Annual Meeting 2024

Old City District Community Report

April 10, 2024

Agenda

What is "Old City District"?

How is OCD funded?

Recent Challenges

Focus Areas

Clean & Safe

Marketing

Economic Development

Continued Recovery

What's Next

Questions

About Old City District

Mission

To improve Philadelphia's historic district as a place for people to meet, work, shop and live by supplementing municipal services with maintenance, public safety, economic development and promotional programs.

About Old City District

Established by Philadelphia City Council in 1998

Service area bounded by Florist Street to the north, Walnut/Dock Streets to the south, Front Street to the east and 6th Street to the west

About Old City District

OCD is a Business Improvement District (BID) in which commercial property owners pay an assessment to fund supplemental services and improvements within the district’s boundaries

 Owner-occupied residential property owners do not pay an assessment

About Old City District

OCD serves to supplement, but not replace, both the services provided by the City of Philadelphia and the responsibilities of property owners

Old City District Board of Directors

 Patrick Shillenn, FKB Studio-Board Chair

 Donn Clendenon, Clendenon Properties LLC –Vice Chair

 Kathryn Bittner, WSFS Bank - Treasurer

 Valerie Lyons, Weber Gallagher – Secretary

 Miquon Brinkley, Thinker Makers Society

 Jeffrey Brown, Jeffrey M. Brown Associates

 Erik Derr, Becker LLC

 Jonathan Dubrow, Coldwell Banker Commercial

Vince Lattuca, Christ Church Preservation Trust

Donal McCoy, Sassafras Bar

Jennifer Nagle, Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau

Ashley Peel, Philadelphia Independents

Betsy Oliphant Ross, Consultant

Joe Tice, Accelalpha

Brennan Tomasetti, Civetta Property Group LLC

Lizzie Woods, Delaware River Waterfront Corporation

National Park Service Liaison: Steven Sims, Independence National Historic Park

Ex-Officio/Non-Voting Member: Hon. Mark Squilla, Philadelphia City Council

Counsel: Josh Grimes, Esq.

Old City District Board of Directors

 Patrick Shillenn, FKB Studio-Board Chair

 Donn Clendenon, Clendenon Properties LLC –Vice Chair

 Kathryn Bittner, WSFS Bank - Treasurer

 Valerie Lyons, Weber Gallagher – Secretary

 Miquon Brinkley, Thinker Makers Society

 Jeffrey Brown, Jeffrey M. Brown Associates

 Erik Derr, Becker LLC

 Jonathan Dubrow, Coldwell Banker Commercial

Vince Lattuca, Christ Church Preservation Trust

Donal McCoy, Sassafras Bar

Jennifer Nagle, Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau

Ashley Peel, Philadelphia Independents

Betsy Oliphant Ross, Consultant

Joe Tice, Accelalpha

Brennan Tomasetti, Civetta Property Group LLC

Lizzie Woods, Delaware River Waterfront Corporation

National Park Service Liaison: Steven Sims, Independence National Historic Park

Ex-Officio/Non-Voting Member: Hon. Mark Squilla, Philadelphia City Council

Counsel: Josh Grimes, Esq.

Community Groups

Old City Community Action Group

• Community Cleanup-1st Saturday of each month (weather permitting)

• Meet 2nd Monday of each month at 7 pm at Old First Reformed Church at 4th and Race (Zoom option available)

• oldcityphillycag@gmail.com

Old City District Staff

Job Itzkowitz Executive Director

Brett Mapp DirectorofOperations

Leah Ben SeniorMarketingManager

Lili Razi EconomicDevelopmentCoordinator

Meet OCD's New Team Members

Leah Ben

 Senior Marketing Manager

 Previous experience in marketing roles for Center City District and NoMa Business Improvement District in Washington, DC

Lili Razi

 Economic Development Coordinator

 Lili holds a master's degree in Public Affairs/Community Development and has experience in urban design, zoning administration, and community development

Five-Year Plan & Budget

• Enabling legislation to exist through 2038

• Every five years, OCD submits a Plan & Budget for City Council Approval

• That budget states what OCD can collect via assessments each year

How do assessments work?

How do assessments work?

• Total Commercial Value in OCD is: $1,504,496,935.00

• 508-32 Walnut

• Assessed value is: $158,108,600.00

• ~10.5% of the total commercial value in OCD

• ~10.5% of OCD’s budget

• OCD’s billing amount for 2024 is $1,197,369

• Therefore, 508-32 Walnut pays ~10.5% of $1,197,369, or ~$126,000

• Rate works out to 0.0008

How do assessments work?

How do assessments work?

2023 Challenges

Five-Year Plan & Budget

Clean and Safe

New Cleaning Company

2024 Data

 Bags of trash collected

 1,824

 Needle and Drug Paraphernalia

 700

 Graffiti/stickers removed

 686

 Pedestrian Assistance

 350

Grayman Security Risk Management

• The Grayman Ambassadors works in the Old City neighborhood to ensure the safety of its businesses, staff, and residents.

• The Ambassadors also handle homeless outreach and addiction referral services.

• Teams of two ambassadors will patrol the Old City neighborhood.

• Three patrols per week, including two-weekend evening patrols

Savage Sisters

• Savage Sisters provides the Philadelphia community with resources for those living with or affected by substance use disorder

• Teams of two outreach workers

• Two rotating shifts per week

Officer Al

 Old City foot patrol PPD Officer Al Macchione

 Monday to Friday 10 am to 6 pm

 Albert.Macchione@Phila.gov

Old City Task Force

Marketing

Marketing

Promote the neighborhood as a place for people to meet, work, shop and live by highlighting the neighborhood’s worldclass assets

Old City District Newsletter

Events and promotions

7,000 subscribers

Sign up

www.oldcitydistrict.org

Old City District B2B Newsletter

Neighborhood updates and information

Sign up

www.oldcitydistrict.org

Click "NEWSLETTER SIGNUP" at the bottom of the homepage!

Twitter/"X"

2023 Post Reach: 62.1K

Facebook

2023 Post Reach: 115,403

2023 Post Reach: 98.7K

Social Media

80,000+ followers across platforms

2023 Old City District Map

50,000 maps

30th Street Station, Philadelphia hotels, attractions

Shops, restaurants, hotels, museums, residences in Old City

Old City Eats

Old City Eats

Old City Fest

Old City Fest

•5 TV segments

•7 radio reports

•32 online articles

•2 print articles

Historic Holidays in Old City

Historic Holidays in Old City

•1 print article

•6 TV segments

•

48 online articles & mentions

2023 by the Numbers

7 live events

6 events

57k+ visitors

25+ visitors

80k+ followers

2023 by the Numbers

Economic Development

Vision2026: Continuing Work

Published spring 2016 following an extensive public engagement process

 Including a public survey with ~500 respondents

Intended to serve as a framework to help shape the future of Old City

Vision2026: Continuing Work

Values + Aspirations

 Be a world-class walking neighborhood

 Foster civic life through great public space

 Re-Occupy vacant buildings and unbuilt parcels

 Clarify goals of the neighborhood for developers

 Cultivate people: more resident, workers, visitors

 Enhance and protect historic and creative character

 Attract neighborhood-serving retail (especially a grocery!)

 Connect better to nearby neighborhoods

 Encourage car-free travel as the first choice of most

Market Street Transformation

Market Street Transformation

 Funding and engineering for road diet and Tamanend Plaza are complete!

 RFP is expected next month

 Market Street improvements should be completed by 2026

Commerce Street

Commerce Street

Commerce Street

 Total estimated cost now at $2.6M

 Councilman Squilla has committed $100k+ for soft costs

 IHT has committed to supporting fundraising efforts

 Toured with DCED to pitch grant opportunities

Dolly Ottey Park

Dolly Ottey Park

 New adjusted concept plans agreed upon by all stakeholders

 Councilman Squilla has committed $100k to this project

 Total estimated cost TBD

 Property owner is now revisiting its cost estimate

 Potential DCED opportunity here as well

Available Commercial Properties

Broker Event

Continued Recovery

2019 - 2023 Weekly Visits

Source: Placer.ai

2019-2023 Weekly Employee Visits

Source: Placer.ai

2019-2023 Weekly Employee Visits

Source: Placer.ai

Total Annual Visits

Source: Placer.ai

31 New Businesses Opened in 2021

• American Vegan Society

• AXIOM Contemporary

• BBQ Unlimited

• Casa Vida

• Claudia Mills Studio

• Cray Taste

• Damari

• Embrace Dermatology & Aesthetics

• Frame

• Fred Astaire Dance Studio

• Haus of Wood

• Home Cuban Café

• Ikki Japanese Cuisine & Bar

• Jacqueline Michelle & Co.

• Kurry Shack

• Las Bugambilias

• Mari Mi Bridal

• Nic Grooming

• Panda Tea

• Penzey’s Spices

• PFS Bourse Theater

• Philly Style Bagels

• Pizzarama

• Red Parasol Café

• Ride Zoomo

• The Dog Alley

• The Jiu Jitsu Company

• The Link Studios

• Thinker Makers Society Together

• Victoria Roggio Beauty

43

New Businesses Opened in 2022

• 3 J’s Cafe

• A Four Foot Prune

• Amina’s Lounge

• Anima’s Natural Pet Supplies

• Artistic Hair Studio

• Ava Karl Salon

• Bangin Breakfast and Wild Brunch

• Café Tolia

• Citizens Bank

• City Fitness

• City Pizza

• Dafina Co.

• Demure Bridal

• Elektra Vintage

• Hangry Joe’s Hot Chicken

• Home Cuban Cafe

• Istanbul Cafe

• Kadampa Meditation Center

• Lilly's Ferry

• Little Susie’s Pies

• Mochinut

• Museum of Illusions

• Nic’s Grooming

• Old City Kitchen

• Old City Vape

• Olea

• Omnia Spa

• Pet Dermatology Center

• Salon Ballyhoo

• Sol Reminisce

• Stickball Vintage

• The Bubble Tea Room

• The Link Hair Studio

• Together Fitness

• Vanderwende’s Ice Cream

• Wax & Wine

• Petit Jardin en Ville Outdoor Living Showroom

• Philly Cannoli King

• Pingpod

• Pulpery

• Riverwards Produce

• Sage Hair Studio

New Businesses

• 48 Record Bar

• Café Zeit

• Cour Di Caffe

• Eatwell

• Femmi and Yofi Med Spa

• Gong Cha

• JMCD Hair

• La Tienda

• Liberty & Co.

• Linda Glass Compass RE

• Lovello Elizabeth

• Ogawa Philly

• Olivier Cafe

Opened in 2023

• Sharks

• Smoke shop/convenience store

• Tibet-Nepal Handicrafts

• True Direct Home Health Care

• Volume Hair Studio

Retail Vacancy Rate

Source: Old City District

Sources: Old City District and Placer AI

Visits: Total number of visits over the time period, even if that person visited more than once during that time period.

Upcoming Challenges

How do assessments work?

Upcoming Challenges

Upcoming Challenges

Upcoming Challenges

• What happens if top 50 properties lose 50% of their assessed value?

• Total commercial value in district drops from $1.5B to $1.B

• Assessment rate jumps from .0008 to .0012 (50% increase)

How do assessments work?

Top 50 ratepayers pay 48% of OCD’s budget

How do assessments work?

What’s Next

I-95 Park Cap Underway!

Will connect Old City with the waterfront

Source: DRWC

Source: NBC Philadelphia

Market St. Project 2025

 Will add bike lanes, landscaping to Market St.

Source: Urban Engineers

New Developments

Unit Count: 360

New Developments

Address: 230 Vine Street

Unit Count: 85 (potentially hospitality)

Status: Approved, but for sale

New Developments

Address: 5th and Wood Street.

Unit Count: 74

Status: In approvals

New Developments

Address: 4th and Vine Streets

Unit Count: 70

New Developments

Address: 4th and Race Streets

Unit Count:

36 group living units + 4 Accessible Units

Status: Under construction

New Developments

New Developments

New Developments

Address: 3rd and Race Streets

Unit Count: 30

Status: Permits pulled

New Developments

 Address: 3rd and Walnut Street

 Unit Count:

o 8-story hotel

o Retail on the first floor  Status: In approvals

New Developments

Unit Count: 15 hospitality rooms and a ground floor bar space

Status: Under renovation

New Developments

New Developments

New Developments

Address: 69-71 N. 2nd Street

Unit Count: 4 hospitality rooms and a ground floor restaurant space

Status: Under construction

New Developments

Unit Count: 5 hospitality rooms

Status: Under construction

Source: thegaslampphilly.com

New Developments

New Developments

 ~860 total units coming soon

 ~1,200 more residents

 ~17% growth

New Developments

 Additional 1,800 units planned for Durst projects

 ~2,700 more residents

 Total projected growth:

 ~3,900 more residents

 ~57% growth

Source: DRWC

Event space and refreshments were generously provided by these businesses