56TH STREET GATEWAY

philadelphia, PA

Ariana was Architectural Designer and facilitated in the concept design of the container storage for the gateway project on the site while at WRT. The 56th Street Gateway project aims to reimagine a highly visible empty parcel at the intersection of 56th Street, Lindbergh Boulevard, and Elmwood Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia. The site sits at a busy intersection across the street from Bartram Village, supported by a Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant, the proposed plan anticipates the complete revitalization of Bartram Village into a mixed-use, mixed-income community that is carefully stitched back into the neighborhood fabric. For this design, the container served as a commerical hub for residents to sell at a community agreed upon basis serving both residents enjoying the space or those who may get off the trolly looking for a quick bit to eat, or possible buy a piece of crafts from a local vendor.

It is hoped the gateway will celebrate the area’s rich history and culture, which threads together the Lenni Lenape, pioneering horticulturalists, industry and the nation’s defense during World War II, a rich African-American heritage and the neighborhood’s role as a point of entry for many new immigrants. With few “third places” for people to socialize, or coffee and sandwich shops in the immediate area, there is great potential for small, locally-based businesses to not only better serve residents, but also to support the anticipated workforce that will be employed at the Innovation Hub. The gateway is therefore envisioned as a central gathering place, integrating a pop-up venue to promote and showcase local entrepreneurs.

details

3,500 sq ft

owner

Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) together with Bartram’s Garden and Empowered CDC (the partner organizations)

services

Full Design Services, Cost Estimation, Landscape design, Programming, Community Surveying

Top 4 themes about history, narrative and identity

+ African American Community
+ Horticulture and Native Plants (drawing from Bartram’s Garden)
+ Faces/stories of current residents and community leaders
+ Lenape Native American History

For this project, we chose to have an engaged implemntation & maintance plan which involved an integration of trained professionals and community volunteers. During phase one, we would begin with site preperation. During this phase, the community would help gravel and apply groundcover to the site while the professionals would prefore sidewalk repair and streetlight installation. During phase two, the community would be invloved with selection of plaza furiutre and storage shed selections of community members while the contractors buil the storage shed on site.

Ariana was Architecural Designer and facilated in the concept design and was in intergral commincation with PIRHL Development while at WRT. The 56th Street Gateway project aims to reimagine a highly visible empty parcel at the intersection of 56th Street, Lindbergh Boulevard, and Elmwood Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia. The site sits at a busy intersection across the street from Bartram Village, supported by a Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant, this Plan anticipates the complete revitalization of Bartram Village into a mixed-use, mixed-income community that is carefully stitched back into the neighborhood fabric. The Plan also responds to the planned redevelopment of the Schuylkill Riverfront just north and south of Bartram Village into a modern industrial hub.