The city streets of Baltimore and Lancaster Avenues will soon witness the start of a $440,000 two year program to further the development of the two University City commercial districts.
The program was created by the University City District with help from local groups -- the Spruce Hill Community Association, the Cedar Park Community Association, and the Baltimore Avenue Business Association. However, the entire effort is funded by a grant from the William Penn Foundation.
UCD Executive Director Eric Goldstein said that he was more than enthusiastic about the program, which will revitalize the businesses of the densely populated area of University City.
"This project has given us some excellent momentum [in the enhancement of the commercial corridors]," Goldstein said. "The project is in step with our main goal -- ensuring that University City is a thriving community."
At this point, Penn does not have a specific role in the program. However, Vice President for Government, Community and Public Affairs Carol Scheman says she believes that the program is a step in the right direction.
"Nothing has been finalized, but we'd be happy to work with the UCD on anything that would encourage or warrant collaboration," Scheman said.
"We're very excited about the effort," Scheman added. "It's a terrific opportunity."
Over the past six years, the involvement of the UCD in the surrounding area has brought about "tremendous gains in public safety and cleanliness," according to Goldstein. "The history of University City has been resoundingly successful... now we're trying to help the existing businesses in the area."
Scheman agrees that the UCD has been very influential in the improvement of University City. She sees the Baltimore and Lancaster Avenues grant as "just one of the ways that the UCD is working and collaborating with local groups to make the area better."
The collaboration would be one of a kind, as Goldstein believes that the UCD plan differs from other commercial corridor revitalization arrangements.
"One distinction of this plan is that our effort is not focused on the public spaces right out of the gate," Goldstein said. "We will certainly look at improving the public space, but we feel that we need to work on identifying and improving the needs of the businesses first."
Final arrangements will be made when the managing groups are formed for the districts in early July. However, Goldstein says that the UCD will play a major role in the surveying of the local commercial venues. Once surveyed, the UCD will help interpret the information and provide aid to the local merchants to better their businesses and attract more customers to the area.
"If we succeed, Baltimore and Lancaster avenues will become more desirable areas of University City," Goldstein added.
Mark Eyerly, the Chief of Staff at The William Penn Foundation, sees the possibilities of the area as one of the biggest benefits of the UCD plan.
"As one of our key funding initiatives, we work to improve the environment and community in areas of Philadelphia which have strong opportunities," Eyerly said. "We think [the Baltimore and Lancaster Avenues plan] is a very strong program, with a lot of possibilities."
One of the major assets to the UCD plan is the involvement in the community, Eyerly added. "It's an integral part of any plan, and one that the UCD has included with newsletters, webgroups, et cetera... they're involving the community and creating a sense of belonging in the community -- both are important."
The William Penn Foundation will not play an operational role in the program, although they traditionally help in periodical analyses of the plans and their outcomes.
The project was originally conceived by the Baltimore Avenue Business Association about two years ago, but will become increasingly active with the involvement of the larger UCD group and The William Penn grant.
