Accomplishments
Please click here to get details on the Francisville NDC accomplishments.
  1. June 2005 – August 2005: Workshops for 1st time homebuyers and existing homeowners. FNDC partnered with ACORN Housing to provide education and counseling for Francisville Homeowners and residents interested in purchasing a home for the first time. A total of 6 classes were held at the Francisville Playground Recreation Center. As a result 3 of the participants were qualified for mortgages ranging from 80,000 – 150,000.

  2. Also in June of 2005 we completed a neighborhood driven Commercial Corridor Redevelopment Plan for Ridge Avenue. The plan was produced with the help of six first-year graduate students pursuing Masters Degrees in City and Regional Planning at the University of Pennsylvania.

  3. Completed in the winter of 2005, as a supplement to the Commercial Corridor Redevelopment Plan, an additional Business Attraction and Retention Plan was done by the Market Knowledge Consulting Firm. This was made possible with a matching grant from the Commerce Department which we received via yet another partnership with the Fairmount CDC.

  4. June 3, 2005: In collaboration with the Francisville Civic Association we facilitated a “Safe Street” a citywide initiative to get children off the street. Thirty Francisville children attended between the ages of 8-14. A movie was shown and the children were treated to Pizza and other refreshments.

  5. In keeping with our mission to empower residents to be more involved in the development of our community, FNDC facilitated 25 Community voting meetings regarding zoning variances between May of 2005 - Present. All these meetings were audio recorded for the purpose of keeping accurate information and records. Copies of the audio minutes and sign in sheets are available upon request.

  6. In February of 2006 in collaboration with People for People Inc. and The Fairmount CDC, Francisville NDC applied for and was subsequently awarded a $100,000 Neighborhood Planning Grant from The Wachovia Regional Foundation. Currently in progress the grant will fund the creation of a Comprehensive Resident Driven Neighborhood Plan for the Francisville community that provides strategies for equitable residential development and housing counseling and builds upon the existing Ridge Avenue commercial corridor revitalization plan and economic development project. Specifically, the Francisville plan will focus on providing clear recommendations for:

    1. Equitable housing development strategy, including a determination of an appropriate mix of market and below market housing options, and recommendations for increasing homeownership and senior housing solutions.

    2. Conceptual development for Ridge Avenue and neighborhood design guidelines, zoning overlay, and streetscape improvements.

    3. Coordination with the Market Knowledge business retentions and attraction strategies being developed for the neighborhood.

    4. Development and preservation strategies for the Francisville Historic Core.

    5. Expansion of the “Francisville Information Network” (FIN) to best stimulate partnerships, identify neighborhood leaders, build on the strengths of existing stakeholders, and encourage community participation through the planning process.

    6. Impact study on Francisville’s inclusion into the Center City school district boundaries and strategies on how to realize and manage positive outcomes.

    7. Strategies for concurrent implementation of commercial and residential recommendations.

    8. Long-term public transit, parking, and other transportation solutions.

    9. Fairmount Avenue plan providing streetscape improvement design development from Broad Street to Pennsylvania Avenue that recognizes mixed uses and multiple neighborhoods’ interests.

    10. Study of Corinthian Avenue as gateway to the architectural landmarks of Girard College and Eastern State Penitentiary, currently an underutilized and under-examined link between the Fairmount-Francisville neighborhoods.

    11. An exploration of a “do nothing” option: the impacts on the community and potential outcomes if no plan or strategy is formulated.

      Sharing a boundary at Corinthian Avenue the two neighborhoods are linked by Fairmount and Girard Avenues and by similar goals. This planning process will result in strategies for implementation that will provide the Francisville-Fairmount communities with the tools needed to guide development in a positive direction.

      Fairmount-Francisville must be the centerpiece of any plan for the larger redevelopment of the northwest portion of center city and center city north. It is a key to success of the Parkway's museum district and the redevelopment of Girard Avenue and North Philadelphia since it borders both. This planning project will focus on the shared assets of these adjacent yet distinct Philadelphia neighborhoods.

  7. Project Leadership Committee (PLC): To oversee and guide community participation in the planning project FNDC formed the Project Leadership Committee. The PLC is made up of representatives of community organizations, stake holders, institutions and businesses in Francisville including representatives from our partner community organizations Fairmount CDC and People for People Inc. In addition a body of advisors from key city agencies was also formed to ensure the plans implementation capacity is achieved and is of the highest standard. The PLC and Advisors list is available upon request or you can access it on our website @ www.francisvillendc.org.

  8. November 2006, awarded a $5,000 State Grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Economic and Community Development.

  9. December 2006, FNDC celebrated the launch of the planning project video installation with a community holiday party at the Arts Garage. A blended mix of old and new residents, city officials, friends and supporters attended the festive celebration.

  10. March 23rd, 2006, FNDC facilitated an informational pre-planning community meeting on the Property Tax re-assessment. Over 60 residents attended. Panel of experts on property tax included, David B. Glancey, former Chair of the Board of Revision of Tax, Earni Young, Senior Writer for the Daily News, and Anthony Miles, Author and Expert on Wealth Building through Real Estate.

  11. April 2006 FNDC facilitated an informational pre-planning community meeting to educate residents on the principals of “Equitable Development. Mr. Sam Sherman of New Urban Ventures and member of the Congress for New Urbanism was the featured speaker.

  12. In May 2006, Francisville launched its website www.francisvillendc.org. The site has since become a repository of information for the people in Francisville and our community partners.

  13. The Francisville Neighborhood Plan is now in the last stage and will be finalized in mid August. The completed neighborhood draft analysis and progress report can be accessed on our website http://www.francisvillendc.org/documents/francisvilledraftanalysis1106A.pdf. In addition, we launched a video installation as a way of increasing community involvement and awareness to the comprehensive neighborhood plan. The video installation can be viewed any evening after dusk at the corner of Ridge Avenue and Girard. We recently held the 1st PLC meeting/retreat in 2007 to move the plan into the next phase. 17 of the 22 members participated in the planning exercise. A community planning meeting & dinner is scheduled for May 7th, 2007 for further input, ideas and recommendations, to be followed up with a meeting of the advisors to review and comment on the current progress, plan content and data integrity.

  14. From January 2005 to present FNDC facilitated a total of 17 Community Planning Meetings, 8 Project Leadership Committee Meetings , 21 Community Voting Meetings, 11 Community informational meetings (includes Mayoral candidate forums & workshops) and 8 Community Events and Activities in collaboration with Francisville NCA.

  15. As FNDC prepares to move into the second phase of planning, we are already working on our “Top Ten” list of early action recommendations to move Francisville into the future and the Francisville NDC closer to its organizational goals.

    1. Francisville needs YOU for Town Watch.

      Crime and violence are on the minds of Francisville residents, life-long residents and newcomers, young and old, alike. A concern for public safety represents common ground in the neighborhood. A local Town Watch is a strategy that serves multiple purposes: it will significantly deter crime, it will foster community involvement, and it will encourage long-term residents and new neighbors to meet and work together to make Francisville safer for everyone.

    2. Put Francisville on the map, literally.

      With the FNDC’s help, Francisville has come a long way in terms of name and place recognition, but there’s still much work to be done in this regard. Hearing of a place is different than actually knowing where it is, what it’s about and what it has to offer. The FNDC needs to introduce itself and the neighborhood to some major local sources of information – enlist their help in putting Francisville on the map, literally. The plan is to approach the University of Pennsylvania’s Cartographic Modeling Lab (CML) about redefining their Neighborhood Information System (NIS) neighborhood designations to more closely reflect neighborhood boundaries in Lower North Philadelphia (and elsewhere) and more specifically show Francisville on the map.

    3. First steps toward vacant land stabilization: Rub your eyes. See it. Clean it.

      The first step toward a successful Francisville: Clean and Beautiful campaign is to recognize the problem – to see, really see, the work that needs to be done. We heard the gasp from neighborhood residents at some of the photos of the neighborhood during our presentations. There were some very astute comments that many people in the neighborhood have just stopped seeing the litter in the streets and on the sidewalks, the ugly signs, and the debris. This early action recommendation is about retraining the neighborhood’s critical eye: teach people to see the mess, and then teach them to work with us to clean it up. It’s not glamorous, but the results will be.

    4. Make a formal request to Councilman Clarke for the acquisition of strategically-located publicly owned properties for community development.

      This recommendation is about laying groundwork for the FNDC’s first development project(s). It appears as an early action recommendation because (community) development in Francisville is time-sensitive. With 29% of the neighborhood vacant, land appears plenty in Francisville – but that will not always be the case. While the FNDC recognizes that increased market interest will help to make good things happen in Francisville, the FNDC also recognizes that leaving everything to the market is neither responsible nor desirable. The community should play an active role in Francisville’s revitalization, and residents of all incomes should enjoy the ability to afford living there. The FNDC’s project(s) will accomplish both of these goals: the development will build community pride and sense of ownership in the neighborhood’s revitalization and will help to ensure an equitable and mixed-income future. The first ingredient in this endeavor is land.

    5. Create a Neighborhood Talent Directory and appoint a Talent Placement Agent.

      This early action recommendation is intended to help the FNDC build capacity and a culture of volunteerism within the neighborhood. We are identifying ready and capable volunteers so that FNDC have a team organized to help the FNDC with implementation of the neighborhood plan. Put very succinctly, broaden participation.

    6. Transform Francisville’s rich musical history into a living legacy; big talent remains in the neighborhood – tell the world about it, and involve the kids.

      FNDC do not take the concentration of musical talent in Francisville for granted just because it’s always been there. It’s surprising, it’s refreshing, it’s definitely something special, and at this point, it’s kind of our little secret. It is also something to build upon. Though the full realization of this idea is a long-term project requiring space, equipment, dedicated funding sources, and very committed leadership (the talent, we trust, will not be in short supply), it’s a powerful idea, with the potential to be amazing, and it belongs in Francisville. These early action recommendations set the stage for Francisville’s very own recording studio, a space for music creation and appreciation, a program for youth development, a huge opportunity for the neighborhood, its kids – and the City.

    7. Create a Zoning Committee and transparent zoning review process for new developments.

      As housing market pressure in Francisville continues to grow, there will be an increasing number of investors and developers seeking opportunities to transform the physical fabric of the community – this is a good thing, provided that the neighborhood and the developer/investor community communicate well and that everyone understands and respects the neighborhood’s priorities for the future of Francisville. Having a transparent and coordinated development review process will give the neighborhood a stronger voice in determining what it is local stakeholders want for Francisville’s future. We are working to create a formal committee with a documented process for reviewing all zoning applications.

    8. Spend a day at the Free Library’s Regional Foundation Center.

      As the FNDC prepares to implement the neighborhood plan, the organization needs to think about building capacity and growing its financial and technical resources. FNDC is working on increasing access to information on management, grant-seeking, fund development and proposal writing. We are looking for grant writers for all aspects of fundraising, institutional advancement and general philanthropy.

    9. Start a Francisville Shout-Out page on the FNDC website.

      Francisville is a creative community. The community communicates well. This early action recommendation builds upon these two valuable community characteristics – and focuses on building pride at the same time. We think of it as an interactive, digital, public art project along the lines of www.postsecret.com or like a graphic (“I Love Yous-only) version of the CityPaper’s “I Love You / I Hate You page.” We will post the Francisville "Shout-Outs" on the FNDC website and maintain a digital catalog online.

    10. Create a Business Association.

      Restoring Ridge Avenue as a thriving and vibrant commercial corridor will likely be the FNDC’s most long-term and challenging project. It will require the involvement, cooperation, and coordination of multiple players and partners: the City, private developers and investors, private land-owners, existing business owners, and the community as a whole. Most successful business districts benefit from the support, advocacy, and activities of a strong business association, which functions to undertake organized improvements and marketing initiatives and to provide useful information and assistance to existing business owners and people interested in pursuing business development along the corridor.

  16. Between November 2007 and April 2007 FNDC facilitated Mayoral Candidate Forums for all the candidates (Democratic and Republican) but the Girard Home News showed up for the Michael Nutter Forum in early April. Michael Nutter who went on to win the Democratic primary and the November 2007 General Election was actually the first candidate to do a forum in Francisville. Philadelphia’s new Mayor did his first forum in Francisville December 2007 shortly after he announced his intention to run in November of 2006. See 2007 news articles.

  17. In May of 2007 the Francisville Community and FNDC received a little help with the ongoing planning process from the New Urbanists. As part of their 2007 National Conference hosted here in Philadelphia, the Francisville Neighborhood was selected to be the place where budding New Urbanists would conduct a day long “Urban Lab”. From 7:00am to about 6:00pm there were close to 100 New Urbanists in Francisville working with residents in a concentrated exercise in urban planning. The long day was interrupted briefly for a delicious picnic style Bar-b-que lunch at the Francisville Playground. See news 2007 news articles & photo gallery

  18. August 25th 2007 the Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan aptly titled “Moving Francisville Forward”, a blueprint for the future, was released to the public. The day began with a massive community clean up from 7:00am – 1:00pm afterwards residents were invited to the Francisville Playground for a community Bar-b-que to celebrate the accomplishment and while it was the hottest day of 2007, the turnout was great! Elected officials and representatives from various city departments were also on hand for the event. FNDC immediately established the Francisville Alliance to begin the process of implementing the various initiatives in the plan. See photo gallery

  19. In November of 2007 FNDC was awarded a $5,000 Pennsylvania State grant from the Department of Community & Economic Development. Part of the grant will be used to cover the legal fees associated with the establishment of a Francisville Business Association ($1,500.) the remaining $3,500 will be used to implement an 8 week summer program for youth in the Francisville section of the Empowerment Zone. Four (4) Youths between the ages of 14 – 17 will be offered an opportunity to receive a $450.00 stipend in exchange for their participation in the Francisville Youth Community Caretakers Club (FYC-3). Learn more about the FYC-3 program and how you can help!

Revised 01.31.08