Olney, Philadelphia, 2030 Plan (Team Work) by Yilin Ren

Olney Together 2030 Olney Together 2030

North 5th Street and Chew Avenue intersection

Olney Workshop 2020 Benjamin N. Dodson Madelyn Kornhauser Allison M. Lau Yilin Ren Perry J. Schaffner Jingzong Wang Amanda S. Xifaras Haida Xu Instructor: Christina Arlt, AICP

Local businesses on North 5th Street

Olney (Ah-le-nee) is a neighborhood in North Philadelphia that is home to a multi-cultural population originating from all over the world. Spanning 1.65 square miles in size, according to 2018 ACS 5-year Estimates, Olney is home to 38,957 people and 13,547 housing units. A majority of Olney residents (58.9%) are Black or African American. Almost 21% of Olney residents are Hispanic or Latinx, 14.7% are Asian, and 4.6% are White. Olney is a family-oriented neighborhood comprised of many schools, community, and religious institutions. Additionally, Olney is home to over 360 family-run businesses along its bustling North 5th Street commercial corridor. Many of these businesses reflect the heritage of their owners. Olney’s diversity is the neighborhood’s biggest asset and makes it truly unique. ii

Locally-owned Mumy Awa African Hair Braiding on Chew Avenue

History

Locally-owned MUTA Korean Barbeque and Karaoke on North Front Street

The Olney neighborhood was first inhabited by the Leni Lenape Native Americans. Alexander Wilson was responsible for the neighborhood’s name. Wilson was a fan of William Cowper, a British poet from Olney, England, and gave the neighborhood the same name. Olney remained farmland and estates for the wealthy until the 1920s when Heinz Manufacturing Company and Brown Instrument brought workers to the neighborhood. Between the 1800s and 1970, Olney’s residents comprised of mostly working class immigrants of German, Eastern European, and Russian decent with growth in the neighborhood’s African American population in the 1960s during an economic collapse in Philadelphia. White flight began in Olney during the 1980s and continued through the succeeding decades. Following the White flight, immigrants from many parts of the world moved to Olney. These immigrants were from: Korea Cambodia Vietnam Puerto Rico Columbia Mexico Jamaica Haiti West Africa Ukraine Ireland Having immigrants from so many countries early on, contributed to its diverse population today. During the 1980s, Olney became known as Koreantown, and street signs in Korean were installed to serve the elderly Korean immigrants who did not speak English. Source: the Free Library of Philadelphia

iii

Transportation 14 Community 19

Thriving Business Corridors 34 Diverse Housing Supply 37 Equitable Access to Daily Activities 40

Supporting Families 50 Bridging People and Places 52 Global Village 54 Spotlight 56

Introduction 62 Implementation Tables 64

Adults

Transportation Parks and Recreation Business Culture

Teens

Culture Transportation

Seniors Culture Housing

Families

Culture Business Transportation

Implementation Plan

Housing 12

Green Streets and Parks 30

Introduction 48

Alternatives

Land Use 8

Resilient Cultural and Family Resources 26

Goals, Opportunities, Issues

Demographics 4

Existing Conditions

Overview 2

Rowhouses in East Olney

ns gC on Exi stin

Mural on building at Olney Rec Center

dit io

Community building at Ziehler Playground

Overview

Demographics Land Use Housing

4 8

Transportation 14 Community

OLNEY | WORKSHOP 2020

19111

290

Fern Rock Station

19140 Miles

Northwood

Feltonville

0.5

Olney’s zip code

TACONY CREEK

Ta c on y C re e k P a rk

Olney Station TAB ST MASCHE R

VE OOSE

AV E

Miles 1.5

Zie h le r P la yg rou n d

SU N

0.75

OLNEY A VE

RAIL RIGHT-OF-WAY

Frankford

Hunting Park

Olney’s census tracts and surrounding neighborhoods

2ND ST

19124

Lawndale

286

273

F ish e r P a rk

O ln e y R e c re a tion C e n te r

FRONT

Logan

19120

Melrose Park Gardens

5TH ST

275

274.01

Fern Rock

A VE

19141

274.02

East Oak Lane

LT B L

Commercial Regional Rail Line Broad Street Line

City Hall UPenn

Direct Distance

Olney’s location 2

19126

GODFR EY

285

The Olney neighborhood is located in North-Central Philadelphia in an area that is considered the “Upper North.” Olney is located approximately 5 miles north of Center City. The neighborhoods that directly surround Olney include: Fern Rock, East Oak Lane, Melrose Park Gardens, Lawndale, Northwood, Feltonville, and Logan. The boundaries of the neighborhood determined for this plan are Godfrey Avenue to the north, Tacony Creek to the east, Roosevelt Boulevard to the south, and a railroad right of way located directly west of Fisher Park and North 6th Street. These boundaries were determined in accordance with the census tract map of Philadelphia, using census tracts: 273, 274.01, 274.02, 275, 285, 286, and 290. These boundaries best encompassed the economic and residential core that makes Olney unique. Additionally, some of the data needed for this plan can be collected only at the zip code level. For this reason, the 19120 zip code was occasionally used as a reference boundary when collecting data.

Montgomery County

RI SI

Overview

0.25

Miles 0.5

Olney Basemap

EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Age Distribution 40%

Olney’s demographics data shows that the neighborhood is comprised of many children and youth, making it a family-oriented place to live. Additionally, with the large influx of immigrants over the years, Olney is extremely multi-ethnic. The neighborhood is also working class, with slightly lower incomes than other areas of Philadelphia.

35% 30%

Percent

25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0%

Population Trends

Under 18 Years

18 to 34 Years Olney

35 to 64 Years

65 and Over

Philadelphia

Source: 2018 5-year ACS estimates

OLNEY | WORKSHOP 2020

Large Family Households 100% 90% 80%

Household Size

70%

Percent

As of 2018, Olney was comprised of 38,957 people, and the median age in Olney is 32 years old, which is slightly lower than the median age in Philadelphia which is 34.3 years old. Around 37% of the population is under the age of 18, which is nearly twice as high as this age demographic in Philadelphia. Olney has a lower share of its population aged 18 to 34 than Philadelphia, with about 26% of its population being within this age range compared with 30% of Philadelphia’s population. Since 2010 the number of residents aged 15 to 19 has gone down, suggesting that the percentage of people in this age bracket is decreasing. However,

Olney has a younger population than does Philadelphia

60%

50%

40%

30%

20% 10% 0% Olney Source: 2017 5-year ACS estimates

Philadelphia

Olney has larger families than does Philadelphia

the population aged 35 to 64 makes up the largest age demographic within the neighborhood, with about 37% of residents being within this age range. According to Census family household data, the large percentage of people aged 35 to 64 combined with the high percentage of people under 18. The smallest percentage of the population is aged 65 or over, making up less than 8% of the neighborhood’s population. The average household size of the neighborhood also shows a family dynamic, or at least many people sharing dwellings. As of 2018, the average household size in Olney is 3 people compared to Philadelphia’s average household size which is 2.6 people. Less than 35% of the neighborhood lives in single-person households. About 15% of the neighborhood lives in two-person households. About 10% live in three-person households. Nearly 30% of the neighborhood lives in households with 4 or more people. Compared to greaterPhiladelphia, which has less than 20% of households with 4 or more people, Olney is much more familyoriented. However, over the past decade, the average household size has been trending down.

Foreign-Born Populations Regions of Origin 53% 34% 35%

53%

Percent

Demographics

10% 39% 5%

68%

41%

16% 1%

Olney Europe

Philadelphia Asia

Africa

Latin America (Caribbean, Central & South America)

Source: 2018 5-Year ACS Estimates

Percentage wise there are more foreign-born residents in Olney than in Philadelphia

Foreign Born One of the most unique features about Olney is its ethnic diversity and large immigrant population. Approximately 1/3 of the neighborhood’s residents are foreignborn. Of the foreign-born population in Olney, 53% are from Latin America or the Caribbean while 41% are from Asia and 5% are from Africa. These immigrant groups are well represented from a cultural standpoint since Olney has many Latin American restaurants and bakeries as well as many Korean restaurants. The composition of the foreign-born population is in line with the immigration patterns that were seen in the 1980s and beyond and Olney has remained an immigrantcentric neighborhood.

Linguistic Diversity Along with the large foreign-born population, linguistic diversity is something that sets the neighborhood apart from others within Philadelphia, and even within the state of Pennsylvania. According to North 5th Street Revitalization Project, the 19120 zip code has been called the most linguistically diverse zip code in the state of Pennsylvania. The large immigrant population is likely responsible for much of this. Additionally, less than half of the population speaks English as the primary language at home, implying that these families are prioritizing the preservation of their home countries’ cultures by maintaining a linguistic connection. Economic disparity Olney’s economic strength has continuously lagged behind that of Philadelphia in terms of household income, poverty, and unemployment. Olney’s 2018 median household income was $33,539 and Philadelphia’s was $43,000, so Olney lags nearly $10,000 a year behind Philadelphia on their median household income. Along with the lower household income, Olney has also seen a higher poverty rate than

EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Median Household Income

45,000

30%

29.9%

30.2%

20%

$33,539

$30,967

Percent

$33,298 30,000

15%

20%

Percent

Median Household Income ($)

25.1%

$37,367

19.7%

19.0%

6,000 workers entering

10%

800 workers staying

20,000 workers leaving

Source: 2018 5-year ACS estimates

20,000 2014

2016

Philadelphia

Olney has a lower median household income than does Philadephia

Philadelphia. Persistent poverty is defined by a Brown University study as areas where 20% or more of the residents in the area have lived in poverty for at least 30 years. The majority of Olney does not suffer from persistent poverty, though parts of Southern Olney have suffered from persistent poverty. Olney’s unemployment rate is also higher than Philadelphia’s. Olney has an unemployment rate of 13.9% whereas Philadelphia has an unemployment rate of 10.2%. While both Philadelphia’s and Olney’s unemployment rates have overall trended down over the last decade, within the past 3 years, Olney’s looks like it may be on the rise again.

OLNEY | WORKSHOP 2020

Education & healthcare comparable to Philadelphia average

All other sectors

13.9%

7.7%

25,000

2012 Olney

30.5%

30.4%

15.3%

10%

2010

Occupations by Sector 2018

30.3%

40,000

35,000

Daily Neighborhood Inflow & Outflow

Unemployment Rate

Poverty Rate

2010

2012 Olney

2014 Philadelphia

2016

2018

Olney’s poverty rate is higher than Philadelphia’s

Employment and Employers The most common occupations for Olney residents are in the healthcare, education, manufacturing, and retail trade sectors. Those in the education and healthcare sector make up 30.5% of the working population, the largest employment sectors for Olney residents. Those in the manufacturing sector make up 12.7% of the workforce population and those in the retail trade sector make up 9.6%. The share of workers in the manufacturing sector in Olney is twice as large as the share of these workers in Philadelphia as a whole. Some of this might date back to the early origins of manufacturing plants in the neighborhood in the 1920s. A small percentage of residents work in the professional, scientific, and

Source: 2018 5-year ACS estimates

2010

2012 Olney

2014 Philadelphia

2016

Olney’s unemployment rate is higher than Philadelphia’s

management industries with 9.3% of the population working in this sector. The majority of Olney residents travel outside of the neighborhood for work. For their jobs, 20,000 workers leave the neighborhood, while just 6,000 workers enter each day. Only 800 residents work and live within the neighborhood boundaries. These statistics indicate that many more jobs are available outside of the neighborhood, forcing residents to commute to their jobs. The employer makeup in Olney is also quite different from the employment composition within the neighborhood. The largest industries in the 19120 zip code come from wholesale trade, manufacturing, and retail,

2018

Source: 2017 U.S. Census Bureau, OntheMap Application and LEHD Origin Destination Employment

More than three times as many workers leave Olney than enter Olney daily

followed by construction, and then healthcare. Given that 17% of jobs in Olney are in the manufacturing sector, it is clear why there is a much higher share of workers in the manufacturing sector in Olney than in Philadelphia. There is a clear mismatch with the healthcare and education professionals. While 1/3 of Olney residents work in this sector, only 11% of jobs in the healthcare and education sector are located in the neighborhood.

Transportation & warehousing above Philadelphia average

12.7%

Manufacturing above Philadelphia average

9.3%

Professional, scientific & management below Philadelphia average

9.6%

Retail trade comparable to Philadelphia average

Source: 2018 5-year ACS estimates

The majority of Olney residents work in the eduation and healthcare sector Lorem ipsum

Olney Industries (Zip 19120) Olney Industries (ZipCode Code 19120)

10,319

Total Employment in Olney

The majority of jobs in Olney are in wholesale trade EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Land Use

EAST OAK LANE FERN ROCK

Fisher Park

AVE

4% Residential Multifamily Attached

56% Residential Single, Attached

5% Auto Oriented Commercial

Olney Recreation Center

2ND ST

GODFRE Y

M E L R O S E PA R K GARDENS

10% Medium Industrial

LAWNDA LE

OLNEY A V

5TH ST

AV E

17% Recreation

RI SIN

TAB

F RO NT S

LOGAN

Tacony Creek Park

E Ziehler Playground

MASCHER ST

Olney is mainly a residential neighborhood with thriving commercial areas and low vacancy rates. The neighborhood’s largest zoning classifications are residential single-family attached (RSA-3), recreation (SP-PO-A), and medium industrial (I-2). Additionally, there is a small percentage of Auto Oriented Commercial (CA-1) land uses. The residential areas are spread throughout the neighborhood with the commercial and industrial areas concentrated along the Fox Chase rail line. The largest recreational area is Tacony Creek Park, which borders the entire east side of the neighborhood, and several parks and playgrounds makeup the other recreational spaces. Overall, Olney has a low land vacancy rate compared to Philadelphia. Olney’s land vacancy rate is only 0.5% whereas Philadelphia’s land vacancy rate is 4%. The land use looks similar in comparison to the zoning.

3% Neighborhood Commercial Mixed-Use

Source: City of Philadelphia, Department of Planning and Development (2014)

Legend Auto Oriented Commercial [CA-1] Neighborhood Commercial Mixed-Used [CMX-1, 2, 2.5]

NORTHWOOD

D T BLV EVEL RO O S

Light Industrial [I-1]

The majority of Olney’s land functions as residential, single, attached space F E LTO N V I L L E

Medium Industrial [I-2] Industrial Commercial Mixed-Use [ICMX] Residential Multifamily Attached [RM-1-2]

H U N T I N G PA R K

0.25

The majority of Olney’s land functions as residential space 8

OLNEY | WORKSHOP 2020

Miles J U N I ATA 0.5 PA R K

Residential Single-Family Attached [RSA-3-5] Residential Two-Family Attached [RTA-1] Recreation [SP-PO-A]

EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

EAST OAK LANE FERN ROCK

Fisher Park

M E L R O S E PA R K GARDENS

AVE

Olney Recreation Center

2ND ST

GODFRE Y

Can be collected by a single person Requires collection by a team

LAWNDA LE

5TH ST

OLNEY AV

AV E

Local businesses along North 5th Street

TAB

Requires collection by a large team and/or heavy machinery

Litter on the sidewalk

Tacony Creek Park

RI SIN

MASCHER ST

Ziehler Playground

FRONT ST

LOGAN

NORTHWOOD

D T BLV EVEL RO O S F E LTO N V I L L E

H U N T I N G PA R K

0.25

Miles J U N I ATA 0.5 PA R K

Olneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commercial areas are shaded in red One & Olney Shopping Center

Commercial Corridors The Commercial areas in Olney are the North 5th Street commercial corridor, which consists of mixed use first floor retail with second floor housing and is a mix of shops, corner stores, and restaurants. This commercial corridor reflects the diverse immigrant community who call Olney home. The other commercial hub is the One & Olney Shopping Center. This shopping center is a commercial strip mall that is anchored by a Shop Rite grocery store. It also contains many chain stores, such as Burger King, GNC, and T-Mobile, in addition to some local stores and storefronts that offer medical procedures like plasma donation and testing.

OLNEY | WORKSHOP 2020

Litter in Fisher Park

Litter Index

Environmental Quality and Litter

is litter that requires a large team or heavy machinery. The map shows that several parts of the neighborhood are in red color, specifically parts of the neighborhood around the park areas. The high litter rate suggests there are issues in controlling garbage and waste throughout the neighborhood.

A majority of Olney suffers high rates of litter. The litter index is a Philadelphia-wide measure to show how much garbage exists on the city streets. Streets highlighted in yellow is litter that one person can pick up, orange is litter that requires multiple people, and red

Litter on N Front Street

EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Housing 40

OLNEY | WORKSHOP 2020

The Value of Owners’ Homes Is Less Than Philly’s

679,876

Total Housing Units in Philly

53.0%

Olney: $883

Renter-Occupied

40.3%

Renter-Occupied

Philadelphia: $1,270

$151,500

679,876 Total Units

Owners (Without Mortgage)

Median Value in Philly

Olney: $348

Philadelphia: $444

$96,866

13,547

Owner-Occupied

Median Value in Olney

Total Housing Units in Olney

6,959

Owner-Occupied

5 0 P r

20 2 1 19 1 1 1 1 e40 950 960 970 980 990 00 0s 10s 19 s s s s s 40 s s

Source: 2017 ACS Housing Data 2.53% are 20+ units 5.61% are single, detached

9.23% are 2 units

76.90%

of Housing Structures are Single, Attached

Rowhouses in West Olney

Renters Olney: $941

Philadelphia: $970

Total Units

59.7%

Median Monthly Cost for Owners and Renters in Olney and Philadelphia Owners (With Mortgage)

47.0%

Source: 2017 ACS Housing Data

Owners Vs. Renters is Comparable to Philly’s Housing Tenure

Percent

Being that much of Olney is zoned as residaential single-family attached, housing is an important existing condition to address. The existing housing stock is aging, with over 75% of homes built prior to the 1940s, meaning most of the housing structures in Olney were built more than 80 years ago. Up until the 1970s a significant number of houses were built, but since the 1970s very little new housing structures have been built. In fact, since 2014, there have been no new homes constructed in the neighborhood. Of all the residential structures, nearly 77% are single family attached homes. Nine percent of the housing stock is two-unit homes, whereas only 6% are single family detached homes, and less than 3% of the housing structures have 20+ units. Unlike some other areas of Philadelphia, large apartment complex buildings are not as common within the Olney neighborhood. Many of Olney’s single family attached homes are two stories high with stairs leading to the entrances. Stairs leading to the entrance of many of Olney’s homes could be a potential issue for the older population within the neighborhood.

Percent of Housing Structures Built in Each Decade

Source: 2017 ACS Housing Data

Housing Tenure and Home Ownership The majority of housing units in Olney are owned. With a homeownership rate of 59.7%, Olney has a higher percentage of owners than does Philadelphia as a whole, which has a homeownership rate of 53%. Renters in Olney make up 40.3% of the population whereas renters in Philadelphia as a whole make up 47% of the population. Additionally, the median home value is significantly lower in Olney than it is in Philadelphia. The median household value in Olney is about $97,000 whereas Philadelphia’s

Source: 2017 ACS Housing Data

median household value is nearly $151,500, a $55,000 difference in value. Despite Olney’s median household value being lower than that of Philadelphia, many of Olney’s residents are cost burdened. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development defines cost-burdened families as those “who send more than 30% of their income on housing.” Olney renters are significantly more cost-burdened than homeowners. The median monthly housing cost for rent is $941, which is only $30 less than the median Philadelphia cost for rent. About 65% of Olney renters are cost-burdened whereas 48% of Philadelphia renters are cost-burdened. However,

Source: 2017 ACS Housing Data

owners with mortgages pay $883 a month, while Philadelphia homeowners with mortgages pay $1,270. About 40% of Olney’s homeowners with mortgages are cost-burdened which is actually lower than the 44% of Philadelphia homeowners with mortgages who are cost-burdened. Homeowners without mortgages pay significantly less in comparison to those with a mortgage. Olney homeowners without a mortgage pay a median of $348 a month, and Philadelphia homeowners pay $444 a month.

EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Transportation EAST OAK LANE FERN ROCK

GO D F R

MELROSE PARK GARDENS

EY AVE

Olney Recreation Center

Fisher Park

LAWNDALE

5TH ST

Considering Olney’s location in the upper north region of Philadelphia, transportation is one of the most important features of the neighborhood to showcase. Olney is primarily a car dependent neighborhood but has access to several modes of public transit. Olney has four regional rail lines that service the neighborhood. Additionally, just outside of the neighborhood is the Broad Street Line that terminates at the Fern Rock Transportation Center. Olney is pedestrian-friendly with sidewalks throughout the neighborhood, and its size makes it easy to navigate by foot. Bicycle infrastructure is not as developed as for other modes, although there are bike lanes located on North 5th Street.

OLN EY

A VE Ziehler Playground

Tacony Creek Park

LOGAN

Transit Connectivity The Olney Station is a SEPTA regional rail station that is located in the center of the neighborhood and is serviced by the Fox Chase regional rail line. Fern Rock Transportation Center is also serviced by the regional rail and has 3 lines that provide service to this station: the 14

OLNEY | WORKSHOP 2020

R OO

L T BL S E VE

NORTHWOOD

FELTONVILLE

HUNTING PARK

Bus stops are located on the highlighted streets

0.25

Miles JUNIA TA 0.5 PARK

SEPTA Regional Rail’s Olney Station EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

G Olney Recreation Center

2ND ST

Fisher Park

SEVE

Y AVE Olney Recreation Center

0.4

Miles 0.8

The time it takes to walk to a frequent bus stop

SEVE

LT B

LVD

0.4

ROO

SEVE

Miles 0.8

The time it takes to walk to Fern Rock Station

5 minute walk

10 minute walk

15 minute walk

Doylestown, the Warminster, and the West Trenton lines. The Broad Street Subway Line also terminates at Fern Rock. The Route 47 bus also services the neighborhood along North 5th Street and is the bus route, connecting the neighborhood directly to Center City. Most of the neighborhood is within a 15-minute walk of a Route 47 bus stop. Route 47 is also a “max 15” line, meaning that a bus services each stop at a minimum frequency of every fifteen OLNEY | WORKSHOP 2020

Fern Rock Station and Accessibility Only slightly more than a quarter of residents in Olney use transit as their means of transportation to work which is similar to the 26.2% of Philadelphia residents who use transit as their means of transportation. The Fern Rock Transportation Center is located outside of the boundaries considered for Olney in this plan, but it

LVD

0.4

Fern Rock parking lot

Olney Station signage

Fern Rock overpass

Train departing from Olney Station

Fern Rock train tracks

Olney Station signage

Miles 0.8

The time it takes to walk to Olney Station

5 minute walk

minutes. Additionally, 7 other bus routes provide local service to adjacent neighborhoods.

LT B

Frequent Bus Stop

15 minute walk

TAB OR

Tacony Creek Park

NY CR EE

Ziehler Playground

TACO

OLNEY AVE

RI SU SIN G N AV E

5TH ST

K NY CR EE TACO

FRONT ST

MASCHE R ST ROO

FRONT ST

TAB OR

RI SU SIN G N AV E

5TH ST

K NY CR EE TACO

LT B L

Ziehler Playground

Tacony Creek Park

RAIL RIGHT-OF-WAY

ROO

OLNEY AVE

MASCHE R ST

2ND ST

TABOR RD RI SU SIN G N AV E

FRONT ST

MASCHE R ST

GODFRE

Y AVE

Ziehler Playground

RAIL RIGHT-OF-WAY

Tacony Creek Park

OLNEY AVE

Fisher Park

GODFRE

Olney Recreation Center

2ND ST

Y AVE

RAIL RIGHT-OF-WAY

GODFRE Fisher Park

is a significant means through which Olney residents can stay connected to transportation services. However, the station currently lacks a pedestrian connection east to the neighborhood. It would take over 15 minutes of walking to travel from Fern Rock to Olney’s western border. Additionally, for visitors and tourists traveling to Olney for the first time using public transportation, it could be difficult navigating the Fern Rock Transportation Center as one must access the Broad Street Line and the regional rail on opposite sides of the station. Moreover, regional rail

EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Community

trains run only once every hour midday which may not accommodate all user’s schedules. The rail stations suffer from deferred maintenance. The Olney regional rail station lacks a platform on the northbound side of the line and the southbound platform has litter present. The Fern Rock Station is very noisy, and to get from the regional rail to the street level, one must take several stairs to cross a bridge and then go back down another set of stairs to get to the street outside of the station. Cars and Pedestrians Sixty-eight percent of Olney’s residents, compared to 61.6% of Philadelphia’s residents, use a car as their primary mode of transportation. Olney has few roads that connect to areas to the east and west of the neighborhood, mainly due to the physically restrictive boundaries of Tacony Creek and the railroad right of way. The Fox Chase regional rail line also bisects the northern and southern parts of the neighborhood, with only 4 streets carrying traffic across the rail line. However, Olney is regionally accessible by Roosevelt Boulevard, also known as US 1, and US 13. The majority of the neighborhood residents are reliant on cars for 18

OLNEY | WORKSHOP 2020

Olney’s diversity is well represented through its various community organizations. Its parks and green spaces also provide public spaces in which people can socialize. These are all features of the neighborhood that actively support the residents who live there. Green Spaces and Parks

Cars parked along North 5th Street

their commute. This means that even with the plethora of public transportation options available, most people are still choosing to drive to work. While pedestrian infrastructure in the neighborhood is available, most residents do not use walking as their commute method. This can be explained by people traveling distances to work that require a different mode choice. The walking rates of the neighborhood are lower in Olney than the city average. There is street parking available throughout the neighborhood, which makes it easier for people to choose to drive if they know there will be a place to park.

Pedestrians and cars along North 5th Street

Olney’s various green spaces are relatively well distributed throughout the neighborhood. Fisher Park is in the northwestern part of the neighborhood, and Ziehler Playground is located in the southeastern part of the neighborhood. The Olney Recreation Center is in the northeastern part of Olney, and Tacony Creek Park is the eastern boundary of the neighborhood. The Olney Rec Center offers various athletic activities. Fisher Park is one of the most accessible public spaces in the neighborhood. Fisher Park hosts after school programing and neighborhood concerts during the summer months. Several NBA players have grown up playing on the basketball court at Cherashore playground, and it is even featured in a popular video game.

North 5th Street Revitalization Project office and its members; Source: Hidden City

Olney community cleaning Fisher Park; Source: Fairmount Park Conservacy

Community Organizations

These two tours are a “Bakery Blocks” food tour and a “where Global Is Local” self-guided food tour. These community organizations use commercial diversity to highlight the neighborhood’s cultural diversity in its residents to people who do not live in Olney. In addition to the community organizations, Olney is home to over 50 religious and spiritual organizations. This shows the diversity of faiths important to Olney residents. There are also a variety of after school programs offered for school-aged children. The Greater Olney branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia in Olney is also a space for families to spend time as well as offering resources to residents, including computer access.

The community organizations that service Olney help bring the residents of the neighborhood together. In particular, the North 5th Street Revitalization Project, governed under the parent organization the Korean Community Development Services Center, are two of the dominant organizations of the neighborhood. North 5th Street Revitalization Project is responsible for the economic vitality along the North 5th Street commercial corridor and acts as a community development corporation for the neighborhood as a whole. The North 5th Street Revitalization Project’s duties include fostering a sense of community, North 5th Street, and promoting tourism in the neighborhood by designing two self-guided food tours.

EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Korean Community Development Services Center

Fisher Park Greenspace in Tacony Park

OLNEY | WORKSHOP 2020

Primary greenspaces in Olney

0.25

Miles 0.5

Schools Schools

Arts

Parks Parks

Olney Schools Recreation Center

Arts&&Culture Culture Arts

Relig Instit

Religious Institutions Religious Institutions

Parks

Schools

Arts & Culture

Source: Google Maps

Park

Community Centers

Olney Elementary School

Greater Olney Library

Ziehler Park

Source: Google Maps

Tacony Creek Park

Cherashore Playground

Community building at Ziehler Playground

Basketball court at Fisher Park

North 5th Street Revitalization Project

Community Centers Community Centers

0.25

Miles 0.5

Prominent community facilities in Olney EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

North 5th Street

Conclusion

I Love Olney Sign

Olney is truly a multi-cultural neighborhood with a high share of

immigrants,

making it a unique area of Philadelphia. Though it is largely residential, the two commercial areas cater to the diverse populationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs. With

commercial corridor along North 5th Street, Olney a bustling

offers economic opportunity to residents

many centers,

and visitors alike. Additionally, the

schools, community and green spaces provide

both support and amenities to families and residents. With a higher number of family

households in Olney compared to that

North Marshall Street

of Philadelphia, Olney is a great community for families. Olney Rec Center

OLNEY | WORKSHOP 2020

EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

ssu

es Rowhomes

Go als

,O pp

Ziehler Playground

ort

ite

s, I

The basketball court at Fisher Park

Resilient Cultural and Family Resources Green Streets and Parks

Thriving Business Corridors Diverse Housing Supply

Equitable Access to Daily Activites

Olney Has Resilient Cultural and Family Resources Goal Overview Olney offers resilient cultural and family resources. Residents of Olney have access to satisfactory elementary schools, after school programming, and recreational and cultural activities. Olney’s elementary and middle schools are of high quality to cater to the many children who live in the neighborhood. The neighborhood organizations actively support the residents and the community.

Opportunities Neighborhood Organizations Olney is supported by a diverse group of religious and spiritual organizations. This can be seen as an opportunity for the neighborhood, as a neighborhood association can be formed. Groups such as the Korean Community Development Services Center and GPASS, the Greater Philadelphia Asian Social Service Center, were created specifically to support the Korean-American population in the 1980s. Additionally, the North 5th 26

OLNEY | WORKSHOP 2020

Philadelphia’s “School Progress Reports” results show that Olney’s high schools are in need of intervention

Street Revitalization Project is one of many organizations that have already been formed to support Olney. N5SRP has already been taking steps to separate themselves from the Korean Community Development Services Center and become their own CDC for Olney.

The Korean-American Association of Greater Philadephia emblem

Greater Philadelphia Asian Social Service Center

Education Olney’s public education system presents an opportunity for the neighborhood to improve the quality of education that is offered to high schoolers who live in Olney. The quality of elementary and middle schools in Olney falls in the second and third performance tiers. This is a pretty good place to be, but there is an opportunity

for improvement. The high schools on the other hand have a definite opportunity and need for quality improvement. High-school-aged students in Olney who attend public school attend either the Olney Charter High School or the Samuel Fels High School. Olney Charter is twice the size of Samuel Fels, however, student performance ranks higher.

EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Issues Education Olney’s elementary and middle schools are performing better than the high schools do. The quality of education is decreasing at a time when education is most important for students if they hope to achieve high school graduation. Additionally, Olney’s high schools have 4-year graduation rates that are lower than Philadelphia’s 72% rate, which is already low. Olney Charter High School has a graduation rate of 68% and Samuel Fels High School has a 70% graduation rate. Additionally, the Philadelphia School District categorizes schools within four groups based on their educational progress: model, reinforce, watch, and intervene. The elementary and middle schools in Olney fall into the “reinforce” and “watch” categories. The high schools are in the “watch” and "intervene" category. Language

Olney is linguistically diverse

OLNEY | WORKSHOP 2020

While linguistic diversity is a significant factor that makes the Olney neighborhood unique, it also leaves room for a language barrier for many residents. Olney has a higher share of the population

Most common languages spoken in Olney after Engliish

than other Philadelphia neighborhoods who speak a language other than English at home. This linguistic diversity causes challenges to neighborhood organization and outreach. Additionally, it becomes more difficult to distribute important neighborhood information and resources to residents as it needs to be translated into many different languages. This can be seen as an opportunity to make linguistic resources available for the Olney residents who are in need of them.

EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Olney Has Green Streets and Parks Goals Olney residents have easy access to recreational facilities and greenspaces. Residents and community organizations work to maintain clean areas, especially around areas of outdoor recreation. This goal will be measured by how it eliminates the litter on streets with the highest classification on the litter index. Additionally, it will ensure that the entire neighborhood is within a ten minute walk of a park. Tacony Creek

Opportunities Recreation access

facilities

and

OLNEY | WORKSHOP 2020

Olney Rec Center

park

The second largest land use category in Olney is recreation, which includes park space and open space land that are spread throughout the neighborhood. Olney has four facilities that are operated by the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Department. These facilities are Fisher Park, the Olney Recreation Center, Tacony Creek Park, and Ziehler Playground. These parks and playgrounds offer public spaces for 30

Cherashore Playground

Fisher Park clean-up

Distance to greenspaces throughout Olney Basketball court at Fisher Park

Ziehler Playground

Olney Field EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Fisher Park requires a large team or machinery to collect most of its litter

Can be collected by a single person Requires collection by a team Requires collection by a large team and/or heavy machinery

OLNEY | WORKSHOP 2020

Olney Rec Center requires a large team or machinery to collect most of its litter

Tacony Creek Park requires a large team or machinery to collect most of its litter

recreation, meetings, and after school activities. These parks and playgrounds also feature sports fields and courts for basketball, baseball, and more. A few of them have swimming pools. Community rooms are also available at the recreation areas. Most people in the neighborhood are within a ten-minute walk of a park or playground, providing residents access to these areas.

is a need for more environmental stewardship over the public areas. However, some of this could be an issue of who is responsible for cleaning the park areas. The TaconyFrankford Watershed Partnership organization currently hosts several clean-up events in Tacony Creek Park throughout the year, and it could be a model for other groups to clean the other parks in Olney. In the end, the goal of clean and green streets and parks will identify solutions for this issue.

Issues The main issue underneath this goal is the problem of litter. The Philadelphia Litter Index, explained in existing conditions, shows the presence of heavy litter directly surrounding the public park areas. The goal is to improve access and usage to these parks as well as to increase residentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; stewardship over these park spaces. Currently with the levels of litter, there

Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnerships is improving the health of Olneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s waterways

EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Olney Has Thriving Local Business Corridors Goals Olney has thriving local businesses. It is a neighborhood where thriving business corridors are fortified for the next generation. These corridors are inviting and accessible to pedestrians. The North 5th Street Revitalization projects hosts monthly business association meetings to encourage grassroots stewardship of issues pertaining to the corridor. These meetings help local business owners to increase business.

Local business on North 5th Street

Opportunities Olney currently has two thriving commercial areas, North 5th Street and the One & Olney Shopping Center. North 5th Street maintains 90% occupancy of its businesses and store fronts, and One & Olney is one of the largest regional markets in the Greater Philadelphia Area with a 100% occupancy rate. The retail potential within Olney is abundant. The North 5th Street Revitalization Project is a key player for the North 5th Street corridor; they manage sidewalk cleaning, 34

OLNEY | WORKSHOP 2020

installed new benches at bus stops, created several murals, and host monthly business association meetings, as well as support struggling small businesses along the corridor. The North 5th Street Revitalization Project has also put in a large amount of work to market the corridor as a tourist destination through the highlighting of cultural diversity. Their website advertises both a “Where Global is Local Food Tour” and a “Bakery Blocks Food Tour,” both of which highlight the international cuisine in the neighborhood.

Shopping on North 5th Street

Issues One & Olney Square signage

Chain stores at One & Olney Shopping Center

The main challenge with the commercial zones being concentrated in two distinct areas of the neighborhood is the street design is very auto-oriented. While pedestrians can easily access businesses along the North 5th Street corridor, they do not always have access to signaled street crossings, which is a safety issue. Additionally, there are two lanes of travel, but frequent parallel parking puts cyclists at risk who

One & Olney Shopping Center

are sharing these lanes of traffic with cars. The North 5th Street corridor does have bike lanes, but the surrounding side streets have only sharrows indicating that strets must be shared with cars, or no bike infrastructure at all. The One & Olney Shopping Center features a large parking lot making pedestrian navigation also dangerous. It lacks safe infrastructure for pedestrians to navigate the two sides of the shopping center.

90% of the North 5th Street corridor is occupied whereas the One & Olney Shopping Center is fully occupied

Olney has many food & beverage stores, hair salons, and clothing stores. It lacks car dealerships, garden stores, and supply stores

EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Olney Has a Diverse Housing Supply Goals

La Calenita Bakery & Cafe on North 5th Street

A restaurant and pharmacy located on North 5th Street 36

OLNEY | WORKSHOP 2020

Gail’s Caribbean and American Cuisine located on North 5th Street

Oteri’s Italian Bakery on North 5th Street

Olney’s food tours showcase global tastes

Olney Business Association meets once a month on Thursdays

Olney has a diverse housing supply. The future of Olney is one in which residents have access to a diverse housing supply that reflects changing demographics but maintains its identity as a family friendly, residential community. Olney’s culture of homeownership sets it apart from other areas of Philadelphia but concerns over a lack of multi-family housing and unavoidable displacement should be addressed before implementing any interventions. The viability of the housing supply will be measured by the availability of multi-family housing and the ability to adapt to support an aging population and the growing trend of multi-generational housing. One option other communities have explored are accessory dwelling units which increase available housing units without causing displacement. Some of this is likely already happening illegally, so streamlining a legalized process for these conversions is important This intervention diversifies the housing supply and attracts multigenerational households.

2.53% are 20+ units 5.61% are single, detached

9.23% are 2 units

76.90%

of Housing Structures are Single, Attached

Two-unit attached homes, West Olney Source: 2017 ACS Housing Data

A majority of Olney’s housing stock is single-family attached houses

Opportunities Olney is very attractive to homeowners. Sixty three percent of Olney’s housing units are owneroccupied, which is ten percent higher than Philadelphia’s rate of 53%. Olney also has a 2% lower share of residents who suffer from extreme housing cost burden or paying over 50% of their income towards housing. The housing stock in Olney is older than the average home age in Philadelphia because most of the housing was built prior to the 1960s.

Rowhomes, West Olney

EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Issues

Rent Burden Rate, Average Rent and Homeownership Rate

$1,043

28.05%

Rent Burden Rate (xâ&#x2030;Ľ30%) in Philly

53.0%

Average Rent

$944

Average Rent

33.4%

Homeownership Rate

Rent Burden Rate (xâ&#x2030;Ľ30%) in Olney

59.7%

Homeownership Rate

As addressed in the housing existing conditions section, Olney faces a lack of multi-family housing options because most of the existing housing is single-family, attached homes. These existing single-family homes feature mostly elevated entrances with stairs which can pose a mobility barrier for the elderly. A diversity in housing supply would help expand the range of people who can live in the Olney neighborhood. Additionally, Olney has a lack of vacant land. Only 0.5% of land in Olney is vacant, which leaves little room for future development. This means that new development within the neighborhood may displace existing residents, in order to redevelop on top of existing structures. This is something that future development decision makers will need to contend with.

Vacant Land Olney

Philadelphia

0.5%

5.75%

Source: 2017 ACS Housing Data Olney has a significantly lower vacancy rate than does Philadelphia

Source: 2017 ACS Housing Data

Olney has a higher homeownership rate than does Philadelphia. It has a higher rent burden rate and lower average rent than does Philadelphia

OLNEY | WORKSHOP 2020

EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Olney has Equitable Access to Daily Activities Goals Olney has equitable access to daily activities within and outside of the neighborhood. Olney’s high bus accessibility and transit usage are existing assets for the community. However, there are several serious transportation issues that need to be addressed when attempting to accomplish this goal. Olney’s future will be determined by the ability to improve the existing transportation infrastructure to better match the community’s needs. By improving access to Fern Rock Transportation Center and circulation into Olney, Olney’s transit hub can help the neighborhood reach out of its hard boundaries. By decreasing the share of people commuting by car, the vehicular crash rate can be decreased, parking shortages will be less of an issue, and the need for surface parking will be minimized— all benefits for a community.

Modes of Transportation

A higher percentage of Olney residents use cars as their mode of transportation to work than does Philadelphia

Place of employment and transit

Opportunities Olney residents’ main modal choice for commuting to work is currently driving, however, the 40

OLNEY | WORKSHOP 2020

next highest share is transit. More Olney residents are currently autooriented, however, with improved access to transit modes, this share could see a decreasing shift. The existing transit system is oriented towards Center City destinations, as many Olney residents have jobs in Center City or University City. The quickest mode is via one of Olney’s two regional rail stations, which requires only a 15-minute trip that costs twice as much as the other transit options. For $2.00, Olney residents can take the Broad Street Line to connect to points south of the neighborhood or take the bus, a trip that takes 45 minutes. Since the bus is currently more accessible than other modes of transit, it is currently the most popular mode of transit for Olney residents. There are nearly 11,000 people boarding buses daily. The Broad Street Line sees less than half the traffic, with about 4,000 people boarding daily from the Fern Rock Station. The regional rail is the least utilized, which offers an opportunity to increase accessibility to that mode, which is the quickest option to reach Center City.

Tavel time and cost to Center City via public transportation EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

SEPTA Transit Network equitable access | transit usage by service

opportunity

Bus

Fern Rock TC BSL

10,642

4,379

(2017)

Issues

Public Transit Weekday Boardings

(2017)

Fern Rock TC Regional Rail

Olney Regional Rail

174

817

(2015)

6.4 | Source: SEPTA Ridership OpenData

Weekday public transit boarding options

OLNEY | WORKSHOP 2020

OPPORTUNITIES + ISSUES + GOALS | EQUITABLE ACCESS | OLNEY

Although Fern Rock Transportation Center sits on the boundary of the neighborhood, it is not accessible within a 15 minute walk for all residents. This is due to a lack of pedestrian connection to the area just east of the station which sits within the neighborhood. Riders must transfer from the bus, park, or be dropped off via car to access this station. The Olney Regional Rail station, located in the center of the neighborhood, is the least used, yet

it is the most accessible, due to either cost or lack of frequency. Additionally, Olney’s southern boundary of Roosevelt Boulevard creates a barrier of access to surrounding neighborhoods. Roosevelt Boulevard has a total of 13 lanes of vehicular traffic. It has two sets of lanes in either direction—one set is for local usage and the other is for express traffic usage. The entire right of way is 300 feet wide, a large distance for a pedestrian to cross, especially with the presence of car traffic. A pedestrian attempting to cross Roosevelt Boulevard must cross

four separate sidewalks to make it across the road. Additionally, the street lacks bicycle lanes and a shoulder for roadside emergencies. Roosevelt Boulevard also has been a hot-spot for high crash rates, including frequent night-time fatalities.

EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Free Library of Philadelphia

Intersection of W Tabor Road and N 5th Street

Goals & Objectives

SEPTA bus

Olney Has Resilient Cultural and Family Resources: 1. Collaboration among the social organizations. 2. Improve public high school performance.

Olney Has Green Streets and Parks:

1. Eliminate the blocks classified as worst tier of the litter index. 2. Ensure the entire neighborhood is within a 10 minute walk of a park.

Olney Has Thriving Business Corridors:

1. To provide various resources to ensure that Olneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commercial corridors will thrive. 2. Increase pedestrian activities on North 5th Street.

Olney Has a Diverse Housing Supply:

1. Increase available multi-family housing supply. 2. Adapt existing housing to support aging in place and multi-generational housing.

Olney has Equitable Access to Daily Activities:

1. Improve access to Fern Rock Station and circulation into Olney. 2. Decrease number of people commuting by car.

Tacony Park 44

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EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Al t ern

Example of Green Pedestrian Bridge

ati ves

Olney Teen Cafe: For Teens, By Teens

Example of Mural

Introduction

Supporting Families Bridging People and Places Global Village Spotlight

50 52

Introduction The following section imagines three alternative futures for the Olney neighborhood. Informed by the neighborhood profile and analysis presented in the previous pages, each alternative strives to enhance the opportunities and address the issues through its distinct perspective. The three alternatives -- Supporting Families, Bridging People and Places, and Global Village -- each propose their own set of recommendations and strategies. The plan evaluates how each alternative addresses the stated goals. Given the varying focus of the alternatives, some will better address certain goals than others. A scorecard is included for each alternative with sliding scales indicating how well this goal is met. The farther right the arrow is on the scale, the better the alternative meets the goal. Finally, there is a spotlight page at the end of the section to help envision how Olney is uniquely transformed under the three alternatives. The spotlight presents a rendering to help visualize how each alternative would physically manifest in Fisher Park. 48

OLNEY | WORKSHOP 2020

North 5th Street

Like the Fisher Park spotlight, these alternatives are primarily concerned with imagining what is possible for Olney over the next 10 years. After collecting feedback on which projects are most compelling and best meet the goals, the plan will present final recommendations that include implementation strategies.

Example Scorecard Resilient cultural and family resources Green streets and parks Thriving business corridors A diverse housing supply Equitable access to daily activities Existing Tennis Courts in Fisher Park EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Supporting Families

1. Increase cross-generational activities for families and youth

2. Utilize public space for familyoriented and intergenerational recreation

3. Adapt and expand housing to support aging-in-place and multi-generational homes

Olney Teen Cafe: For Teens, By Teens

Multicultural community garden

Proposed ADUs on lots in Olney

1.1 Establish a youth program and designate an indoor space in the Rebuild site with Olney’s Recreation Center for high schoolers to lead community organizing efforts and provide social support. i.e. The Olney Teen Cafe with a ‘Teens 4 Teens Committee.’ Community organizing efforts can include having local teens lead inperson food tours along North 5th Street and host volunteer sessions at Fisher Park’s existing community garden.

2.1 Provide programming for all age groups that highlights Olney’s unique background. i.e. Basketball Nights at Cherashore Park, Soul Line Dancing classes, Tai Chi Mornings, Bookmobile available in different languages.

3.1 Provide guidance on the construction of attached and detached Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU). i.e. Zoning Process, 3D-Printed Homes, Garage or Basement conversions, Universal Design Elements. Foreign-born households are more likely to be multi-generational than native-born ones. With Olney’s high foreign-born population, ADUs can accommodate this trend of different generations living together while providing the elderly population with built-in care. ADUs can also be utilized by other family members, such as a young couple with limited income and in search of a starter home. In growing or multi-generational families, these units can also address the issue of cramped households by providing additional living space while maintaining the connectivity of a family.

Providing Olney’s families with resources that reflect their diverse backgrounds and needs, now and for future generations.

Resilient cultural and family resources Improvement Area

Green streets and parks Recommendation Map

Thriving business corridors A diverse housing supply Equitable access to daily activities

OLNEY | WORKSHOP 2020

As a largely built-out residential community, this alternative was chosen to highlight Olney’s existing residential and family-oriented character. The recommendations include programming, policies, and infrastructure that prioritize families in the neighborhood. Seen on the scorecard to the left, this alternative strongly aligns with the resilient cultural + family resources and diverse housing supply goals.

Assumptions

• Olney will remain a familyoriented neighborhood with a large share of young people. • There will still be a strong desire for recreation spaces. • Olney will continue to attract immigrants and their families.

1.2 Partner with North 5th Street Revitalization and Mural Arts to involve the community in public art initiatives on security roll-down gates, trashcans, and sewer caps.

2.2 Host weekly volunteer events and workshops with the local elementary school at Fisher Park’s community garden. As a partnership between the Fisher Park Community Alliance and James R. Lowell Elementary School, workshops can include introducing families to the different kinds of fruits and vegetables that reflect the many heritages of the neighborhood.

3.2 Retrofit existing structures to accommodate a multi-generational family. i.e. Modular Wall System, multi-functional furniture.

EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

1. Improve the pedestrian experience (emphasis on Fern Rock and Roosevelt Blvd).

3. Make parks more attractive and inviting.

G GODFRE Fisher Park

4. Improve convenience for people with disabilities.

Y AVE Olney Recreation Center

OLNEY AVE Ziehler Playground

SEVE ROO

Stair-ramp Example

Tacony Creek Park

RIS

IN G

OR RD

TA B

FRONT

MASCH ER ST

5TH ST

Connecting Olney’s people and places across cultures and mobility levels throughout the neighborhood and the region.

2. Minimize language barriers.

2ND ST

Bridging People and Places

VD LT BL

Legend 5 min. Walk 10 min. Walk E Champlost Ave

Miles

Signage Improvement

Resilient cultural and family resources

Entrance Improvement Program Increase Major improvement Area

Green streets and parks Recommendation Map

Thriving business corridors A diverse housing supply Equitable access to daily activities

OLNEY | WORKSHOP 2020

This alternative proposes to revitalize Olney by focusing on physical connections as well as connections between people. Olney is constrained by a variety of physical barriers, including rail lines along the west and through the center of the neighborhood, as well as large multi-lane roads. Olney is also linguistically diverse. This alternative proposes to make both the physical and linguistic boundaries of Olney more fluid.

Assumptions

• Fern Rock Transportation Center will still be used as a central transit hub. • Olney will have a larger senior citizen population in the near future. • Olney will continue to be linguistically diverse. • Olney will continue to maintain high access to parks.

0.5

Examples of green pedestrian bridge and painted crosswalk

ESL class and event

Parks accessibility

1.1 Install a green pedestrian bridge connecting Fern Rock Transportation Center from east to Nedro Avenue.

2.1 Partner with The Office of Immigrant Affairs to promote Language Access Philly in Olney.

3.1 Promote more park events like Love Your Park Week, Parks on Tap, senior games clinics, workshop for volunteers, morning fitness, and so on. (Tookany/ Tacony-Frankford Watershed, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, and Friends of Fisher Park).

1.2 Add way-finding signage to direct people to entrances and exits at Fern Rock Transportation Center. 1.3 Shorten pedestrian crossings via curb bumpouts and tighter curb radii. 1.4 Make pedestrian crossings more visible.

2.2 Partner with The Languages and Learning Center of the Free Library of Philadelphia to host weekly ESL events/classes for people with limited English proficiency at the Greater Olney Library and Olney Rec center. 2.3 Install Bilingual signage. 2.4 Add a MyPlace location in Olney to provide adult English education service.

3.2 Add recreation facilities for people with disabilities to Fisher Park.

Rec Center Stair Entrance

4.1 Adapt Single family home for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) access for elders and adopt Universal Design Concepts for future development if any. 4.2 Improve ADA signage for the public venues such as park entrances with signage about nearest ADA accessible location. 4.3 Add an ADA playground to Fisher Park.

EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Global Village Building Olney’s multicultural and immigrant identity through place-making, programming, services, and business stewardship.

Resilient cultural and family resources Improvement Area

Green streets and parks Recommendation Map

Thriving business corridors A diverse housing supply Equitable access to daily activities

OLNEY | WORKSHOP 2020

The Global Village alternative is a three-pronged approach that strengthens and optimizes Olney’s strengths as a diverse and multicultural neighborhood. Tailored to Olney’s high foreign-born population, the Global Village provides additional resources to Olney’s immigrant residents, increases local business owner revenue by drawing in customers from elsewhere in Philadelphia, and celebrates the neighborhood’s heritage through place-making and events. Global Village is exceptionally strong in

addressing the goals of resilient cultural and family resources and thriving business corridors.

Assumptions

• There will be an improved connection between Fern Rock Transportation Center and N 5th St. • Philadelphia will maintain the same share of foreign-born population. • Olney will continue to attract immigrants and maintain a higher share of foreign-born population.

1. Affirm multicultural and immigrant identity through codified collaboration amongst neighborhood groups

2. Support local, immigrantowned businesses

3. Create a visitor destination along North 5th Street

Layqa Nuna Yawar and Ricardo Cabret’s Migrant Imaginary in South Philadelphia

The Olney Business Association meets at D’Clasico Barber Shop

Street banners designed for North 5th Street during a multicultural street fair

Once the North 5th Street Revitalization Project (N5SRP) gains 501(c)3 status it can broaden its reach to serve both business owners and residents as a Community Development Corporation (CDC). A partnership with the Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians to open a center in the space formerly occupied by N5SRP on North 5th Street could increase access to resources for one of the largest immigrant communities in the region. The neighborhood could work with Mural Arts Philadelphia to commission “Instagrammable” murals along North 5th Street to tell the immigrant story and attract visitors while establishing a visual identify for the neighborhood.

Using a new digital strategy, resources for businesses can be made available in a more accessible format, reducing the burden on owners to attend Olney Business Association meetings. To draw in new businesses and support the next generation of neighborhood small businesses, a multilingual business pitch competition to award loans and grants to immigrant entrepreneurs would be uniquely suited to the assets and advantages of the neighborhood.

By marketing the diversity of cuisines available throughout the neighborhood, Olney is known as a multicultural food destination to Philadelphia. Street fairs and food festivals can help connect new customers to businesses by stimulating pedestrian traffic along the corridor. By building a performance space in Fisher Park with frontage on North 5th Street, the space can be marketed for new events. Citywide celebrations could now consider hosting in Olney with access to both a performance and street space as well as a diverse community of families.

EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Supporting Families

Briding People and Places

Spotlight ADA Basketball Court

New Trail Branch

ADA Playground

Fisher Park is re-imagined as a space that fosters social interaction and brings together families for events such as cookouts and exercise gatherings.

Olney has an abundance of existing parks and playgrounds that can be utilized to bring families together through proposed programming and infrastructure initiatives. As an example of how an open space can be transformed to support families in the neighborhood, Fisher Park is re-imagined to enhance the community’s recreation and leisure experiences as families. Because the community is ethnically diverse, the strategies reflect the many heritages 56

OLNEY | WORKSHOP 2020

that make up the neighborhood. The top countries that make up Olney’s foreign-born population include Vietnam (13.9%), Cambodia (11.6%), and Haiti (11.4%). From group meditation in Tao Dan Park (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) to medicinal garden workshops in Martissant Park (Port-AuPrince, Haiti), popular activities and events taking place in major urban parks from the aforementioned countries were researched and adopted into this family forward vision for Fisher Park. With such a lively street food

culture in Cambodia and in addition to the popular Cambodian street food market at Philadelphia’s Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park, infrastructure such as grills, picnic tables, seating, and tree canopy can invite residents to gather, have cookouts, and bond through food and relaxation in Fisher Park. Group exercises such as Tai Chi morning classes and Soul Line dancing groups can be hosted regularly at Fisher Park to accommodate all agegroups.

Under this alternative, Fisher Park is a recreational place that providing ADA playgrounds, and multiple existing and new trail branches connect the neighborhood.

In Olney, there are several existing parks and playgrounds that can be utilized to connect Olney’s people and places across cultures and mobility levels. Fisher Park, as the most utilized park in Olney, is reimagined as the most recreational place that embraces all residents. An

ADA playground will be constructed in Fisher Park to enhance recreation and the leisure experience of people with disabilities. The trail system in Fisher Park will be improved to increase the accessibility of different parts of the park and connect places around the park. More park events, such as Love

Your Park Week and Parks on Tap, could be hosted regularly at Fisher Park to provide more opportunity for residents to connect with each other.

EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

To support Olney’s multicultural identity, this alternative proposes the construction of a flexible, outdoor event space in Fisher Park. This amphitheater is situated in the Fisher Park bowl and is encircled by benches to accommodate a large audience. Areas for picnic blankets and informal seating are located behind the installed benches and around the stage. Building an outdoor stage 58

OLNEY | WORKSHOP 2020

would provide ample space to host events that celebrate Olney’s heritage as an immigrant community. By providing the neighborhood with this resource, Olney can host performances and larger events that will draw patrons from across the city. The increased volume of visitors to Fisher Park would help the nearby businesses and restaurants along North 5th Street grow their customer base and increase their revenues. The event space in Fisher

Conclusion

Global Village

Fisher Park is re-imagined as an event space connected to North 5th Street.

These three alternative futures for Olney

Supporting Families, Bridging People and Places, and Global Village – imagine new possibilities for

–

the neighborhood. While each differ in their focus and strategies, they all seek to highlight Olney’s unique strengths as a

family-focused and multicultural neighborhood. In the following section, the plan will refine the recommendations introduced as alternatives and present a single, cohesive vision for Olney’s future.

Park not only advances the goal strengthening family and cultural resources in the neighborhood, but also supports thriving business corridors.

EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

nta t

ion

Pla

Entrance for Green Pedestrian Bridge Rendering

Edible Alphabet Program: Cooking While Learning English Recipe

ple

Youth Program Example: Dance Event

Introduction

Implementation Tables Adults

Teens

Seniors

Families

Introduction After evaluating the three alternatives, select recommendations have been identified as being essential to ensuring prosperity for residents over the next 10 years. Drawing on three separate visions for the future of the neighborhood, the implementation of fourteen recommendations have been explored. The result is a cohesive vision that improves the daily lives of Olney’s stakeholders. The plan addresses the five original goals: (1) resilient cultural and family resources, (2) green streets and parks, (3) thriving business corridors, (4) diverse housing supply, and (5) equitable access to daily activities. Physical upgrades like a new pedestrian entrance to the neighborhood as well as programmatic improvements like an improved cultural festival to bring together the business and residential communities are designed to showcase Olney’s strategic assets: proximity to a regional transit system and its ethnic and linguistic diversity. With the evolution of the North 5th Street Revitalization Project into a larger North 5th 62

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Family Member Introductions The Santos Family are a typical Olney family. Camila and Luis live in Northwest Olney with their daughter Elena near Fisher Park. Luis’s parents Dolores and Higuel live nearby and immigrated from the Dominican Republic to Philadelphia when Luis was born and are longtime Olney residents. The plan imagines how the daily lives of this family will be influenced by the recommendations. The Santos Family is representative of the multi-generational, immigrant families that almost exclusively make up this neighborhood. The plan considers their varied ages, economic concerns, and interests.

Camila works as a nurse in Center City. She has to commute to Jefferson Hospital five days a week and takes public transit. She likes to use the walking trails in parks to relax after a long day.

Luis owns a successful bakery on North 5th Street. The bakery has been open for about 10 years. Luis has two employees and goes into the shop almost every day. Luis uses the family’s car for picking up supplies for the business and his family. Olney Together 2030 Plan

Street Community Development Corporation, it can serve as a catalyst for new community organization and coordination. Olney’s continued identity as a multi-cultural hot-spot will see the next generation of immigrants join the neighborhood tapestry. Two physical spaces will continue to serve as anchors to community life: North 5th Street and Fisher Park. The plan describes a complete vision for

interventions in these spaces to bring about strategic improvements to the community.

Elena is a 14-year old girl who has recently begun attending Olney Charter High School in south Olney. Elena has participated in a dance group for many years. She is very interested in the arts. After school she is either doing homework at the library or hanging out with her friends at the Olney Teen Cafe.

Dolores and Higel have lived in the same house in South Olney since they moved to the neighborhood in the 1980s. Dolores volunteers with Elena’s dance group by helping make the costumes. Higel retired from working as a railroad mechanic at the Broad Street Shops. In their free time Dolores and Higel have been taking ESL courses at the Olney Library. EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Implementation Tables The following tables demonstrate how these recommendations come together as a cohesive plan to address the stated goals and present a suggested timeline for implementation. The table on the left shows how well each recommendation addresses the five goals. Three dots means that the recommendation addresses the goal very well while zero dots means the recommendation does not address the goal at all. A handful of projects address three or more goals, such as the Fisher Park improvements and the green pedestrian bridge. While these projects tend to be more expensive, as indicated by the cost estimate column, this

$ - thousands 64

$$ - tens of thousands

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$$$ - hundreds of thousands

table highlights how these recommendations address the goals holistically. This suggests they are ultimately worth the investment. The table on the right presents a suggested timeline for implementation of these plans over the ten-year period. The table differentiates between project stages of initial planning, implementation, and the operational and maintenance stage per the legend included below. As expected, capital projects like installing green stormwater infrastructure near Tacony Creek Park, require a longer planning stage. Programmatic interventions, such as the occupational ESL courses, are implementable far earlier in the timeline, but require resources for ongoing operations over the ten-year period and beyond.

$$$$ - millions EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Adults

Transportation | Park and Recreation | Business | Culture Fisher Park

Olney has an existing need for a transportation connection from the neighborhood to the rest of the community.

7th ST

6th ST

Camila

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West Nedro Ave. Existing Condition

NEDRO AVE

6th ST

5th ST

Fern Rock Transportation Center

7th ST

Camila and Luis are a married couple, but their day-to-day schedules differ quite a lot. Camila works in Center City as a nurse, and she chooses to commute to work using public transit. The implementation of the green pedestrian bridge, which will be funded by DVRPC's Transportation and Community Development Initiative (TCDI) program, the PA Multimodal Transportation Fund, Safe Routes to Transit, and Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside, will be implemented by DVRPC and SEPTA. The new bridge helps to free up time in the morning to walk to the Fern Rock Transportation center for her commute. Prior to the installation of the pedestrian bridge, Camila relied on her husband Luis to drop her off at the station in the morning, which was an extra time expense that strained

GRANGE AVE

CHEW AVE

Cherashore Playground

0.05

Miles 0.1

Green Pedestrian Bridge Location West Nedro Ave. After Improvement EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

the family. By having pedestrian access to Fern Rock, Camila can spend more time with their daughter Elena in the mornings before school, as well as get some exercise on her way to work. When she gets home from work, she likes to go to Fisher Park to enjoy the outdoors. Improvements to Fisher Park have made this a better experience for her. Expanded walking trails have given her more opportunity to greater explore the park. And new infrastructure in the form of added benches and a new bathroom allow her resources to spend more time in the park. She loves that these resources are available to her and her family to spend time enjoying the outdoors right by their home.

Proposed Entrance location for Green Pedestrian Bridge Connecting Nedro Ave. to Fern Rock Station

Fisher Park Rendering

Entrance for Green Pedestrian Bridge Rendering 68

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EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

GODFRE

Y AVE

Luis

Olney Recreation Center

Fisher Park

! Fern Rock Station

! ! !

Olney Station

RAIL RIGHT-OF-WAY

! TACONY CREEK

Ziehler Playground

Tacony Creek Park

! ! !! ROO

L SEVE

T B LV

Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Outlets

! ! ! 0

0.25

Bioswale Example

Rain Garden Example

Miles 0.5

Combined Sewer Overflow Outlets Map

Litter Cleanup Workshop Example

Litter Index Map

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Can be collected by a single person

Requires collection by a team

Requires collection by a large team and/or heavy machinery

Because Luis owns his own bakery in Olney, he is able to take advantage of many of the resources that the neighborhood has to offer. Luis has been running the bakery for nearly ten years with just himself and two other employees. The bakery has recently gotten more popular and business has been good since the North 5th Street Revitalization Project started offering a guided “Bakery Blocks” food tour. The tour was previously a self-guided tour that was promoted through the North 5th Street Revitalization Project’s website. The new and improved guided tour is marketed through Airbnb experiences and Groupon and guided by N5SRP staff and interns. Luis’ bakery also offers specially priced deals for baked goods through Groupon to attract more customers to his bakery. Luis has also been utilizing the Olney Business Association’s new website to help him better set up his business for success. He has seen the need to hire some new employees because of the uptick in business. He was able to find new employees through the occupational ESL classes being offered at the Olney Library that specifically cater to learning English

Where Local Is Global Food Tour Web Page

Groupon Search

EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Teens Culture | Transportation Introduction

Web Page Example: Nevada Business Association

related to the restaurant industry. Additional resources like funding for curbside improvements and security cameras have allowed him to make improvements to his bakery by securing funding through the Philadelphia Office of Business Services. He is able to pick his daughter Elena up after school now, since the new employees have given him slightly more freedom.

Currently, Olney lacks a variety of after-school programs dedicated to high schoolers in the community. While the Greater Olney Library and Olney Recreation Center serve as established places for schoolage children, a space reserved for teenagers in the neighborhood does not exist. As an untapped source of potential, teenagers in Olney can participate in festivals and street art opportunities that celebrate the many heritages that make up the neighborhood. Because school-age children make up over a quarter of the neighborhood’s population, providing resources and supporting youth in Olney is imperative for the neighborhood’s long-term success. This recommendation is aligned with the resilient cultural and family resources goal. Elena

Airbnb Web Page 72

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As part of the Teens 4 Teens leadership committee in the Olney Teen Cafe, Elena has gained valuable leadership and management skills

Youth Program Example: Dance Event

Youth Program Example: Music Festival

from learning how to apply for grants from the City and working with the Olney Culture Lab to choreograph a dance performance in the annual Olney Youth Arts Festival. After school, Elena goes to the Teen Cafe in the newly renovated Olney Recreation Center as a place to connect with friends and hangout. Elena also enjoys her job as a food tour guide with the North 5th Street Revitalization Project. On Saturdays, Elena and a few of her friends from the Teen Cafe help lead multicultural food and bakery tours along North 5th Street. Recently, Elena won a school competition to design a

mural that will be painted on a wall near 5th and Broad Street. She is excited to work with Mural Arts to complete this project and have her artwork showcase the multicultural vibrancy of Olney. Olney Teen Café As the first phase of implementation, the Olney Advisory Council, Olney Culture Lab, and Olney Charter High school will begin recruiting students from the Olney Charter High School to join the program and form a Teens 4

EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Existing Condition at Front St. and Chew Ave (Next to One & Olney)

Youth Program Example: Teen Cafe

N 5th Street and W. Chew Ave Mural Rendering

Crosswalk Art Example

Teens Committee. The idea is that this group, under mentorship from the aforementioned organizations, will learn how to establish their own 501(c)(3) non-profit group, apply for city grants (i.e. YOUTHadelphia, Philadelphia Activities Fund Grant) as an independent source of funding, and ultimately acquire a sense of ownership over this space while gaining valuable leadership and management skills. To address turnover concerns and to ensure continuity of the Teen CafĂŠ, students in leadership roles will also adopt their own mentorship program for

younger members and provide inperson training in addition to creating an online database with training material for future reference. Meanwhile, The Olney Advisory Council can coordinate with the Rebuild site project manager to establish an indoor cafe space for the Teen Cafe within the new Recreation Center. The Rebuild Olney Recreation Center site is expected to be completed as early as Spring 2021. The final phase of this recommendation begins once the recreation center is completed. Highschoolers part of the Teen Cafe

will have a designated indoor space to spend time in after school, hold meetings, and offer social support for each other. To operate as a Cafe, the highschoolers will designate a staff member to manage food-related functions of the cafe and acquire the necessary permits and equipment. The Teens 4 Teens committee can lead their own community events, such as coordinating with the Olney Culture Lab to help run the Olney Youth Arts Festival and working with N5RP to establish paid positions for teenagers to lead food tours along the N 5th Street corridor.

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Rendering at Front St. and Chew Ave. EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

E Gale St. Existing Condition

E Spencer St. and A St. Existing Condition

E Gale St. Mural Rendering

E Spencer St. and A St. Mural Rendering

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EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Seniors Culture | Housing

Introduction Olney currently has a homogeneous, aging housing supply, which needs repair support and diversification to support family needs in the neighborhood. Most homes in Olney are singlefamily attached rowhouses that were constructed more than sixty years ago. These homes no longer support the needs of multi-generational families residing in the neighborhood. This recommendation focuses on connecting the neighborhood with appropriate resources and creating more flexibility in terms of housing. Dolores and Higel Dolores and Higel have lived in the same house in South Olney since they moved to the neighborhood in the 1980s. Dolores volunteers with Elena’s dance group by helping to make the costumes. Higel retired from working as a railroad mechanic at the Broad Street Shops. In their free time, Dolores and Higel have 78

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Greater Philadelphia Asian Social Service Center has an existing energy assistance program

Stair-ramp Example

been taking ESL courses at the Olney Library. Dolores and Higel are going to be moving in with their son. Luis and Camila plan on building an additional dwelling unit in their backyard for his parents to live in.

expenditures in Philadelphia according to the American Housing Survey (AHS) in 2017. In order to support aging-in-place for families in Olney, it is important to provide guidance for the residents to appropriate, existing resources that can reduce housing expenditures. Multi-generational families within the Olney neighborhood need support in retrofitting and upgrading their housing to sustain aging-in-place. They also need guidance on finding appropriate resources like Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation’s Home Repair Grant, and Rebuilding Together Philadelphia to help them alleviate housing repair burdens. The guidance can be provided through

Aging-In-Place Most of the existing housing in Olney was constructed before the 1960s. With houses more than fifty years old, Olney’s residents are encountering different struggles with the places that they live in. With designs from half a century ago, most housing in Olney do not possess features to support the aging population. On the other hand, leaks and mold, and structural repairs are the biggest housing repair

Potential attached and detached ADU examples in Olney

creating and distributing brochures, which contain related resources and funding options. Residents in Olney can take advantage of utility energy efficiency programs in Philadelphia to access loans and funds for home repairs related to lowering energy use. Expanding Self-Construction Housing Possibilities Currently, seventy-seven percent of the housing structures in Olney are “single-family, attached.” And with only 0.5 percent of the land in Olney being vacant, the neighborhood lacks housing development opportunities. Allowing Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) can

give Olney residents tools of expanding living square footage on their properties without causing displacement because development occurs on existing lots. Such policy will be instrumental in accommodating families with seniors living together. ADUs are also known as Granny Flats, Family Units, Second Suites, Livein Garages, or Accessory Apartments. And they can be flexibly built detached, externally attached, or internally attached. While this plan describes the overall condition of Olney’s housing, additional in-depth research is needed. It is important to commission research to study the feasibility of Accessory Dwelling Units, illegal conversion of boarding rooms in Olney, and existing housing quality of the neighborhood.

Policies can be drafted and enacted based on the results of the aforementioned research. The addition of ADUs to the current zoning language will be required in order to allow ADU constructions in the neighborhood. The communitylevel research is expected to take 1 to 2 years; zoning change to allow ADUs will take another 2 to 3 years. And the Philadelphia City Planning Commission (PCPC)’s Division of Housing and Community Development can take the lead in this process. ESL According to North 5th Street Revitalization Project, as the most linguistically diverse zip code in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Olney has a higher share of the population that speaks a language other than English at home and a higher share of the population that is foreign-born than Philadelphia as a whole. Throughout Olney’s history, the neighborhood has changed from a majority European-immigrant population in the mid-1900s to majority Asian population in the 1980s and 1990s, and now a majority black and Hispanic population. While this sets our neighborhood apart, it can be a barrier to

EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

neighborhood-wide organization and outreach. Multilingual events and occupational ESL courses can help people with limited English proficiency facilitate daily life and achieve better opportunities for career development. Before starting to host events and courses, the Olney Library and North 5th Street Revitalization Project will reach out and survey residentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; opinions and needs. The first phase of implementation begins after that. The Olney Library can coordinate with the Parkway Central Library to offer a modified version of the Edible Alphabet program, which is already an established program offered by the Free Libraryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Culinary Literacy Center at the Parkway Central Library and in some Neighborhood Libraries. At the same time, the Olney Library and North 5th St Revitalization Project can organize several pop-up multilingual events during the next one or two years. As the second phase of this recommendation, the Olney Library will try to collaborate with Olney Charter High School and local restaurants and bakeries to develop the Edible Alphabet program into an occupational ESL program. This restaurant-themed ESL class would teach residents skills to help work in 80

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a kitchen or as a server within the neighborhood. Eventually, the ESL courses could be expanded to Olney Recreation Center if there is demand. Olney Recreation Center can also coordinate with the Immigrant Leadership Institute to offer adults occupational ESL classes in other industries in order to learn necessary and helpful vocabulary to work in a specific industry.

Potential attached and detached ADU examples in Olney (Plan View)

A Multilingual and Multicultural Event by Edible Alphabet Program: A Cooking Class Where New Immigrants Learn The Recipe For English (Nationalities Service Center) EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Families Culture | Business Transportation

early summer evening. They feel at home.

Introduction On most Fridays, the Santos family comes together for an evening meal to relax and talk about the week. This Friday, however, the Olney Culture Lab is holding their annual Youth Arts Fair. Previously a celebration in Fisher Park about some of the young talent in the neighborhood, the festival is now a large celebration that attracts visitors from all across Philadelphia. In addition to performances by some of the artistic groups from the neighborhood, businesses remain open for the evening to host customers. Many varieties of food trucks line up along North 5th Street across from Fisher Park, highlighting the neighborhood's cultural diversity. Camila helps out Luis’ team at the bakery due to increased customer traffic from the festival. They leave the bakery in the early evening to watch Elena’s performance with her dance group. Higel and Dolores attend the performance as well. Afterwards, the family takes a stroll through Fisher Park and enjoys the 82

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Street Festival Based on interviews with Stephanie Michel from the North 5th Street Revitalization Project, the Olney neighborhood lacks attractions and leisure activities. At the same time, Olney is home to many small businesses that are run by the immigrant residents. The neighborhood is family-oriented and multicultural with a high share of foreign-born residents. In an effort to highlight this unique aspect of Olney’s identity and increase business for the small shops and restaurants along the North 5th Street corridor, this plan recommends holding a street fair to bring these elements together. This event will be an activity for residents and an attraction for visitors from across Philadelphia. For many years, Olney Cultural Lab has hosted a Youth Arts Festivals in Fisher Park that showcases some of the neighborhood’s young talent. This plan proposes to expand on that existing festival to create an event that businesses will also benefit from. This was developed as a multi-phased approach. The initial planning phase involves researching and brainstorming the size and theme of the festival, applying for grant money, discussing

with potential partner organizations, and creating a marketing plan. The next implementation phase concerns coordinating event logistics, like securing performers, renting stage equipment, and submitting relevant permits and applications to the city. Finally, the operational stage of this project involves increasing the festival’s frequency to make it a regular or monthly event during fair weather months. The regularity improves the likelihood that businesses will see noticeable increases in their customer base as a result of this event. Given the broad reach of this festival, the North 5th Street Revitalization Project is best suited to take the lead on this initiative. While the permits for a street festival are reasonably priced, the event will incur additional costs from renting equipment and investing staff time into the project. Through partnerships with local businesses and seeking financial support from Philadelphia organizations, such as the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance or Phila-thropy Network, North 5th Street can secure funding to cover this regular event. Securing business sponsorships may be another way to secure funding for these events.

The Multicultural Street Festival Rendering

EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Edible Alphabet en Español

Conclusion

Parks on Tap at Fisher Park 2019

Looking forward to the next decade in Olney, these final recommendations seek to address the key goals under

resilient cultural and family resources, green streets and parks, thriving business corridors, a diverse housing supply, and equitable access to daily activities. With these diverse recommendations, Olney’s best and unique elements are strengthened

this plan –

and new opportunities are realized. Olney in 2030 will retain its strong identity as a

multicultural, family

neighborhood

connected and economically sustainable and look to the future as a

Member Moment, N 5th Street Revitalization Project

neighborhood in Upper North Philadelphia. Bioswale Example 84

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EXISTING CONDITIONS | GOALS, OPPORTUNITIES, ISSUES | ALTERNATIVES | IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

University of Pennsylvania | Weitzman School of Design Workshop 2020 | Olney

Benjamin N. Dodson Madelyn Kornhauser Allison M. Lau Yilin Ren Perry J. Schaffner Jingzong Wang Amanda S. Xifaras Haida Xu Instructor: Christina Arlt, AICP