READING FORWARD Moving The City Toward A More Sustainable Future
TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword
3
Existing Conditions Assessment
5 35
Citywide Plan Framework Programs More Than Just a Grid Sustainable Scholars Open for Business On the Go Greening the City Healthy Homes Reduce Rubbish Reclaiming the River
38 39 44 45 49 53 57 61 65 69 73
District Plan
77
Reading 2030 Acknowledgments
90 91 Source: Annie Streetman
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READING FORWARD
Source: Sarah Scott Figure 1. Reading Forward authors and advisor
LETTER FROM THE AUTHORS Dear Reader, Ever since its founding in 1748, Reading, Pennsylvania has been a place that attracts innovation. Today, Reading is a city defined by cultural diversity, its industrial heritage, and a young population. We see the city as full of potential, yet, in recent years, Reading has faced many challenges that have prevented it from achieving sustainability in everyday life. With the release of Reading Forward, we celebrate Reading’s rich past and strive to address some of its shortcomings by providing a guide toward a more sustainable future. In Reading Forward we have outlined strategies that will strengthen the city by building off its current assets to improve its residents’ quality of life while reducing the city’s impact on the local, regional, and global environment.
FOREWORD
LETTER FROM THE AUTHORS This guide for Reading’s future is the result of a three-month long effort undertaken by six graduate students at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. The four phases of the plan’s development consisted of: •
Research and reconnaissance into the existing conditions of the city today. We visited Reading multiple times throughout the project and met with various stakeholders, including officials and local business owners. Meetings with Reading’s citizens brought to light key strengths, deficiencies, opportunities and constraints facing the city today.
•
Issue framing and prioritization. We synthesized findings from our research and meetings with the City to create a vision for sustainability in Reading rooted in a mission statement, guiding principles, and goals. Several stages of iteration refined the framework and narrowed the focus of Reading Forward.
•
Strategic planning. Once the framework and priorities had been crafted, we formed strategic actions to advance the framework. Each of the Programs we designed included a purpose, target group or object, mode of intervention, delivery system, and expected outcomes. We identified obstacles to implementation and possible funders and partners.
•
Source: Douglas Land Figure 2. Reading Forward authors on Buttonwood
Street
District vision. Each Program includes site-specific interventions at the district level, where we have illustrated how street, building, and neighborhood conditions would improve through specific actions. Using Southwest Reading as a case study allowed us to show our vision for how Reading Forward would physically transform the city.
The process of writing Reading Forward helped us rethink the way we approach the challenge of sustainability in small cities like Reading. We hope that the City of Reading embraces this plan for a more sustainable future and inspires other cities to do the same. Sincerely, Reading Forward Authors Shuangdi Dou, Rachel Finfer, Alana Kim, Douglas Land, Angus Page, Annie Streetman
Source: Douglas Land
Figure 3. The Authors with Reading’s Historic
Preservation Specialist, Amy Johnson, at City Hall
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READING FORWARD
Source: Library of Congress
Figure 4. Panoramic view of Reading, PA, c. 1909
INTRODUCTION One of the first major industrial cities in the United States, the city of Reading has followed the path of many American industrial hubs. The city thrived during the Industrial Revolution when it was a dynamic innovation center unrivaled for industrial output and freight transportation, then slid into recession following World War II on the heels of American suburban flight and deindustrialization. Today, Reading is still the fifth largest city in Pennsylvania after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, and Erie with a population of 88,000, yet it is also one of the poorest cities in the United States and is struggling to recover from its 20th century decline.1 But, with its dense grid, ample parkland, and litany of historic buildings and institutions, the city has good bones from which to build. If the city can capitalize on these assets and support the new and growing population of young Hispanic residents, Reading may be able to regain some of its former vitality and reinvent itself as a sustainable and prosperous community. The following chapter outlines Reading’s existing conditions as a prelude to Reading Forward, a sustainability plan for Reading that outlines discrete steps to initiate and facilitate Reading’s sustainable reinvention.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
CONTEXT REGIONAL Reading is located in the Southeastern region of Pennsylvania in the center of Berks County. Easily accessible by road, Reading is only a short journey from several large regional cities: it is just 65 miles from Harrisburg, 60 miles from Philadelphia, and 130 miles from New York City. Proximity to New York has drawn many immigrants over the years, first to work in its industrial mills, and, more recently, to work in the agricultural industry of surrounding Berks County. Although Reading is the county seat of Berks, the city’s rich industrial past has given it a very distinct character from the rest of the county. While Berks’ economy is largely agricultural, Reading’s economy has historically been industrial-based, and, accordingly, there is a stark difference in density between Reading and Berks. While Berks is mostly rural, agricultural land, during the 19th and early-20th century, Reading developed into a dense city with a downtown commercial core surrounded by neighborhoods of three- and four-story row houses.
Source: entourageelite.com
Source: Berks County Data 2012
Figure 5. Berks County Farmland
Figure 6. Context map of Reading, PA
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READING FORWARD
CONTEXT
Source: city-data.com
Figure 7. Reading Row Homes
LOCAL Located at the intersection of the Schuylkill River Valley and the Lebanon Valley, Reading is defined by two major geographic features: the Schuylkill River cutting through the city and Mount Penn, which borders the city on its east side. The surrounding municipalities are mostly rural and suburban communities, with the exception of West Reading, which developed in tandem with Reading during the 19th century and is also dense. Penn Street, Reading’s main street for commerce, continues across the river and is the focus of another commercial center in downtown West Reading. Reading is also characterized by the old freight rails that run through it. Now rarely used, these used to be the arteries of Reading’s industrial heart and remain as a relic of the city‘s former commercial success. Source: Berks County Data 2012
Figure 8. Local map of Reading, PA
EXISTING CONDITIONS |
7
CONTEXT HISTORY Reading was founded by William Penn’s son, Thomas, in 1748 on a spot known as Finney’s Ford after one of its earliest settlers. Due to its proximity to mines for iron ore and coal, Reading grew rapidly after its founding. By the American Revolution, Reading was producing more iron than all of England, and it supplied many of the weapons used by Washington’s army.2 At the start of the 19th century, construction began on two canals from Reading to provide the cheapest method for transporting bulk cargo at the time. In the 1820s, the Schuylkill and Union canals were finished, connecting Reading to both Philadelphia and Harrisburg. The new ease of movement afforded by the canals spurred the growth of many small businesses engaged in trades, crafts, and light manufacturing. However, the canals were short-lived. In the 1830s, the Industrial Revolution brought surging advances in heavy industry and transportation – new railroads in the area soon out-competed the canals, forcing their abandonment by the 1880s. Transporting anthracite coal from nearby mines and other goods throughout the region and Eastern Seaboard, the Reading Railroad became the largest corporation in the world by the 1870s.3 Radiating in all directions from the city of Reading, the railroad was the single greatest factor in the development of the city and Berks county.4 Reading became a manufacturing hub with large mills producing trains, steel, textiles, and flour, and smaller factories making products ranging from bricks and furniture to combs and brushes.
Reading is founded by Thomas Penn.
The American Revolution marks the start of Reading’s period of industrial dynamism.
Source: Library of Congress
Figure 9. Topographic view of the city of Reading, 1881
Two canals open making Reading a central transportation hub.
The Reading Railroad is incorporated and accelerates Reading’s industrial growth.
Source: schuylkillhavenhistory.com Source: flintlockandtomahawk.blogspot.co.uk
Source: readingrailroad.org
Source: berkshistory.org
1776
1776
1823 1825
Industrial Dynamism
1833
CONTEXT
The jobs created by the railroad and by Reading’s many growing businesses attracted new people to the city in the mid-19th century. Immigrants from Ireland, Poland, Italy, and Ukraine moved into the southern parts of Reading near the factories where they worked. As wealthy industrialists moved into Reading’s first suburbs, the city began to expand northward up the Schuylkill River. Reading continued growing and changing for many decades, reaching its current configuration in the 1960s.5 Reading remained prosperous during the first half of the 20th century, with industrial advancement bringing new industries such as the manufacturing of machinery and automobiles. The city was an important contributor to American efforts during World War II; however, as was typical of many American cities following the war, the population began to drop as new highways enabled many families to move out of the city into suburbs.
Source: Wyomissing Foundation
Figure 10. The “Reading 100” knitting machine, part of
the Berkshire Knitting Mills, the largest manufacturing facility producing nylon stockings in the world, c. 1900
World War II creates demand for Reading’s industrial capacity, but marks the start of the city’s decline.
In the era between 1940 and 1970, Reading became a haven for illegal gambling and gained a reputation for political corruption.6 The city entered a period of decline that continued through the 1990s. This period was characterized by crime, poverty, and the exodus of industries. However, due to a large influx of Puerto Rican, Dominican, and Cuban residents, the 2000 census showed the first increase in Reading’s population since the 1930s and the trend has continued over the last decade. Many progressive plans and initiatives have been proposed for the city since 2000, and despite continuing difficulties, Reading’s outlook is better today than it has been in nearly a century.
Former mayor is indicted for extortion, exemplifying Reading’s reputation for crime and political graft.
Reading Railroad declares bankruptcy signaling the end of Reading's position as an industrial hub.
Reading Population begins to rebound for the first time in seven decades.
Source: wfmz.com Source: readingpa.gov Source: american-rails.com
Source: goreadingberks.com
1941
1963
Recession
1971
2000
DEMOGRAPHICS CONTEXT POPULATION TREND Following nearly 150 years of rapid population growth during Reading’s period of industrial dynamism, in the 1930s, the city’s population began to decline precipitously. Between 1930 and 1990, Reading’s population decreased by more than one quarter, falling from 110 thousand residents to nearly 80 thousand in 1990. Over the last 25 years, however, the population has rebounded and stood around 88,000 residents in 2015.
Figure 11. Percent of Population by Race 13% 17%
HISPANIC MIGRATION
1% 2%
The recent growth trend is due in large part to Reading’s Hispanic population, which increased by a factor of ten since 1970 when it represented less than 5% of the total population. Today, over 65% of Reading’s population identifies as Hispanic or Latino.7 The high proportion of Hispanic residents presents a unique issue for Reading, as many cannot communicate very well in English. More than half of Reading’s residents speak a language other than English at home, with a large majority speaking Spanish. A quarter of the total population reports speaking English less than “very well." Additionally, more than ten thousand residents or 13% of the total population are not US citizens.8 Lack of English proficiency and US citizenship put these populations at a particular disadvantage accessing employment, education, and social service opportunities.
READING
54%
BERKS
84%
4%
5% 5%
12%
White American Indian and Alaska Native Some other race Black or African American Asian Two or more races Source: 2015 ACS 1-Year Estimates
Reading is also far more racially diverse than Berks, its surrounding county. Forty-six percent of Reading’s population is non-White, compared to Berk’s County’s 16%. Figure 13. Overall population trend and Hispanic growth since 1970
Population
81,207
78,380
60,000
51,230
40,000 20,000 0
87,873
57,032
30,302
2,283 1970
Source: 2015 ACS 1-Year Estimates
10 |
88,082
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7,710 1980
14,486
1990
2000 Year
2010
n
13%
s en
80,000
78,686
Not a U.S. Ci tiz e
87,896
U.S. Cit iz
Hispanic Population
Total Population 100,000
Figure 12. Citizenship status in Reading
11K
NON-U.S. CITIZENS
2015
Source: 2015 ACS 1-Year Estimates
87%
54 1% 54 1%
DEMOGRAPHICS YOUTH POPULATION With more than 40% of its population under the age of 25, Reading is an exceptionally young city. To put this in perspective, where Reading’s median age is just under 30, the median age of both Berks County and Pennsylvania is 40.10 This young population presents significant opportunities for the city moving forward if its potential can be realized.
SINGLE-PARENT HOUSEHOLDS Families represent a significant portion of households in Reading. In 2015, single parent households are prominent in Reading, representing 23% of households, compared to 10% in Berks County. Single, femaleheaded households with children under 18-years-old represent 18% of households in Reading and 6% of households in Berks County, and the poverty rate for these households is 60%, much higher than in Berks County (38%). Additionally, 58% of children under 18 are in poverty in Reading.11 These high rates of poverty in Reading are likely reflective of the city’s recent economic difficulties.
85 + 75 - 84 65 - 74 60 - 64 55 - 59 45 - 54 35 - 44 25 - 34 20 - 24 15 - 19 10 - 14 5-9 <5
READING
READING
50%
BERKS COUNTY
30%
0%
5%
10%
17%
IN READING
20% 10%
17% Married-couple w/ children < 18
Single mothers w/ children < 18 Households Types
-5%
Puerto Rican
53% HISPANICS/ LATINOS
40%
0%
-10%
Lured to the city by cheap housing and the promise of jobs in agriculture, manufacturing, and warehousing, Mexican immigrants soon followed the Puerto Rican example. More recently, Hispanic populations from the Dominican Republic have also been growing, 90% of whom report migrating from the New York City region.9
BERKS 60%
-15%
Puerto Rican families moving to Berks County in the 1940s were the first Hispanic residents to the area. Predominantly agricultural laborers transplanted by the Labor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, most of these early migrants worked on mushroom farms located 15-minutes north of Reading by car.
Figure 16. Hispanic Composition
Figure 15. Household Composition
% of the Households
Age Group
Figure 14. Age Structure
IMMIGRATION WAVES
15%
13%
Dominican
Other Hispanic or Latino Mexican
Single fathers w/ children < 18
Source: 2015 ACS 1-Year Estimates
% of Total Population
Source: 2015 ACS 1-Year Estimates
Source: 2015 ACS 1-Year Estimates
EXISTING CONDITIONS |
11
DEMOGRAPHICS EDUCATION CHALLENGES Reading’s population has lower educational attainment than Berks County or Pennsylvania. In 2015, 35% of residents over the age of 25 had attained less than a high school education, compared to 15% and 11% in Berks County and Pennsylvania, respectively. Rutgers Graduate School of Education released a report identifying Reading as the nation’s most fiscally-disadvantaged school district.12 In 2012, the government cut school spending and lost 200 educators due to budgetary limitations.13 Reading’s growing youth population will put more pressure on Reading’s already strained education system.
HOUSING BURDEN Despite Reading’s low home values, the city’s endemic poverty and low homeownership rate means that most households struggle to pay for the cost of housing. In 2013, only 42% of units in Reading were reported to be owner-occupied, compared to 72% and 70% in Berks and Pennsylvania, respectively. The median home value in 2013 was approximately $67,000 – an increase of 12% since 2000, but still 60% lower than Pennsylvania’s average. Yet, even these low home values cannot offset residents’ low incomes. More than half of households (both renters and owners) spend more than 30% of their monthly income on housing costs.14
Figure 17. Educational Attainment
Figure 18. Housing Burden
Figure 19. Aging School Infrastructure
Rental with housing burden
Homeowner without a mortgage
without housing burden
Homeowner with a mortgage 0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Percentage of Householders
Source: 2015 ACS 1-Year Estimates
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READING FORWARD
Source: 2015 ACS 5-Year Estimates
Source: NEAtoday
PUBLIC HEALTH & SAFETY PUBLIC HEALTH RISKS Figure 20. Major public health challenges in Reading
28
1000 births
Berks 9.4
Adolescent Births
50%
Berks 33%
Late/ No Prenatal Care
29%
Berks 20%
Smoking
48%
Berks 38%
Binge Drinking
19%
Berks 33%
Diabetes
35%
Berks 30%
Obesity
40%
Berks 33%
Hypertension
33%
Berks 16%
Self-Reported Fair or Poor Health Status
By most measurements of public health, Reading’s residents show similar outcomes to those of Berks County and Pennsylvania. They exhibit similar obesity rates and a diabetes rate well below that of Berks County. However, by other metrics, Reading’s overall health is well below regional averages. A 2014 Pennsylvania Health Department study of Reading found that about 16% of children under seven-yearsold had elevated levels of lead in their blood, surpassing the national threshold (five or higher micrograms per deciliter) set by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.15 In Pennsylvania, Reading’s blood toxicity rates were surpassed by just three other cities, all of whose main source for lead exposure is deteriorating lead paint in their aging housing stocks. Although lead paint was banned in 1978, approximately 92% of Reading’s current housing units were built before 1980. Another area where environmental factors threaten Reading's health is the city’s air quality, which received a failing grade from the American Lung Association. Reading’s poor air quality is likely responsible for the high proportion of adults with asthma – 19% in Reading compared to 16% in Berks County and 13% in Pennsylvania.16 Beyond their exposure to physical environmental risks, Reading residents exhibit significantly higher rates of unhealthy behaviors, poorer health outcomes, and underutilization of preventive health services (Figure 20). In Reading, according to a 2012 survey by the Public Health Management Corporation, about one in three people, or twice the rate of Berks County, feel their health is in fair or poor condition.17 Other studies also show that Reading residents not only share many of the widespread public health issues present in Pennsylvania and Berks, but actually have these issues in greater proportion than either the county or the Commonwealth. The unusually high rate of adolescent births, paired with the lack of proper prenatal care, is especially concerning for Reading and its large population under the age of 25.
BARRIERS TO HEALTHCARE These findings indicate that families in Reading are inordinately afflicted by health issues. These issues are fundamentally problematic, but they also subject the population to further financial and mental stresses, compounding the problems already facing Reading’s population. About half of the city was designated as medically-underserved by the Health Resources & Services Administration, and more than half the people in Reading rely on public healthcare plans to cover costs, leaving them vulnerable to federal changes in coverage.18 About 19% of Reading residents do not have any healthcare coverage at all.19
Source: 2013 Berks County Community Health Needs Assessment
EXISTING CONDITIONS |
13
PUBLIC HEALTH & SAFETY NUTRITION & FOOD ACCESS In 2013, only about 15% of the residents in Reading self-reported that they consumed five or more servings of fruits or vegetables per day, while one in ten people ate less than one serving of fruits or vegetables per day. A survey by The Food Trust found that about 31% of the respondents said that their fruit and vegetable intake is as small as zero to one times per week.20 Food availability and residents’ reliance on social welfare programs offer some explanations for this lack of produce intake. In 2015, about 44% of Reading’s households received Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits distributed once a month.21 Previous research findings note that SNAP’s monthly issuance schedule influences recipients’ shopping behaviors, with people making fewer trips to grocery stores.22 Notably, 80% of survey respondents in Reading reported going grocery shopping only once or twice a month, which precludes the regular purchase of fresh produce.23 Figure 21. Food access for SNAP recipients
Figure 22. One half-mile radius food deserts
Figure 23. Residents’ shopping frequency
OO
D ACCES S:
Low Income Low Access
F
% of Households Receiving SNAP
7 - 13% 14 - 40% 41 - 50% 51 - 56% 57 - 62%
0.5 mi
A supermarket, supercenter, or large grocery store within a 0.5 miles radius
SNAP Accepting Locations
0
0.5
Not Low Income Not Low Access
1 Mile
0
0.5
Not Low Income Low Access
Source: ACS 2015 5Y and USDA via PolicyMap
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READING FORWARD
Source: ACS 2015 5Y and USDA via PolicyMap
1 Mile
Source: The Food Trust
PUBLIC HEALTH & SAFETY NUTRITION & FOOD ACCESS (CONTINUED) Despite the high concentration of food outlets that accept SNAP in Reading, the majority of these stores offer limited selections of fresh or healthy products, and these products are often more expensive than less healthy options. A low rate of vehicle ownership, coupled with limited public transportation, also serve as significant constraints that prevent residents from seeking out better food options than can be found on the shelves of local stores. The realities of poverty and limited mobility in Reading severely limit resident access to healthy food and contribute to nutritional and health issues in the city.24
CRIME
Figure 24. A small corner store with a limited
selection of fresh produce in Reading. Like this store, many of the SNAP or WIC accepting food outlets around Reading are not full-service grocery stores and do not provide many healthy food options.
Recently, however, Reading has become a safer city. Using predictive policing technology and aggressive policies aimed at reducing crime, the Reading Police Department has had some success. Since 2006, overall reported crimes have been declining at a rate of 4% per year, with the lowest crime rate in several decades recorded in 2015. More recent trends are similarly encouraging; between 2015 and 2016, the number of reported crimes dropped by 12%. Figure 25. Reading police crime reports trend for total and top three most-common types of crimes 10000 Number of Crime Reports
Source: Annie Streetman
The overall crime rate in Reading is 74% higher than that of Pennsylvania and 30% higher than the national average. Reading’s residents face a 1 in 27 chance of being the victim of a crime in any given year and a 1 in 126 chance of being a victim of a violent crime. These numbers make Reading more dangerous than 93% of the cities in Pennsylvania.25 Three of the most commonly reported crimes in Reading are assaults, theft or larceny, and drug or alcohol violations. Spatially, the center of the city experiences a much higher concentration of crime incidents, possibly undermining the walkability that Reading’s dense downtown offers.26
9344
7166
8000
2010 - 2016
23%
6000
Total
4000
Drug/Alcohol
2000 0
Theft Assault 2010
2011
Source: OpenData Reading
2012
2013 Year
2014
2015
2016
EXISTING CONDITIONS |
15
PUBLIC HEALTH & SAFETY READING SCHOOL DISTRICT FREE SUMMER MEAL PROJECT In the summer of 2016, the Reading School District became the first in Pennsylvania to offer free summer meals to all children under 18. Throughout the school year, about 87% of all Reading children were already enrolled in the national school lunch program for free or reduced lunch. Through this program, families save up to $300 dollars per month during the summer when their children are out of school. Made possible by a coordinated effort between multiple organizations and partners, the program not only tackles youth hunger, but also puts an emphasis on serving healthy foods made with locally-sourced produce. All eligible students can receive breakfast and/or lunch at local schools, libraries, parks, pools, public housing sites, and community-based organizations.27
PENN STREET FARMERS’ MARKET As the only farmers’ market within the city boundaries, Penn Street Farmers’ Market opens every Thursday from 10 AM to 2 PM. Aiming to promote environmentally sustainable, socially just, and community-based food access in Reading, the market offers a platform to bring local producers and consumers together. In addition to the wide range of products it features, events are organized to promote nutritional education for families and to cultivate community among the city’s residents. Penn Street Farmers’ Market is a project of the Regional Reading Food Policy and Action Council task force organized by ReDesign Reading.28
Source: Reading Eagle Sarah Stier, Berksfun.com
Figure 27. Penn Street Farmers’ Market
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READING FORWARD
Source: Reading Eagle
Figure 26. Reading School District students enjoy
lunch at the free summer meals project expansion announcement
ECONOMY FINANCIAL INSTABILITY Although Reading was once one of America’s most prosperous communities with a bustling economy fueled by trains, ironworks, and textiles, Reading’s economic fortune has since declined. By 2011, Reading had gained a reputation for having the largest percentage of residents living in poverty among cities with populations over 65,000.29 Today, poverty and unemployment are commonplace in the city, with a median household income of just $26,700 or half the national average.30 Reading’s depressed financial status continues to represent many of the city’s greatest challenges.
Source: Rachel Finfer Figure 28. A vacant bail bonds shop in Reading
Figure 29. Median household income
% of Households
25% 20% 15% 10% 5%
26.7K Reading Berks County
Yet the poverty stricken city stands in stark contrast to several multi-million dollar companies located in the area, three of which make the annual Fortune 500 list. Unfortunately, these high-tech companies are rarely able to employ local residents, many of whom lack college degrees. Instead, the biggest, most profitable industries must recruit talent from outside the city.31 Since most young men in Reading cannot compete for jobs without higher educational attainment, they often drop out of the labor force entirely.32 As a result, women are often relied upon to support their children as well as their partners. Low education status and low-paying jobs are the biggest barriers for the social mobility of Reading’s poor.
A CITY REBOUNDING Despite Reading’s high poverty rates, currently there are some positive economic trends afoot. Between 2013 and 2015, Reading rose from having the highest poverty rates in the United States to being the seventh most poverty-stricken city in the nation, with a 2% reduction in citywide poverty.33 Recent trends also show significant growth in certain industries. Forestry, fishing, hunting, and agriculture sector jobs have increased by 180% in the last decade, as have transportation and warehousing by 33%, wholesale trade by 8%, and educational services by 19%.34
0%
Source: ACS 2015 5Y Estimates
EXISTING CONDITIONS |
17
ECONOMY ECONOMIC IMPROVEMENT INITIATIVE Although Reading’s business community spans the entire city, the Reading Downtown Improvement District (DID) represents the heart of local commercial activity. Created in 1995, the DID aims to nurture the growth of businesses and create a more vibrant city center. Comprised of 24 blocks in the heart of the city, the DID leverages support from local anchor institutions and the Chamber of Commerce to grow business activity and clean up the public realm. The DID has helped make Reading’s downtown an inviting environment for Reading’s citizens and a draw for regional patrons as well.
MUNICIPAL CREDIT IMPROVING Bond ratings are a reliable metric for evaluating Reading’s economic health. While the city had little ability to issue debt for improvements in 2008 when it had a poor bond rating of Baa3, by 2017 their bond rating of Baa2 means that financial institutions are more likely to finance municipal projects and initiatives. Moody’s bond rating of Baa2 indicates to financial institutions that the city has stabilized its operating budget, but there is still uncertainty surrounding its socio-economic and financial challenges. While its bond rating is far from AAA solid, the City’s improving credit enables more leeway to finance future projects and initiatives.35
Jobs Sustained by Top 5 Employers in Greater Reading:
East Penn Manufacturing Co:
7.1K
Reading Hospital:
6.7K
County of Berks:
2.4K
Carpenter:
2.3K
Reading School District:
2K
Source: Greater Reading Economic Partnership
Source: Destination Downtown Reading
Source: Reading Eagle
Source: GoggleWorks
Figure 30. Downtown Alive Concert Series
Figure 31. Mi Casa Su Casa, a cafe in Reading
Figure 32. GoggleWorks
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READING FORWARD
BUILT ENVIRONMENT DIVERGENT CITY AND COUNTY LAND USE PATTERNS Despite its position as the Berks County seat, Reading’s physical characteristics are very different from the rest of the jurisdiction. Reading, as an urban center, is characterized by a large proportion of highdensity housing, as well as commercial, industrial, and institutional land uses. Berks County, in contrast, has significantly more low-density housing, open space, and agricultural land uses. While there is a high proportion of recreational park space in Reading, much of it is located in the Mount Penn Preserve rather than within the urban footprint of the city itself.36 These disparities reflect the significant differences in the economic basis and character between Reading and Berks. As the only sizable city in its county, Reading must craft its own planning initiatives to suit its unique composition and land use patterns.
STRONG URBAN FOOTPRINT
Source: Annie Streetman Figure 33. Reading has a strong urban footprint
A major asset to Reading’s character and livability is its strong urban footprint. Systematically laid out in a walkable, interconnected grid of small blocks with interspersed commercial uses, the city has excellent physical foundations on which to build. With abundant high-density areas, the city’s structure promotes compact development, allows for the sustainable use of resources, and is well-suited to support mass transit. Figure 34. Land use patterns differ drastically between Reading and its County
3%
2% 2%
8% 12%
23%
CITY OF READING
1%
24%
36%
12%
28%
BERKS COUNTY
12%
5%
2%
1% 5%
8% 11%
5%
Source: Berks County Data 2012
EXISTING CONDITIONS |
19
BUILT ENVIRONMENT CONFLICTING LAND USES
Figure 35. Existing Land Use in Reading
Although Reading’s mixed-use character is largely an asset, the mixture of industrial uses within the fabric of the city is concerning. Industrial areas are frequently located adjacent to residential areas, as well as along the river (magnified section of Figure 35). This poses a significant pollution risk and threatens the health of Reading’s residents. There is also a substantial amount of vacant land in Reading, almost 10%, in addition to widespread vacant structures.37 High levels of vacancy threaten to lead to increased crime, disinvestment, and blight.
ZONING Reading’s current zoning regulations reinforce both the positive and negative existing land use patterns in the city. Zoning allows for heavy and commercial manufacturing to remain adjacent to residential areas and to the Schuylkill. On the other hand, much of Reading’s parkland is zoned for preservation, and the Zoning Code specifically encourages the further mixture of commercial uses in residential areas to increase residents’ walkable access to everyday goods and services.38
Commercial Industrial Institutional Open Space Recreation
The City has also identified a number of overlay districts to enforce historic preservation initiatives, encourage strategic development, or allow for certain exceptions in building regulations, especially in relation to the city’s institutions.39
Residential High Residential Low Water 0 0.25 0.5
1 Mile
Source: Berks County Data 2012
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READING FORWARD
Vacant
BUILT ENVIRONMENT Figure 36. Existing Zoning in Reading
C-C Commercial Core
Source: Rachel Finfer
C-H Commercial Highway
Figure 37. Reading is characterized by compact,
dense development
C-N Commercial Neighborhood C-R Commercial Residential M-C Manufacturing Commercial H-M Heavy Manufacturing P Preservation Municipal Use Water R-1A Lowest Density Residential R-1 Low Density Residential R-2 Medium Density Residential R-3 High Density Residential Historic Overlay Zone Institutional Overlay Zone Other Overlay Zone Source: Berks County Data 2012
0 0.25 0.5
1 Mile Source: activerain.com
Figure 38. In comparison, low-density, single-family
homes are the norm in Berks County
EXISTING CONDITIONS |
21
BUILT ENVIRONMENT NEIGHBORHOODS Due to Reading’s historic housing stock, many areas of the city have unique, visually appealing streetscapes.40 The Queen Anne Historic District, Center City, East Reading, and Oakbrook areas shown here all have distinctive residential fabrics in varied areas of the city. Generally, areas near Center City contain the highest densities, with densities decreasing and median household incomes rising toward the edges of the city. While there are visually distinctive areas of the city, Reading does not have strongly defined neighborhood boundaries.
Queen Anne Historic District
Center City
MUHLENBERG
ALSACE
BERN
222
SPRING
LOWER ALSACE
READING
East Reading
WEST READING WYOMISSING
MT PENN
Schu
ylkill LOWER ALSACE 422
EXETER
KENHORST
Oakbrook
SHILLINGTON CUMRU
0 0.25 0.5
1 Mile
Source: GoogleMaps Figure 39. Reading is made up of a variety of housing types throughout the city
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BUILT ENVIRONMENT HOUSING STOCK From 2000 to 2015, the total number of housing units had a slight increase of 2%, to 35,063. However, Reading has a high rate of residential vacancy. As of 2015, 14% of the housing stock was vacant, compared to 7% in Berks and 11% in Pennsylvania.41 Reading has an aging housing stock that is in need of upgrades. Fifty-four percent of the housing units were built before 1940 and less than 2% were built after 2000. One percent of occupied units do not have complete plumbing facilities and kitchen facilities, which is double the rate for Berks County. More than half of the housing units are single-family, attached homes, while single-family, detached homes are dominant in Berks County and the Commonwealth.42
RESIDENTIAL ENERGY USE IN READING Even though Reading has an old housing stock, it has a very similar breakdown of home fuel sources as Berks county.
% of Fuel Use
Figure 41. Housing Heating Fuel
Source: Zillow
50% 45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0%
READING BERKS COUNTY
Utility gas
Bottled, tank, or LP gas
Source: 2015 ACS 5-Year Estimate
Electricity
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.
Coal or coke
Wood
Solar energy
Other fuel
No fuel used
Heating Fuel
Figure 40. Single-family attached, aging houses
EXISTING CONDITIONS |
23
TRANSPORTATION CONTEXT COMMUTE PATTERNS As only 6,000 people live and work in the city limits, with 24,000 people commuting into Reading for work and 26,000 people commuting out of Reading, most of Reading’s residents have a long commute. The average travel time to work for Reading residents is about 25 minutes.43 Although this commute time is similar to that of Berks County's residents, it is striking to consider that more than one-quarter of Reading’s households do not have access to a car. In some areas of the city, more than 40% of households do not have access to a car, severely limiting their access to low-skill jobs outside of Reading in the surrounding Berks County agricultural economy.44
Figure 44. Vehicle ownership per household
13,448 8,325 6,252 2,065
Figure 42. Commute flows
+
0
Figure 43. Car Ownership per census tract
Source: 2015 ACS 5Y Estimates
% of Households Without a Car 5 - 13%
14 - 21%
22-31%
32-43% 44-57%
24,000 commuters/day
Figure 45. Commute mode share
6,000 workers remain in Reading/day
59%
26,000 commuters/day
19% 8% 0
0.5
1 Mile
8%
6% Other
Source: 2015 ACS 5Y Estimates
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Source: 2015 ACS 5Y Estimates
Source: 2015 ACS 5Y Estimates
TRANSPORTATION PRIVATE BUS CARRIERS Greyhound and Bieber Trailways both offer regional bus routes that connect Reading to Lebanon, Harrisburg, Allentown, Philadelphia, and New York, among other locations. Weekday and weekend service is available, with multiple departures offered daily.45
RAIL Rail has been very significant to Reading’s history, and though it is no longer the town’s driving force, there are a number of industries in Reading that rely on freight rail. Unfortunately, passenger service to Philadelphia was discontinued in 1981. While feasibility studies have been conducted to assess the viability of bringing back a route along US 422 to Philadelphia, no decision has been made at this time.46 Source: Reading Railroad Heritage Museum
Figure 46. Railroads are an important part of
Reading’s History
AIR Reading Regional Airport lies just outside the city limits. Commercial flights stopped operating out of the airport in 2004, and the airport is now served by two charter services, Millennium and Reading Air Charter.47
ROAD Reading is well connected by highways, including business routes for US 422 and US 222, as well as PA Routes 61, 10, and 12. US 422 between Penn Street and North Wyomissing Boulevard has the highest traffic volume in the region, carrying an annual average daily traffic load of 81,000 per day (as of 2009).48
Source: Reading Eagle
Figure 47. Reading is well connected to the region by
its roads and highways
EXISTING CONDITIONS |
25
TRANSPORTATION PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION The Berks Area Reading Transportation Authority (or BARTA) operates 21 bus routes in Reading and accounts for 8% of Reading’s daily commutes. In Fiscal Year 2015-2016, BARTA served about three million trips and 240,000 paratransit trips. This reflects a 4% decrease in overall ridership, which South Central Transit attributed to low fuel costs and bad weather.49 BARTA was re-organized in 2005 to improve efficiency. This involved re-routing, rebranding, and increasing fares.50 In 2015, Sunday service was added back to eight routes.51 The frequencies of bus service range from 15 minutes to over an hour, with the most typical frequency being 30 minutes.52 Although many improvements to the bus system have been made, the long frequencies as well as gaps in transit accessibility are barriers to increasing public transportation’s portion of mode share.
Figure 49. Existing BARTA Routes as of May 2017
20
17
1
2
3
5
19
18
6 4
16
15
6 7 14
8 19
12 10
Cancelled as of 1-2-17
11
9
17
0
Source: bartabus.com
Figure 48. BARTA buses at the Franklin Street station
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Source: ArcGIS online user dmmap
0.5
1 Mile
TRANSPORTATION Figure 50. Top five crash-prone intersections in 2014
CRASH-PRONE INTERSECTIONS In 2014, the City identified the intersection of 3rd and Penn Streets as the most crash-prone intersection. The intersections at 4th and Washington Streets, 2nd and Penn Streets, 4th and Cherry Streets, and Lancaster Avenue and Grace Streets were the next most crash-prone intersections.53
COMPLETE STREETS
N Ninth St
Spring St
Reading’s Complete Streets Initiative, passed in 2014, commits to applying Complete Streets design principles to roadway projects whenever possible. This plan has received very high commendations and is currently ranked by Smart Growth America as the best in the nation, scoring an unprecedented 100.54 There are still many hurdles to overcome before Reading’s Complete Streets vision can be realized. Walk Score is a grade that measures walkability in an area, with a score of 100 being the highest. Reading has a Walk Score of 74, the third best Walk Score in Pennsylvania, putting the city in good standing to successfully implement the Complete Streets initiative.55
2nd St 3rd St
Penn St
EL
an
cas
ter
Av e
S 4th St
Cherry St
Gr
ace
Str
ee
t
0
0.5
1 Mile
BIKING Source: City of Reading
Despite a near total lack of dedicated bike infrastructure, Reading has embraced bicycling as a tool for mobility, recreation, and as a cornerstone of the city’s identity. Reading has the third highest rate of bicycle commuting in Pennsylvania, and is among the top 15 bicycle commuting cities on the East Coast. Reading has its very own non-profit community bike shop, Reading Bike Hub, which is sponsored by ReDesign Reading and located in the downtown BARTA Transportation Center.56 Reading draws regional tourism with the expansive network of mountain biking trails that surrounds the city, and it is also host to the Reading 120, an annual international bike race that draws competitors and spectators from around the globe every October.
Source: NPR
Source: Reading Eagle
Source: Rachel Finfer
Figure 51. Reading Bike Hub, a community bike shop
Figure 52. A group of riders on a weekly community ride
Figure 53. Pedestrian Safety Infrastructure in Reading
EXISTING CONDITIONS |
27
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT CONTEXT POLLUTION Though staples of Reading’s economy, heavy industrial manufacturers contribute to environmental degradation. As demonstrated in Figure 54, the Reading area scores very low in most environmental indicators when compared to both Pennsylvania and the country. A 90th percentile pollution ranking indicates that only 10% of the country fares worse in that metric.
TOXIC RELEASE Reading has 17 Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) facilities. These are facilities which meet a threshold of potentially harmful quantities reported to the EPA. Reading’s TRI facilities released a total of 38 million pounds of waste in 2015.57 Carpenter Technology Corporation, the fourth largest employer in Reading, was ranked as the 32nd worst waterway polluter nationwide in 2012, diverting 1.5 million pounds of waste into the Schuylkill river that year.58 These releases are within regulatory guidelines, as Carpenter has a permit to release an unlimited amount of nitrates into the river annually. Nitrates can cause algal blooms and be harmful to wildlife and humans.59 For comparison, Akzo Nobel Coatings (another Reading TRI facility in Reading) released the second-highest amount of waste, about 100,000 pounds in 2012. This relates to Reading’s low score for proximity to water discharger facilities: Reading scored in the 93rd percentile in Pennsylvania and in the 97th percentile nationwide.60
Source: Pink Bike
Figure 55. Mountain biking trails on Mt. Penn.
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Figure 54. Pollution Criteria in Reading Pollution Criteria Category Particulate Matter (PM 2.5) NATA Diesel PM NATA Air Toxics Cancer Risk NATA Respiratory Hazard Index
Percentile in USA 91 90-95th 95-100th 90-95th
Ozone (ppb)
62
Traffic Proximity and Volume
73
Superfund Proximity
46
RMP Proximity
89
Hazardous Waste Proximity
89
Lead Paint Indicator (% pre 1960s housing)
91
Hazardous Waste Proximity
89
Water Discharger Proximity
97
Source: EPA EJScreen
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT OPEN SPACE & OUTDOOR RECREATION River Trail
Source: Rachel Finfer
Mt. Penn
Source: pinterest
Reading is home to a four-mile completed portion of the Schuylkill River Trail, which is part of a 130-mile planned route from Philadelphia to Pottsville.61
Mt. Penn is an iconic and valued land preserve. Pictured here is the late 1800s wine cellar of Jacob Louis Kuechler, a hermit who lived on the mountain.62
Mount Biking Trail
Community Gardens
Source: Pinkbike
Source: Berks Nature
Reading has become a destination for cyclists, boasting 125 miles of bike trails in 5 different preserves surrounding the city.63
Berks Nature runs a garden program that has converted 22 vacant lots into community gardens throughout the city for residents to garden in.64
EXISTING CONDITIONS |
29
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE Reading has been identified by the Pennsylvania State Department of Environmental Protection as an Environmental Justice Area. This is because Reading surpasses the threshold of having 20 percent or more individuals who live in poverty and/or 30 percent or more of the population qualifying as a minority.65 This is an important equity consideration that needs to inform sustainability priorities.
Figure 57. Topography & floodplains in Reading
FLOODPLAINS Reading’s topography is largely characterized by a terrain that slopes from east to west, running from the peak of Mount Penn to low-lying areas near the Schuylkill River and the city’s downtown core. As a result of this topography, parts of Reading’s downtown lie within FEMA’s 100-year floodplain, and Reading has suffered two devastating flooding events in the past 50 years. In 1972, Hurricane Agnes caused $30 million in damage after the Schuylkill reached a record 31 feet (its typical flood level is 13 feet).66 Only two roads were left open, 30 city blocks were submerged, hundreds of people were evacuated, and over 100 homes were destroyed. During the Mid-Atlantic Flood of 2006, the Schuylkill crested at 23 feet and flooded more than 1,000 homes and businesses.67 Risk of flooding is an ongoing challenge for Reading. Development along the river (one of Reading’s greatest assets) is vulnerable, and flood risk will likely increase with climate change.
Elevation 53 Ft.
Schuylkill River
331 Ft.
0 0.25 0.5
100-year Floodplain
Source: FEMA Floodmap Data 2012 Revised 2016
Source: Berks County Hazard Vulnerability Assessment & Mitigation Plan Update 2013
Figure 56. 2006 flooding in industrial areas along the Schuylkill, particularly the Penske Truck Repair Center
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READING FORWARD
1 Mile
NATRUAL ENVIRONMENT IMPERVIOUS SURFACES Figure 58.  Impervious surfaces in Reading
Impervious surfaces prohibit water from penetrating the land surface to infiltrate the underlying soil. The vast majority of Reading is covered by impervious surfaces on roads, parking lots, rooftops, driveways, sidewalks and compacted soils. Data from the National Land Cover Database shows that much of downtown Reading is made up of more than 82% impervious surfaces (shown in red in Figure 58). Impervious surfaces can drastically increase heat island effects within a city as well as worsen the impact of flood events. Notably, impervious surfaces in Reading extend into the floodplain and are directly adjacent to the Schuylkill River. This has resulted in increased damage from flood events, as in the case of the Mid-Atlantic Flood of 2006 (Figure 56). As the Schuylkill rises, impervious surfaces prevent the ground from absorbing excess water, resulting in runoff to surrounding areas and the potential for significant property damage.
Percent Impervious 0% - 14% 15% - 38% 0 0.25 0.5
1 Mile
39% - 62% 63% - 81% 82% - 100%
Source: National Land Cover Database
Source: Shuangdi Dou Figure 59. Penske Truck Repair Facility along the Schuylkill River in Reading
PENSKE TRUCK REPAIR FACILITY The Penske Truck Repair Center, located close to the Schuylkill, is one of many facilities that were most severely damaged by the Mid-Atlantic Flood of 2006 (Figure 56). The majority of the Penske property is covered by an impervious parking lot for truck storage. This increases the local impact of flooding events by preventing the natural absorption of excess water by the ground when the Schuylkill overflows.
EXISTING CONDITIONS |
31
COMMUNITY ASSETS CONTEXT COMMUNITY ASSETS Reading has many assets to build off in coming years. East Penn Manufacturing and Carpenter Technology remain among the city’s biggest employers, reflecting Reading’s past industrial vibrancy. Aging educational facilities require upkeep yet their historic architecture evokes the city’s roots. Several modern facilities usher Reading into the 21st century. An array of civic institutions are regional draws, both celebrating the city’s past and providing venues for contemporary entertainment.
FirstEnergy Stadium
Source: ballparkreviews.com
Reading High
Source: notarnyc.com
Educational Institutions • • • •
Colleges/Universities: 3 High schools: 5 Middle schools: 10 Elementary Schools: 22
• •
Carpenter Technology East Penn Manufacturing
Major Industrial Employers Arts, Entertainment, and Media • • • • •
GoggleWorks Center for the Arts Pagoda FirstEnergy Stadium Santander Arena Reading Eagle
• •
St. Josephs Downtown Reading Campus Berks Community Health Center
Carpenter
Source: Carpenter Technologies cop. via Wikimedia
The Reading Pagoda
Source: readingberksphotos.com
Health Facilities
Reading Area Community College
Source: pmmi.org
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READING FORWARD
Santander Arena
Source: santander-arena.com
GOVERNANCE ORGANIZATION AND BUDGET Reading City government is a complex organization that represents the largest municipality in Berks County by population. Responsible for police patrol, fire suppression, code enforcement, zoning, and many other functions, the City maintains a governance system that affects all 88,000 people in Reading and the municipalities beyond. Like most other American cities, Reading is based around a mayor-council government system with eight elected officials. The Mayor’s role is complemented by the City Council, with six members elected by geographic districts and a Council President. A City Auditor oversees the government finances. As stated in the City Charter, the Mayor is required to maintain a balanced budget with the same amount of revenue as expenditures annually. Reading’s 2017 general budget revenue will come from real estate taxes ($24.1M); Act 511 Taxes levied on residents and commuters who work in Reading but live elsewhere ($28.8M); licenses, permits and fees ($5.7M); intergovernmental revenue ($7.9M), and several other sources. Expenditures in the budget are directed to salaries, pensions, fringe benefits, overtime, and other costs associated with the City staff. Other major line items in the City’s expenditures budget include debt service, utilities, contracted services, and transfers. The operating budget includes eight other funds. For the first time in several years, Reading has been able to set aside a contingency budget of more than $180,000 to cover unexpected costs in 2017.68 Unfortunately, Reading is currently under Commonwealth oversight through the Financially Distressed Municipalities Act (also known as Act 47). Reading does have a plan to recover from this bankruptcy, but this presents a significant issue for the City’s fiscal health and successful governance.69 Figure 60. City general funds by category Figure 61. City general expenditures by category Transfers
Act 511 Taxes
32%
Fringe Benefits
13%
GENERAL FUND REVENUES
Real Estate Taxes 26%
Source: City of Reading
16%
Intergovernment
9% 6% 6% 5%
Licenses, Permits, and Fees
Pension
16%
Debt Service
CITY GENERAL EXPENDITURE
Other Revenues Charges for Service
2%
Interest and Rent
1%
Carryover from Prior Years
Utilities, Supplies, and Maintenance
13%
Salaries
30%
Source: City of Reading
6%
Other
5% 4%
Contracted Services
3% 3% 3%
Transfers Overtime Other Personnel
1%
Premium Pay
Source: Annie Streetman
0%
Contingency
Figure 62. Reading City Hall
EXISTING CONDITIONS |
33
GOVERNANCE PUBLIC UTILITIES Reading’s water supply comes from Lake Ontelaunee, a 1,082-acre man-made reservoir that is owned by the City of Reading. The Reading Area Water Authority routinely checks for contaminants and has received awards of recognition for outstanding performance.70 The City of Reading also owns and operates a wastewater management facility on Fritz Island, south of the city, that serves 12 local municipalities and can treat up to 28.5 million gallons of waste per day. The city is currently conducting a $100 million upgrade project for this facility.71 Berks County also has four landfill sites overall and accepted 1.94 million tons of trash in 2014, approximately 60% of which was imported from the rest of the Commonwealth and 20% from the other states.72 The other public utilities and works are contracted to private companies. Met-Ed, a FirstEnergy Company, provides electricity for Reading residents and businesses, primarily generated from coal and nuclear power plants.73 All consumers, however, per the Pennsylvania Electric Choice program, are eligible to choose an alternative electric provider.74 BFI Waste Services was awarded a contract for municipal solid waste, trash, and recycling collection in December 2016. The company will also be responsible for public education on recycling practice. With this transition, the city residents are now participating in single-stream recycling, and the City is expected to save its cost on waste management services.75
PLANNING CULTURE Within the city government of Reading, the Community Planning and Development Division is the local body responsible for general planning, historic preservation, and urban development.76 For the projects that extend beyond the geographic scope of the city, the Berks County Planning Commission acts as the regional planning body. Under Berks’ planning process, Reading is a part of the Metro Region. Interdepartmental or multi-organizational partnerships have also been forged for economic development-focused projects.77 The Reading Downtown Improvement District, the Greater Reading Economic Partnership, and a locally-based Community Development Corporation (CDC) called ReDesign Reading have all taken part in various planning efforts in the city.78 Reading has a progressive planning culture in many respects. Reading has an Environmental Advisory Council and a Sustainability Manager, and has been recognized at the forefront of sustainable leadership.79 The draft version of the 2015 City of Reading Comprehensive Plan addresses land use, housing, economic development, mobility, environmental sustainability, community facilities and services, and implementation to provide a basis for any future updates on regulations, but will not serve as a regulation itself.80 After four public meetings and a public hearing, the draft plan was approved by the Planning Commission in 2015, but it has still not been formally adopted. City staff have also noted that institutional distrust of government remains a significant barrier to getting the community fully on board recent planning initiatives.
Figure 63. Partner organizations for planning in Reading and past plans
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2004
2007
2011
2015
Source: ReDesignReading Reading Source: ReDesign
Figure 64. Placemaking Project in Reading by ReDesign Reading, a local Community Development Corporation
FOUNDATIONS FOR PLANNING An assessment of Reading's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and constraints concludes this analysis of Reading’s existing conditions. This framework operates on the assumption that Reading’s strengths and weaknesses are internal factors, and the city’s opportunities and constraints are external factors affecting the city. Although this analysis identifies key resources and challenges directly influencing this plan for a more sustainable future, it does not capture all of the actionable resources or challenges that the plan will address and is meant only as a guide to direct the construction of recommendations that follow.
ASSESSMENT
FOUNDATIONS FOR PLANNING STRENGTHS Rich History
Urban Fabric
Progressive Development
Source: Pinterest
Source: Flickr
Source: City of Reading
Reading’s rich industrial history remains one of its greatest strengths, with industrial manufacturers among the city’s biggest employers and the city’s former prosperity evinced in all aspects of the city.
The city’s historic urban fabric creates a framework for development and high density promotes walkability and allows for public transit.
Reading benefits from its progressive government and institutions, which have demonstrated a commitment to sustainable planning initiatives.
Poverty
Environmental Hazards
Education
Source: New York Times
Source: Blogspot
Source: BCTV
Poverty remains the salient issue in Reading, with impoverished residents requiring significant public support.
Despite the benefits that industrial manufacturers bring to Reading in the form of jobs, they are also large polluters contributing to the environmental degradation of Reading, the Schuylkill, and Pennsylvania.
A lack of quality education in Reading perpetuates poverty. Children who receive a poor education will have fewer job opportunities, shrinking the pool of skilled workers.
DEFICIENCIES
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READING FORWARD
FOUNDATIONS FOR PLANNING OPPORTUNITIES Large Youth Population
Cultural Diversity
Adaptive Reuse
Source: Reading Eagle
Source: Reading Eagle
Source: Goggle Works
The greatest opportunity for Reading is its large youth population. If the city can find the resources to invest in the next generation, children and young adults may promise a great future for Reading.
The significant influx of Hispanic residents in recent years makes Reading a diverse and vibrant community that will continue to benefit from cultural diversity in coming years.
As the needs of its population change over time, there is room for growth of new businesses and modern developments through the adaptation of old industrial buildings for new purposes.
Weakening Social Welfare
Lagging Implementation
Governmental Uncertainty
Source: Reading Eagle
Source: Parent Co.
Source: New York Times
With a population so reliant on social welfare programs, cuts to federal and state-funded programs under new administrations pose a significant threat to continued gains.
While Reading has plenty of aspirational plans, lagging implementation has slowed the advancement of these initiatives. This has also been compounded by corruption and political bureaucracy. In addition, institutional distrust hampers the relationship between the government and residents.
Developments in federal immigration policy pose a significant threat to Reading’s wellbeing, as Reading’s large population of undocumented immigrants may face hardships if proposed federal immigration policies are enforced.
CONSTRAINTS
ASSESSMENT |
37
Source: Rachel Finfer
Figure 65. Reading Railroad mural on Penn Street
READING FORWARD The Reading Forward sustainability plan is designed to give Reading’s public and private partners a strategic road map and toolkit that can be used to guide the city toward a sustainable future. It outlines strategies to address constraints and deficiencies by building on the city’s strengths and opportunities. The plan’s Programs and Initiatives are specifically designed to be iterative, to build on and support each other. Early Initiatives require fewer resources to implement, but create foundations of cultural, economic, and environmental capital that enable more ambitious mid-term and long-term Initiatives to succeed. One of the early focuses of Reading Forward is to overcome institutional distrust and foster dialogue between residents and government. While not outwardly a sustainability measure, this is a low-cost first step toward impactful planning, since cooperation and trust are necessary to implement more ambitious sustainability Initiatives. In this way, the plan builds from the bottom up, from present conditions to a sustainable future.
CITYWIDE PLAN
MISSION STATEMENT
ENGLISH Reading Forward outlines realistic, implementable programs that will improve the environmental health, economic opportunity, and cultural vibrancy of the city moving forward. The plan aims to supplement and bolster existing plans, providing discrete initiatives that form short-term and long-term frameworks toward the attainment of a sustainable and resilient Reading. ESPAÑOL Reading Avanza marca programas realistas y implementables que mejorarán el salud ecológico, oportunidad económica, y vibración cultural de la ciudad futura. El plan suplementa y reafirma otros planes existentes, proviendo iniciativas discretas que forman marcos de referencia cortos y largos hacia una ciudad sostenible y elástico. Source: Rachel Finfer
CITYWIDE PLAN |
39
FRAMEWORK There are a few key terms to note from the Mission Statement on the previous page that make this sustainability plan appropriate for Reading. First, the Reading Forward plan must be realistic and implementable because past ambitious plans in Reading have not yet been fully realized. Additionally, this plan defines sustainability as the simultaneous achievement of the following three tenets: environmental health, economic opportunity, and cultural vibrancy. Building from this definition of sustainability, Reading Forward is informed by four guiding principles reflecting fundamental elements that are particularly essential to achieving sustainability in Reading, but do not necessarily fall within the bounds of a sustainability plan. These principles are: overcoming institutional distrust, supporting vulnerable populations, empowering youth, and celebrating diversity. These themes appear frequently throughout the Reading Forward plan and feed into and inform each of its six goals.
u l a ti o n s
MULTI-MODAL ACCESSIBILITY
Po p
2
le
Em
w
er
4
er
po
READING FORWARD
Di
SUSTAINABILITY
BUILDING IMPROVEMENT
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CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
ab
5
e Institu ercom tion Ov al
1 st ru st
ECONOMIC STABILITY
6 Celebrate D ive rsi ty
URBAN ECOLOGY
Yo ut
h
Supp
ul V t or
n
3
EQUITABLE SUSTAINABILITY
GOALS
1 2
3
4 5 6
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
Despite Reading’s strong built fabric, an influx of new residents has resulted in an overall lack of cohesion in neighborhoods and a general distrust of city government. To address these issues and help to improve the success of planning initiatives in Reading, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT aims to create supportive and cohesive communities and expand City Hall’s capacity by increasing civic participation.
MULTI-MODAL ACCESSIBILITY
Nearly 40% of households in Reading do not have access to a car. As a result, Reading has an opportunity and an imperative to create a system that better supports all modes of transportation. To facilitate this, MULTIMODAL ACCESSIBILITY aims to encourage infrastructure and signage for alternative transportation modes, increase accessibility for all residents, and reduce car-dependency.
EQUITABLE SUSTAINABILITY
The negative effects of Reading's geographic position and industrial history often disproportionately affect specific areas or demographics in the city. EQUITABLE SUSTAINABILITY aims to coordinate community actions that will offset and remedy environmental and industrial impacts and ensure that Reading’s residents can participate equally in sustainable practice regardless of wealth or ethnicity.
BUILDING IMPROVEMENT
With 54% of Reading's buildings built before 1940, many structures are in need of significant investment. BUILDING IMPROVEMENT aims to upgrade the built environment by giving homeowners the knowledge and tools to invest in their own properties and by prompting the adaptive reuse of factory and warehouse spaces.
ECONOMIC STABILITY
Reading ranked as the 7th most impoverished city in the nation in 2015, with 40% of its population living under the poverty line. Thus, attainment of economic stability is crucial to a sustainable future for the city. ECONOMIC STABILITY aims to foster diverse and profitable businesses, which will provide ample wellpaying jobs, supported by an educated and employable local population.
URBAN ECOLOGY
Although central geographic features of the city, the Schuylkill River and Mount Penn have suffered severe environmental degradation throughout Reading’s industrial past and remain underutilized natural assets of the city. URBAN ECOLOGY aims to remediate the impact of industry on these natural assets and to improve interactions between the city, its residents, and nature.
CITYWIDE PLAN |
41
ABOUT THE PLAN 1 DEFINITION Reading Forward defines sustainability as the simultaneous achievement of environmental health, economic opportunity, and cultural vibrancy.
4 PRINCIPLES The plan is informed by four Guiding Principles: to overcome institutional distrust, support vulnerable populations, empower youth, and celebrate diversity.
6 GOALS The six Goals at the heart of Reading Forward are Civic Engagement, Multi-Modal Accessibility, Equitable Sustainability, Building Improvement, Economic Stability, and Urban Ecology.
8 PROGRAMS Reading Forward includes eight Programs directly related to the Goals. These Programs aim to solve the city's largest challenges through a blend of projects that, in aggregate, will have a large impact on Reading. Each Program describes the existing conditions necessitating the interventions described herein. From environmental threats to economic barriers, the challenges facing Reading are varied, resulting in a diverse group of Programs. In order to anticipate how each Program will affect the community, the Plan specifies the target population that was considered during the design process.
56 INITIATIVES Within each Program, five-to-seven short-, mid-, and long-term Initiatives advance Reading Forward’s sustainability goals. These Initiatives have been designed with careful attention to the City's involvement, performance measures, implementation challenges, and precedents.
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READING FORWARD
Source: Rachel Finfer
Figure 66. Reading's celebrated pagoda
ABOUT THE PLAN INITIATIVES for each Program are crafted based on their anticipated rollout within a short-term, mid-term, and long-term timeline.
1-2 YEARS
2-5
Short-term Initiatives (1-2 Years) are foundational programs that tend to require lower upfront costs and involve a higher degree of community engagement. They function as building blocks for subsequent Initiatives.
Mid-term Initiatives (2-5 Years) build upon the successes of the short-term projects, benefiting from longer planning and implementation periods. These Initiatives expand partnerships with local public, private, and non-profit leaders in the Reading community.
5-10 Long-term Initiatives (5-10 Years) tend to be more aspirational projects that will necessarily be achieved when Reading has stabilized its economy. These more distant Initiatives represent scaled-up versions of earlier ones.
Initiative Initiative Description
Programs will only be effective if the Initiatives are targeted, have a clear focus, and work towards the desired impact on the citizens of Reading. How does the Initiative accomplish this?
City of Reading's role
City Hall will be a key player in the successful implementation of all Programs. What is the City's role in delivering the Initiative?
Metrics to measure success
Measuring the success of Initiatives will build a case for continuing investment in other, more costly Programs in Reading Forward. How will the City measure the performance of Initiatives?
Potential Implementation Issues
There will inevitably be challenges to the implementation of each Initiative. What do potential barriers look like?
Precedents
All of the Initiatives proposed in Reading Forward are based on similar efforts in comparable urban environments. What are some of these programs and where have they been realized?
Next steps, related programs, and implementation ideas.
Initiatives are each part of a network of interrelated projects, stakeholders, and broader goals. How does this Initiative scale up or play off other Programs in Reading Forward?
CITYWIDE PLAN |
43
PROGRAMS Crafted with careful attention to Reading’s existing conditions, every aspect of Reading Forward imagines a future that is visionary, yet practical. Each Program advances more than one of the six goals defined in the Framework, reflecting the comprehensive blend of Initiatives designed to improve Reading’s sustainability in the short-, medium-, and long-terms. Just as the goals drive the Programs, the Programs feed back into multiple goals. Challenges to implementation will threaten the success of the Programs along the way. Funding, bureaucracy, and local support will create opportunities and challenges for the City, its partners, and constituents. Reading Forward is a plan representing a menu of interventions that can be deployed both individually and in aggregate to set Reading on a path to a sustainable, vibrant, and prosperous 21st century. Each of the Programs described on the following pages will drive the city towards greater ecological health, economic opportunity, and cultural vibrancy.
MORE THAN JUST A GRID
CIVIC
ENGAGEMENT
ECONOMIC STABILITY BUILDING
SUSTAINABLE SCHOLARS
OPEN FOR BUSINESS
IMPROVEMENT
ON THE GO
MULTI-MODAL
GREENING THE CITY
EQUITABLE SUSTAINABILITY
HEALTHY HOMES
ACCESSIBILITY
URBAN ECOLOGY
REDUCE RUBBISH
RECLAIMING THE RIVER
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READING FORWARD
PROGRAM
1
MORE THAN JUST A GRID
A major obstacle to any planning initiative is a lack of active involvement, input, and support from the community. Reading does not have especially strong neighborhood connections or distinct identities, which, combined with an overall distrust of civic institutions displayed by many of Reading's new residents, has resulted in low levels of civic engagement. Building a strong community interest in Reading’s improvement, as well as building trust in City Hall, is vital to the success of all proposed Programs and Initiatives. In order to achieve this, this Program aims to strengthen local pride through the organization of placemaking initiatives and community events that solidify neighborhood ties, celebrate the diversity of the city, and increase interaction between residents and local officials. These events will focus on bringing residents together to beautify their surroundings, supporting local businesses, and increasing awareness of sustainability initiatives citywide. Through its various Initiatives, this Program advances the goals of Civic Engagement, Equitable Sustainability, Economic Stability, and Urban Ecology, aiming to create a Reading where residents have strong connections with their neighbors and a significant stake in improving their local communities.
Figure 67. Row houses and mural along Buttonwood Street in Reading
Source: Annie Streetman
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT ECONOMIC STABILITY EQUITABLE SUSTAINABILITY URBAN ECOLOGY
MORE THAN JUST A GRID
1-2 YEARS
INITIATIVES
SHORT TERM
Neighborhood Block Parties
Taste of Reading
Energy Competitions
Host city-organized block parties that feature local businesses, highlight neighborhood strengths, and inform residents about current planning initiatives. These events should be strategically located to bring people together, build ties between community members, and support the development of strong neighborhood identities.
Invite local restaurants, chefs, and other culinary institutions to participate in a food festival highlighting local cuisine and ingredients. This will draw visitors into the city and serve as a promotional opportunity for local businesses while celebrating the opportunities provided by Reading's diverse population.
Establish various levels of a Green Energy Certification and hold a year-long energy competition between neighborhoods. Prizes will be awarded along the way as residents achieve different levels of the certification, and a grand prize will be awarded to the neighborhood with the greatest overall reduction in energy use.
# of events held, # of event participants, impact on civic participation rates Institutional distrust, staff & resources, attendance and interest Block Parties (Lowell, MA) Continue this Initiative into the long-term by repeating events annually to create a strong sense of tradition.
# of attendees, # of vendors, $ of revenue for the City
Reduction in energy consumption & utility bills, # of participants
Obtaining funding, ensuring participation & attendance
Ensuring community understanding & participation, staff & resources
Refugee Food Festival (Paris, France)
Energy Challenge (Takoma Park, MD)
Repeat this event annually and encourage it to encourage its growth through marketing and promotion.
Repeat this event periodically with increasingly ambitious energy reduction goals to maintain local awareness of energy use.
Database for Resource Sharing Set up an online database where residents can volunteer their time, earn credits, and trade those credits for the services and talents of their neighbors. This will enable residents to complete projects they might not otherwise be able to afford as well as build ties between residents. Set up & maintain database, City officials Encouraging participation, publicizing should volunteer own time Initiative # of members joined, # of hours logged
Source: Pollard Memorial Library, Lowell, MA Figure 68. Neighborhood block party in Lowell, MA
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Hour Exchange (Portland, ME)
Long-term, this Initiative should be able to run based on community participation, which will encourage the learning of new skills, the completion of projects, and help to build community ties.
2-5
5-10
MID TERM
LONG TERM
Placemaking Encourage engagement with public art in Reading by creating a map to serve as a guide to existing public art & murals in the city that will be readily available to residents and visitors. Additionally, identify new locations for the installation of public art, murals, and the painting of intersections and work with local arts and community organizations to complete these projects. # of guides distributed, # of new public art projects installed Institutional distrust, staff & resources, obtaining funding The City Repair Project (Portland, OR) Continue to update this guide to public art as the amount of art within different neighborhoods increases.
Neighborhood Vitality Grant Program
Formalize Neighborhood Associations
Set up a neighborhood vitality grant program that will fund projects that engage the community and improve the fabric of the neighborhood. Community members will submit applications to the city who will review projects, award funding, and assist with implementation of these projects.
Create formal neighborhood associations that are able to advocate for local improvements through strong connections to City Hall. The City of Reading should assist in the initial set up of these organizations and provide long-term support to keep them in existence.
Review applications & select projects
Maintain strong, open connection between neighborhood associations & City Hall.
# of applications received, $ of grant money awarded
# of neighborhood associations created, # of meetings held
Resident participation, Obtaining funding, Ensuring realization of projects
Obtaining participation from a broad, representative spectrum of residents
Neighborhood Vitality & Beautification Grants (Plano, TX)
Building a Strong Neighborhood Association Guide (Pocatello, ID)
Funding should be awarded to a broad range of projects in different parts of the city to maximize the impact of this Initiative.
These neighborhood associations will increase local ownership of community planning issues and encourage residents to take an active role.
Source: The City Repair Project, Portland, OR Figure 69. Intersection Painting Project as part of Placemaking program in Portland, OR
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MORE THAN JUST A GRID TASTE OF READING PRECEDENT
Source: NPR Figure 71. Chefs shake hands at the 2016 Refugee Festival in Paris, France
The Refugee Food Festival in Paris, France invites refugees who were culinary professionals in their home cities to pair up with established restaurants around the city, design a menu, and serve a meal that celebrates their heritage and local cuisine. Created by the Food Sweet Food Association and co-organized by the UNHCR, the festival has three main stated objectives: 1) to change the perception of refugees in society; 2) to facilitate access to employment opportunities for refugees, and; 3) to discover new cuisines from around the world. The festival has created a guidebook to help facilitate the setup of similar events in other cities and, in 2017, refugee food festivals will take place in a number of cities around the world, including Brussels, Madrid, Amsterdam, Florence, Athens, Marseilles, Bordeaux, Lille, and Lyon.81 Reading could build on this idea to celebrate the many local culinary talents in its community and the diverse range of cuisines that they represent.
POTENTIAL FUNDING & PARTNERS
•
Public Sector: City of Reading, Berks County, U.S. Department of Energy
•
Private Sector: Local businesses & restaurants, GoggleWorks
•
Non-profit: Boys & Girls Club, ReDesign Reading
OUTCOMES
•
The Initiatives outlined in More Than Just a Grid will build strong neighborhood connections that will enhance community pride as well as increase community interaction with City Hall.
•
The hopeful outcome is a local community in Reading with an avid interest in improving their city. These active community members will partner with City Hall to implement planning initiatives of all kinds that will increase the sustainability of Reading moving forward.
Source: The City Repair Project, Portland, OR Figure 70. Placemaking project in Portland, OR
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PROGRAM
2
SUSTAINABLE SCHOLARS
With more than 40% of Reading’s population under the age of 25, support and development of the youth population is key to the city's sustainable future. Sustainable Scholars outlines strategies to foster job skills, sustainable knowledge, and healthy food practices among the youth population, preparing them to support the long-term sustainability of the city, while also harnessing their energy to make real, positive changes in the immediate future. Sustainable Scholars addresses the goals of Economic Stability, Civic Engagement, and Equitable Sustainability using sustainability and health-focused class, internship, and volunteer initiatives. These initiatives both teach youth skills and knowledge, but also engage students with city-wide issues encouraging them to take responsibility for Reading's future and to begin crafting their own sustainability solutions. Although this Program focuses on youth, many initiatives draw parents into the process as well, using children and teens to educate and engage Reading’s whole population on the city’s sustainability issues.
Figure 72. NJ SEEDS scholars
Source: njseed.org
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT ECONOMIC STABILITY EQUITABLE SUSTAINABILITY
SUSTAINABLE SCHOLARS
1-2 YEARS
INITIATIVES
SHORT TERM
City Hall Interns & Volunteers
Healthy Eats
Sustainability Summits
Create internships and volunteerships to increase the capacity of Reading City Hall and teach participants valuable job skills. Intern or volunteer tasks might include: conducting vacancy surveys, translating municipal documents, improving trail networks, and planting street trees or green urban planters.
Assess Reading’s current Summer Free Meals program and provide recommendations to incorporate education elements. More than feeding children, Healthy Eats will start teaching Reading’s youth about nutrition and how to continue eating healthy when they become ineligible for Summer Free Meals. Work with Summer Free Meals to develop educational curriculum # of children receiving meals, healthy food education
Organize Monthly Town Hall workshops and education sessions where volunteers from local universities and municipal government host discussions on issues facing the city. Although these events should be catered toward Reading's youth, certain events should draw in parents and elder community members. This will promote knowledge of sustainability and also foster civic engagement among old and young Reading family members.
Oversee & organize positions Participant assessments, % of alumni employed Creating Interest, drawing participants
Development of educational content
NJ SEEDS (Newark, NJ)
REAP Program (Dane County, WI)
City Hall Interns & Volunteers is designed to support all Programs in Reading Forward by mobilizing youth and increasing City Hall's capacity to help implement Initiatives.
Healthy Eats will form a basis of knowledge and prime students to enter the Formulating Food series of Initiatives.
Organize & line-up speakers Participation, # of sessions Drawing participants Reading City Hall has successfully employed similar strategies of engaging parents in civic life through their children in the past.
Formulating Food (Part One)
Source: voiceupberks.org
Organize weekly sessions devoted to educating youth about food. These sessions should be wide-ranging in topic material. Lessons could include introducing children to local food options and agricultural products produced in Berks, where to buy produce in Reading, or cooking healthy on a budget, farming techniques or discussion of factory farming's carbon footprint. Children should also be encouraged to share their own recipes and to engage their parents as guest teachers. Organize local partners & volunteers as Finding sufficient healthy food lecturers lecturers REAP Program (Dane County, WI)
Figure 73. Youth baseball team cleaning up a park in
This Initiative expands on Healthy Eats and launches children into the Formulating Food curriculum.
Reading as part of VOiCEup Berks
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2-5
5-10
MID TERM
LONG TERM
Formulating Food (Part Two)
Community Contributions
Formulating Food (Part Three)
Design and build school gardens and greenhouses. These should be used as a tool to teach on a wide range of subjects, from designing planting structures and tending plants, to the chemistry of soil and composting practices. Organize volunteers to help build gardens, source local farms and community members for seed and soil donations. Acres of gardens created, # of students engaged in the Program
Incorporate community service requirements into Reading’s high school curricula. Reading area high schools should require ten hours of community service per year from all students to encourage community engagement, job skill development, and to provide additional capacity to community entities across the city.
Organize student teams to manage and support the development of community gardens throughout the city.
Lesson plan development REAL School Gardens (National Program) The second part of Formulating Food, this Initiative forms a natural progression from the knowledge gained in part one, applying lessons in practical application.
Communicate with Reading Area school board to enact changes to high school curricula Hours contributed to community entities Exeter Township Senior High School (Berks County, PA) Upon future assessment, students wishing to perform additional hours beyond the requisite ten should be allowed to do so with the possibility of gaining credits toward graduation in relevant course work.
Connect student groups with neighborhood associations, provide students with limited instruction on how to handle community garden affairs Creating discourse between students & community members # of student managed community gardens, quality of student-managed gardens This final Initiative of Formulating Food moves students from school grounds out into the city, encouraging them to take initiative and use their knowledge to improve some of Reading's community anchors.
Source: Rachel Finfer
Figure 74. Schuylkill River Trail
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SUSTAINABLE SCHOLARS FORMULATING FOOD (PART TWO) PRECEDENT
Source: realschoolgardens.org
POTENTIAL FUNDING & PARTNERS
•
Public Sector: City of Reading, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Pennsylvania Department of Education
•
Private Sector: Local Farmers
•
Non-profit: ReDesign Reading, Reading Housing Authority, Reading Health System
OUTCOMES
•
More skilled and employable youth population
•
Greater capacity of Reading City Hall
•
Youth and adults that are more engaged with the municipal government and community issues throughout the city
•
Population with greater knowledge of sustainable principles and healthy eating practices
Figure 76. East Hanley Elementary new garden installation as part of a REAL School Gardens initiative
REAL School Gardens is a national organization that creates learning gardens at lowincome schools and trains teachers how to use them to improve student engagement and academic achievement. Their strategy starts by uniting parents, teachers, businesses, and students to design and build gardens tailored to schools' individual needs. They then provide teachers with lesson plans and instructions for how to make the garden an effective teaching tool. REAL gardens has proven remarkably effective at producing results, both increasing test scores and student engagement. REAL School Gardens reports that schools have seen standardized test scores increase by between 12% and 15%, with the greatest increases in the sciences. Ninety-four percent of teachers also reported increased student engagement after participating in a REAL School Garden.82
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Source: njseeds.org
Figure 75. "SEEDS Scholars" at the 5th annual
Leading Change Benefit
PROGRAM
3
OPEN FOR BUSINESS
Reading ranked as the seventh most impoverished city in the nation in 2015, with 40% of its population living under the poverty line and a median household income of less than half the national average. Looking toward the future and attainment of a sustainable city, restoring Reading's economic stability must be prioritized. Reading Forward, therefore, emphasizes job creation, wage increases, and the return of overall economic dynamism as vital components to the success of all its Programs and Initiatives. Open for Business will make use of Reading’s aging buildings, low costs, and high vacancy rates to achieve the goals of Economic Stability, as well as Building Improvement. The Program turns these factors and Reading’s proximity to large markets in New York, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh into opportunities for entrepreneurs and new businesses by simplifying development processes, incentivizing development, and recruiting businesses requiring low capital costs and large floor spaces from surrounding markets. By actively promoting adaptive reuse of Reading’s old buildings, Open for Business also aims to reduce the environmental impact of new development in the city by preventing demolitions and excess building materials from entering the waste stream. Emphasis on street-facing improvements will also create dynamic streets that will be more conducive to overall commerce in Reading.
Figure 77. GoggleWorks is a museum and workshop housed in old industrial buildings
Source: prweb.com
ECONOMIC STABILITY BUILDING IMPROVEMENT
OPEN FOR BUSINESS
1-2 YEARS
INITIATIVES
SHORT TERM
Property Inventory
Small Business Guide
Code Consultants
Provide an easily accessible inventory of all the downtown buildings and lots with information to facilitate private investment, including physical characteristics, rental rates, ownership, and identification of tax-delinquent properties and those near foreclosure.
Create a simple, accessible, and multilingual “Guide to Creating Small Businesses” outlining local resources, permitting and zoning processes, tax policies, and steps to get business loans.
Organize a “code team” that brings together knowledgeable officials, such as firefighters, engineers, and zoning staff, to meet with owners of new or expanding businesses and clarify requirements expeditiously.
Assemble building inventory, create online & print display material Quality of building information, information accessibility Cataloging building characteristics Livingston County Development Group Program (Mount Morris, New York) The City Hall interns and volunteers could support this Initiative by conducting research and surveys of property conditions.
Assemble information into one comprehensive and straightforward form, circulate throughout communities Legibility of guide, # of new businesses Assembly of relevant materials, effective distribution A Helpful Guide to Starting and Growing a Business (Douglas, Georgia) Partner with Pennsylvania Small Business Development Center, which already aids small business development in Reading and throughout Pennsylvania.
Organize & distribute information # of officials available for consultation, # of small business owners helped Making officials easily accessible Main Street Program (Emporia, Kansas) This Initiative will require a City Hall staff member to direct questions and coordinate meetings.
Peer to Peer Organize small business and entrepreneurial groups for new business owners to exchange ideas, discuss common issues, and share business development ideas. Initiate group & provide meeting space Attracting business owners to participate Bend Area General Plan (Bend, Oregon)
Source: Rachel Finfer
Figure 78. Potential building for adaptive reuse in Southwest Reading
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These could for the basis for a Neighborhood Association as outlined in the More Than Just a Grid Program.
2-5
5-10
MID TERM
LONG TERM
Industrial Adaptive Re-use
Facilitate Entrepreneurship
No Vacancy
Businesses newly occupying a former industrial or warehouse building will receive a 1% tax abatement for every two jobs created by their business up to 25% for five years. Any investment in street-facing improvements will also be deducted from property tax assessments up to 10% annually. A task force will be created to identify suitable properties and to recruit businesses. Businesses suitable for recruitment include those that require large and open floor plates and have the flexibility to choose where they locate. These might include: Film/television production, microbreweries, or hydroponic farms.
If investment in property improvements is greater than or equal to 30% of tax abatements in one year, properties will be tax-free for first two years, gradually ramping up to market rate by the 12-year mark. An extra tax-free year will be available for street-facing businesses that meet streetscape improvement requirements such as staying open two evenings a week and changing window displays once a month.
Purchase vacant and foreclosed homes in reasonable condition and sell them to lowincome individuals or families showing good record of employment for $1 each. Demolish structurally unsound buildings for conversion into community assets or redevelopment. Assess properties & make purchases or arrange demolition Private investment in properties, # of buildings demolished or sold
Identify priority locations for adaptive reuse, create a task force comprised of government & private industry officials to select businesses for recruitment, alter tax policies
Alter tax policies, ensure incentive qualifications are being met Private investment in building improvements, # of new businesses O'Connell Rejuvenation (Mount Morris, NY) This Initiative encourages street-facing investment in order to improve overall commercial street life in Reading.
Financing building purchases Arts District Vitalization Program (Paducah, Kentucky) Although purchasing homes may require significant municipal investment, previous examples of such initiatives have yielded private investments in properties that greatly exceeded public expenditure.
# industrial/warehouse buildings reused, private investment in building improvements, # of local jobs created Identifying & attracting suitable businesses Livingston County Business Development Programs (Mount Morris, New York) Business owners should be directed toward Open for Business support structures to maximize chances of success in Reading.
Source: http://suburbhunting.blogspotcom
Figure 79. Interior of a vacant industrial building in Reading
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OPEN FOR BUSINESS FACILITATE ENTREPRENEURSHIP PRECEDENT
Source: newyorktimes.com
Figure 81. Storefronts in downtown Mount Morris
Mount Morris, New York, has benefited from two distinct factors that combined to revitalize the city's downtown. First, Livingston County, where Mount Morris is located, set up a program under which taxes in the improvement district would gradually increase over a period of 12 years. This allowed businesses in struggling areas to generate enough activity for them to afford the normal tax rates. Second, the city benefited from the efforts of a developer named George O'Connell who bought up several downtown buildings, refurbished them, and then rented them at discounted rates to businesses that would agree to certain stipulations meant to help create a dynamic downtown neighborhood: that they would stay open at least one evening a week and regularly change window displays. These combined factors have revived Mount Morris' downtown and turned its main street back into a bustling thoroughfare with many successful businesses.83
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POTENTIAL FUNDING & PARTNERS
•
Public Sector: City of Reading Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce U.S. Economic Development Administration Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development, Pennsylvania Small Business Development Center
•
Non-profit: ReDesign Housing Authority
Reading,
Reading
OUTCOMES
•
Straightforward inventories of properties, guidance to streamline development, and incentives will produce an influx of private investment both from large and small businesses alike.
•
Incentives for street-facing improvements will create dynamic street life and encourage economic activity along walkable thoroughfares
Source: beerbusterspodcast.com
Figure 80. An old Reading firehouse repurposed as
the Oakbrook Brewing Company
PROGRAM
4
ON THE GO
Mobility in Reading is challenged by several factors. Over 8,000 households do not own a car, which represents over 40% of households in certain neighborhoods. Houses without cars are particularly prominent near the downtown core. Though BARTA operates 21 bus routes in Reading, the headways for many bus routes are quite long and many areas are not easily accessible by bus. Reading has a thriving bicycle culture that is centered around the Reading Bike Hub, the Reading 120, and plentiful mountain biking trails in the area. Despite this thriving culture, bicycle infrastructure is still very limited. Reading can build off this bicycle culture and create a transportation system that encourages residents to travel to work and engage in other activities using sustainable modes. Increasing the viability of sustainable modes of transportation will expand accessibility for residents without cars. Reading has already adopted a very progressive Complete Streets policy, so this Program intends to support that policy while building excitement for sustainable modes. This Program not only aims to achieve the goal of Multi-Modal Accessibility, but also goal of Equitable Sustainability by enabling residents to access more opportunities without increasing emissions. Targeting Reading's residents and commuters, this Program will work towards a more mobile and connected Reading.
MULTI-MODAL ACCESSIBILITY EQUITABLE SUSTAINABILITY
Figure 82.  Reading has implemented a few Complete Streets infrastructure upgrades on Penn Street
Existing Conditions Source: Rachel Finfer
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ON THE GO
1-2 YEARS
INITIATIVES
SHORT TERM
Car-Free Streets Event Close a portion of Penn Street to vehicle traffic for an afternoon and invite residents to walk, bike, play, and shop on the street on a pilot basis. This event will bring residents out to enjoy a community event that is family-friendly, promotes an active lifestyle and alternative transportation, and requires minimal funding. Manage street closure, partner with local organizations for event outreach Event participation, net new business sales, surveys collected Consistent funding, street closure logistics Ferguson Sunday Parkways (Ferguson, MO) This event can initially be run as a pilot program on Penn Street, but could ultimately be held on a quarterly basis rotating through neighborhoods.
Prioritize Implementation of Complete Streets Policy The City recently adopted a thorough Complete Streets policy that identifies best practices for Reading’s streets. Unfortunately, implementation has been delayed due to funding issues. The Policy identifies appropriate starting points to implement the plan, which need to be prioritized whenever possible. Ensure complete streets policies are at the forefront of day to day policy decisions Miles of bike lanes; traffic crashes, injuries, and fatalities; reported street harassment issues; number of pilot projects City capacity to apply for funding and implement The Complete Streets Policy is integral to achieving a more sustainable Reading, and underpins many other Initiatives.
Wayfinding Encourage, facilitate, and remove barriers to low-cost wayfinding initiatives. This will facilitate a more pedestrian and bicycle friendly environment while also capitalizing on existing natural and cultural assets. This could involve working with local artists to implement a system of wayfinding signs to orient pedestrians and bicyclists to communities and places of interest that may otherwise be passed by. Number of signs, number of artist's work on display Determination of appropriate locations, capacity to organize, vandalism Walk This Way (Los Angeles, CA) This Initiative will have synergies with the Placemaking Initiative, and, in tandem, they will build local identity.
No Idling Policy Implement a policy that limits any city vehicle from idling for more than five consecutive minutes. This will conserve fuel, protect the health of the workforce and community, improve air quality, set a positive example, and raise awareness about air quality improvement efforts. Difficult to enforce but will raise awareness
No Idle Policy (Washington State DOT)
Enforcement Source: Rachel Finfer Figure 83. Signage near the Schuylkill River in Reading
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Next steps include rolling out a citywide no idling policy and phased replacement of the city's fleet with hybrid vehicles.
2-5
5-10
MID TERM Launch Pedicab Initiative Establish a Pedicab transit system. This will create jobs while providing low-cost transportation options in areas without BARTA services. The City can explore partnerships with local bicycle nonprofits to buy or build several pedicabs. The City can then establish policies and protocols to ensure the Pedicabs operate safely. Number of licensed Pedicab operators, pedicab ridership Incentivizing Pedicab operators, Initiative roll-out Pedicab Ordinance (Santa Monica, CA) The Launch Pedicab Initiative will take advantage of progress made on implementation of the Complete Streets policy.
LONG TERM
Modification of Parking Regulations
Measure Equity of Existing Transit System
Strategically modify the zoning code so that it shapes the built environment in a way that supports pedestrian and bicycle activity. Currently, the zoning code has onerous parking requirements and minimal bicycle parking requirements. By reducing the minimum parking requirements or allowing the option to replace with bicycle parking, Reading will no longer incentivize a car-dependant built environment. Number of new bicycle parking spaces, number of vehicle parking spaces
By analyzing transportation cost burdens and accessibility on a neighborhood level, the City can assess whether the current routing meets the needs of Reading’s poorest residents, particularly in areas where many households do not have access to a car. From here, the City can identify strategies to reduce transportation costs for those most cost-burdened. This may involve re-routing BARTA or working with the community to determine other appropriate solutions, such as car-share, pedicab, or bicycle network improvements. % of low income households within 1/4 mile of bus stops, ridership. In-house analysis capacity or funding for a consultant, trade-off between ridership & equality of system
Resistance from community members Seattle, WA, Portland, ME and Los Angeles, CA among many other cities. This Initiative can be employed during the City's upcoming Zoning Code Update.
Transportation Outlook (Kansas City, MO) This long-term Initiative will result in a reworking of the transportation system to best meet the needs of Reading's most marginalized citizens.
Source: SFMTA Figure 84. A bicycle parking corral in San Francisco
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ON THE GO CAR-FREE STREETS EVENT PRECEDENT
Source: The Open Streets Guide Figure 86. Ferguson Sunday Parkways
Ferguson Sunday Parkways has been operating three times a year since 2009. The route varies from .75 to 1.2 miles long and is funded by a partnership between non-profits and the City of Ferguson. The intent of the program is to build a sense of community, create social networks among neighbors, promote physical activity, and provide a sense of ownership of the streets to the people. Supporting activities have included hula-hooping, face painting, line dancing, yoga, bicycle repair, and bicycle riding lessons. Ferguson, an economically depressed town of 21,000 residents, shows that open streets events can be successful in cities of all shapes and sizes.84
POTENTIAL FUNDING & PARTNERS
•
Public Sector: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, US Department of Transportation, BARTA
•
Private Sector: Wolverton’s Cycling, FirstEnergy
•
Non-profit: Artplace, ReDesign Reading, Reading Health System
OUTCOMES
•
This Program will garner support for a multimodal Reading and will enhance the existing Complete Streets Policies through program synergies.
•
The wayfinding component will encourage a more pedestrian-friendly, walkable city and engagement with historic, cultural, and natural assets.
Source: Rachel Finfer Figure 85. A bicyclist pictured on Penn Street in Reading
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PROGRAM
5
GREENING THE CITY
The built fabric of Reading is made up of a large amount of impervious surfaces and, although there is a significant amount of open space, it is not very well distributed within the urban footprint of the city. This has resulted in significant flooding hazards along the river and has limited residents' access to green spaces. To address these issues, as part of this Program, Reading will expand the amount and accessibility of open space, incorporate infrastructure elements and pervious surfaces in flood-prone areas, and connect green spaces with multi-modal green corridors. This Program builds off current sustainability initiatives such as the Berks County Conservancy's Urban Greening Community Gardening Program and aims to expand the reach and impact of these Programs for residents in Reading while mitigating the city's negative environmental impacts. Through its various Initiatives, this Program advances the goals of Equitable Sustainability, Economic Stability, and Urban Ecology, aiming to create a Reading where every resident lives within walking distance of a park, interacts with nature regularly, and understands the importance of sustainable practices.
Figure 87. Schuylkill River Trail in Reading
Source: Shuangdi Dou
ECONOMIC STABILITY EQUITABLE SUSTAINABILITY URBAN ECOLOGY
GREENING THE CITY
1-2 YEARS
INITIATIVES
SHORT TERM
Vacant Land Greening
Community Toolkit
Short-Term Street Greening
Survey vacant lots and identify target areas with public safety issues and a lack of accessible open space for residents. These areas should be prioritized as part of a vacant lot greening program that performs targeted interventions to return vacant lots to productive uses. By greening these lots, this Initiative hopes to increase housing values, public safety and amount of open space. # of vacant lots identified, # of vacant lots greened Staff & resources, vandalism, increasing public awareness
Create and distribute a detailed toolkit and provide training opportunities so that communities can take the lead and organize volunteer clean-up and greening efforts in their neighborhoods. This toolkit should outline how to organize these events, detail available city resources, and provide information on how to implement greening interventions. # of toolkits distributed, # of community projects completed
Install sidewalk landscaping & street trees wherever possible and provide resources for communities to continue these projects on their own. These types of interventions can have simplified permits and can be implemented by individual property owners or community groups.
LandCare Program (Philadelphia, PA) This Initiative should work with the Sustainable Scholars Initiative to help with land survey and vacant lot identification.
Ensuring participation, staff & resources Green Communities Toolkit (Canada)
Simplify permit process # street trees planted, # of sidewalk raingardens installed Encouraging residents in different areas of the city to participate Better Streets (San Francisco, CA)
This Initiative should work in tandem with the Vacant Land Greening Initiative so that community members can organize projects.
Efforts should be made to ensure that these projects are equally distributed in all areas of the City.
Expand and Support Berks County Community Gardens Program Build off the existing Berks County Community Gardens Program that turns vacant lots into gardens for community use. The City should provide additional staff and resources to expand the reach of the program and increase the number of gardens that are able to be completed. Obtain funding & allocate staff & resources # of community gardens installed, # of participants who use gardens Source: Better Streets San Francisco Figure 88. Sidewalk greening in San Francisco
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Obtaining funding, coordination between organizations Berks County Community Gardens (Berks County, PA)
Coordination of this Initiative should ideally serve as a replicable model for future coordination between the City of Reading and Berks County.
2-5
MID TERM
5-10
LONG TERM
Pervious Pavement
Permanent Parks
Green Corridors
This Initiative aims to decrease the amount of pervious surfaces within the City of Reading by incentivizing businesses through reductions in fees to repave parking lots with pervious pavement. This will help with flood mitigation efforts. Subsequent efforts will encourage the installation of green roofs and other green infrastructure by businesses.
Building off the Vacant Land Greening Initiative, this mid-term Initiative hopes to turn some of these greened vacant lots into permanent parks to increase green space within the city with an ultimate goal of providing a park within walking distance of every resident. These new parks should be strategically distributed in different areas of the city to allow accessibility by all residents.
Identify targeted main streets for large-scale green interventions, including installing stormwater infrastructure and median greening which will involve extensive community input & permitting. Strategically located, these green corridors should connect green spaces within the city, align with Complete Streets efforts, and be designed to encourage pedestrian activity within the city. These corridors should ultimately be well distributed throughout the City to connect different areas of the city and increase the cohesion of Reading.
Sq. Ft. pervious pavement installed, # of green roofs created Incentivizing businesses, spreading sustainability awareness Green City, Clean Waters (Philadelphia, PA) As an additional benefit, this Initiative hopes to increase the culture of sustainability in local businesses.
# of new parks created, # of visitors to new parks, effect on local housing prices Staff & resources, community participation, requires implementation of earlier Initiatives LandCare Program (Philadelphia, PA) Community events should be organized in these spaces to encourage use of these new parks by residents.
# of streets designated as green corridors, # of medians greened Permitting for larger projects, staff & resources, construction on major streets Better Streets (San Francisco, CA) These corridors represent a culmination of efforts toward a green, pedestrian-friendly Reading.
Source: Green City, Clean Waters Program, Philadelphia Figure 89. Stormwater bump-out in Philadelphia
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GREENING THE CITY VACANT LAND GREENING PRECEDENT
Source: The University of Pennsylvania Center for High Impact Philanthropy
after
Figure 91. Project completed by PHS LandCare Program in Philadelphia
POTENTIAL FUNDING & PARTNERS
•
Public Sector: City of Reading, Berks County, State of Pennsylvania, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, HUD
•
Private Sector: Local businesses in the area, GoggleWorks
•
Non-profit: Boys & Girls Club, ReDesign Reading
OUTCOMES
•
Greening the City will increase access to green space within the City of Reading, improving the quality of life for residents.
•
Additional beneficial outcomes will include raising housing values, decreasing the amount of vacant space, lowering crime rates, and increasing the walkability of the city.
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society performs vacant lot greening as part of their LandCare Program. The goal of this program is to return vacant lots to productive use through the installation and maintenance of interim landscape treatments. To date, this program has treated over 12,000 parcels in Philadelphia for a total area of over 16 million square feet. More than 800 of these properties have since been developed into new uses, including green space, housing, and commercial uses. Evaluations of the success of this program have determined that there have been noticeable community benefits in respect to public health and safety, property values, and stimulating new investment. Additionally, interventions have resulted in reduced violence and increased property values. This program has found that after a vacant lot has been "cleaned and greened," the values of nearby homes increase by 20%.85 Source: Better Streets San Francisco Figure 90. Sidewalk bioswale in Seattle, WA
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PROGRAM
6
HEALTHY HOMES
Approximately 80% of buildings in Reading are more than 50 years old, meaning that much of Reading’s housing stock is drafty and poorly insulated.86 This contributes to air pollution, as many old heating systems rely on outdated and dirty forms of fuel oil. Furthermore, a 2014 study found that nearly 16% of children under seven years-old had elevated levels of lead in their blood, surpassing the national threshold (five or higher micrograms per deciliter) set by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.87 In Pennsylvania, Reading’s blood toxicity rates were surpassed by just three other cities, all of whose main source for lead exposure is deteriorating lead paint in their aging housing stocks. In order to address these issues, the Healthy Homes Program targets inefficient and toxic homes, intending to improve the overall quality of the housing stock, reduce heating emissions, and increase citywide awareness of energy efficiency. Through various Initiatives, this Program targets the goals of Equitable Sustainability, Building Improvement, and Economic Stability.
ECONOMIC STABILITY BUILDING IMPROVEMENT EQUITABLE SUSTAINABILITY
Figure 92. Evaluation of a heating system in a home in Loveland, Colorado, as part of the Weatherization Assistance Program
Sources: energy.gov
HEALTHY HOMES
1-2 YEARS
INITIATIVES
SHORT TERM
Weatherization Workshops
Energy Audit
Community Outreach
Reading Area Community College should apply to the State to be an “expansion site” for funded weatherization trainings. By joining in workshops on weatherization skills, students can earn a Reading CareerLink voucher and enter the program as new workers. Neighborhoods should also provide workshops on weatherization skills for homeowners.
Partner with local contractors to conduct onsite energy audits assessing conditions in homes and identifying cost-efficient energy saving measures that can be installed. Assess prospective areas for Pilot Residential Retrofit Program.
Create and circulate brochures that educate homeowners on water and energy conservation techniques. These should contain information to inform homeowners on weatherization, green technology, energy costs, lead paint health risks, lead remediation options, and local clean home events.
Assist Reading Area Community College to do the weatherization training # CareerLink vouchers earned
Partnership with local contractor and assist with energy audits Relationship with local contractor, participation interest Better Buildings (Lowell, MA)
Obtaining funding and teachers Pittsburgh’s Coordinated Weatherization Campaign (Pittsburgh, PA) Continue this Initiative in the long-term to grow local knowledge of home maintenance and create additional job opportunities.
This will lay the foundations for future residential retrofits and should take full advantage of the local contractors and business resources.
Gather and disseminate information Institutional distrust, staff & resources Coordinated Weatherization Campaign (Pittsburgh, PA) Repeat this event periodically to raise and maintain local awareness on home efficiency and healthy living conditions.
Hazardous Chemicals Reduction Implement a policy for the city and schools to cease use of hazardous chemicals and materials in any City-owned or leased properties. This policy should prohibit chemicals known to cause adverse health effects. Establish and implement the policy
City capacity and enforcement
Sustainability Plan (Baltimore, MD) Source: Annie Streetman
Source: Figure 93. Peeling paint on old houses along Buttonwood Street
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Not only will this policy reduce exposure to toxins, but it can also raise awareness about them. In the long-term, this Initiative can be expanded to residences as well.
2-5
5-10
MID TERM
LONG TERM
Lead Abatement
Pilot Residential Retrofit
Heating System Update
Develop a partnership with local contractors to assess lead conditions in homes, and support lead abatement. This Initiative can take advantage of the county-wide Lead Hazard Control Program (LHCP) and can work in concert with the Residential Retrofit Initiative.
Using poverty and energy audit data, identify homes with the highest energy burden as candidates for a Pilot Retrofit Program. Residential retrofit measures should prioritize insulation and weatherization, water savings, and electrical efficiency.
Replace old furnaces and phase in cleaner heating systems. Advocate for renewable energy sources in residential homes as well as municipal properties. Consider the installation of solar panels as a potential energy source.
Coordinate with local contractors and gather resources for lead abatement
Identify energy-burdened neighborhoods and implement retrofits
Obtaining funds, participation interest
Energy saving estimate, cost saving estimate per year
The Lead-based Paint Abatement Repair (Baltimore, MD) Low-income families with children under age six could be a key target. In the long-term, the government should also remediate lead contamination in soil and water.
Competition for grants, interest in program Coordinated Weatherization Campaign (Pittsburgh, PA) A pilot program will allow the City to refine the implementation process before an eventual citywide roll-out.
Forge a strong relationship with local contractors and monitor the program’s implementation. # of heating system upgrades High cost, participation interest HEARTWAP Program (MA State Plan) While this is an ambitious Initiative, it will help transition Reading to more sustainable heating sources and reduce reliance on fuel oil.
Citywide Residential Retrofit Expand the Residential Retrofit Program to other neighborhoods. Retrofit measures include heating system modification, insulation, Energy-Star efficient appliances, and low flow shower heads installation.
Source: Rachel Finfer Figure 94. Solar panels and sculptures along Riverfront Drive
Manage program implementation
Competition for grants, interest in program
Energy saving estimate, cost saving estimate per year
Better Buildings (Lowell, MA)
Based on the mid-term pilot residential retrofit, this Initiative should aim to retrofit every occupied home within the boundaries of Reading.
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HEALTHY HOMES PILOT RESIDENTIAL RETROFITS PRECEDENT
POTENTIAL FUNDING & PARTNERS
•
Public Sector: City of Reading, DOE Better Buildings Program, Pennsylvania Weatherization Assistance Program
•
Private Sector: Local contractors, property owners
•
Non-profit: Reading Housing Authority
OUTCOMES
•
Reduced local pollution from heating fuel
•
Reduced hazardous building materials through retrofits of old homes
•
Improved public awareness of weatherization and healthy homes
Source: IUOE Local 95 Figure 96. Students learn hands-on weatherization skills as part of a collaborative training effort
Pittsburgh’s Coordinated Weatherization Campaign Program (CWC) provides home retrofits for the region, integrated programs, and a model for how to engage a community in helping itself. First, CWC decided to focus on delivering help where it would have the greatest impact, in specific clusters of neighborhoods that paid a disproportionate share of their household income toward energy costs. Second, the CWC team worked with the Community College of Allegheny County to apply to the state for an “expansion site” for funded weatherization training so that sufficient workers would have training and certification to perform weatherization work. Third, the CWC team partnered with ACTION-Housing to collaboratively train residents to be community advocates for these programs. These effective approaches led to successful results. More than 2,000 homes were weatherized and more than 3,000 community residents received instruction on outreach and weatherization skills.88
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Source: Pittsburgh CWC Figure 95. CWC energy auditors use a blower-door test to determine the air tightness of a home during an energy evaluation of a program participant’s home. Finding air leaks and then sealing the home’s ‘thermal envelope’ is critical to reducing home energy costs and improving comfort.
PROGRAM
7
REDUCE RUBBISH
Berks County has a total of four landfill sites, the most of any county in Pennsylvania. As nearly 80% of its buried trash comes from outside of the county, the landfilled waste management is a significant revenue generator for the county overall. In 10 to 20 years, however, Berks County has a chance to reassess its role in the regional waste management system as the existing landfill sites are expected to expire. As the county seat, Reading can lead the way in prioritizing green waste management for the surrounding region. This Program aims to strengthens Civic Engagement, Economic Stability, and Equitable Sustainability of Reading. The Reduce Rubbish Program can improve upon some pre-existing programs, such as the recentlyimplemented, single-stream recycling program, to ensure that sustainability is at the core of citywide waste management practices. By raising awareness of available services and increasing participation, this Program is designed to make recycling and composting services more accessible to all citizens. Many of the changes required by the Initiatives are simple, but impactful when achieved. Based on these actions, the residents and local businesses together will recognize that the city’s garbage can be turned into a resource without harming the rich natural environment that the region offers.
Figure 97. School Green Teams and Recycling Program
Source: City of Fort Worth, TX
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT ECONOMIC STABILITY EQUITABLE SUSTAINABILITY
REDUCE RUBBISH
1-2 YEARS
INITIATIVES
SHORT TERM
Recycling Requirements
Neighborhood E-Waste Volunteer
Compost Collection Pilot
Amend the City's guidelines for community special events to require the use of recyclable food and beverage containers as well as to provide recycling facilities at the events.
Recruit neighborhood volunteers who have reliable access to a vehicle to collect e-waste materials from the neighbors and drop off at the electronic recycling center located outside of the city. Encourage volunteer participation by providing complimentary recycling bins or composting bags
Select two neighborhoods with the highest level of volunteer interest and design a oneyear long pilot of curbside composting pickup service. Motivate participation by providing free composting bins and biodegradable bags. Design brochures for the volunteer households.
Provide an option to request the Cityowned recycling equipment Volume recycled, feedback from the event hosting organizations Lack of awareness, logistics and funding for acquiring new amenities
Total number of volunteer runs made within a year, volume recycled, feedback from the volunteers
Special Event Guidelines (San Jose, CA)
Recruiting volunteers, raising awareness
Increase recycling receptacles in public outdoor spaces to help organizations meet this requirement without difficulty.
E-waste collection boxes should also be installed at public places, such as libraries and schools to increase e-waste recycling.
Bilingual Outreach Revisit the service contract made with the trash and recycling collection services company to evaluate their outreach efforts and responsibilities. Focus on the recent switch to single-stream recycling to advertise increased convenience for participation. Part of this effort should be to redesign the existing information flyers to include bilingual, easy-to-understand, clear guidelines which can be widely circulated to residents and businesses. Some other forms of outreach media, such as informative video production, can be considered. Volume recycled, # of brochures Raising awareness, coordination with the circulated, inquiries made for more collection contractor information Bilingual Education Program (Marshalltown, IA) Coordinate with the Sustainable Scholars Program to announce calls for design ideas from students and community members to further encourage sustainable practices led by citizen initiatives.
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Encourage City Hall staff living in the selected neighborhoods to volunteer Volume composted, # of volunteer signups, bi-annual survey responses Suitable composting site selection, participant interest Compost That Stuff! (Cambridge, MA) Design information brochures that are sensible to common food preparation habits in the neighborhoods to make it more relatable for everyone.
Source: City of Portland, OR Figure 98. Curbside garbage, recycling, and compost collection service in Portland
2-5
5-10
MID TERM
LONG TERM
Public Recycling Receptacles
Recycling Materials Market
Citywide Compost Collection
Gradually increase the number of recycling receptacles located around the city, first targeting public places such as downtown corridors, public buildings (e.g. libraries and schools), and other corridors with the most foot traffic.
Once recycling activities in the city gain momentum, the City can support businesses that sell recycled products by hosting events like recycling fairs or green vendor expos to increase their visibility. The City can encourage recycling practices in private businesses by favoring those with green waste management policies in future contracts.
Thoroughly review the benefits and challenges that the Compost Collection Pilot saw during its one-year trial period. Establish a feasible timeline to gradually increase the service area over the five year duration. In addition to finding a suitable composting facility that can manage the increasing volume of collection, consider other uses, such as community gardens. The compost products can also be sold at a low price to local gardeners.
Target public facilities and city-owned outdoor space first to increase visibility Volume recycled
Purchase office supplies made from recycled materials
Lack of awareness, funding to increase collection service provision
# of businesses that use green materials
#of waste management jobs created Volume recycled
Times Square Goes Green (New York, NY)
Attracting non-local green businesses
# of households who compost regularly, annual survey responses
Work with local business owners and help them acquire recycling bins for their store fronts at low-cost by organizing a bulk buying for interested businesses.
Go Green Expo (Philadelphia, PA) In the future, the City will only work with businesses that have adopted green waste management practices.
Drive to 35 (Baltimore, MD) Continue to distribute survey questionnaires for participating residents to understand their experience and potential obstacles for garnering more participant interests.
Source: City of LA Figure 99. Eco-friendly group advertisement in Los Angeles
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REDUCE RUBBISH COMPOST COLLECTION PILOT PRECEDENT •
Public Sector: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, City of Reading
•
Private Sector: Republic Services
•
Non-profit: Berks Nature
OUTCOMES
•
Reduce Rubbish aims to change Reading citizens' behavior regarding solid waste treatment and recycling practices. The core part of this change is to help citizens understand that green waste management practices can be done easily without expending substantial time or money.
•
By increasing recycling and composting participation, the city will reduce the amount of landfilled waste produced by residents and businesses.
•
Reading will lead efforts to stop locating additional landfilled sites in Berks County.
Source: City of Cambridge, Massachusetts Figure 100. City of Cambridge Curbside Compost Collection Pilot Program
Cambridge, Massachusetts implemented its first phase of a Curbside Compost Pilot Program in 2014 to reduce landfilled waste and increase awareness of green waste management. With only about 600 volunteer residents, the City was able to build significant momentum and interest, which has enabled the program to continue increasing its service area. According to their report, the pilot program reduced the amount of landfilled trash by 35% in its first year. The collected organic materials were turned into rich compost by a local farm, located approximately 30 minutes from the city. The City is continuing its effort to motivate participation in composting practice with a goal to reduce trash by 80% by 2050.89
POTENTIAL FUNDING & PARTNERS
Source: Baltimore Community Foundation Figure 101. Cleaner, Greener Baltimore initiative
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PROGRAM
8
RECLAIMING THE RIVER
Like many cities that have transformed their industrial waterfronts, Reading has an opportunity to soften the edges of the Schuylkill and improve interactions between the city and this natural asset. Much of Reading’s waterfront is zoned for manufacturing use and historically served some of the city’s largest industrial companies. Although some of these companies continue to operate today, several have relocated or closed up shop and there is now a large amount of vacancy along the river. With the exception of the park along Riverfront Drive near the Penske Headquarters, there is little riverfront land available for the enjoyment of Reading’s citizens, and some of the opportunities for recreation are unsafe due to contamination from local industry. Cleaning up the Reading waterfront and growing the mix of uses to increase access will enhance the urban ecology of this vital community resource. To prepare for a more sustainable future, Reading will design and implement a framework to protect waterfront open space, activate underutilized parcels, and strengthen the connection between citizens and the river.
Figure 102. Reading's Schuylkill River Trail
Source: Annie Streetman
ECONOMIC STABILITY EQUITABLE SUSTAINABILITY URBAN ECOLOGY
RECLAIMING THE RIVER
1-2 YEARS
INITIATIVES
SHORT TERM
Riverside Recreation
Stormwater Mitigation
Schuylkill Community Clean-Up
Programming new forms of waterfront recreation, including kayaking, bicycling, and nature education, will bring Reading’s citizens to the riverfront to play and exercise outside in a corridor that has historically been dedicated to industry.
Stormwater Mitigation attempts to alleviate the deleterious impacts of storm surge on Reading's flood-prone communities adjacent to the Schuylkill. Reducing black-top and growing the amount of pervious surfaces will mitigate water damage during future flood events.
The Community Clean-up is a partnership between Reading and West Reading to identify brownfield sites along the Schuylkill and encourage private sector remediation to remove contaminants in soil exceeding environmental standards to promote redevelopment.
Coordinate with FEMA to designate flood districts and mandate resilient design standards.
Lead rezoning effort and facilitate the clean-up
Act as steward of city’s waterfront # of program participants, # of riverfront programs Generating community interest, ensuring transportation access to river Recapture Riverfront (Hartford, CT) Scale the number of programs and events as riverfront visitation increases to ensure that supply matches demand.
$ of avoided business losses, # of new acres of permeable land Fundraising Green Stormwater Infrastructure Action Plan (Atlanta, GA) Consider other forms of stormwater mitigation, including bioswales and berms that also provide public benefits through open space.
Source: Annie Streetman Figure 103. One Berkshire Place: one many brownfield sites along the Schuylkill River
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# of parcels rezoned, # of parcels cleaned up Regional coordination, private investment Brownfield Cleanup (New York, NY) Repeat this event annually and in new tracts of land near the river.
2-5
5-10
MID TERM
LONG TERM
Development Framework
A Walk to the Water
Creating development incentives, including real estate tax abatements and tax exempt bond financing, will encourage the growth of market-supportable uses along the Schuylkill and increase river access for all of Reading’s citizens.
Extending streets spanning from East to West in downtown Reading all the way to the Schuylkill will enhance the pedestrian experience and create new corridors connecting the city to the river.
Design comprehensive development incentives that will benefit the City by minimizing public expenditures towards open space operations & maintenance
Total tax abatement $, total # of new projects financed through incentives Generating private investment
Lead planning and rezoning effort, using eminent domain in rare instances.
Brooklyn Bridge Park (New York, NY)
# of new visitors to the river, # of new pedestrians visiting riverfront
Market-supportable uses should include new residential units to meet the projected demand for rentals in future years.
Eminent domain, community cooperation, project financing Delaware River Waterfront (Philadelphia, PA) This funding should target and encourage local residents to take an interest in their own communities.
Source: Reading Eagle Figure 104. Reading's waterfront today
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RECLAIMING THE RIVER RIVERSIDE RECREATION PRECEDENT
Source: Riverfront Recapture
POTENTIAL FUNDING & PARTNERS
•
Public Sector: City of Reading, City of West Reading, U.S. Department of Environmental Protection
•
Private Sector: Carpenter, Penske, Brentwood, Ammeraal Beltech
•
Non-profit: Reading Recreation Commission, Berks County Foundation
OUTCOMES
•
Reclaiming the Waterfront will create a more accessible waterfront corridor for all of Reading’s citizens, expanding access to recreation assets and welcoming new development delivering community benefits.
•
Growing the amount of open space along the river will enhance urban ecology by facilitating greater interaction between Reading and its natural environs.
Figure 105. Hartford’s Riverfront Latin World Rhythm Festival
The City of Hartford launched Riverfront Recapture to reconnect the city with its waterfront, investing in four riverfront parks in Hartford and its suburban neighbor, East Hartford. Like Reading, the City of Hartford has a relatively low median household income compared to the neighboring town, East Hartford, which is located beyond the Connecticut River. Hartford’s Riverfront Recapture initiative revitalized the overgrown, disconnected riverfront banks and made more land accessible to the public. The City programmed new kinds of experiences through partnerships with nearby municipalities, universities, arts non-profits, and small businesses. In 2015, their revenue included $1.6 million in grants and contributions and another $700,000 through program fees and earned income.90
Source: Reading Eagle Figure 106. Reading's youth at play in the Schuylkill
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Source: Annie Streetman
Figure 107. Penn Street in Downtown Reading, PA
SOUTHWEST READING DISTRICT PLAN In order to demonstrate how Reading Forward’s Programs and Initiatives might look in practice, the following section focuses on a specific area within the city and identifies potential locations and layouts for the plan’s various elements. The following visions are meant to showcase how our Programs build off each other and synergize to create foundations for improvement and, ultimately, a truly sustainable population, economy, and urban grid. Southwest Reading was selected as the site for our local plan for several reasons. First, since its demographics and built character are analogous to citywide patterns, these visions provide a model for how Programs may be effectively implemented throughout the city. Second, because this region is uniquely challenged by environmental factors such as flooding from the Schuylkill banks, it is an area that may be especially benefited by sustainable and resilient infrastructure initiatives. And, third, its position on the banks of the Schuylkill make it an ideal site for an ambitious initiative that we hope Reading Forward can build toward and help make a reality in Reading’s not-too distant future: development of new parks, mixed-use facilities, and a citywide amenity along the riverfront.
DISTRICT PLAN
NEIGHBORHOOD PROFILE NEIGHBORHOOD PROFILE From the Schuylkill River in the West to Mount Penn in the East, the City of Reading measures approximately ten square miles. The geography of the Schuylkill River and Lebanon Valley define the city and create its characteristic dense urban fabric. Landmarks like the Charles Evans Cemetery, Dana Memorial Park, and the Railyards comprise large swaths of certain areas, bisecting neighborhoods entirely. While the city’s neighborhoods are loosely defined and largely ignored by residents, Reading can be broken up into 14 districts: Callowhill, Center City, Centre Park, College Heights, Glenside, Millmont, North Riverside, Oakbrook, Outlet District, Penn's Commons, Prince Historic District, Queen Anne Historic District, Southeast, Southside. Demographic trends observed at the city-level vary from district to district, with wealthier, whiter residents residing in census tracts in the Northeast and low-income, minority populations living in the South and to the West. Southwest Reading, which includes Callowhill, the Southern edge of Center City, and the Western edge of the Prince Historic District, offers a useful case study and illustrates Reading’s unique urban character. With its Western boundary defined by the Schuylkill as it winds through the City towards the South, Southwest Reading highlights the great opportunity contained in the local riverfront corridor. With the Penn Street corridor to the North, Southwest Reading has the potential to play a role in revitalizing the city’s economy. Reading Forward’s Programs come to life in Southwest Reading, setting the city on a path to sustainability.
Source: Shuangdi Dou Figure 108. Map of Southwest Reading
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NEIGHBORHOOD PROFILE
Source: Shuangdi Dou
Source: Shuangdi Dou
Source: Douglas Land
Figure 109. A family walking through Southwest Reading on Easter Sunday
Figure 110. Penske's Truck Repair Facility on Riverfront Drive
Figure 111. Garages near City Hall in Reading
DEMOGRAPHICS
STAKEHOLDERS
CHALLENGES
Southwest Reading is home to nearly 3,700 residents with roughly the same demographic make-up as the whole city.
Like the rest of the city, Southwest Reading has a dense urban fabric where commercial corridors hug residential enclaves.
Southwest Reading is a vibrant district with a strong mix of uses and amenities, however, it also faces challenges, including:
A closer look at Southwest Reading illustrates the following trends:
Neighborhood stakeholders include:
• •
• • • • •
Approximately 20% of residents have less than high school education Just a small share of the housing (15%) is owneroccupied Nearly 20% of residents are rent-burdened Vacancy is below 10% More than 50% of the population is Hispanic
• • • • • • • • • •
Reading Recreation Commission Reading Housing Authority Reading School District Reading Area Community College Penn Street Corridor Retail Owners Fifth Street Corridor Retail Owners Penske Truck Rental Family Dollar The Foundry Six churches
• • •
Large amount of vacancy along Penn Street Barrier to the Schuylkill created by the Penske Truck Rental site High amount of lead in the neighborhood's aging housing stock Low educational attainment Dead-end streets stopping short of the riverfront
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PROGRAM KEY PROGRAM KEY All eight Programs have site-specific physical interventions proposed for Southwest Reading. In the Implementation Map, at least one Initiative from each of the Reading Forward Programs targets the district landscape. Southwest Reading shares the density of the rest of the city and can potentially benefit from its access to Reading's historic buildings, natural resources, and underutilized parcels.
1
2
More Than Just a Grid will include events like A Taste of Reading, Neighborhood Energy Competitions, and Block Parties to strengthen community ties and civic pride.
5
3
Sustainable Scholars will involve students volunteers and interns to support community businesses and to improve streetscapes by designing and installing green elements.
6
Greening the City will reintroduce
natural elements and pervious surfaces into Southwest Reading’s urban landscape to mitigate flood events, create walkable streets, and provide accessible green space for residents.
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4
Open for Business will facilitate economic growth by simplifying development processes, revitalizing streetscapes, and promoting sustainable reuse of vacant buildings.
7
Healthy Homes will deliver weatherization workshops, energy audits, and residential retrofits focused on lead abatement, insulation and weatherization.
On The Go will create wayfinding signs to nearby attractions, bike lane and bike parking, and crosswalk bumpouts. Existing rail right-of-ways will be converted to multi-use paths.
8
Reduce Rubbish will launch a neighborhood recycling and composting initiatives and bring public recycling receptacles to every major intersection.
Reclaiming the River will redevelop the Penske Truck Repair Center, activate parkland along Riverfront Drive, and extend Spruce and Chestnut streets to the river.
FUTURE PROGRESS MAPPING FUTURE PROGRESS
Figure 113. Proposed green corridors
Figure 112. Southwest Reading District Plan
Figure 114. Proposed new bike lanes
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SPRUCE STREET VISION SPRUCE STREET VISION Reading Forward's toolkit of Programs and Initiatives have been used to transform the industrial blocks on Spruce Street in Southwest Reading. Vacant industrial buildings whose large frames and boarded up windows cast shadows on the street in recent decades have been revitalized by incoming industries and entrepreneurs forming small-scale manufacturing businesses. Pedestrians walk on the shady, plant-lined sidewalks, either looking into shop windows or heading down the street for a meal at a nearby restaurant. The multi-modal improvements to the area have also reinvigorated Reading's bicycle culture, with much of the population making use of the marked bicycle lanes to commute or for pleasure riding. Reading Forward has transformed Spruce into a vibrant streetscape supporting business and commerce in the city while also promoting healthful outdoor activity for all of Reading's residents.
Source: Rachel Finfer
Figure 115. Current conditions at the corner of Spruce
Street and Plum Street
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OPEN FOR BUSINESS The industrial reuse project on Spruce and Plum Street is largely a product of the Peer to Peer Initiative of Open for Business. Two local business owners and a hydroponic farmer with a business near Philadelphia met at a Peer to Peer event and decided to share ownership and costs of an industrial building. The ground-floor is run by a native Reading bikeenthusiast and entrepreneur who manufactures custom bicycles. The second floor houses a brewery whose owner grew up in Berks, but used to run her business in a rural area. The new space enables her to conduct tastings of her newest creations as well as provide tours for curious tourists and locals. The top floors house a hydroponic mushroom farm that relocated to Reading to take advantage of low prices and the workforce whose knowledge of science and agricultural have made the business thrive.
Source: cheapadventuregear.com
Figure 116. Vision for ground-floor industrial re-use
business
The owners have also made good use of the Open for Business tax exemptions and incentives to invest in their property. Large street-facing windows and a clean facade make theirs an inviting building for patrons and they are looking to expand soon.
his love of bicycles and started his own business after graduation. All the employees of the mushroom farm were also Scholars. The skills they learned in the Formulating Food Initiatives are what drew the business to Reading in the first place.
SUSTAINABLE SCHOLARS
REUSE RUBBISH
Scholars are also responsible for a large portion of the transformation on Spruce Street. Through volunteer and internship programs or on their own initiative, much of the planting and streetscaping was installed or overseen by a Sustainable Scholar. They form the foundation of the business improvement as well.
The Reduce Rubbish Program has gone a long way toward the improvement of this area as well. By providing additional recycling bins through out the area and educating residents on proper recycling practice, it has reduced litter in the streets of Southwest Reading, making them cleaner and more vibrant.
The bicycle shop owner is a graduate of the Scholars Program himself. He took the skills and knowledge he learned in a City Hall internship and
SPRUCE STREET VISION
Source: Angus Page
Figure 117. Vision for Spruce Street at Plum after implementation of Reading Forward Programs
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BINGAMAN STREET VISION BINGAMAN STREET VISION Almost ten percent of land in the city of Reading is vacant, which poses a significant opportunity for a range of interventions. Abandoned lots can be visual blights on a neighborhood, can result in increased crime, and are a waste of valuable space in the city. Through targeted, community-focused interventions, Reading Forward advocates for the reinvention of these vacant spaces to increase the green space in the city and to serve as neighborhood community spaces. At a vacant lot at the intersection of Bingaman and 6th streets, Reading Forward turns an empty lot in disrepair into a green space where neighbors can interact with one another, children can play, and community events can take place. This green space has increased the walkability of Bingaman Street and raised housing values in the surrounding area. This space is supported by a number of similar spaces
within the neighborhood which have encouraged local residents to spend time outside.
GREENING THE CITY The lot has been cleaned and grass and plantings installed to collect runoff from surrounding buildings and pervious surfaces. This helps to mitigate the hazards of flooding events and creates a lush urban oasis with fairly low maintenance requirements. Street trees and sidewalk landscaping have been installed and the sidewalk has been replaced by porous pavement that additionally facilitates the collection of stormwater runoff. Flowers planted in gardens within the space are maintained by community organizations who hold annual volunteer planting events, and the City hires local residents to perform regular upkeep on sites throughout Reading. Additional upkeep work is performed by the participants in the Sustainable Scholars Program who learn about sustainable planting processes and the importance of green space. Through this and other similar projects, the district now boasts a park within walking distance of every resident. This project was achieved through a period of scaled, increasingly ambitious interventions that were sponsored through the assistance of nearby businesses and local nonprofits. Additional funding was available through grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
MORE THAN JUST A GRID Source: Shuangdi Dou
Figure 118. Existing Conditions at Bingaman & 6th Streets
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Now a vibrant open space, the Bingaman Street lot hosts a range of events that appeal to a various
Source: San Francisco Better Streets Program
Figure 119. Vision of green infrastructure installation
ages within the community. Farmers markets locate here weekly, the space hosts family movie nights in the summer, and neighborhood block parties are organized on an annual basis. Residents stop on their walk home to sit in the benches and interact with their neighbors. A large mural of a train has been painted on the side of a house on one side of the lot through a coordinated effort between the GoggleWorks center and the Boys and Girls Club. This mural pays homage to Reading’s history while also serving as a placemaking marker for the neighborhood.
HEALTHY HOMES A range of interior and exterior housing upgrades have been performed by local contractors on the buildings surrounding this lot and all along Bingaman Street to remove lead paint, increase energy efficiency, and raise housing values. This has decreased Reading’s energy footprint and improved the overall health and comfort of the city’s residents.
BINGAMAN STREET VISION
Source: Annie Streetman
Figure 120. Vision for lot at Bingaman and 6th Street after implementation of Reading Forward Programs
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RIVERFRONT VISION RIVERFRONT VISION Southwest Reading is bordered by the Schuylkill River along its Western edge, which winds from north to south as it flows to Philadelphia. Given the enormous untapped value of this natural resource for the city, Reading has an opportunity to reconnect with the River and improve the local urban ecology. The Reading Riverfront will see the combined benefits of Reclaiming the River, On the Go, and Sustainable Scholars. Synergies provided by these Programs as they are realized in Southwest Reading will dramatically reshape the way Reading's citizens interact with the water and provide new forms of recreation for both children and adults.
Source: Reading Eagle Figure 122. Trash along the Schuylkill in Reading
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RECLAIMING THE RIVER In the early years, Reclaiming the River will clean up access points along the river at multiple locations. Reading's Recreation Commission will play a large role in programming new after-school activities in park space along the trail and reserve enough room for a soccer field that will be used for a youth league on an annual basis. While the Schuylkill River Trail has long been an asset for Southwest Reading locals, it is difficult to access given the prominent location of the Penske Truck Rental facility. In the long-term, the City will work with Penske to reconfigure the footprint of its property without decreasing parking capacity. This will enable the City to extend Chestnut and Spruce Streets all the way to Riverfront Drive.
Source: Douglas Land
Figure 121. Vision for the Schuylkill River Trail
ON THE GO
SUSTAINABLE SCHOLARS
In order to get Reading citizens from Penn Street, the 5th Street Corridor, and other Southwest Reading commercial hubs to the River, improved signage will be installed at key intersections and entry points. The Schuylkill River Trail offers much for Southwest Reading in the way of recreation and access, but could be improved when it comes to integration with the residential neighborhoods on the other side of Riverfront Drive. New bike parking stations along the River will cater to many of Reading's tourists and residents alike, and pedicabs will carry other visitors who are in a hurry.
Serving as a living laboratory, the Schuylkill and surrounding banks are home to plants and animals that are vital to the health of the ecosystem. For Reading's youth, the river is a relatively unexplored environment that will soon broaden their understanding of sustainability while providing a place to play. Sustainable Scholars will enlist Reading's youth to support clean-up efforts, and in turn they will have more open space for soccer, kayaking, biking, and other recreation in Southwest Reading.
RIVERFRONT VISION
Source: Douglas Land
Figure 123. Vision for the kayak launch along Reading's Schuylkill Waterfront
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RIVERFRONT VISION PENSKE TRUCK REDEVELOPMENT In terms of physical scale, the largest intervention proposed in Reading Forward is the redevelopment of the Penske Truck Repair Facility on Riverfront Drive near the Schuylkill. This project represents a massive undertaking for public and private partners, and is the culmination of many components of the plan. Drawing upon examples of successful riverfront revitalization in many other communities with industrial waterfronts, this project hopes to improve public space along the Schuylkill, one of Reading’s richest, underutilized natural assets. Reconfiguring the footprint of the Penske Truck Facility is crucial for the success of the “Walk to the
Figure 125. View of Penske from Riverfront Drive
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Penn St
THE SITE TODAY
Franklin St
The Penske property consists of two large, narrow segments that are adjacent to one another and have direct access to the corridor along the River. Penske’s Collision Repair Center measures approximately 60,000 SF and is the largest building on the property sitting close to the Northern edge. A smaller, secondary building measuring 32,000 SF is located directly to the South of the Repair Center. In total, the two buildings on the parcel occupy just 23% of the available acreage; the rest of the site is dedicated to parking. Because Penske’s business is dedicated to truck rentals, it is imperative that the company preserves its ability to store hundreds of vehicles at once. Under its current configuration, the parking capacity is 450 vehicles, with a mix of 18-foot spaces and 30foot spaces for larger trucks. The required acreage for this many vehicles amounts to nearly five acres. Maintaining enough space for parking is nonnegotiable, but repositioning parking spaces in a more efficient way to allow Penske and the City to work together.
Chestnut St
Spruce St
ve
Ri
Source: Rachel Finfer
River” Initiative in the Reclaiming the River Program, as the existing shape of the parcel prevents Spruce and Chestnut Streets from extending all the way to Riverfront Drive. Considering the inefficient use of the waterfront parcel, the City should work with Penske to rethink its layout without reducing the company’s parking capacity or ability to service vehicles.
rf r
on
t Dr i v
e
Penske Truck Repair Property Line Penske Truck Repair Facility 0
0.2 Miles
Figure 124. Penske Truck Repair Facility (Existing)
RIVERFRONT VISION
REDEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL Total available land on site is 8.7 acres. Given the need for 2.1 acres dedicated to facilities and 4.8 acres for parking, the total required floor area is 6.9 acres. With a surplus of 1.8 acres, Penske can consider relocating its buildings to the Southern segment of the parcel and more efficiently organize its parking. Reconfiguring the company’s footprint to maximize the layout closer to the intersection of 2nd Street and Canal would enable the City to reclaim the right of way along Chestnut and Spruce Streets all the way to Riverfront Drive. This redevelopment would also unlock additional land adjacent to the new, extended streets. To activate the riverfront and grow the number of pedestrians visiting the Schuylkill on a daily basis, the City will rezone the land for mixed-use development, allowing new development that permits ground floor retail, additional open space, and housing. Using 2010 and 2015 US Census data, a supply-demand analysis of residential housing in Reading indicates that the city will need an additional 1,400 units of owner-occupied housing by 2020. Taking advantage of this opportunity to reconnect downtown Reading and the Schuylkill will provide much-needed new housing and enhance urban ecology locally. In order to compensate Penske for the cost of moving its facilities, the City can provide a package of incentives, including property tax abatements and zoning bonuses for its other properties in Reading.
Penn St
Franklin St
Chestnut St
Source: Shuangdi Dou Figure 127. Planned street extension
Spruce St
MULTIPLE BENEFITS In addition to restricting riverfront access from downtown Reading, the facility’s current design preserves large amounts of impervious surface in a flood zone. By growing the amount of permeable surface, Reading can mitigate the impact of flooding during extreme weather events. Other benefits would include more space for recreation and new bike lanes and parking stations close to the River.
R iv
n t Dr i v e
Relocated Penske Truck Repair Facility
LONG-TERM PLAN In the long-term, Reading should work with Penske to completely relocate its facilities to a new part of the city and reclaim all of their waterfront property for public enjoyment.
er f r o
Proposed Mixed Use Riverfront Development 0
0.2 Miles
Figure 126. Penske Truck Repair Facility (Planned)
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READING 2030 READING 2030 In 2030, Reading Forward will have transformed the character of the city. Its residents will have a sustainable outlook, knowledge of sustainable practice, and will be engaged in the civic community to continue improving their home. The city’s streets, sidewalks, parks, and paths will be in good repair and alive with greenery, providing residents’ access to essential services and improved health and quality of life. In 2030, Reading’s economic resurgence is underway. As new businesses continue to open across the city, vacancy rates are declining, wages are increasing, and city streets are filled with commerce. The Schuylkill river and its adjacent parks have become a centerpiece of recreation and culture, with improvements such as new mixed-used buildings creating a vibrant hub of activity and green infrastructure making the area more resilient to extreme weather events. Yet the city has not arrived at a final state of sustainability. Reading Forward is designed to continually build foundations from which further progress may be achieved. In 2030, Reading’s current youth will be its leaders. Their engagement, experience, and knowledge of the city and its transformations will enable them to set out new frameworks to support or redouble previous efforts, to build off previous successes toward continued sustainability and greater prosperity. Reading Forward will evolve over time, driven by the goals that formed the foundation of its Programs and the framework for their development. This plan and these goals will form a basis for further growth in Reading beyond 2030, as it travels toward its sustainable future on the rails of the 21st century.
Source: Rachel Finfer
Figure 128. Reading's Schuylkill River Trail Bridge
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We are extremely grateful for all of the time, energy, and resources contributed by the many people who supported the development of this plan. Reading Forward would not have been possible without the support of the following individuals: • • • • • • • • • • • •
Johanny Cepeda, Mi Casa Su Casa Dana Damato, City of Reading Kate Daniel, PennDesign Haln Devon, Berks County Planning Commission Michael Foote, City of Reading Amy Johnson, City of Reading Adrian Koerner, City of Reading Neil Nemeth, City of Reading John Landis, PennDesign Alejandro Palacios, City of Reading Craig Pfeiffer, City of Reading Patricia Vasquez, City of Reading
Special thanks to Karen Thompson of the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation for guiding the team through all aspects of plan research, framing, design, and drafting.
AUTHORS This plan was a product of the University of Pennsylvania's City & Regional Planning Spring Planning Workshop, 2017. The PennPlanning Master's candidates responsible for developing the plan were: • • • • • •
Shuangdi Dou, Urban Design (MCP '18) Rachel Finfer. Transportation (MCP '18) Alana Kim, Community & Economic Development (MCP '18) Douglas Land, Public-Private Development (MCP '18) Angus Page, Transportation (MCP '18) Annie Streetman, Land Use & Environmental Planning (MCP '18)
Source: Rachel Finfer
Figure 129. Solar panels and sculpture along Riverfront Drive
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