2012 GROUNDBREAKINGS AND RIBBON CUTTINGS IN REVIEW

As 2012 comes to an end, it’s the perfect opportunity to look back on the highlights of the year. Philadelphia was bustling with groundbreaking and ribbon cutting activity and PIDC was proud to be involved with several of the projects.

This is an exciting time for the Philadelphia with cranes in the sky, shovels in the ground, and construction sites all over.  Each groundbreaking project brings new jobs, improves the city’s state of economic development, and brings visitor and business attraction, and energy to neighborhood and community development.

Philadelphia is on the rise and we are looking forward to the completion of these current and future projects to come.

Dilworth Plaza–On January 30, 2012, the Center City District held the official ground breaking for the $55 million renovation of Dilworth Plaza located adjacent to Philadelphia’s City Hall. Dilworth Plaza will be transformed from an inaccessible, unattractive, hard-surface plaza into a sustainable, well maintained, green public space with no stairs or barriers from the street.

Sister Cities Park– On May 10, 2012, the Center City District celebrated the grand opening of its newest public space, Sister Cities Park. The newly richly planted and well-illuminated space has turned vacant land into a public park with a variety of amenities for people of all ages 365 days a year.

 

 

 

Spectrum Health Services-On July 12, 2012 Spectrum Health Services (SHS) celebrated the groundbreaking of a $14 million health facility in West Philadelphia. The 36,000 square foot facility located at 52^nd and Haverford Avenue will be the new Haddington Health Center, and is expected to be completed in July 2013.

 

 

Center for Culinary Enterprises– On September 14, 2012, the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Dorrance H. Hamilton Center for Culinary Enterprises was celebrated. The 13,000 square foot Center for Culinary Enterprises (CCE) will be the home of community health and nutrition resources as well as an incubator for food entrepreneurs looking to expand their business.

 

 

Hunting Park Football Field– On September 18, 2012, Eagles quarterback, Michael Vick, the Fairmount Park Conservancy, and others held a groundbreaking to revitalize the depleted football field in Hunting Park. The Hunting Park Revitalization Project, led by the Fairmount Park Conservancy and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, is a community driven effort to make transformative capital improvements to the 87 acres of Hunting Park.

 

Philadelphia Zoo– On September 28, 2012, the Philadelphia Zoo held a ceremonial groundbreaking on a $24-million transportation center and parking garage. The garage will nearly double parking and make it easier for visitors to get off the highway and inside the gates.  The project is also expected to improve traffic flow on the expressway where cars exit to reach the zoo.

 

New Courtland– On October 9, 2012, NewCourtland, a non-profit provider of community services, affordable housing, a nursing home, and education & workforce development for a growing senior population in Philadelphia commenced construction of its third LIFE (Living Independently for Elders) Center with an official groundbreaking ceremony in  North Philadelphia.

 Paine’s Park-On October 12, 2012, Franklin’s Paine Skatepark Fund broke ground on its marquee project, Paine’s Park!  They were joined by over 150 friends and supporters from the skate community and Philadelphia at-large and were overwhelmed by the support and enthusiasm!  They will be completing two phases of construction over the next 7 months, culminating work and opening the park to the public in May 2013.

 

 

 

Courtyard Marriott at The Navy Yard– On October 18, 2012, Ensemble Hotel Partners  broke ground on a $34 million Courtyard by Marriott hotel designed by Erdy McHenry Architects with Intech Construction as the design-build contractor. This will be the first hotel at The Navy Yard.

 

To learn more on how PIDC can help your business or nonprofit organization grow in Philadelphia through our financing and real estate resources, please contact Chamor Hollinger at 215.496.8157 or chollinger@pidc-pa.org.