Friends of 40th Street

21 October 2004

Friends of 40 th Street
Meeting Memo No. 4

Date/Place/Time: 24 September 2004/3901 Market Street – The Community Room/8:00 a.m.

Attendance: James Branton (JB) 3901 Market Street (3901)

Glenn Bryan (GB) Office of Community Relations (OCR), U of PA

Keisha Carter (KC) Dr. Wyatt’s University Herbs (DWUH)

Bob Christian (BC) University City Review (UCR)

Ila L. Clark (IC) 3901 Market Street (3901)

Joe Fischer (JF) University of Pennsylvania Police (UPP)

Nora Floyd (NF) Dr. Wyatt’s University Herbs (DWUH)

Beth Ann Johnson (BAJ) Friends of Walnut West Free Library (FWW)

Eleanor Johnson (EJ) 3901 Market Street (3901)

Lucy Kerman (LK) President’s Office (PO), U of PA

Kathy Laws (KL) 3901 Market Street (3901)

John McGarry (JMG) Office of Facilities and Real Estate Services (FRES), U of PA

Nancy Mosely (NM) 3901 Market Street (3901)

Esaul Sanchez (ES) Office of Facilities and Real Estate Services (FRES), U of PA

Deborah Sanford (DS) 40 th Street Business Association (40ABA)

Richard Schrim (RS)

Harris Sokoloff (Hso) Graduate School of Education (GSE), U of PA

Harris Steinberg (HSt) Penn Praxis (PP), U of PA

Matt Walker (MWA) Partnership Community Development Corporation (PCDC)

Esther Wiesner (EW) University City District (UCD)

Matthew Wolfe (MWO) Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA)

Dr. Frank Wyatt (FW) Dr. Wyatt’s University Herbs (DWUH)

Purpose: Monthly meeting of the Friends of 40 th Street

Items Discussed:

  • Harris Sokoloff (HSo) opened the meeting by welcoming everybody. All present introduced themselves.
  • The minutes from the previous meeting were reviewed. Beth Ann Johnson (BAJ) noted that there are two meeting rooms in the newly refurbished Walnut West Free Library and not three as reported in the minutes (see Item No. 4, Meeting Memo No. 3). The minutes were approved as corrected.
  • Harris Steinberg (HSt) reported that Jennifer Rodriguez, an active member of the steering committee for the 40 th Street Forums, has moved from University City and has left the group. Her active participation in and contributions to the 40 th Street process were roundly noted and appreciated.
  • Glenn Bryan (GB) reported on a recent meeting with Councilwoman Blackwell that grew out of the work of the 40 th Street Forums and the Friends of 40 th Street Quality of Life Task Force (QLTF). The following was noted:
    • The meeting was attended by representatives of the Partnership CDC (PCDC), Philadelphia Police Districts 16 and 18, Penn Police (PP), University City District (UCD), Friends of 40 th Street, Penn’s Office of Community Relations (OCR) and the Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I).
    • Discussion focused on issues such as open drug sales, trash, street and pavement conditions, illegal vending and illegal parking.
    • Despite the fact that police reports demonstrate a low number of complaints about the intersection, the overwhelming sense of the immediate community is that the corner is a problem.
    • The following actions were agreed upon:
      • Philadelphia Police Special Narcotics Force will be deployed at unspecified times.
      • Additional Philadelphia Police will be deployed in the morning and afternoon hours.
      • Penn’s Department of Public Safety will continue to monitor the CCTV cameras at the intersection.
      • Penn Police will team with Philadelphia Police on a bicycle beat along 40 th Street from Baltimore to Filbert Street.
      • Additional UCD trash clean up will happen in late afternoon.
      • L & I will provide a special detail to focus on illegal vending.
      • Unregistered cabs in the area will be identified and cited.
    • OCR, in conjunction with the Friends of 40 th Street, will schedule a follow-up meeting with Councilwoman Blackwell, the Philadelphia Parking Authority and Septa to address issues of congestion and traffic safety at the intersection.
    • PP and OCR will initiate discussions with the methadone clinics in the area to address the issue of drug deals that involve legally dispensed methadone.
    • Councilwoman Blackwell’s office will monitor the progress of this initiative.
    • In order to monitor the success of the initiative, crime reports will be routinely reviewed. Safety meetings chaired by Penn’s VP for Public Safety, Maureen Rush, will maintain a focus on this matter.
  • Joe Fischer (JF) of the PP reiterated the course of action outlined by GB above. He noted that the corner is a hard sell to police officials in terms of crime statistics – which belie how neighbors and visitors experience the street. JF reported that Penn and Philadelphia bicycle policemen would work 40 th Street (Market to Baltimore) in two shifts: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 4 p.m. to midnight. JF also reported that two (2) narcotic arrests were made during the week of September 20 th.
  • Kathy Laws (KL) reported that she saw four people from Kensington get off the bus at the corner and announce the sale of pills (believed to be OxyContin). She noted that after the trolley stops running at 11 p.m., the street is a dangerous place with blatant and obvious drug dealing occurring.
  • HSo questioned if a UCD Ambassador would be assigned to the area until 3 p.m. Esther Wiesner (EW) of UCD said that she would speak with John Fenton of UCD about this.
  • The relationship between vending and trash was noted. JF noted that if a vendor is not licensed, citizens could call the UCD or Penn Police to report them. The existence of rats in conjunction with vending and trash was also noted. JF reported that he communicates with L & I twice weekly about these types of issues. He will meet with the supervisor of the L & I enforcement unit about these issues.
  • HSo wondered what type of grassroots actions might be taken in addition to more formal and institutional moves. JF noted that vending is a matter of enforcement. He suggested that residents band together and talk to the vendors one-on-one; giving voice to the concerns of the community. Lucy Kerman (LK) noted that the QLTF was meeting on 10/18 and that this could be something that the task force could help to undertake and coordinate.
  • GB cautioned the group that it will take time to effect long-term and sustained change. The group felt that is was reasonable to think about both short-term and long-term goals.
  • HSt mentioned the “broken window theory,” in which broken windows signify abandonment and encourages further decay and vandalism. On the other hand, communities that repair broken windows and erase graffiti find that these actions tend to stem further decay. Perhaps, he opined, the Friends could think about projects at the intersection that could help promote a positive and inviting appearance.
  • Esaul Sanchez (ES) reminded the meeting to thank the Councilwoman and the police for their efforts.
  • Bob Christian (BC) noted that he has offered the Friends space in the University City Review (UCR) on a monthly basis. KL offered to work with HSo and HSt on the next article.
  • KL reported that there is often human waste at the corner of 40 th and Market. She noted that it has become increasingly difficult to sit and wait for a bus because of this. She noted that many people will be taking the El to the Library and the smell will be off-putting. EW reported that a Septa meeting is scheduled. This issue can be addressed at that time. Keisha Carter (KC) reported that she saw a woman use the street as a toilet the morning of the meeting and there had been a police officer on the corner. JF will follow up with the police about this. JF reminded the group that people who are not loitering (loitering is only on private property), it is not a crime. BAJ reported that she has seen panhandlers on Penn property. JF noted that the presence of panhandlers at the shops at 36 th and Walnut has declined due to increased police intervention. JF noted that urinating on the highway is a crime and the perpetrator can be arrested.
  • Dr. Frank Wyatt (FW) felt that it is important to make those who are degrading the intersection feel uncomfortable. By taking positive countermeasures, he felt that blight can be moved. He felt that 40 th and Market is too comfortable at present.
  • ES reiterated the call for patience; that this effort will not occur overnight. He urged the group to prepare for at least a yearlong effort with short and long range goals.
  • BC reported that the Teres Group, a developer working on 40 th Street, met with members of the 40 th Street Area Business Association (40ABA) at UCD on 9/23/04. He reported that attendance was good and that the group talked about convening a special meeting of the 40ABA to coordinate signage and other mutual business-related issues. HJS wondered if there was an opportunity for the QLTF to work with the 40ABA to develop a plan for the corridor.

FW reported that the Teres Group plans to phase their development plan with the United Bank property being built-out before the Atlantic Insurance site across the street. A 6 to 7 seven story building is planned for the United Bank site. The developers are working on a contingency plan for existing businesses impacted by the development.

  • BAJ updated the group on the status of the Library re-opening. The following issues were noted:
  • The Walnut West branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia will reopen on October 2, 2004. The ribbon-cutting is planned for 1:00 p.m. There will be activities from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
  • Author Rita Gelman will be on hand. Gelman has been described as a “female nomad” who has lived all over the world. Copies of here most recent book will be available courtesy of House of Our Own Bookstore.
  • Readers are needed for story time between 2:00 and 3:00 p.m.
  • There will be food in the community room and craft projects for children. It was noted that the reopening activities for the library overlap with other Philadelphia Cares activities that day.
  • There is one computer with a large screen that talks and has large print. The library includes 60,000 volumes (compared to 25,000 at the Wadsworth branch).
  • HSo encouraged everyone to volunteer to read.
  • There will be an after-school program (LEAP) four nights per week. The Circle-K program will engage Penn students once or twice a month in story telling and craft projects for children.
  • The quality of light in the building was noted.
  • GB publicly congratulated BAJ for her steadfast advocacy in helping to bring this branch back on line in the original building.
  • The 40 th Street trolley will be running on 10/16 all day. John McGarry (JMG) noted that this is a victory for trolley advocates. The trolley is a restored 1940’s PTC model. It is not handicapped accessible.
  • BC questioned why the bikes lanes on Walnut and Chestnut end at 38 th Street. He stressed that bicycle riders on sidewalks present an extremely dangerous situation, as well as being illegal.
  • The next meeting is scheduled for October 29, 2004 at 8:00 a.m. The location is 3901 Market Street Community Room. Please enter through the main doors to 3901 Market Street. The Community Room is on the ground floor. Standing meetings will be held the last Friday of each month with the exception of August and December. Meetings are open to the community and members are urged to invite neighbors and friends to participate.

Submitted by:

 

Harris M. Steinberg
Penn Praxis

cc: Those in attendance
Friends of 40 th Street

© 2004, 40th Street Community Forum and Serendip