institutions, EMR, Covanta, Holtech, SJ Port, City of Camden and NRTC

Legal, Appraisals, Site Acqusition, Holding Costs and Closing Costs

Site Assembly, Concept Development, Design, Legal, Construction, Marketing and Lease Up

Redevelop the former Mickle School building for housing use $10,000,000.00

Leverage future transit investments for a transit-oriented development $75,000,000.00

LIHTC, NJHMFA, NRTC, City of Camden, FHLB-NY, NJDCA, NJEDA, Lenders and Foundations

LIHTC, NJHMFA, NRTC, City of Camden, FHLB-NY, NJDCA, NJEDA, NJDOT, Federal Opporunity Zone, Lenders and Foundations

The redevelopment/construction of a mixed use development at the former Mickle School .

Large Scale - Site Assembly, Concept Development, Design, Legal, Construction, Marketing, Sales and Lease Up

Timetable (Short 1-2, Medium 3-5, Long 5+)

Lead: Real Estate Developer, Housing Counselor, and Sales Partners: Public Support, Marketing, Outreach medium

Lead: Outreach, Marketing of Program, Intake and Management of Home Repairs Partners: Outreach and Marketing short

Lead: Outreach, Marketing of Program, Intake and Housing Counseling. Increase # of residents participating in homeownership program and connected to homeownership opportunities Partners: Outreach and Marketing short

Lead: Provide Homeownership Counseling and Identify Employees for Workforce homeownership assistance program. Sale homes and provide homeownership counseling to employee prospective buyers Partners: Employers provide homebuyers assistance funding, marketing and outreach to employees medium

Lead: Promote Program and Outreach to community Partners: Establish Program, Outreach and program intake. Increase # of residents benefiting from program short

Lead: Seek and identify redevelopment partner to design, finance and construct the Croft Mill project Partners: Joint Venture Large Scale Developer will be responsible for Project Concept, Design, Construction and Operations medium

Lead: Establish a Land/Blight Acquisition Strategy, Establish an Acquisition Fund and a Land/Building Holding Strategy. Identify mid level developers for joint venture partnerships Partners: Establish and Adopt Municipal Redevelopment Project Areas and City of Camden implement the adandoned properties act, tax foreclosures and or emininent domain short

Lead: New development/rehabilitation of 10+ small/mid sized buildings on Broadway to mixed use with ground floor retail Partners: Marketing, Tenant Identification, Small Business Training, Corridor Maintenance (clean team) medium

Lead: Seek and identify redevelopment partner to design, finance and construct the Mickle School project Partners: Joint Venture Large Scale Developer will be responsible for Project Concept, Design, Construction and Operations long

Lead: Seek and identify redevelopment partner to design, finance and construct The Ferry Village Project is has a development potential of 200-300 new housing units for sale and rental north of Ferry and east of Broadway Partners: Joint Ventures with Large and MId size developers who will be responsible for a phasing approach to Project Concept, Design, Construction and Operations long

outcomes of the Neighborhood Plan and describe how they will be measured and evaluated. Please copy and attach

Recommendations Proposed Activities Estimated Cost Sources of Funding

Street lighting $1,000,000.00

Porch lighting program $100,000.00

Camden County, Campbells Soup, City of Camden, NRTC, CCMUA, EMR, Convanta, Holtech, SJ Port and NJDCA others TBD

Camden County, Campbells Soup, City of Camden, NRTC, CCMUA, EMR, Convanta, Holtech, SJ Port and NJDCA others TBD

Exterior lighting at public buildings $100,000.00

4.2 Enhance communication with Camden County Police Department (CCPD)

4.3

Enhance communication with Camden County Police Department (CCPD) $150,000.00

Camden County, Campbells Soup, City of Camden, NRTC, CCMUA, EMR, Convanta, Holtech, SJ Port and NJDCA others TBD

Camden County, Campbells Soup, City of Camden, NRTC, CCMUA, EMR, Convanta, Holtech, SJ Port and NJDCA others TBD

Camden County, Campbells Soup, City of Camden, NRTC, CCMUA, EMR, Convanta, Holtech, SJ Port and NJDCA others TBD

4.4 Expand Camden Special Services District’s presence in the neighborhood

4.5 Establish a neighborhood cleanup program targeting residential blocks

Expand Camden Special Services District’s presence in the neighborhood $500,000.00

Establish a neighborhood cleanup program targeting residential blocks $1,000,000.00

4.6 Maintain and secure vacant lots Maintain and secure vacant lots $500,000.00

4.7 Address illegal dumping Address Ilegal Dumping in Waterfront South $500,000.00

4.8 Enforce property maintenance by local businesses and industrial uses

4.9 Address irregular activity by

Enforce property maintenance by local businesses and industrial uses $200,000.00

drivers Address irregular activity by truck drivers $50,000.00

Camden County, Campbells Soup, City of Camden, NRTC, CCMUA, EMR, Convanta, Holtech, SJ Port and NJDCA others TBD

Camden County, Campbells Soup, City of Camden, NRTC, CCMUA, EMR, Convanta, Holtech, SJ Port and NJDCA others TBD

Camden County, Campbells Soup, City of Camden, NRTC, CCMUA, EMR, Convanta, Holtech, SJ Port and NJDCA others TBD

Camden County, Campbells Soup, City of Camden, NRTC, CCMUA, EMR, Convanta, Holtech, SJ Port and NJDCA others TBD

Camden County, Campbells Soup, City of Camden, NRTC, CCMUA, EMR, Convanta, Holtech, SJ Port and NJDCA others TBD

Camden County, Campbells Soup, City of Camden, NRTC, CCMUA, EMR, Convanta, Holtech, SJ Port and NJDCA others TBD

Uses of Funding Role of Lead Org and Partners

Community Outreach, GIS Mapping, Pole Identification and Lighting Repair

Outreach, Education and Light Installation

Site Identification and Installation

Outreach, Meetings, Education and Community Organizing

Establish a Public Safety Strategy Outreach, Meetings, Education and Community Organizing

Clean Team Program for the maintenance of the Commercial and Arts Corridors in WFS

Block Initiative Staffing, Equipment, Community Events, Outreach and Marketing

Vacant Lot Management and Cleanups

Clean ups, Cameras, No Dumping signage, lighting, education and enforcement. Beautification of dumping sites (greening and public art)

Clean Team Program for the maintenance of the Commercial and Arts Corridors in WFS

Block Initiative Staffing, Equipment, Community Events, Outreach and Marketing

Establish a Public Safety Strategy Outreach, Meetings, Education and Community Organizing

Timetable (Short 1-2, Medium 3-5, Long 5+)

Lead: Provide Meeting Space and Advocacy Partners: Community Outreach, Identifty and Repair and Improved street lighting short

Lead: Provide Meeting Space and Advocacy Partners: Outreach, Educate and Increase the # of homes participating in the program short

Lead: Provide Meeting Space and Advocacy Partners: Improved lighting at public buildings and neighborhood landmark structures short

Lead: Provide Meeting Space and Advocacy Partners: Outreach, Block Captain Program, Public Safety Meeting and establish communication program disseminated to WFS residents short

Lead: Provide Meeting Space and Advocacy Partners: Increase resident involvement in public safety efforts led by DCCB short

Lead: Establish a Clean Team Program for Broadway and Ferry Ave. Enter into agreement with CCSD Partners: Program Implementation for ongoing Business and Arts District Maintnenance and Mgmt short

Lead: Establish a Block Initiative for community block cleanups and beautification. Oversee and implement the program Partners: Community Outreach/Organizing, Resident Engagement and Coordination of cleanups and volunteers short

Lead: Site Identification and Meeting with DPW on regular basis Partners: City maintains vacant lots on a regular schedule medium

Lead: Site Identification, Meetings with DPW and CCPD and ongoing advocacy Partner: Responsible for Clean ups. Cameras, Enforcement and significant reduction in illegal dumping. Increased enforcement and resident reporting short

Lead: Establish open lines of communication with industrial partners, work with surrounding industry to establish buffer zones and capital improvement projects to their facilities

Partners: Code Enforcement ensures Industrial properties are well-kept and maintained. Business owners maintain their sites short

Lead: Ongoing Public Safety Meetings with CCPD and DCCB

Partners: CCPD enforcement and Industrial Partners enforcement short

DCCB’s efforts in the neighborhood Support and Expand DCCB’s efforts in the neighborhood $100,000.00

4.1 Improve neighborhood lighting conditions

Use the following format to outline

strategies, activities and outcomes of the Neighborhood Plan and describe how they will be measured and evaluated. Please copy and attach

6.3

Recommendations

Proposed Activities Estimated Cost Sources of Funding

Partnerships for placemaking projects $2,000,000 (20 projects x $100K)

Partnerships for community arts and culture $500,000 ($50k/year)

Catholic Charities, City of Camden, Corporate Businesses, Promise Neighborhoods, NRTC and others TBD

Catholic Charities, City of Camden, Corporate Businesses, Promise Neighborhoods, NRTC and others TBD

Uses of Funding

Public Art Installations, Greening, Beautification Projects, Board Up Campaigns and Waterfront Connection Projects

Role of Lead Org and Partners

Timetable (Short 1-2, Medium 3-5, Long 5+)

Lead: Identify placemaking projects: Gateway, Greening, Beautification, Public Art and Board Up Campaigns. Connections to Waterfront. Secure Placemaking projects funded and completed long

Youth and Family/Inclusive based programming

Establish a local youth leadership group to help inform and implement future community projects $500,000 ($50k/year)

Expand youth programs at existing neighborhood facilities $500,000 ($50k/year)

Catholic Charities, City of Camden, Corporate Businesses, Promise Neighborhoods, NRTC and others TBD

Catholic Charities, City of Camden, Corporate Businesses, Promise Neighborhoods, NRTC and others TBD

Establish and Ongoing Support of Youth Leadership Group. Outreach and leadership training

New programs expanded in the neighborhood. Youth programming, youth job training and apprenticeship

Lead: Provide spaces for training, workshops and programming Partners: Establish Programming for youth focused programming, workshops and summer programming. Identify partnerships to identify inclusive programming. Art and culture programs expanded to include local residents (families, children, senior residents) medium

Lead: Provide access to the MJD Fieldhouse

Partners: Youth leadership group established with dedicated plan, structure and funding stream short

Lead: Provide access to the MJD Fieldhouse for expanded programming.

Partners: New programs expanded in the neighborhood. Youth programming, youth job training and apprenticeship. Provide access to Fireworks, Camden Maritime Musuem, South Camden Theatre and Writers House short

Youth employment and job readiness $500,000 ($50k/year)

Catholic Charities, City of Camden, Corporate Businesses, Promise Neighborhoods, NRTC and others TBD

Transportation, Clothes/Uniform Allowance, Leadership Training, Computer equipment

community spaces

Maximize the use of existing community spaces $25,000.00

Programs and events in parks and open spaces $500,000.00

Park Improvements $5,000,000.00

Catholic Charities, City of Camden, Corporate Businesses, Promise Neighborhoods, NRTC and others TBD

Catholic Charities, City of Camden, Corporate Businesses, Promise Neighborhoods, NRTC and others TBD

CCIA, Catholic Charities, City of Camden, Corporate Businesses, Promise Neighborhoods, NRTC and others TBD

Website, Marketing, Software and technical/computer equipment

Lead: Provide access to the MJD Fieldhouse for expanded programming. Partners: Increase # of young residents participating in training programs, internship opportunities and job readiness programs. Provide access to Fireworks, Camden Maritime Musuem, South Camden Theatre and Writers House short

Lead: Central point of information and calendar of spaces available for community use / rental. Establish a central calendar, website and marketing campaign for shared community spaces and their availability

Partners: Community Outreach, Marketing and Provide access to Fireworks, Camden Maritime Musuem, South Camden Theatre and Writers House short

Lead: Advocate, Organize partners and assist seeking funding Partners: Increase # of new programs available in neighborhood parks short

Community Engagement, Design/Engineering and Park Improvements

Redevelopment of Memorial Park $2,000,000.00

$300,000.00

CCIA, Catholic Charities, City of Camden, Corporate Businesses, Promise Neighborhoods, NRTC and others TBD

CCIA, Catholic Charities, City of Camden, Corporate Businesses, Promise Neighborhoods, NRTC and others TBD

CCIA, Catholic Charities, City of Camden, Corporate Businesses, Promise Neighborhoods, NRTC and others TBD

Community Engagement, Design/Engineering and Park Improvements

Site Identification, Concept Design, Construction

Referral Services, Transportation to regional service providers, clothing, Social Worker, food and vouchers

Lead: Organize, Engage and develop a Community driven plan for the plan completed and implemented

Partners: Improvements implemented at local parks short

Lead: Organize, Engage and develop a Community driven plan for the plan completed and implemented Partners: Outreach and Community Engagement medium

Lead: Identify and develop a new center located in the WFS Partners: Provide supportive services, life skills training, parent education and parent child activities medium

Lead: Advocacy and Coordination Partners: Establish new platform of coordination between providers local and regional service provides to eliminate the concentrating of services in Waterfront South short

Recommendations

7.1 Reclaim the waterfront as a public amenity

Proposed Activities Estimated Cost Sources of Funding Uses of Funding Role of Lead Org and Partners

Expanded waterfront access projects with safer and improved connections. Pier Expansion, Boardwalk and greenways $5,000,000.00

7.2 Secure and beautify perimeter of industrial properties

7.3 Address eyesore industrial areas

Improved Buffer Zones between Industrial Properties and Neighborhood $2,000,000.00

CCMUA, City of Camden, Environmental Infrastructure Trust, NJDCA, NJDEP, NJ DOT, NRTC, Industrial property owners, William Penn Foundation and others TBD

CCMUA, City of Camden, Environmental Infrastructure Trust, NJDCA, NJDEP, NJ DOT, NRTC, Industrial property owners, William Penn Foundation and others TBD

Community Engagement, Site Identification, Site Acquisition, Concept Development/ Design, Construction

Community Engagement, Site Identification, Concept Design, Construction of buffer zones

Address eyesore industrial areas $1,000,000.00

CCMUA, City of Camden, Environmental Infrastructure Trust, NJDCA, NJDEP, NJ DOT, NRTC, Industrial property owners, William Penn Foundation and others TBD

7.4 Improve signage and wayfinding for industrial district

7.5 Identify opportunities for green infrastructure in industrial properties

New and improved signage and wayfinding $250,000.00

New green infrastructure projects installed within private industrial properties $2,000,000.00

CCMUA, City of Camden, Environmental Infrastructure Trust, NJDCA, NJDEP, NJ DOT, NRTC, Industrial property owners, William Penn Foundation and others TBD

CCMUA, City of Camden, Environmental Infrastructure Trust, NJDCA, NJDEP, NJ DOT, NRTC, Industrial property owners, William Penn Foundation and others TBD

Community Engagement, Site Identification, Site Acquisition, Concept Development/ Design, Construction

Community Engagement, Site Identification, Approvals and Sign Installation

Community Engagement, Site Identification, Approvals and Green Project Construction

Timetable (Short 1-2, Medium 3-5, Long 5+)

Lead: Organize, Engage and develop a Community driven plan for the plan completed and implemented Partners: Expanded waterfront access projects with safer and improved connections. Pier Expansion, Boardwalk and greenways medium

Lead: Organize, Engage and develop a Community driven plan for the plan completed and implemented Partners: Installation of greenning/landscaping, fencing, sidewalks, signage and improved lighting. Establish Safe and Improved public realm around industrial properties

medium

Lead: Advocacy, Meeting with public officials and community engagement Partners: Conrail Improve and maintain right-of-way and private industrial properties are maintained and improved medium

Lead: Establish NO TRUCKS in WFS route, Advocacy, Meeting with industrial partners, public officials and community engagement

Partners: Industrial partners improve signange and truck circulation. Work with community on new truck route. Site Installation and truck driver new traffic route maps

Lead: Organize, Engage and develop a Community driven plan for the plan completed and implemented Partners: Installation of greenning/landscaping, fencing, sidewalks, signage and improved lighting.

medium

Establish Safe and Improved public realm around industrial properties medium

Use the following format to outline the strategies, activities and outcomes of the Neighborhood Plan and describe how they will be measured and evaluated. Please copy and attach

Recommendations Proposed Activities Estimated Cost Sources of Funding

8.1 Report environmental impact

8.2 Develop and communicate goals for a clean and green economic district

Establish comprehensive Environmental Impact Reporting to community

Industrial Partners Establish Clean Energy Standards and Operational Goals to lower/eliminate environmental impacts in WFS

$500,000 ($50k/year) EPA, NJDCA, NJDEP, NRTC and others TBD

$100,000.00

8.3 Commit to socially equitable business practices

8.4 Commit to sustainable waterfront development practices

Industrial businesses establish and communicate to equitable business practices

Industrial businesses adopt high standards for sustainable practices in their projects

$100,000.00

EPA, NJDCA, NJDEP, NRTC and others TBD

Uses of Funding Role of Lead Org and Partners

Community Organizing, Meetings, Establish physical and digital means of community communication of data

Community Organizing, Community Engagement/Meetings and Establish Green/Clean Plans for facilities

EPA, NJDCA, NJDEP, NRTC and others TBD

$150,000.00 EPA, NJDCA, NJDEP, NRTC and others TBD

Community Organizing, Community Engagement/Meetings and Establishment of MBE/WBE and local hiring plan for industrial facilities

Community Organizing, Community Engagement/Meetings and Establishment/Adoption of Waterfront Development Standards for future Delaware River Waterfront Development Projects

8.5 Prioritize socially and environmentally conscious businesses

8.6 Plan for the long-term reclamation of the waterfront land

Establish Environmental and Social performance standards for the evaluation of new businesses moving into the Economic Zone

Establish Long-term vision plan for the waterfront reclamation plan

$100,000.00 EPA, NJDCA, NJDEP, NRTC and others TBD

Community Organizing, Community Engagement/Meetings and Establishment/Adoption of Environmental and Social performance standards document

$200,000.00 EPA, NJDCA, NJDEP, NRTC and others TBD

Community Organizing, Community Engagement/Meetings and Establishment/Adoption of Waterfront South- Waterfront Reclamation Plan

Timetable (Short 1-2, Medium 3-5, Long 5+)

Lead: Establish Environmental Justice Task force, provide meeting space Partners: NJDEP and Industrial business located in WFS make their environmental data available to the community short

Lead: Establish Environmental Justice Task force, provide meeting space Partners: Industrial businesses establish green operational goals, reduce environmental impact, and adopt clean energy goals for their facilities in WFS short

Lead: Establish Environmental Justice Task force, provide meeting space Partners: Industrial businesses establish and communicate to equitable business practices, hire and source locally, support minority and women business businesses short

Lead: Establish Environmental Justice Task force, provide meeting space Partners: Establishment and Adoption of Waterfront Development Standards for future Delaware River Waterfront Development Projects short

Lead: Establish Environmental Justice Task force, provide meeting space Partners: City and County include social and environmental impact in their process of recruiting new businesses to the City and to the WFS medium

Lead: Community Engagement, Establish Environmental Justice Task force, establish Long-term vision plan for the waterfront reclamation plan is completed Partners: Industrial Partners, municipal and county leadership participate in process long

Use

following format to outline the strategies, activities and outcomes of the Neighborhood Plan and describe how they will be measured and evaluated. Please copy and attach

Recommendations

Proposed Activities Estimated Cost Sources of Funding Uses of Funding Role of Lead Org and Partners

Clear and secure vacant land along the corridor $500,000.00

Pavement and resurfacing $5,000,000.00

Improved sidewalks, crosswalks, signage, lighting and ADA compliance in Atlantic Avenue area $2,000,000.00

CCIA, CCMUA, City of Camden, EPA, NJDCA, NJDEP, NJEDA, NRTC and others TBD

CCIA, CCMUA, City of Camden, EPA, NJDCA, NJDEP, NJEDA, NRTC and others TBD

CCIA, CCMUA, City of Camden, EPA, NJDCA, NJDEP, NJEDA, NRTC and others TBD

Cleanups, Beautfication, Public Art, Gateway Signage

Atlantic Ave Infrastructure Project: Community Engagement, Design, Approvals and Construction

Atlantic Ave Infrastructure Project II: Community Engagement, Design, Approvals and Construction

9.2 Create a long-term plan for the Atlantic Avenue gateway zone

Atlantic Ave Gateway Zone Plan: Long Term Strategic and Redevelopment Project Plan

$200,000.00

Community-oriented services $100,000.00

Free standing commercial spaces $100,000.00

CCIA, CCMUA, City of Camden, EPA, NJDCA, NJDEP, NJEDA, NRTC and others TBD

CCIA, CCMUA, City of Camden, EPA, NJDCA, NJDEP, NJEDA, NRTC and others TBD

CCIA, CCMUA, City of Camden, EPA, NJDCA, NJDEP, NJEDA, NRTC and others TBD

Atlantic Ave Gateway Zone Plan: Long Term Strategic and Redevelopment Project Plan

Community Engagement, Marketing, Business Recruitment

Community Engagement, Marketing, Business Recruitment

Light industrial uses $100,000.00

9.4 Identify opportunity for anchor development on Atlantic & Broadway

Strategic plan for Atlantic & Broadway anchor development is prepared and completed with resident and stakeholder input $150,000.00

CCIA, CCMUA, City of Camden, EPA, NJDCA, NJDEP, NJEDA, NRTC and others TBD

CCIA, CCMUA, City of Camden, EPA, NJDCA, NJDEP, NJEDA, NRTC and others TBD

Community Engagement, Marketing, Business Recruitment

Community Engagement, Strategic/Redevelopment Plan for Anchor Development on Atlantic and Broadway

Timetable (Short 1-2, Medium 3-5, Long 5+)

Lead: Coordinate Meetings, Advocacy and Coordination Partners: Industrial and Public partners clear and secure vacant land along the corridor. Properties along Atlantic Avenue are maintained and cleared of abandoned trucks, shipping containers short

Lead: Coordinate Meetings, Advocacy and Coordination Partners: Implementation of Atlantic Ave Infrastructure Project short

Lead: Coordinate Meetings, Advocacy and Coordination Partners: Implementation of Improved sidewalks, crosswalks, signage, lighting and ADA compliance in Atlantic Avenue area medium

Establish a Atlantic Ave Gateway Zone Plan: Long Term Strategic and Redevelopment Project Plan for Atlantic Ave long

Lead: Coordinate Meetings, Advocacy and Coordination Partners: Develop/Recruit facilities that can serve neighborhoods to the north and south of Atlantic Avenue. long

Lead: Coordinate Meetings, Advocacy and Coordination Partners: Develop/Recruit Facilities that can be accommodated with space for parking and service areas. long

Lead: Coordinate Meetings, Advocacy and Community Engagement Partner: Develop/Recruit Facilities that can benefit from easy access to I-676 and the region. long

Lead: Coordinate Meetings, Advocacy and Coordination Partners: Strategic plan for Atlantic & Broadway is prepared and completed with resident and stakeholder input long

Improve safety and connectivity between neighborhoods

Leverage access and economic activity to promote new services and amenities

strategies,

Plan

describe how they will be measured and evaluated.

Recommendations Proposed Activities Estimated Cost Sources of Funding Uses of Funding Role of Lead Org and Partners

Strengthen the local civic association $200,000.00

American Water, Bank Foundations, Bread and Roses, Camden County, Campbell's Soup, Community Foundation of SJ, Dodge Foundation, Impact 100, NJ Community Foundation, NJDCA, NRTC, Subaru, William Penn Foundation and others TBD

Lead: Provide Meeting spaces, advocacy and attend meetings

Strategic/Business Plan, Community Organizer, Staffing, Training Community Meetings and equipment

Partners: Host Community Meetings, Annual Community events, , clean ups. Training of residents around land use and environmental issues. Increased number of residents participating at meetings and community events. Improved channels of communication between residents.

Timetable (Short 1-2, Medium 3-5, Long 5+)

Regular funding stream in support of community events. Civic participation in City dialogue. short

Establish a block ambassador program $200,000.00

American Water, Bank Foundations, Bread and Roses, Camden County, Campbell's Soup, Community Foundation of SJ, Dodge Foundation, Impact 100, NJ Community Foundation, NJDCA, NRTC, Subaru, William Penn Foundation and others TBD

Establish environmental justice task force $200,000.00

Strategic/Business Plan, Community Organizer, Staffing, Training Community Meetings and equipment

American Water, Bank Foundations, Bread and Roses, Camden County, Campbell's Soup, Community Foundation of SJ, Dodge Foundation, Impact 100, NJ Community Foundation, NJDCA, NRTC, Subaru, William Penn Foundation and others TBD

Establish a youth civic group $200,000.00

Strategic/Business Plan, Staffing, Training Community Meetings and equipment

Lead: Provide Meeting spaces, advocacy and attend meetings

Partners: establish a block captain program, host community meetings, host public safety meetings- Block by Block Campaign short

Lead: Environmental Task Force task force is established, provide meeting space

Partner: Membership comprised of WFS residents, local community organizations and environmental groups short

American Water, Bank Foundations, Bread and Roses, Camden County, Campbell's Soup, Community Foundation of SJ, Dodge Foundation, Impact 100, NJ Community Foundation, NJDCA, NRTC, Subaru, William Penn Foundation and others TBD

WFS Partners Build Board capacity $300,000.00

Strategic/Business Plan, Staffing, Stipends, Training Community Meetings and equipment

Lead: Provide Meeting spaces, advocacy and attend meetings

Partner: Youth Civic group is established with leadership and opportunities for involvement short

American Water, Bank Foundations, Bread and Roses, Camden County, Campbell's Soup, Community Foundation of SJ, Dodge Foundation, Impact 100, NJ Community Foundation, NJDCA, NRTC, Subaru, William Penn Foundation and others TBD

Build capacity in administrative, technical and project implementation $1,000,000.00

Strategic/Business Plan, Staffing, Training Community Meetings and equipment

American Water, Bank Foundations, Bread and Roses, Camden County, Campbell's Soup, Community Foundation of SJ, Dodge Foundation, Impact 100, NJ Community Foundation, NJDCA, NRTC, Subaru, William Penn Foundation and others TBD

Establish Waterfront South Collaborative $200,000.00

Operating Support for staffing related to neighborhood plan

Lead: Update Strategic Plan, Train Board Members and recruit new board members

Partners: Update Strategic Plan, Train Board Members and recruit new board members short

Establish Camden Waterfront Coalition $200,000.00

American Water, Bank Foundations, Bread and Roses, Camden County, Campbell's Soup, Community Foundation of SJ, Dodge Foundation, Impact 100, NJ Community Foundation, NJDCA, NRTC, Subaru, William Penn Foundation and others TBD

American Water, Bank Foundations, Bread and Roses, Camden County, Campbell's Soup, Community Foundation of SJ, Dodge Foundation, Impact 100, NJ Community Foundation, NJDCA, NRTC, Subaru, William Penn Foundation and others TBD

Strategic/Business Plan, Staffing, Training Community Meetings and equipment

Lead: Hire Project Development Staff Partners: Hire critical staffing positions related to Neighborhood Plan short

Strategic/Business Plan, Staffing, Training Community Meetings and equipment

Lead: Provide Meeting spaces, advocacy and attend meetings

Partners: WFS Collaborative is established with representation from community partners short

Lead: Provide Meeting spaces, advocacy and attend meetings

Partners: Coalition is established with representation from waterfront neighborhoods, regular schedule of meetings and action plan short

Establish Partnerships

Build Capacity for Civic Engagement

Build Organizational Capacity for Project Implementation

Use the following format to outline the strategies, activities and outcomes of the Neighborhood Plan and describe how they will be measured and evaluated. Please copy and attach

0.265 7,185 330,508 431,098

4760 0.109 2,960 136,150 177,587

3960 0.109 2,967 136,493 178,034

0.636 17,274 794,585 1,036,415

0.84 22,741 1,046,065 1,364,432