pimlus atlas - final - september 2010

indu

stri

al la

nd in

phi

lade

lphi

a D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s

prepared by _Interface Studio LLC

prepared for The City of Philadelphia

prepared by _interface studio llc CHPlanning Ltd.

september 2010

an industrial land use & market strategy for the city of philadelphia:

industrial land atlas

City of Philadelphia :: philadelphia industrial land atlas

Cover: Disston Precision, Inc., TaconyRight: Rhoads Industries, Philadelphia Navy Yard

indu

stri

al la

nd in

phi

lade

lphi

a D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


acknowledgmentsadvisory committee

project team

special thanks to...

consultant team

This Industrial Market and Land Use Strategy was undertaken with funding by the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) and the City of Philadelphia. The plan was led by PIDC with the support of the Philadelphia Department of Commerce and the Philadelphia City Planning Commission, and guided by a dedicated Advisory Committee comprised of representatives of City and regional departments and agencies charged with stewardship of Philadelphia’s industrial lands.

Suzanne Biemiller, Office of the Mayor, City of PhiladelphiaDuane Bumb, Philadelphia Department of CommerceTeresa Gillen, Redevelopment Authority of the City of PhiladelphiaJohn Grady, Philadelphia Industrial Development CorporationJoseph Houldin, Delaware Valley Industrial Resource CenterAlan Greenberger, Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic DevelopmentSteve Jurash, Urban Industry InitiativePeter Kelsen, Zoning Code CommissionPeter Longstreth, President, Philadelphia Industrial Development CorporationRichard Redding, Philadelphia City Planning Commission

Jennifer Barr, Philadelphia City Planning CommissionDavid Fecteau, Philadelphia City Planning CommissionJim Green, Philadelphia City Planning Commission Octavia Hall, Philadelphia City Planning CommissionNatalie Hseuh, Zoning Code CommissionGary Jastrzab, Philadelphia City Planning CommissionDavid Knapton, Philadelphia City Planning CommissionAndrew Meloney, Philadelphia City Planning CommissionDavid Ortiz, Philadelphia City Planning CommissionCornell Pankey, Philadelphia City Planning CommissionLaura Spina, Philadelphia City Planning CommissionMichael Thompson, Philadelphia City Planning Commission

Brian Ivey, City of Philadelphia, Division of TechnologyThomas Neirynck, City of Philadelphia, Division of TechnologyKristin Sullivan, Mayor’s Office of SustainabilityMarisa Waxman, City of Philadelphia, Revenue DepartmentChristopher Zearfoss, Mayor’s Office for Transportation and Utilities

Michael Cooper, Philadelphia Industrial Development CorporationAlice Cathcart, Philadelphia Industrial Development CorporationAmanda Davis, Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation

Elizabeth Miller, Community Design CollaborativeCarryn Golden, Community Design Collaborative

Erin Murphy Boyle, Governor’s Action TeamJames Fuller, The Hankin GroupJohn Gattuso, Liberty Property TrustPatrick Green, CB Richard EllisRichard Gorodesky, Colliers InternationalWilliam Hankowsky, Liberty Property TrustThomas G. Morr, Select Greater PhiladelphiaNed Rauch-Mannino, Urban Industry InitiativeJames Mazzarelli, Liberty Property TrustBarry Seymour, Delaware Valley Regional Planning CommissionJoseph Welsh, The Collegiate Consortium

Tom Dalfo, Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation Matt Honea, Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation Prema Katari Gupta, Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation Brian Flanagan, Deputy Mayor’s Office for Planning and Economic DevelopmentEva Gladstein, Zoning Code CommissionJohn Haak, Philadelphia City Planning CommissionAlan Urek, Philadelphia City Planning CommissionVince Dougherty, City of Philadelphia, Commerce DepartmentJon Edelstein, City of Philadelphia, Commerce Department

_interface studio, llcScott PageBryan LobelAshley DiCaroMindy WattsLeah Murphy

AECOM EconomicsShuprotim BhaumikAaron SmithJaime Flaherty

Initiative for a Competitive Inner CityTeresa LynchPaige GentryAdam Kamins

CHPlanningShawn BredeRobert FejerenTracy Tackett

DMJM HarrisTimothy Gunner


Tasty Baking Co., Philadelphia Navy Yard

indu

stri

al la

nd in

phi

lade

lphi

a D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


table of contentsI Industrial land in Philadelphia: an introduction ....................... 1II district by district analysis ................................................................... 29 1 american street ................................................................................................................ 30 2 aramingo .................................................................................................................................... 42 3 callowhill ............................................................................................................................... 54 4 grays ferry ............................................................................................................................ 66 5 hunting park east ............................................................................................................ 78 6 hunting park west ........................................................................................................... 90 7 lawncrest ................................................................................................................................. 102 8 lower north delaware ................................................................................................... 114 9 northeast .............................................................................................................................. 126 10 northern liberties ........................................................................................................... 138 11 parkside .................................................................................................................................. 150 12 roxborough .......................................................................................................................... 162 13 south delaware ................................................................................................................ 174 14 southwest ............................................................................................................................ 186 15 upper north delaware ................................................................................................ 198


list of figurescitywide overview Figure 1: PIDC Industrial Parks ………………........................................................................................................................……………………. 5Figure 2: Economic Incentive Zones ...….………….................................................................................................................................…. 6Figure 3: Surveyed Philadelphia Industrial Districts ………………….…....................................................................................................... 7Figure 4: Industrial Area Characteristics …………….......................………………………................................................................................. 8Figure 5: Highway Infrastructure ……………………………………...................................................................................................................... 9Figure 6: Traffic Volume ……………………………………..................................................................................................................................... 9Figure 7: Rails and Ports ………………………………...................……............................................................................................................. 10Figure 8: Land Uses in Surveyed Industrial Distircts......................................................................................................................……. 11Figure 9: Breakdown of Industrial Land Uses Only ………………………………......................................................................................... 11Figure 10: Land Use in 1954 ……………………………………......................................................................................................................... 13Figure 11: Industrial Zoning: 2009 ……………………………………................................................................................................................ 14Figure 12: Industrial Zoning Typologies: 2009 …………………………………….............................................................................................. 14Figure 13: Industrial Zoning Comparison, 1954-2009 …………………………………................................................................................…. 15Figure 14: Industrial Zoning Changes between 1999 and 2009 ……………….………………...............................................................…. 16Figure 15: Industrial Parcels Larger than 10 Acres ...............................................................................................................................18Figure 16: Physical Land Vacancy, Surveyed Districts ……………………………......................................................................................... 19Figure 17: Building Vacancy, Surveyed Districts ………………................................................................................................................. 20Figure 18: Market Pressure in Industrial Districts ……………………………………........................................................................................ 21Figure 19: Market Pressure: Callowhill, Northern Liberties, American Street & Lower North Delaware............................................. 21Figure 20: Improvement Value per Square Foot by District ….……………………………............................................................................. 19Figure 21: Levels of Industrial Intensity ……………………………………......................................................................................................... 25Figure 22: Comparing Industrial Intensity ………………............................................…………………….......................................................... 26Figure 23: Potential Industrial Land Supply, 2009 ……………………………………......................................................................................... 27Figure 24: Industrial Land Assembly Potential, by Acreage 2009 …….................................................................................................... 28

indu

stri

al la

nd in

phi

lade

lphi

a D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


list of figuresamerican street Figure 25: American Street Industrial District Key Map …….....................................................................…………. 31Figure 26: American Street Industrial District Context ………................................................................................. 34Figure 27: American Street Industrial District Transportation Infrastructure …………………..……......................... 35Figure 28: American Street Industrial District Access to Public Transit ………..................................................…. 36Figure 29: American Street Industrial District Land Use ……............................................................................…. 37Figure 30: American Street Industrial District Land Use & Zoning Comparison ….............................................. 38Figure 31: American Street Industrial District Zoning, 2009 …………......…………..............................………………. 38Figure 32: American Street Industrial District by Sector …………………………………...........................................…. 39Figure 33: American Street Industrial District Industrial Use by Sector ……………………………………..................... 39Figure 34: American Street Industrial District Vacancy ……………………………………............................................... 40

aramingoFigure 35: Aramingo Industrial District Key Map ………………………………........................................................……. 43Figure 36: Aramingo Industrial District Context ……………………………………........................................................... 46Figure 37: Aramingo Industrial District Transportation Infrastructure ………………………….…………....................... 47Figure 38: Aramingo Industrial District Access to Public Transit ………………………………...............................……. 48Figure 39: Aramingo Industrial District Land Use ………………………………….......................................................…. 49Figure 40: Aramingo Industrial District Land Use & Zoning Comparison ……...................................................... 50Figure 41: Aramingo Industrial District Zoning, 2009 …………………………………............................................…. 50Figure 42: Aramingo Industrial District by Sector ……………………………………........................................................ 51Figure 43: Aramingo Industrial District Industrial Use by Sector ……………………………………................................ 51Figure 44: Aramingo Industrial District Vacancy ………………………….........................................................…………. 52

callowhillFigure 45: Callowhill Industrial District Key Map ………………........................................................……………………. 55Figure 46: Callowhill Industrial District Context ……………………………………........................................................... 58Figure 47: Callowhill Industrial District Transportation Infrastructure …………………………………......................…. 59Figure 48: Callowhill Industrial District Access to Public Transit ……………………...............................………………. 60Figure 49: Callowhill Industrial District Land Use ………………………………….......................................................…. 61Figure 50: Callowhill Industrial District Land Use & Zoning Comparison …………………………...........................…. 62Figure 51: Callowhill Industrial District Zoning, 2009 ………………………………..............................…….................. 62Figure 52: Callowhill Industrial District by Sector ……………………………………........................................................ 63Figure 53: Callowhill Industrial District Industrial Use by Sector …………………………………................................….63Figure 54: Callowhill Industrial District Vacancy …………………………………….......................................................... 64

grays ferryFigure 55: Grays Ferry Industrial District Key Map ………………….................................................................…………………. 67Figure 56: Grays Ferry Industrial District Context …………………………………….................................................................... 70Figure 57: Grays Ferry Industrial District Transportation Infrastructure …………………………………...............................…. 71Figure 58: Grays Ferry Industrial District Access to Public Transit ……………………………………......................................... 72Figure 59: Grays Ferry Industrial District Land Use ……………………………………................................................................. 73Figure 60: Grays Ferry Industrial District Land Use & Zoning Comparison ……………………………………............................ 74Figure 61: Grays Ferry Industrial District Zoning, 2009 …………….............................................…………........................... 74Figure 62: Grays Ferry Industrial District by Sector ……………………………………................................................................. 75Figure 63: Grays Ferry Industrial District Industrial Use by Sector ……………………………………......................................... 75Figure 64: Grays Ferry Industrial District Vacancy ……………………………......................................................................…… 76

hunting park eastFigure 65: Hunting Park East Industrial District Key Map ……………………………….......................................................…… 79Figure 66: Hunting Park East Industrial District Context ………………………………….........................................................… 82Figure 67: Hunting Park East Industrial District Transportation Infrastructure ………………………………….....................… 83Figure 68: Hunting Park East Industrial District Access to Public Transit …………………………………..............................… 84Figure 69: Hunting Park East Industrial District Land Use ………………………………….....................................................… 85Figure 70: Hunting Park East Industrial District Land Use & Zoning Comparison ………..................................................… 86Figure 71: Hunting Park East Industrial District Zoning, 2009 …………………...............................………………................… 86Figure 72: Hunting Park East Industrial District by Sector ………………………………......................................................……87Figure 73: Hunting Park East Industrial District Industrial Use by Sector ……………………………….............................…… 87Figure 74: Hunting Park East Industrial District Vacancy ………………………………….......................................................… 88

hunting park westFigure 75: Hunting Park West Industrial District Key Map …………………......................................................………………… 91Figure 76: Hunting Park West Industrial District Context ………………………………........................................................…… 94Figure 77: Hunting Park West Industrial District Transportation Infrastructure ………………………………....................…… 95Figure 78: Hunting Park West Industrial District Access to Public Transit ……………………………….............................…… 96Figure 79: Hunting Park West Industrial District Land Use …………………………………....................................................… 97Figure 80: Hunting Park West Industrial District Land Use & Zoning Comparison ………..............................................… 98Figure 81: Hunting Park West Industrial District Zoning, 2009 ……………….............................……………………............... 98Figure 82: Hunting Park West Industrial District by Sector …………………………….....................................................……… 99Figure 83: Hunting Park West Industrial District Industrial Use by Sector ………….............................………………………… 99Figure 84: Hunting Park West Industrial District Vacancy …………………………………......................................................… 100


lawncrestFigure 85: Lawncrest Industrial District Key Map ………………………………..........................................................…… 103Figure 86: Lawncrest Industrial District Context ……………………………………............................................................ 106Figure 87: Lawncrest Industrial District Transportation Infrastructure …………………………………........................… 107Figure 88: Lawncrest Industrial District Access to Public Transit …………………………………...............................… 108Figure 89: Lawncrest Industrial District Land Use ……………………………….......................................................…… 109Figure 90: Lawncrest Industrial District Land Use & Zoning Comparison ………………………………….................... 110Figure 91: Lawncrest Industrial District Zoning, 2009 …………………...............................………….......................… 110Figure 92: Lawncrest Industrial District by Sector ………………………………….......................................................… 111Figure 93: Lawncrest Industrial District Industrial Use by Sector ……………………………………............................... 111Figure 94: Lawncrest Industrial District Vacancy ……………………………….........................................................…… 112

lower north delawareFigure 95: Lower North Delaware Industrial District Key Map …………………………....................................………… 115Figure 96: Lower North Delaware Industrial District Context …………………………………......................................… 118Figure 97: Lower North Delaware Industrial District Transportation Infrastructure ………………...........….........… 119Figure 98: Lower North Delaware Industrial District Access to Public Transit ………………………………...........…… 120Figure 99: Lower North Delaware Industrial District Land Use ………………………………......................................… 121Figure 100: Lower North Delaware Industrial District Land Use & Zoning Comparison ……....................................… 122Figure 101: Lower North Delaware Industrial District Zoning, 2009 ………...................................…………............…… 122Figure 102: Lower North Delaware Industrial District by Sector …………………………………...................................… 123Figure 103: Lower North Delaware Industrial District Industrial Use by Sector …………………………….............…… 123Figure 104: Lower North Delaware Industrial District Vacancy …………………………………....................................… 124

northeastFigure 105: Northeast Industrial District Key Map ………………………........................................................…………… 127Figure 106: Northeast Industrial District Context …………………………….............................................................…… 130Figure 107: Northeast Industrial District Transportation Infrastructure ………………….....…….............................… 131Figure 108: Northeast Industrial District Access to Public Transit …………………………….....................................… 132Figure 109: Northeast Industrial District Land Use ………………………………….......................................................… 133Figure 110: Northeast Industrial District Land Use & Zoning Comparison …………………..................................… 134Figure 111: Northeast Industrial District Zoning, 2009 ………..............................……………………........................… 134Figure 112: Northeast Industrial District by Sector ……………………………………....................................................... 135Figure 113: Northeast Industrial District Industrial Use by Sector …………………..…………...................................... 135Figure 114: Northeast Industrial District Vacancy ………………………………….........................................................… 136

northern libertiesFigure 115: Northern Liberties Industrial District Key Map ………………………..........................................…………… 139Figure 116: Northern Liberties Industrial District Context ………………………............................................…………… 142Figure 117: Northern Liberties Industrial District Transportation Infrastructure ……………………………........……… 143Figure 118: Northern Liberties Industrial District Access to Public Transit …………………………….................……… 144Figure 119: Northern Liberties Industrial District Land Use ……………………………….........................................…… 145Figure 120: Northern Liberties Industrial District Land Use & Zoning Comparison ………………........................… 146Figure 121: Northern Liberties Industrial District Zoning, 2009 ………..............................………………………....…… 146Figure 122: Northern Liberties Industrial District by Sector ………………………………..........................................…… 147Figure 123: Northern Liberties Industrial District Industrial Use by Sector ………………………………….................… 147Figure 124: Northern Liberties Industrial District Vacancy ……………………………...........................................……… 148

parksideFigure 125: Parkside Industrial District Key Map ………………………...........................................................…………… 151Figure 126: Parkside Industrial District Context …………………………………............................................................… 154Figure 127: Parkside Industrial District Transportation Infrastructure …………………………………........................… 155Figure 128: Parkside Industrial District Access to Public Transit ………………………………..................................…… 156Figure 129: Parkside Industrial District Land Use ………………………………….........................................................… 157Figure 130: Parkside Industrial District Land Use & Zoning Comparison …………………………………................… 158Figure 131: Parkside Industrial District Zoning, 2009 ……..............................……………………....................………… 158Figure 132: Parkside Industrial District by Sector ………………………………..........................................................…… 159Figure 133: Parkside Industrial District Industrial Use by Sector ……………………………….................................…… 159Figure 134: Parkside Industrial District Vacancy …………………………………...........................................................… 160

roxboroughFigure 135: Roxborough Industrial District Key Map ………………………….....................................................………… 163Figure 136: Roxborough Industrial District Context ………………………………….......................................................… 166Figure 137: Roxborough Industrial District Transportation Infrastructure …………………………………...................… 167Figure 138: Roxborough Industrial District Access to Public Transit …………………………………............................… 168Figure 139: Roxborough Industrial District Land Use …………………………………....................................................… 169Figure 140: Roxborough Industrial District Land Use & Zoning Comparison ……................................................… 170Figure 141: Roxborough Industrial District Zoning, 2009 ……….............................…………………………...............… 170Figure 142: Roxborough Industrial District by Sector …………………………………….................................................... 171Figure 143: Roxborough Industrial District Industrial Use by Sector …………………………………............................… 171Figure 144: Roxborough Industrial District Vacancy …………………………………......................................................… 172

indu

stri

al la

nd in

phi

lade

lphi

a D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


south delawareFigure 145: South Delaware Industrial District Key Map ……………………………...................................................……… 175Figure 146: South Delaware Industrial District Context ………………………………….....................................................… 178Figure 147: South Delaware Industrial District Transportation Infrastructure ……………………………….................…… 179Figure 148: South Delaware Industrial District Access to Public Transit …………………………………..........................… 180Figure 149: South Delaware Industrial District Land Use …………………………………..................................................… 181Figure 150: South Delaware Industrial District Land Use & Zoning Comparison …………………………...................… 182Figure 151: South Delaware Industrial District Zoning, 2009 ………………………….............................……............…… 182Figure 152: South Delaware Industrial District by Sector …………………………………..................................................… 183Figure 153: South Delaware Industrial District Industrial Use by Sector …………………………………..........................… 183Figure 154: South Delaware Industrial District Vacancy …………………………………….................................................... 184

southwestFigure 155: Southwest Industrial District Key Map …………………………............................................................………… 187Figure 156: Southwest Industrial District Context …………………………………….............................................................. 190Figure 157: Southwest Industrial District Transportation Infrastructure ………………………………..........................…… 191Figure 158: Southwest Industrial District Access to Public Transit …………………………………...................................… 192Figure 159: Southwest Industrial District Land Use …………………………………...........................................................… 193Figure 160: Southwest Industrial District Land Use & Zoning Comparison …………………………............................... 194Figure 161: Southwest Industrial District Zoning, 2009 …………….............................…………………….....................… 194Figure 162: Southwest Industrial District by Sector …………………………………...........................................................… 195Figure 163: Southwest Industrial District Industrial Use by Sector …………………………………..................................… 195Figure 164: Southwest Industrial District Vacancy ……………………………………............................................................ 196

upper north delawareFigure 165: Upper North Delaware Industrial District Key Map ……………………........................................……………… 199Figure 166: Upper North Delaware Industrial District Context ………………………………..........................................…… 202Figure 167: Upper North Delaware Industrial District Transportation Infrastructure ………………………………......…… 203Figure 168: Upper North Delaware Industrial District Access to Public Transit ……………………………………............... 204Figure 169: Upper North Delaware Industrial District Land Use ………………………………….......................................… 205Figure 170: Upper North Delaware Industrial District Land Use & Zoning Comparison ……………...........................… 206Figure 171: Upper North Delaware Industrial District Zoning, 2009 ………….............................……………………….… 206Figure 172: Upper North Delaware Industrial District by Sector ………………………………….......................................… 207Figure 173: Upper North Delaware Industrial District Industrial Use by Sector ………………………………...............…… 207Figure 174: Upper North Delaware Industrial District Vacancy ………………………………….........................................… 208

Pappajohn Woodworking at Spring Mill, Frankford. Source: Damon Landry / L Squared Studio

1 City of Philadelphia :: philadelphia industrial land atlas

2

indu

stri

al la

nd in

phi

lade

lphi

a D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


I an

In

tro

du

ctio

n industrial land inphiladelphiaindustrial land inphiladelphia


then...

4

indu

stri

al la

nd in

phi

lade

lphi

a D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


...now


contextThere are approximately 17,805 acres of land zoned for industrial use in the City of Philadelphia, representing nearly 21% of the City’s land area. For the purposes of this study, 15 districts totaling 15,804 acres were identified for survey and analysis by the consultant team. While the boundaries of the study were initially outlined by the Planning Commission and based on industrial zoning, institutional knowledge, and prior surveys, the consultant team expanded these boundaries to further include areas of potential significance to the industrial economy in Philadelphia.

Much current and historical land use associated with industry is tied to the activities of the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC). Through the efforts of PIDC, the Philadelpha City Planning Commission (PCPC), the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority (RDA) and other agencies, a number of industrial parks were established and developed throughout the City beginning in 1959. Today, some of the most diverse and viable industrial uses in the City are still tied to these areas - most notably the Byberry and Red Lion industrial parks in the Northeast, the Eastwick A industrial park in the Southwest, and the Navy Yard.

PIDC Industrial ParksFigure 1:

6

indu

stri

al la

nd in

phi

lade

lphi

a D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


incentive zonesToday, a number of incentives are available to encourage economic development and job growth in Philadelphia. Federal, state and local programs correspond to specific physical geographies defined throughout the City and in many cases overlap the surveyed industrial districts. Empowerment zones, HUD Renewal Community zones, and formerly, state-designated Enterprise Zones often correspond to older, mixed industrial - residential neighborhoods found across north and west Philadelphia . The incentives offered to firms locating or expanding in these areas range from state and local tax credits and exemptions to employment credits to eligibility for low-interest loans.

NOTE: Four Pennsylvania state Enterprise Zones located in Philadelphia have expired in recent years: West Parkside (2001), Port of Philadelphia (2002), American Street (2004) and Hunting Park West (2006).

Economic Incentive Figure 2: Zones


districtsThe 15 industrial districts selected for survey and analysis by the consultant team vary widely in size, character, and degree of industrial utilization as well as in density, scale, and surrounding uses. The districts span the city of Philadelphia, from the International Airport in the Southwest to the far Northeast. However, there are many similarities amongst various districts with regard to the opportunities and challenges their geography presents. Six groupings allow the districts to be considered at a broader, more functional scale within the context of city and region:

SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST WATERFRONTThe three most southerly districts – an area described here as the South by Southwest Waterfront consisting of the Southwest, Grays Ferry, and South Delaware districts – enjoy an access “trifecta” of adjacency to the Philadelphia International Airport, the Packer Marine Terminal and associated piers, and both the I-95 and I-76 freeways. This excellent access has also been the cause of an ongoing erosion of historically industrial land in these districts by big box and commercial development. Some of the land area, such as Mud Island along the lower Schuylkill River, is unsuitable for virtually any type of development because it consists largely of fill dredged from Delaware River shipping channels, or is marshy and susceptible to flooding. Nonetheless, a dense complex of refineries, tank farms, and shipbuilding cranes remain clustered here near the mouth of the Schuylkill River and greet one when entering the City from the south.

INNER URBANJust north of Center City Philadelphia lay three districts that could be described as Philadelphia’s Inner Urban industrial areas – Callowhill, Northern Liberties, and American Street. Their unique combination of industrially-zoned land with close-in access to the central business district, and stock of small and often relatively low-rent workshop, warehouse, and loft spaces make them ideal for certain industries, such as Center City food distribution, equipment repair, construction supply, and B2B fabrication, for example. However, these districts also suffer from their location within a dense urban grid of narrow streets, making truck circulation difficult. The parcel assembly and acquisition often necessary for business expansion can also be problematic and even impossible due to separate ownership of a great number of small parcels. In addition, this area has seen much residential and commercial redevelopment and interest in recent years, resulting in challenging conditions for maintaining larger-scale industrial uses, both in terms of compatibility of use and economics of land price.

NORTH PHILADELPHIA URBANFurther north are three more districts that comprise a broad swath of industrial terrain strung out and clustered around the vestiges of Philadelphia’s extensive freight rail network that criss-crosses North Philadelphia. The North Philadelphia Urban districts – Hunting Park East & West, and Aramingo – once lay at the core of a mighty industrial complex that garnered the City the title of “Workshop of the World”. Multi-story factory lofts a century old or more are ubiquitous here and sit cheek by jowl with dense urban rowhouse neighborhoods, which were often built by the factory owners to house their workers. One such example is the residential neighborhood surrounding the former Budd Company factory in what is now the Hunting Park West district. Many industrial firms in this area are “legacy” firms with a long history of operation. They enjoy a strong heritage of industrial associations and easy access to a diverse labor pool. These districts also straddle some of the most disinvested areas of the City and suffer high crime rates. Aging, often obsolete facilities and relatively poor freeway access add to the challenges for modern industrial concerns located here.

Surveyed Philadelphia Industrial DistrictsFigure 3:

DELAWARE WATERFRONTTwo large districts comprise a distinct Delaware Waterfront industrial typology – the Lower and Upper North Delaware districts. Directly south lies the Central Delaware waterfront, which is currently the subject of master planning efforts aimed at increasing green space and re-connecting adjacent neighborhoods to the river. At one time most of Philadelphia’s Delaware River frontage was industrial; today, waterfront industry has receded to parts of these Delaware Waterfront districts and to the South by Southwest districts discussed earlier. A great diversity of industrial activities remain along the North Delaware waterfront, ranging from petrochemical and container terminals and storage tank fields, to water and sewage treatment plants and power generating stations, to modern manufacturing and processing plants. There is also a significant presence of vacant and underutilized lands, often directly abutting the river, that are highly visible from the stretches of I-95 and SEPTA/ AMTRAK that parallel the waterfront here. These vacancies are largely attributable to land speculation and owner inertia.

THE NORTHEASTFar from Center City, there is an industrial district that comprises a distinctive industrial typology – the Northeast. This industrial area surrounds the Northeast Philadelphia Airport near the intersection of Roosevelt Boulevard and Woodhaven Road. The district extends north to the city limits, and includes a smaller area along the city boundary to the west surrounding the former

8

indu

stri

al la

nd in

phi

lade

lphi

a D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Industrial Area CharacteristicsFigure 4: Budd Company plant, which is currently the Island Green Country Club and phytoremediation area. The Northeast was largely undeveloped as recently as the 1950’s, and afforded opportunities for “greenfield” industrial development in the period following World War II. The industrial parcels found here today are comparatively modern (within City stock) in configuration, with large square and rectangular lots and one-story modern facilities that allow efficient truck circulation. Access to I-95 is excellent via Woodhaven and Academy Roads. There is also good access to I-76, via Roosevelt Blvd / Route 1. This district is perhaps the most vibrant and active industrial zone in the City. It also coexists successfully with surrounding residential neighborhoods due to buffering boulevards and an industrial park mode of development, generally found in suburban areas and consisting of large setbacks, low lot-coverage ratios, and attractive building façades.

OTHER INDUSTRIAL NODESThe remaining three industrial districts – Roxborough, Parkside, and Lawncrest – consist of smaller stand-alone neighborhood oriented districts located along rail and, in the case of Roxborough, the upper Schuylkill River. Lawncrest is a large employment hub anchored by the US Naval Supply Depot, and Cardone Automotive Industries. Parkside, located near Fairmount Park in West Philadelphia, contains a significant cluster of large and development-ready parcels of vacant land and buildings. The Roxborough industrial district consists of a disparate jumble of construction supply and auto shops along Umbria Ave, broadcast towers and waste transfer facilities on the hillsides above, and a single remaining factory – the Paper Works Industries/ AbitibiBowater plant – on Venice Island in the Schuylkill River.


highway infrastructureThe regional highway system is the dominant mode of transportation for goods movement in Philadelphia. In 2002, 78 percent of all imported goods (by weight) arrived by truck and 62 percent left the region by truck. Forecasts for the year 2035 show little change in this distribution among the modes of freight movement. The highway infrastructure within Philadelphia, as in most northeast cities, faces significant challenges in supporting traffic growth. The two major interstate highways that traverse Philadelphia - I-76 was completed in the 1950s and I-95 was begun in the late 1970s - were constructed such that major expansion would entail significant impacts to adjacent communities and environmentally-sensitive areas. The age of these highways, combined with a climate that exposes pavements and structures to regular freezing, thawing and de-icing agents, has rendered many of these facilities in need of rehabilitation.

Highway InfrastructureFigure 5:

Traffic VolumeFigure 6:

PARCELS ACRES % OF SURVEYED AREA<1,000ft FROM MAJOR TRUCK ROUTE

ACCESS

10,607 11,604 73%<1,000ft FROM ACESS RAMP 2,756 6,632 42%<1 MILE FROM EXPRESSWAY 12,718 14,041 89%

Truck, Ramp & Expressway

10

indu

stri

al la

nd in

phi

lade

lphi

a D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


rail & portsThree Class 1 railroad systems – Norfolk Southern, CSX, and Canadian Pacific – operate in Philadelphia. The freight railroad system represents the second most important mode of transporting goods into the region, at 16 percent by weight. Only 3 percent of the goods leaving the region, however, are exported via rail.

There are current and ongoing projects to add capacity to some of the major freight rail lines within Philadelphia. CSX is planning to invest over $200 million into the Trenton Line in improvements to vertical clearance and double-tracking. The Trenton Line is a vital link in CSX’s distribution network from Philadelphia to the Midwest. This route includes the River Line and Water Level Routes along the Hudson River and Great Lakes, respectively. Another $48 million is slated for similar capacity improvements on the Philadelphia Subdivision, CSX’s connection to points south of the City. This route is ultimately constrained in Baltimore by the clearance restrictions on the Howard Street Tunnel, and therefore represents a less favorable option for distribution.

With the expansion of the Panama Canal, larger ships transporting containerized cargo from Asia will make calls directly at East Coast ports in lieu of calling at West Coast ports and distributing goods to the East Coast via rail. Many East Coast ports are preparing for the increase in ship traffic by expanding existing terminals, deepening channels, and planning new terminals. Some forecasts predict increases of three- and four-fold over 2004 volumes by the year 2020. Currently Philadelphia is a minor player in container markets, but these improvements may present an opportunity for the Port to grow.

The Philadelphia International Airport handles the fastest growing method of transporting high-value goods to Philadelphia. Preliminary projections are for inbound international air value to grow by 695 percent 2020.

Rails & PortsFigure 7: Source: USGS, SEPTA, PennDOT, Railmap

MUL

TIM

ODAL

FREI

GHT A

CCES

S

PARCELS ACRES % OF SURVEYED AREAPORT

Adjacent 42 818 5%<2 Miles 5,292 5,274 33%

FREIGHT RAILAdjacent 810 7,677 49%

AIRPORTAdjacent 58 787 5%<2miles 651 6,052 38%

Canadian Pacific


Land Uses in Surveyed Industrial DistrictsFigure 8: Breakdown of Industrial Land Uses OnlyFigure 9:

12

indu

stri

al la

nd in

phi

lade

lphi

a D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


land useAn exhaustive three-month survey and analysis of 16,113 parcels located within the 15 study district boundaries concluded that approximately 2,023 properties were under some level of industrial use at the time of the survey (including transportation & goods movement uses, such as airports) - totaling 10,196 acres. Thus, while 21% of City lands are zoned industrial, our analysis found that the equivalent of 12.5% of City land area is being positively utilized for industrial activities within the surveyed areas. This leaves approximately 5,608 acres of surveyed land either vacant or being utilized for other purposes – mainly commercial and institutional. The industrial activity present on these properties varied widely in intensity or level of utilization of the land from small, partially vacant warehousing operations, maintenance or scrap yards, and workshops on up to busy marine terminal facilities, foundries, food processing plants, and distribution centers.


zoningPhiladelphia’s zoning code was established in 1933 and was originally based on land use survey maps that were produced during the depression by the Works Progress Administration. The City’s first zoning code was a reflection of existing land use patterns that had developed organically over time. In 1962, as a comprehensive revision of this zoning code was undertaken and planning officials recognized the extent to which land use patterns where changing, the City created the Zoning Remapping Program in order to deal systematically with proposed zoning changes.

In the early days of the City’s zoning efforts, only two classifications existed to describe what was then a diverse and active complex of factories, refineries, mills, shipping piers, workshops and warehouses. One, a designated “industrial” zone and the other, described as a “least restricted” zone. Industrial activity in this period was still largely aligned with the rivers and rail infrastructure dating to the 19th century in Philadelphia. Over the years, however, modern industrial development has gravitated toward undeveloped peripheral areas of the City such as the Northeast and Southwest. The area of the City zoned for industrial use has actually increased over the years due in large part to the establishment and growth of the Northeast industrial district. In 1954, 13,650 acres were zoned industrial, while by 2009 that figure had increased to 17,805 acres. There are also now a total of ten industrial zoning classifications.

Recently, an analysis of the City’s current zoning code was conducted by Clarion and Duncan Associates. The firms drew three main conclusions from their assessment. First, the City has too many industrial zoning classifications, and these should be consolidated along the lines of light, general, and heavy industry. Currently, for example, the City has five limited industrial zones that differ almost exclusively in setbacks and lot coverage. In addition, the vast majority of industrial acreage in Philadelphia consists of only three zones: L2 (14%), G2 (45%), and LR (32%) . Next, the permitted land uses within industrial zones are antiquated and need to be modernized to “allow for a broader range of light industry and ‘business park’ developments” . Unnecessary or out-of-date permitted uses include leather tanning, slaughterhouses, wagon repair and typewriter manufacturing. Finally, the City has an excess of land currently zoned industrial and should permit limited rezoning of some of this land for other uses within a comprehensive planning process. Based upon our analysis, this should be considered only if future industrial areas are assured a strong measure of protection from such re-zoning in the future. Despite recent comprehensive planning initiatives that have gained traction in Philadelphia, many industrial properties – some quite large and well-positioned for modern industrial users - have already been re-zoned for other uses without sufficient consideration of the cumulative impact on the City’s industrial land supply and economic development goals.

The Northeast, now home to a large industrial concentration, was farm land in the 1950s.

Land Use in 1954Figure 10: Source: City of Philadelphia Department of Records

14

indu

stri

al la

nd in

phi

lade

lphi

a D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Industrial Zoning Typologies: 2009Figure 12:

Industrial Zoning: 2009Figure 11:


Industrial Zoning Figure 13: Comparison, 1954-2009

1962 Landuse map, depicting a still heavily industrial Pennsport area, including Baugh & Sons Fertilizer Plant, Globe Steel Drum Co., and American Commercial Alchohol Corp.Source: Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network

Figures 13 (left) and 14 (facing page) illustrate the change in zoning from the period 1954 to 2009. Figure 13 juxtaposes “snapshots” of the industrial zoning extent in 1954 with that of 2009 in order to illustrate the cumulative losses and gains over the past 55 years. With the emergence of the Northeast as a major industrial center, and the growth of the Southwest, the marine terminals, and the Food Distribution Center, total industrially-zoned acreage has actually increased by more than 30%.

Recently, however, this trend has begun to reverse itself. Many large formerly industrial sites in the City have been re-zoned for commercial, residential, or entertainment development in the last ten years. These piecemeal conversions have cumulatively eroded Philadelphia’s limited stock of competitive sites for industrial development.

16

indu

stri

al la

nd in

phi

lade

lphi

a D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Industrial Zoning Changes between 1999 and 2009Figure 14:

Note: Soil conditions in portions of the re-zoned Navy Yard area make new industrial development prohibitive.


environmentMuch of Philadelphia’s early industrial development evolved along area river and rail corridors. While modern industry has migrated toward different resources - and often away from environmentally-sensitive zones such as floodplains and wetland areas - there remains a legacy of contamination and cleanup that must be addressed as older industrial sites are recycled for new industrial or other uses. While the EPA’s Mid-Atlantic regional office has many resources available for developers considering the cleanup and reuse of Philadelphia brownfield properties, including grants and technical assistance, the concentration of such sites in older areas of the City nonetheless presents a significant challenge for new development or expansion.

18

indu

stri

al la

nd in

phi

lade

lphi

a D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


parcel sizeAs expected, Philadelphia’s industrial parcels are, on average, much larger than residential or commercial land uses. While Philadelphia’s 2,023 surveyed industrial properties comprise 21% of the land area of the City, they represent less than 1% of the total number of properties citywide (542,209). The City is characterized by two industrial property types: its countless small close-in sites, typically ranging between a half-acre to acre, with poor access to modern infrastructure, and the limited number of larger competitive sites located around the periphery of the City. Only 115 of the 2,023 parcels surveyed fall in the latter category, with land areas greater than 20 acres; if large transportation parcels such as the ports and airports are excluded, the City has only 95 such industrial parcels. The average size of surveyed industrial parcels in Philadelphia is 5 acres; when ports and airports are excluded, the average parcel size falls to just 3.9 acres.

Apart from the size of industrial parcels in Philadelphia, site configuration can also be an issue for new industrial development or redevelopment. As shown in the the figure below, a great deal of space is often functionally unavailable to developers due to irregular shape. This is a commonly occuring constraint when assembling properties in urban areas that have experienced repeated cycles of assembly and subdivision of land.

Industrial Parcels Figure 15: Larger than 10 Acres


land vacancyThe total area of vacant land found within the 15 surveyed Philadelphia industrial districts was 2,052 acres. The Northeast district had the greatest number of vacant acres at 467, followed by South Delaware (415), then the Southwest (392). There are a number of factors that make this number misleading, however - the actual amount of land available for future industrial development is much lower than 2,052 acres. First, three major parcels constitute nearly 30% of the vacant land: the former Cramp’s Shipyard; the former Northern Shipping site in Holmesburg; and the former Mustin Naval Airfield at the east end of the Navy Yard. Recent proposals to convert all or parts of these sites to residential and commercial uses represent a real threat to a significant portion of the City’s current industrial land inventory. In other cases, vacant parcels are reserved for future development or may be in pre-construction phases. These parcels must be considered separately from vacancies that are not known to be under contract or development. Given these conditions, the quantity of vacant land that is currently industrially-zoned, and that is not currently under contract or development, falls to just 1,288 acres. This acreage, shown on the map in black, represents 60% of physical vacancy, and 8.1% of total industrially zoned land.

Physical Land Vacancy, Figure 16: Surveyed Districts

20

indu

stri

al la

nd in

phi

lade

lphi

a D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


building vacancyBuilding and land vacancy were treated separately in the survey of Philadelphia’s industrial districts. Building vacancy and utilization rates were calculated for each district based on Bureau of Revision of Taxes (BRT) “livable area” data, combined with surveyed vacancy status and percentage estimates. Where no BRT livable area data existed for a parcel with a vacant building, the square footage was estimated by multiplying the footprint of the building, calculated using Geographic Information Systems software (GIS), by the surveyed number of stories. Using this methodology, the consultant team was able to approximate district-wide building vacancy rates for all 15 industrial districts. These figures are expressed in a rate of vacant to utilized building square footage, and averaged to 8.57%, citywide.

The survey found approximately 11,948,000 square feet to be vacant, out of a total inventory of 139,540,000 square feet of building space. A majority of vacant square footage is located within four districts: Hunting Park West, Hunting Park East, Grays Ferry and Parkside. Much of this space is obsolete, characterized by multi-story structures and fixed infrastructure that no longer match modern users’ needs. In three of these cases, the large amount of building vacancy is due primarily to one large property: the former Budd Company site (Hunting Park West); the former Acme Markets distribution center (Parkside); and the former US Army Quartermaster Depot on Oregon Avenue (Grays Ferry). There are also larger than average amounts of building vacancy within the American Street, Aramingo, and Callowhill districts largely due to the presence of older buildings that are often challenging for industrial reuse. Building Vacancy, Figure 17:

Surveyed Districts


market pressureMany currently industrial areas of the City are facing significant pressure on continued industrial use from rising property values. Increased property values result from nearby infrastructure and amenity improvements, changing community expectations, and speculative interest in changes of use on the part of real estate developers. The accompanying graphic illustrates these pressures. Prior to the slump in the real estate market, for instance, the pressure from new mixed-use and residential development resulted in markedly increased property values from the residential areas of Northern Liberties and Fishtown into industrial parts of Kensington and American Street.

More broadly, industrial areas have faced significant pressure to re-zone property to accommodate commercial, institutional, or residential development. To support surrounding residential uses, this has already occurred along South Delaware Avenue with big box retailers such as IKEA and Home Depot, in Parkside and Lawncrest for new supermarkets, and in the Northeast and Aramingo for large-scale shopping centers. Some industrial districts are home to hospitals and schools whose desires for expansion can place additional pressure on the long-term viability of industrial use. While rezoning of obsolete industrial facilities represents a beneficial repurposing of land and buildings, if left unchecked and with no strategic direction, this market-driven process can compromise the viability of the remaining industrial districts.

Market Pressure: Callowhill, Northern Figure 19: Liberties, American Street & Lower North Delaware

Market Pressure in Industrial DistrictsFigure 18:

Land Value per Square FootSource: BRT

22

indu

stri

al la

nd in

phi

lade

lphi

a D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


improvement value

Utilizing BRT property assessment records - with land and improvements assessed separately - in combination with survey information identifying industrial properties, the consultant team was able to approximate and compare industrial building values across all fifteen of Philadelphia’s industrial districts. (Averaging data for large numbers of properties in each district helped mitigate local inaccuracies in property assessment that have plagued the BRT.) The Northeast and South Delaware districts, with modern facilities and configurations concentrated around the airport and the food distribution center, respectively, show some of the highest value. Callowhill, Northern Liberties, and Roxborough also rank near the top - althought this is likely due to significant residential and commercial market pressure on property in these areas. The North Philadelphia Urban districts, plus American Street, were broadly found to contain lower-than-average improvement values, corresponding to survey observations of a large number of aged, obsolete, and dilapidated facilities.

The most modern industrial facilities in the City were located in the industrial parks adjacent to the Northeast Philadelphia Airport (especially Byberry East and the mature industrial area immediately northwest of the Airport between Red Lion and Roosevelt Blvd.), and at the Navy Yard. These include the following recent industrial developments in Philadelphia: a new 345,500 sq. ft. Tastykake facility under construction at the Navy Yard; a 677,000 sq. ft. Philadelphia Regional Produce Market facility (relocating from the Food Distribution Center) on Essington near the International Airport; and a 209,000 sq. ft. expansion of Agusta Westland at the northwest corner of Northeast Philadelphia Airport.

Improvement Value per Square Foot by DistrictFigure 20:

*Industrial properties only, outliers excluded Source: BRT


APPAREL

cluster analysisClusters are geographically proximate groups of interconnected companies and associated institutions in a particular field, including product producers, service providers, suppliers, universities, and trade associations. Clusters arise out of the linkages or externalities that span across industries in a particular location. Clusters themselves differ from NAICS-based industries and subsectors, because they incorporate not just specific economic sub-sectors, but also the firms and businesses that provide inputs for the production process and distribute the end-products.

In order to identify clusters that could serve as engines for industrial employment in Philadelphia, ICIC analyzed the performance of the 59 clusters that are present in Philadelphia. This analysis consisted of two distinct steps. The first step was to remove weak and underperforming clusters. ICIC utilized location quotient analysis and

24

indu

stri

al la

nd in

phi

lade

lphi

a D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


FOOD PROCESSING WHOLESALE

applied criteria based on relative employment growth rates in the city, MSA, and the US as a whole to identify a short-list 31 clusters as potential targets. The second was to narrow the focus to those clusters with the highest industrial opportunity. At this stage, ICIC used a variety of metrics to identify clusters that were high-performing and fast-growing or had potential for job retention, further narrowing the 31 clusters to eleven “target” clusters (listed, at left, and grouped for purposes of this study into the categories of Advanced Manufacturing, Traditional Manufacturing, and Transportation).

In all, these eleven target clusters have the best economic development potential for Philadelphia – and, in fact, already represent 64 percent of industrial employment in Philadelphia. These target clusters formed the basis for the land projections and overall recommendations for industrial growth and retention.

Below, three of the eleven target clusters’ constituent firm locations have been mapped in order to graphically illustrate the phenomenon of spatial agglomeration at the heart of the cluster analysis performed in Philadelphia. In the Food Processing cluster, for instance, manufacturing and processing firms seem to have located largely across the North Philadelphia Urban districts and the Northeast, while the distribution functions concentrate adjacent to the port at the Food Distribution Center. Many of the distribution functions of the Wholesaling cluster, on the other hand, have gravitated to the I-95 corridor. Identifying and comparing these patterns has helped the consultant team make better sense of the locational decisions of industrial firms in Philadelphia.


industrial intensity

The question of how intensively Philadelphia’s industrial lands are – or are not – being utilized is a particularly difficult one to ascertain systematically. While a company occupying one floor of an old factory loft, or performing small-scale fabrication and repair, might not on its own constitute a particularly intensive use of the land, Philadelphia’s industrial might has historically consisted of a broad diversity of just such smaller-scale industries. The consultant team has taken an interpretive approach to determining levels of intensity, layering various dimensions of data with firsthand observation in order to synthesize a comparative mapping of the City’s industrial vitality.

Areas described as Group 1 lands represent the City’s most intensive, diverse industrial agglomerations. The combination of high industrial employment and tax revenues, positive land utilization, relative industrial real estate stability, business diversity, and observed industrial vitality set this cluster of industrial nodes apart as some of the most important in the City. Group 2 nodes, while still areas of higher industrial employment relative to the rest of the City, contribute less in tax revenues, are less diverse – some are standalone operations such as large utilities - or are under a certain degree of pressure from real estate market forces. Group 3 areas are actually trending away from industrial use, although in some cases, stable long-term industrial mixed use scenarios could be appropriate.

employment +

revenue+

vitality+

diversity

= industrial intensity

Levels of Industrial IntensityFigure 21:

26

indu

stri

al la

nd in

phi

lade

lphi

a D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Comparing Industrial IntensityFigure 22:

Aerial view of the Eastwick A industrial area between Essington and Lindbergh Avenues, south of 70th Street - home to M&M Display, Pepsi, Ottens Flavors, DHS, and Unisource.Source: Pictometry International 2009 and City of Philadelphia


industrial expansion opportunitiesOne of the most significant conclusions drawn by this study is that the City’s land capacity for future industrial development that is consistent with market demand and user requirements is quite limited. And, while the recommendations outlined herein actually seek to shrink Philadelphia’s industrial districts down to the most competitive core areas in the City, these areas - especially the Northeast, Southwest and the Delaware waterfront - also contain the most viable concentrations of potential land supply for future growth or redistribution of industrial activity. In the following analysis, the City’s industrial land supply was considered according to four levels, with varying contraints:

Level I: Vacant The first tier consisted of vacant land and building parcels located in areas proposed for future industrial use based on historical patterns of use, available infrastructure and parcel sizes (e.g. in several instances, areas proposed for future industrial use are located within industrial districts but not currently zoned industrial). Land that is either completely or partially (greater than 50%) vacant was included, while vacant land under development or reserved for future development was excluded. The total area of level one land supply was 1,518 acres.

Level II: Transitioning Next, parcels in transition and proposed for rezoning to residential use were identified. Land or buildings for sale within the fifteen districts were considered. Although this area totals only 196 acres, level two properties included large, well-located parcels such as the IRS property in the Northeast, the former Tastykake facilities in Hunting Park West, and the former Philadelphia Regional Produce market in South Delaware.

Level III: Underutilized The third tier of land considered in the inventory of the City’s potential land supply for industrial growth was deemed “underutilized.” This category required careful definition, as many of these parcels were in current use and therefore require rationalization to justify any proposed reuse for industrial purposes. We focused on properties that were larger than 5 acres, with less than 10% building coverage, and that were currently being utilized for one of the following purposes: surface parking, scrap or salvage yards, waste transfer or recycling. In addition, smaller sites that otherwise fit the above description and that could be assembled with contiguous properties into a larger site size were also considered, as were large parcels such as the Sunoco North Yard property on the Lower Schuylkill. Underutilized properties added an additional 731 acres to the land supply inventory.

Level IV: Game-changing A final level of properties considered in the industrial land supply inventory may be termed “game-changing.” This tier includes non-industrial properties such as the Island Green Country Club in the Northeast, the Essington Auto Mall in the Southwest, and some “industrial” parcels such as the SEPTA Midvale Yard and the Queen Lane Filter Station that have portions of their sites that are significantly underutilized. While likely more difficult to acquire, assemble, and/or remediate, these properties were considered sufficiently large and well-located to have the potential to actually induce additional industrial land market demand in Philadelphia. While not included in the land assembly analysis, these properties should be carefully considered for a change of use, particularly if market conditions facilitate such a transaction.

Potential Industrial Figure 23: Land Supply, 2009

28

indu

stri

al la

nd in

phi

lade

lphi

a D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Industrial Land Assembly Potential Figure 24: by Acreage, 2009

Taken together, the first three levels of land supply (not including so-called “game-changing” properties) comprise a total 2,445 acres of land located in areas deemed most appropriate for future industrial retention or growth. However, these parcels comprise more than the sum of their parts: if contiguous parcels were acquired and assembled, the resulting larger sites might not just accommodate larger facilities, but also different classes of facility – large-scale distribution versus flex development, for example. Combined with clearly identified districts and zoning, sufficient infrastructure, and appropriate incentives, these larger parcels are much more likely to be able to attract private investment for industrial development than in their current state. At far right, contiguous parcels have been consolidated in order to illustrate the magnitude of this potential for industrial land assembly in Philadelphia. It is worth noting that much of this land is already under public control: PIDC and PAID property accounts for 12% of the identified land supply, while an additional 11% is under other public control - including City departments and agencies, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and federal government property.


II AN

ALY

SIS

district by districtdistrict by district

30

am

eric

an s

tree

t D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


american street1district


American Street Industrial District Key MapFigure 25:

introduction: American Street Industrial DistrictThe American Street industrial district consists of the corridor from Girard Avenue in the south to Allegheny in the north, including a wider node above Girard stretching from roughly 8th to Front Streets. Historically, various industries clustered along the section of rail and sidings running down the center of American Street in this area – the Reading Railroad’s former Bethlehem Branch - that was of major importance for ore trains running from Port Richmond to Bethlehem. The district is close to Center City Philadelphia, and shares certain characteristics with other “inner urban” industrial districts such as Callowhill and Northern Liberties. The industrial building stock here is often old and functionally obsolete, consisting largely of multi-story lofts interspersed with single-story brick or concrete-block warehouse and workshop configurations; small parcels are common and truck circulation can be quite difficult away from the American Street corridor due to the dense grid of narrow local streets (a plan is now underway for a new “3rd Street Connector” to facilitate truck movement between American Street and Girard Avenue). Due to the area’s proximity to Center City and relatively low commercial and industrial rents, small-scale production and workshop activities are more prevalent here than elsewhere. Food distribution, wholesaling, and auto uses are also prominent in the corridor. Industry is still largely clustered along American Street, which is wide enough to allow tractor-trailers to turn around. The northern portion of the corridor, while less-intensive with regards to industrial activity, encompasses a strong commercial node along Lehigh. The corridor bridges from revitalizing areas in the south and east, centered around Northern Liberties and Fishtown, to the neighborhood of Fairhill that continues to suffer from high vacancy and crime – including the area around 3rd and Indiana once known as the “Badlands” of Philadelphia.

This district once housed the original Stetson hat factory, the world’s largest at the time employing 4,000 people, and the Quaker Candy factory – makers of Good n’ Plenty. Today, the corridor houses food distributors like Chaes Foods, which moved into a new state-of-the-art distribution facility on North American Street in 2008.

• District Size: Ranks 11th among surveyed districts at 253 acres in 3,242 properties.

• Land Use: Dominant land uses are Industrial (37%), Vacant (25%), and Residential (19%).

• Vacancy: Building vacancy is 8%. Land vacancy is 24% (31% of this is not zoned industrial).

• ParcelSize: Ranks 15th at .08 acres average.

• Buildings: Average building size is 17,437 square feet; average year built was 1938.

32

am

eric

an s

tree

t D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


introduction: American Street Industrial District


history American Steeet, 1875Source: Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network

American & Indiana, 1894 Palethorpe & Cecil B. Moore, 1949Images Source: City of Philadelphia Department of Records

34

am

eric

an s

tree

t D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


American Street Industrial District ContextFigure 26: Source: 2008 field survey within industrial districts, BRT land use codes in surrounding areas

context


American Street Industrial District Transportation InfrastructureFigure 27: Source: City of Philadelphia

transportation infrastructure

36

am

eric

an s

tree

t D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


American Street Industrial District Access to Public TransitFigure 28: Source: SEPTA

access to transit


American Street Industrial District Land UseFigure 29: Source: 2008 field survey

land use

38

am

eric

an s

tree

t D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Source: City of PhiladelphiaAmerican Street Industrial District Zoning, 2009Figure 31:

American Street Industrial District Figure 30: Land Use & Zoning Comparison

zoning


American Street Industrial District by SectorFigure 32:

Source: 2008 field survey

industrial use

American Street Industrial District Industrial Use by SectorFigure 33:

40

am

eric

an s

tree

t D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


American Street Industrial District VacancyFigure 34: Source: 2008 field survey

Note: Partially vacant land or buildings are at least 50% vacant. Certain properties with significant - but less than 50% - vacancy are represented as “underutilized” in the citywide section of this atlas.

vacancy

42

ara

min

go D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


aramingo2district


Aramingo Industrial District Key MapFigure 35:

introduction: Aramingo Industrial DistrictThe highly fragmented Aramingo industrial area is centered roughly around the intersection of Frankford Creek, the Amtrak Corridor, I-95, and Aramingo Avenue. Historically industrial, this area evolved when certain industries, such as leather tanning, were banned from operating in Center City Philadelphia in the 19th century and relocated north to the banks of Frankford Creek. In addition to leather, the area was known for Calico and other textile production. More recently, the area centered on Aramingo Avenue, southwest of the Creek, has experienced extensive redevelopment of industrial land to commercial and “big-box” retail uses. Due to the criss-crossing of major infrastructure that segments the land in this district, and the difficult access to individual properties this creates, it is possible that the core of this area could remain industrial for some time, while the peripheral industrial uses continue to experience neighborhood and commercial pressure for redevelopment. The Aramingo Industrial District has a large amount of land utilized for scrap and salvage yards, auto repair, construction uses, and goods movement operations such as trucking companies, that operate in close proximity to surrounding communities.

This district is the location of the former Globe Dye Works complex. The historic buildings are being redeveloped as an innovative, green, artisanal and light industrial space by a collective of Philadelphia developers and designers, and may represent a viable model for continued industrial utilization of existing, vacant and/or historical industrial structures.


• Land Use: Dominant land use is Industrial (49%), followed by Residential (13%), Vacant (12%), and Auto (10%).



• Buildings:Average building size is 29,287 square feet; average year built was 1939.

44

ara

min

go D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


introduction: Aramingo Industrial District


history

Castor & Sepviva, 1900

Images Source: City of Philadelphia Department of Records

Frankford & Sedgley, 1955

Hunting Park & Kensington, 1916Aramingo, 1944. Source: Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network

46

ara

min

go D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Aramingo Industrial District ContextFigure 36: Source: 2008 field survey within industrial districts, BRT land use codes in surrounding areas

context


Aramingo Industrial District Transportation InfrastructureFigure 37: Source: City of Philadelphia


48

ara

min

go D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Aramingo Industrial District Access to Public TransitFigure 38: Source: SEPTA

access to transit


Aramingo Industrial District Land UseFigure 39: Source: 2008 field survey

land use

50

ara

min

go D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Aramingo Industrial District Figure 40: Land Use & Zoning Comparison

zoning

Source: City of PhiladelphiaAramingo Industrial District Zoning, 2009Figure 41:


Aramingo Industrial District by SectorFigure 42:


industrial use

Aramingo Industrial District Industrial Use by SectorFigure 43:

52

ara

min

go D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Aramingo Industrial District VacancyFigure 44: Source: 2008 field survey

vacancy


54

cal

low

hill

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


callowhill3district


Callowhill Industrial District Key MapFigure 45:

introduction: Callowhill Industrial DistrictThe Callowhill industrial district consists of a small mixed-use neighborhood, alternately known as the “loft district,” “NOVI” (for “north of Vine”) or Chinatown North, sandwiched between Broad Street and I-95, from Spring Garden to Vine Street. This historically mixed residential, commercial, and industrial neighborhood had been in decline by the 1960’s when the Philadelphia City Planning Commission flagged the area for industrial revitalization and included it within the Franklin-Callowhill East Urban Renewal Area. The Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) then proceeded to acquire, assemble, and finance the sale of property in the eastern end of the district to industrial and institutional developers. Presently, the area plays host to a unique assortment of Center City-serving food wholesaling, restaurant equipment repair and fabrication, building material suppliers, mid-sized manufacturing, utilities, union offices, medical services, and homes. The district is an eclectic one both for its unique mix of land use, as well as its physical forms and textures - including several remaining cobblestone streets and the Reading Railroad elevated viaduct that dominates the center of the district. There has been much interest in addressing the disconnection from Center City brought about by the 1991 completion of the below-grade Vine Street Expressway. This interest corresponds to a recent spate of multifamily housing development by the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation as well as condominium and apartment conversions of several loft buildings throughout the district. The western end of the district, bordering on Broad Street, is comprised of office and light industrial space as well as surface parking lots.

The Callowhill district is probably best known to most Philadelphians for its musical venues, including the Electric Factory, Transit, Plush, the Starlight Ballroom, Silk City, and the Palmer Social Club. However, nearly one-quarter of the land use here remains industrial, housing large operations such as the Destination Maternity Corporation’s distribution headquarters, and a National Chemical Labs cleaning product manufacturing facility.

• District Size: Ranks 14th among surveyed districts at 115 acres in 344 properties.

• LandUse: Evenly mixed land uses include Industrial (23%), Institutional (18%), Commercial (17%), Parking (11%), and Vacant (10%).

• Vacancy: Building vacancy is 18%, due to a handful of large, vacant multi-story loft buildings. Land vacancy is 9% (14% of this is not zoned industrial).



• RecentDevelopments: FedEx recently shuttered its distribution center oat 9th and Spring Garden Streets.

56

cal

low

hill

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


introduction: Callowhill Industrial District


history

12th & Callowhill, 1894Images Source: City of Philadelphia Department of Records 2nd & Spring Garden, 1964

13th & Callowhill Callowhill district, 1875. Source: Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network

58

cal

low

hill

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


Callowhill Industrial District ContextFigure 46: Source: 2008 field survey within industrial districts, BRT land use codes in surrounding areas

context


Callowhill Industrial District Transportation InfrastructureFigure 47: Source: City of Philadelphia


60

cal

low

hill

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


Callowhill Industrial District Access to Public TransitFigure 48: Source: SEPTA

access to transit


Callowhill Industrial District Land UseFigure 49: Source: 2008 field survey

land use

62

cal

low

hill

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


Callowhill Industrial District Figure 50: Land Use & Zoning Comparison

zoning

Source: City of PhiladelphiaCallowhill Industrial District Zoning, 2009Figure 51:


Callowhill Industrial District by SectorFigure 52:


industrial use

Callowhill Industrial District Industrial Use by SectorFigure 53:

64

cal

low

hill

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


Callowhill Industrial District VacancyFigure 54: Source: 2008 field survey

vacancy


66

gra

ys f

erry

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


grays ferry4district


Grays Ferry Industrial District Key MapFigure 55:

introduction: Grays Ferry Industrial DistrictThe Grays Ferry industrial district covers a vast swath of historically industrial land stretching from the former DuPont Marshall Labs and Forgotten Bottom neighborhood south to the Navy Yard, and is bounded by the lower Schuylkill River on the west and the residential neighborhoods of Grays Ferry, Point Breeze, and Girard Estates to the east. The district is dominated by Sunoco’s sprawling Philadelphia Refinery and storage tank complex, the largely underutilized Sunoco North Yard, the Philadelphia Gas Works, and the Navy Yard complex located to the south on what was once League Island. The Philadelphia Refinery is the country’s oldest continuously operating petroleum facility – dating to the 1860s. It was purchased from the Atlantic Refining Company by Sunoco in 1988, and consolidated with an adjacent refinery purchased from Chevron in 1994. According to the company’s website, in addition to processing “330,000 barrels a day of crude oil into fuels – including gasoline, aviation fuel, kerosene, heating oil, residual fuel, propane and butane,” the facility also “produces petrochemical feedstocks which are shipped to the Sunoco Chemicals’ Frankford plant to make phenol, used in the manufacture of plastics and synthetics”. Presently, the Navy Yard to the south is one of PIDC’s most significant industrial development sites with major relocations to the former naval base including Aker Shipyard, Penn Ship Repair, Tastykake, Apptec, and Urban Outfitters. At the northern end of the district, planning is underway to extend the Schuylkill Banks river trail south from its current terminus near Locust street, along the DuPont crescent (located along the river adjacent to DuPont’s now-defunct Marshall Labs) before crossing to the west bank of the Schuylkill at Bartram’s Garden.

A seven-acre brownfield at Girard Point, near the southwest corner of the Navy Yard adjacent to I-95, has been announced by Mayor Nutter as the site of a future large-scale solar facility to be developed in partnership with Exelon.

• District Size: Ranks 3rd among surveyed districts at 1,946 acres in 1,482 properties.

• LandUse:Dominant land use is Industrial (81%), followed by Vacant (11%).

• Vacancy: Building vacancy is 9%, due largely to the large vacant warehouses of the former US Army Quartermaster Depot. Land vacancy is 9% (30% of this is not zoned industrial).

• ParcelSize: Ranks 7th at 1.36 acres average.


• Recent Developments: A new Tastykake bakery and distribution facility was recently completed north of Girard Point at the Navy Yard, and DuPont has announced the closure of the Marshall Labs facility on Grays Ferry and 34th Street.

68

gra

ys f

erry

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


introduction: Grays Ferry Industrial District


history


Navy Yard Pier 36, 1915

Oakford & 25th, 1924

Wharton & 25th, 1916

Vare Avenue, 1949Atlantic Refining and environs, 1944. Source: Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network

70

gra

ys f

erry

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


Grays Ferry Industrial District ContextFigure 56: Source: 2008 field survey within industrial districts, BRT land use codes in surrounding areas

context


Grays Ferry Industrial District Transportation InfrastructureFigure 57: Source: City of Philadelphia


72

gra

ys f

erry

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


Grays Ferry Industrial District Access to Public TransitFigure 58: Source: SEPTA

access to transit


Grays Ferry Industrial District Land UseFigure 59: Source: 2008 field survey

land use

74

gra

ys f

erry

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


Grays Ferry Industrial District Figure 60: Land Use & Zoning Comparison

zoning

Source: City of PhiladelphiaGrays Ferry Industrial District Zoning, 2009Figure 61:


Grays Ferry Industrial District by SectorFigure 62:


industrial use

Grays Ferry Industrial District Industrial Use by SectorFigure 63:

76

gra

ys f

erry

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


Grays Ferry Industrial District VacancyFigure 64: Source: 2008 field survey

vacancy


78

hun

ting

par

k ea

st D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


hunting park east5district

79 City of Philadelphia :: philadelphia industrial land use atlas

Hunting Park East Industrial District Key MapFigure 65:

introduction: Hunting Park East Industrial DistrictThe Hunting Park East industrial district lies along and to the north of the Amtrak rail corridor in the north-central section of the City. It is comprised of two distinctly different areas to the east and west of the large cemeteries and school that split the industrial areas down the middle to Erie Avenue. The western half is a low-intensity jumble of distribution, scrap and salvage, auto uses, and a SEPTA maintenance yard. The eastern half, however, comprises a dense node of manufacturing, distribution, and utility uses including the Philadelphia Coca-Cola Bottling Plant and distribution center, a Menasha packing plant, a Case Paper distribution facility, G.E.’s Appliance Servicing Center, and various utilities. While many of these are “legacy” firms that have operated in the area for a some time, there remain significant advantages to industry here - including some large parcels, active freight rail sidings, a critical mass of stable industrial land uses, and proximity to supply, distribution and labor networks. While property values are stable in the Juniata Park residential neighborhood adjacent to the district to the northeast, industries on the western side of the district sit cheek to jowl with residential neighborhoods suffering declining property values and higher than average crime rates.

Hunting Park East is home to the Philadelphia Coca-Cola Bottling Plant, the fourth-largest distributor of Coca-Cola products nationwide, and the single largest bottling complex in North America. Philly Coke distributes over 30,000,000 cases of soft drinks each year and serves approximately 6 million consumers, providing the region approximately 1,200 jobs.

• District Size: Ranks 7th among surveyed districts at 821 acres in 2,760 parcels.

• LandUse:Dominant land use is Industrial (58%), followed by Vacant (10%), Institutional (9%), and Residential (8%).

• Vacancy:Building vacancy is 8%. Land vacancy is 10% (2% of this is not zoned industrial).



80

hun

ting

par

k ea

st D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s



history

2nd & Luzerne, 1952. Image Source: City of Philadelphia Department of Records

American & Luzerne, 1962. Image Source: City of Philadelphia Department of RecordsLuzerne St, 1944. Source: Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network

Rising Sun Avenue, 1910; Source: Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network

82

hun

ting

par

k ea

st D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Hunting Park East Industrial District ContextFigure 66: Source: 2008 field survey within industrial districts, BRT land use codes in surrounding areas

context


Hunting Park East Industrial District Figure 67: Transportation InfrastructureSource: City of Philadelphia


84

hun

ting

par

k ea

st D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Hunting Park East Industrial District Access to Public TransitFigure 68: Source: SEPTA

access to transit


Hunting Park East Industrial District Land UseFigure 69: Source: 2008 field survey

land use

86

hun

ting

par

k ea

st D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Hunting Park East Industrial District Figure 70: Land Use & Zoning Comparison

zoning

Source: City of PhiladelphiaHunting Park East Industrial District Zoning, 2009Figure 71:


Hunting Park East Industrial District by SectorFigure 72:


industrial use

Hunting Park East Industrial District Industrial Use by SectorFigure 73:

88

hun

ting

par

k ea

st D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Hunting Park East Industrial District VacancyFigure 74: Source: 2008 field survey

vacancy


90

hun

ting

par

k w

est

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


hunting park west6district


Hunting Park West Industrial District Key MapFigure 75:

introduction: Hunting Park West Industrial DistrictThe Hunting Park West industrial district consists of a large area centered around the old Budd Company property – a mammoth manufacturing complex with over a million square feet of factory space – as well as the PWD Queen Lane Water Treatment and Filtration Plants and four sprawling SEPTA bus and rail yards. The district also encompasses the Philadelphia Housing Authority’s Abbottsford Homes public housing development, and includes the former Eastern Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute, the currently re-locating Tastykake bakery and warehouse, and the former Atwater Kent radio factory. Several large properties in the vicinity appear to be presently underutilized, including the Filtration Plant, SEPTA’s Midvale yard, and the Abbottsford Homes property (several housing blocks have been razed leaving the eastern end of the property largely vacant) . The area is criss-crossed by transportation infrastructure, including SEPTA’s R6 line, Route 1, and a CSX freight line, and lays just east of the Schuylkill River. This district, like Hunting Park East, straddles diverse neighborhoods - including East Falls, Nicetown-Tioga, and Allegheny West. Many in these neighborhoods perceive the district as “post-industrial” and desire redevelopment that will strengthen the adjacent communities. To address these concerns, the City of Philadelphia has initiated a master planning process for the core area of the industrial district.

The Queen Lane Water Treatment Plant located in Hunting Park West cleans and filters 80 million gallons of Schuylkill River water per day, providing drinking water to 350,000 Philadelphians.


• Land Use: Dominant land uses are Industrial (38%), Vacant (17%), and Transportation (16%).

• Vacancy: Building vacancy is 21%, due largely to the vacant former Budd Company buildings. Land vacancy is 15% (49% of this is not zoned industrial).



• RecentDevelopments: A new Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center is currently under development, and Tastykake has relocated its bakery and warehouse from this district to recently completed facilities in the Navy Yard.

92

hun

ting

par

k w

est

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s



history

Hunting Park West, 1942. Source: Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network.Atwater Kent Radio Factory, 1929Image Source: City of Philadelphia Department of Records

Hunting Park West, 1910. Source: Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network.

94

hun

ting

par

k w

est

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


Hunting Park West Industrial District ContextFigure 76: Source: 2008 field survey within industrial districts, BRT land use codes in surrounding areas

context


Hunting Park West Industrial District Figure 77: Transportation InfrastructureSource: City of Philadelphia


96

hun

ting

par

k w

est

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


Hunting Park West Industrial District Access to Public TransitFigure 78: Source: SEPTA

access to transit


Hunting Park West Industrial District Land UseFigure 79: Source: 2008 field survey

land use

98

hun

ting

par

k w

est

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


Hunting Park West Industrial District Figure 80: Land Use & Zoning Comparison

zoning

Source: City of PhiladelphiaHunting Park West Industrial District Zoning, 2009Figure 81:


Hunting Park West Industrial District by SectorFigure 82:


industrial use

Hunting Park West Industrial District Industrial Use by SectorFigure 83:

100

hun

ting

par

k w

est

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


Hunting Park West Industrial District VacancyFigure 84: Source: 2008 field survey

vacancy


102

law

ncre

st D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


lawncrest7district


Lawncrest Industrial District Key MapFigure 85:

introduction: Lawncrest Industrial DistrictThe Lawncrest industrial district consists of a small but important industrial node located just east of Olney and Tacony Creek Park, immediately north of Route 1. The stock of industrial land here has been reduced due to the recent redevelopment of the large property at Rising Sun and Adams Avenue as Rising Sun Plaza, a strip shopping center with several hundred surface parking spaces. However, the district is still dominated by two large industrial entities: Cardone Industries, one of the largest industrial employers in the City, which remanufactures and distributes auto parts; and the U.S. Naval Aviation Supply Depot, which supplies the U.S. Navy with billions of dollars worth of food, clothing, textiles, and medical equipment, as well as providing aviation and weapons system support.

The US Naval Supply Depot in Lawncrest provides weapons and systems support to the F-18 Hornet carrier-based fighter jet and the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, and currently employs 1,500 civilian employees.


• Land Use: Dominant land use is Industrial (76%), followed by Commercial (11%), and Vacant (8%).

• Vacancy: Building vacancy is 9%. Land vacancy is 8%.


• Buildings:Average building size is 188,868 square feet; average year built was 1953 (only two properties included year built data in this district).

104

law

ncre

st D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


introduction: Lawncrest Industrial District


history

North Tabor, 1950Image Source: City of Philadelphia Department of Records

Lawncrest, 1942. Source: Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network

106

law

ncre

st D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Lawncrest Industrial District ContextFigure 86: Source: 2008 field survey within industrial districts, BRT land use codes in surrounding areas

context


Lawncrest Industrial District Transportation InfrastructureFigure 87: Source: City of Philadelphia

*

* This segment of Route 1 is not a limited access highway


108

law

ncre

st D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Lawncrest Industrial District Access to Public TransitFigure 88: Source: SEPTA

access to transit


Lawncrest Industrial District Land UseFigure 89: Source: 2008 field survey

land use

110

law

ncre

st D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Lawncrest Industrial District Figure 90: Land Use & Zoning Comparison

zoning

Source: City of PhiladelphiaLawncrest Industrial District Zoning, 2009Figure 91:


Lawncrest Industrial District by SectorFigure 92:


industrial use

Lawncrest Industrial District Industrial Use by SectorFigure 93:

112

law

ncre

st D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Lawncrest Industrial District VacancyFigure 94: Source: 2008 field survey

vacancy


114

low

er n

orth

del

awar

e D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


lower north delaware8district


Lower North Delaware Industrial District Key MapFigure 95:

introduction: Lower North Delaware Industrial DistrictThe segment of Delaware River waterfront stretching from Penn Treaty Park in Fishtown northeast to the Betsy Ross Bridge, and inland to I-95 comprises the Lower North Delaware industrial district. The area has a storied history – it was once the site of the famous William Cramp and Sons shipyard which built scores of ironclad ships in the 19th and early 20th centuries including the Navy’s first battleship, the USS Indiana, and was briefly reopened by the government in 1940 to build cruisers and submarines for the war effort. Closed permanently since 1947, and with most of its equipment shipped downriver to the US Navy Yard, the property is now fallow and conspicuous from I-95, having returned to a nearly natural state with only a small section redeveloped as an industrial park and one original shipyard building remaining at the end of Delaware Avenue. Upriver from the former shipyard lies the Conrail-owned parcel that once encompassed Port Richmond – the terminus of the Reading Company’s Lehigh Viaduct that was once the site of the world’s largest coal terminal, where long trains drawing anthracite coal from the Pennsylvania hinterlands unloaded onto ships and barges for distribution up and down the east coast. These two operations once functioned symbiotically, with Cramps producing iron coal barges and equipment for the Port, and the Reading Company providing coal to the shipyard. The waterfront upriver continues to be heavily industrial, and is well-buffered from residential neighborhoods to the west by the elevated I-95 corridor. The Tioga Marine Terminal, PGW, Kinder-Morgan, and Westways petrochemical tank fields, asphalt and neatsfoot oil plants, scrap and salvage yards, and the Delaware and Richmond power generating stations all call this district home.

The district is home to the 116-acre Tioga Marine Terminal, which is the locus of Philadelphia’s Chilean fruit imports, and is capable of fumigating 800,000 fruit boxes a day. The district has also provided the backdrop for various movies at the Richmond Generating Station, including a future prison in 7 Monkeys and the Decepticons’ lair in Transformers 2.

• DistrictSize: Ranks 6th at 948 acres in 719 properties.

• LandUse: Dominant land uses are Industrial (58%), Transportation (19%), and Vacant (19%).

• Vacancy: Building vacancy is 4%. Land vacancy is 19% (7% of this is not zoned industrial, and another 7% of this vacancy is reserved for future port operations expansion).



• RecentDevelopments: The large vacant Anderson parcel between Lehigh and Beach Street that (together with the vacant portion of the adjoining Conrail parcel) constitutes one of the last remaining large-site industrial development opportunities in the City has recently been approved for a change-of-zone to C-3 commercial zoning.

116

low

er n

orth

del

awar

e D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s



history

Lehigh Viaduct, 1910. Source: Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network


Delaware & Lehigh, 1928

Delaware & Montgomery, 1928 Tioga & Delaware, 1952 Venango, 1954

118

low

er n

orth

del

awar

e D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Lower North Delaware Industrial District ContextFigure 96: Source: 2008 field survey within industrial districts, BRT land use codes in surrounding areas

context


Lower North Delaware Industrial District Figure 97: Transportation InfrastructureSource: City of Philadelphia


120

low

er n

orth

del

awar

e D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Lower North Delaware Industrial District Access to Public TransitFigure 98: Source: SEPTA

access to transit


Lower North Delaware Industrial District Land UseFigure 99: Source: 2008 field survey

land use

122

low

er n

orth

del

awar

e D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Lower North Delaware Industrial District Figure 100: Land Use & Zoning Comparison

zoning

Source: City of PhiladelphiaLower North Delaware Industrial District Zoning, 2009Figure 101:


Lower North Delaware Industrial District by SectorFigure 102:


industrial use

Lower North Delaware Industrial District Industrial Use by SectorFigure 103:

124

low

er n

orth

del

awar

e D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Lower North Delaware Industrial District VacancyFigure 104: Source: 2008 field survey

vacancy


126

nor

thea

st D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


northeast9district


Northeast Industrial District Key MapFigure 105:

introduction: Northeast Industrial DistrictThe Northeast industrial district, unique in Philadelphia for its suburban campus-like industrial park setting, comprises a large area surrounding the Northeast Philadelphia Airport near the intersection of Route 1 and Woodhaven Road, as well as the areas surrounding Byberry Ave on either side of Route 1, north to the city limits. The district also includes the former Budd Company plant – now the Island Green Country Club and phytoremediation site – and the surrounding parcels including Sandmeyer Steel. The vicinity was largely undeveloped as recently as the 1950’s, and afforded opportunities for “greenfield” industrial development later than most other places in the City. The industrial uses found here today are comparatively modern in configuration, with square and rectangular lots of larger size, and low-rise modern facilities with extensive truck circulation. This district is the most vibrant and active multi-purpose industrial zone in the City and coexists successfully with surrounding residential neighborhoods due to buffering boulevards and campus-like development typologies typically found in suburban areas - including large setbacks, low lot-coverage ratios, and attractive building façades. The significant growth in industrial zoning in Philadelphia since the 1950s is almost entirely due to the growth of the Northeast as a prominent industrial center. More recently, several large new industrial developments and expansions have been accommodated on lands formerly belonging to the Northeast Philadelphia Airport, including the TJ Maxx / Marshall’s distribution center, Southwark Steel, and the AgustaWestland helicopter assembly plant expansion.

The Northeast Industrial District is home to the state-of-the-art TJ Maxx /Marshall’s 1,100,000 square-foot distribution center. Built in 2001 on a former landfill, it has brought nearly 1,100 jobs to the City and was deemed an ‘exceptional industrial project’ by the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties. In its 50-State Survey of Development, the Sierra Club chose the TJX development as Pennsylvania’s example of a Smart Choice for Smart Growth and a “truly innovative approach to environmental remediation and job creation.”

• District Size: Ranks 1st among surveyed districts at 3,390 acres in 420 properties (including the Northeast Phila Airport).

• LandUse: Dominant land uses are Industrial (41%), Transportation (25%) – due almost entirely to the Airport, and Vacant (15%).


• ParcelSize: Ranks 2nd at 8.07 acres average.


• RecentDevelopments: The IRS Service Center will be moving from its current location on Route 1 just south of Woodhaven.

128

nor

thea

st D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


introduction: Northeast Industrial District


history


Roosevelt Blvd, 1942. Source: Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network

Looking NW to Roosevelt Blvd, 1956

Comly & Norcom, 1955

130

nor

thea

st D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Northeast Industrial District ContextFigure 106: Source: 2008 field survey within industrial districts, BRT land use codes in surrounding areas

context


Northeast Industrial District Transportation InfrastructureFigure 107: Source: City of Philadelphia


*

* Route 1 in this area is not a limited access highway

132

nor

thea

st D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Northeast Industrial District Access to Public TransitFigure 108: Source: SEPTA

access to transit


Northeast Industrial District Land UseFigure 109: Source: 2008 field survey

land use

134

nor

thea

st D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Northeast Industrial District Figure 110: Land Use & Zoning Comparison

zoning

Source: City of PhiladelphiaNortheast Industrial District Zoning, 2009Figure 111:


Northeast Industrial District by SectorFigure 112:


industrial use

Northeast Industrial District Industrial Use by SectorFigure 113:

136

nor

thea

st D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Northeast Industrial District VacancyFigure 114: Source: 2008 field survey

vacancy


138

nor

ther

n li

bert

ies

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


northern liberties10dis

tric

t


Northern Liberties Industrial District Key MapFigure 115:

introduction: Northern Liberties Industrial DistrictThis least industrial of Philadelphia’s surveyed industrial districts comprises a small, vibrant mixed-use neighborhood stretching from the Delaware River waterfront at Penn Treaty Park south to the Vine Street Expressway, and across I-95 to 5th Street. This neighborhood has emerged as a hotbed of new residential and commercial development and increasing property values, putting further pressure on the thinned ranks of workshops, fabricators, brewers, and distributors that once thrived here. There is little indication that this area can remain seriously viable for industrial uses, which generally require much lower-cost operating environments in order to remain profitable. Anecdotally, contacts made during the survey suggested that many small fabricators and workshops that used to operate here had moved north to American street and elsewhere where rents and friction with residential uses remained low. Nonetheless, the district continues to host a smattering of industrial uses, from George Wells’ meat distribution and the Yards Brewery on Delaware Avenue, to small construction supply yards, workshops, and fabricators, such as Aircon Filter on Green Street.

In 2008, the 14-year-old Yards brewing company relocated to a former 26,000 sf ironworks on North Delaware Ave. It serves a model of green industry in the region as it is the first 100% wind-powered brewery in Philadelphia, recycles its water, glass and cardboard, donates its grains and dregs as feed to local farms, and has eco-interior finishes such as earthen walls and recycled concrete flooring.

• District Size: Ranks last among surveyed districts at 113 acres in 1,338 properties.

• LandUse: The balanced land uses are Industrial (25%), Residential (23%), and Vacant (22%).




140

nor

ther

n li

bert

ies

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


introduction: Northern Liberties Industrial District


history


Northern Liberties, 1875. Source: Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network Delaware Avenue, 1931

Delaware Avenue, 1931Delaware Avenue, 1954Delaware Avenue, 1954

142

nor

ther

n li

bert

ies

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


Northern Liberties Industrial District ContextFigure 116: Source: 2008 field survey within industrial districts, BRT land use codes in surrounding areas

context


Northern Liberties Industrial District Figure 117: Transportation InfrastructureSource: City of Philadelphia


144

nor

ther

n li

bert

ies

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


Northern Liberties Industrial District Access to Public TransitFigure 118: Source: SEPTA

access to transit


Northern Liberties Industrial District Land UseFigure 119: Source: 2008 field survey

land use

146

nor

ther

n li

bert

ies

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


Northern Liberties Industrial District Figure 120: Land Use & Zoning Comparison

zoning

Source: City of PhiladelphiaNorthern Liberties Industrial District Zoning, 2009Figure 121:


Northern Liberties Industrial District by SectorFigure 122:


industrial use

Northern Liberties Industrial District Industrial Use by SectorFigure 123:

148

nor

ther

n li

bert

ies

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


Northern Liberties Industrial District VacancyFigure 124: Source: 2008 field survey

vacancy


150

par

ksid

e D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


parkside11dis

tric

t


Parkside Industrial District Key MapFigure 125:

introduction: Parkside Industrial DistrictThe Parkside industrial district comprises a small standalone node of “legacy” industrial uses sandwiched between Fairmount Park to the north and Lancaster Avenue, along SEPTA’s R5 / R6 rail corridors in West Philadelphia. Due to the efforts of PIDC, this area is now home to a cluster of development-ready industrially-zoned parcels that are well-buffered from Parkside Avenue - as well as recent additions such as the CINTAS facility off Belmont Avenue and Girard. A large chunk of land at the center of the district has been re-zoned to C-3 commercial and redeveloped as a badly-needed shopping center for the neighborhoods of Mantua and Overbrook called the Park West Town Center. Just west, the massive former Acme Markets distribution center lies largely vacant, with minor utilization by Dependable Distribution for cocoa bean warehousing, and Pierce-Phelps maintains a large HVAC wholesale distribution center and offices. South of the rail corridor, many small, shallow lots fronting on Lancaster Avenue play host to various construction suppliers, lumber yards, auto uses and small fabricators. The parcels along Parkside Avenue face decreasing viability for continued industrial use due to a desire for better neighborhood interface with the park articulated by the Fairmount Park Conservancy’s Centennial District master planning effort.

In 2008, CINTAS built a $14 million, 70,000 square-foot laundry facility in the district, bringing over 200 new jobs to the area.


• Land Use: Dominant land uses are Vacant (41%), Industrial (26%), and Commercial (23%) - due almost entirely to the Park West Town Center shopping center.

• Vacancy: Building vacancy is 47%, due to the extremely large and mostly vacant former Acme Markets distribution center. Land vacancy is 41% (only 2% of this is not zoned industrial).


• Buildings: Average building size is 24,767 square feet; average year built was 1950(onlyfivepropertiesincludedyearbuiltdatainthisdistrict).

152

par

ksid

e D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


introduction: Parkside Industrial District


history

Pennsylvania Railroad main line, 1910. Source: Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory NetworkLancaster Ave, 1920. Source: City of Philadelphia Department of Records

154

par

ksid

e D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Parkside Industrial District ContextFigure 126: Source: 2008 field survey within industrial districts, BRT land use codes in surrounding areas

context


Parkside Industrial District Transportation InfrastructureFigure 127: Source: City of Philadelphia


156

par

ksid

e D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Parkside Industrial District Access to Public TransitFigure 128: Source: SEPTA

access to transit


Parkside Industrial District Land UseFigure 129: Source: 2008 field survey

land use

158

par

ksid

e D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Parkside Industrial District Figure 130: Land Use & Zoning Comparison

zoning

Source: City of PhiladelphiaParkside Industrial District Zoning, 2009Figure 131:


Parkside Industrial District by SectorFigure 132:


industrial use

Parkside Industrial District Industrial Use by SectorFigure 133:

160

par

ksid

e D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Parkside Industrial District VacancyFigure 134: Source: 2008 field survey

vacancy


162

rox

boro

ugh

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


roxborough12dis

tric

t


Roxborough Industrial District Key MapFigure 135:

introduction: Roxborough Industrial DistrictThe Roxborough industrial district is a prototypical “legacy” industrial node – like Parkside and Lawncrest - though it is much less concentrated or viable for continued industrial use than either of these districts. Historically, the waterpower generated by the stretch of the Schuylkill River at Roxborough and Manayunk that was dammed and canalized in the early 19th century by the Schuylkill Navigation company spurred the development of dozens of textile mills here in the “Manchester of America.” Today, the district comprises three distinct sub-areas: the first being the broadcast towers and waste transfer stations on the hillside above Umbria Ave; the second being Umbria Avenue itself – a jumble of construction suppliers and auto uses; the third consists of the sprawling pulp plant that continues to operate on Venice Island between the Schuylkill Canal and the main river channel. The abandoned R6 right-of-way that runs adjacent to the Canal is being sought for a proposed extension of the Schuylkill Banks trail system through Roxborough.

The Roxborough Tower Farm is home to 13 broadcast towers, eight of which are over 1,000 feet tall. These towers broadcast the signals for most of Philadelphia’s television stations, 16 full-power FM radio facilities and three AM radio facilities.

• DistrictSize: Ranks 13th at 177 acres in 83 properties.

• LandUse: Dominant land uses are Industrial (62%), Open Space (20%).



• Buildings: Average building size is 53,602 square feet.

164

rox

boro

ugh

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


introduction: Roxborough Industrial District


history

Fox Street, 1939. Source: City of Philadelphia Department of RecordsRoxborough, 1910. Source: Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network

166

rox

boro

ugh

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


Roxborough Industrial District ContextFigure 136: Source: 2008 field survey within industrial districts, BRT land use codes in surrounding areas

context


Roxborough Industrial District Transportation InfrastructureFigure 137: Source: City of Philadelphia


168

rox

boro

ugh

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


Roxborough Industrial District Access to Public TransitFigure 138: Source: SEPTA

access to transit


Roxborough Industrial District Land UseFigure 139: Source: 2008 field survey

land use

170

rox

boro

ugh

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


Roxborough Industrial District Figure 140: Land Use & Zoning Comparison

zoning

Source: City of PhiladelphiaRoxborough Industrial District Zoning, 2009Figure 141:


Roxborough Industrial District by SectorFigure 142:


industrial use

Roxborough Industrial District Industrial Use by SectorFigure 143:

172

rox

boro

ugh

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


Roxborough Industrial District VacancyFigure 144: Source: 2008 field survey

vacancy


174

sou

th d

elaw

are

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


south delaware13dis

tric

t


South Delaware Industrial District Key MapFigure 145:

introduction: South Delaware Industrial DistrictThe South Delaware industrial district consists of the stretch of working Delaware riverfront extending from Pier 78 near Snyder Avenue, south and west around Horseshoe Bend into the eastern reaches of the Navy Yard. Much of this waterfront consists of active container and bulk marine terminal uses, including Piers 78 through 124, the Packer Avenue Marine Terminal, and the Tristate Intermodal Yard – or is proposed for expansion of such, such as the currently fallow lands slated for development by the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (PRPA) to be known as Northport and Southport. The district also includes the large complex cradled by the bend in I-95 south of Packer Avenue known as the Food Distribution Center, and the sprawling lands of the former Mustin Naval Airfield, future home to the Navy Yard’s R&D park, corporate center, and clean-energy campus. While goods-movement and wholesaling constitute the core activities of this district, large utilities such as the Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant and the Southwark Generating Station, as well as manufacturers such as the Inolex cosmetic ingredient and lubricant plant on Snyder, are also present. While the multi-vendor Philadelphia Regional Produce Market is relocating to a new facility on Essington Avenue in this study’s Southwest industrial district, several new industrial developments are currently underway here, including Hyundai Rotem’s assembly plant for the new Silverliner V commuter trains destined for SEPTA’s regional rail system.

In 2008, Samuels & Son - a long-time Philadelphia seafood wholesaler - constructed a 70,000 square foot, $15 million state-of-the-art refrigerated warehouse on a 5-acre parcel in the Food Distribution Center. The facility will stock 350 to 400 species of fish and shellfish, and provide 250 jobs to the region.

• District Size: Ranks 4th among surveyed districts at 1,661 acres in 143 properties.

• LandUse: Dominant land uses are Transportation (35%), Vacant (33%) – due largely to the physically vacant former Mustin Airfield - Industrial (21%), andParking (7%).

• Vacancy: Building vacancy is 2%. Land vacancy is 33% (24% of this is not zoned industrial and another 56% of this vacancy is reserved for future port and intermodal expansion).

• ParcelSize: Ranks 1st at 11.61 acres average.

• Buildings: Average building size is 86,237 square feet; average year built was 1974 (only eight properties included year built data in this district).

• RecentDevelopments: Hyundai Rotem plant under construction at Weccacoe and Wolf Street, and the Philadelphia Regional Produce Market south of the toll plaza, on Pattison and Galloway Street, is relocating to Essington Avenue in the Southwest industrial district.

176

sou

th d

elaw

are

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


introduction: South Delaware Industrial District


history


South Delaware, 1944. Source: Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network Oregon & Columbus, 1920.

Snyder & Columbus, 1915 Coal Tripple, 1915 Columbus Piers, 1919 Pier 78, 1916

178

sou

th d

elaw

are

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


South Delaware Industrial District ContextFigure 146: Source: 2008 field survey within industrial districts, BRT land use codes in surrounding areas

context


South Delaware Industrial District Transportation InfrastructureFigure 147: Source: City of Philadelphia


180

sou

th d

elaw

are

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


South Delaware Industrial District Access to Public TransitFigure 148: Source: SEPTA

access to transit


South Delaware Industrial District Land UseFigure 149: Source: 2008 field survey

land use

182

sou

th d

elaw

are

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


South Delaware Industrial District Figure 150: Land Use & Zoning Comparison

zoning

Source: City of PhiladelphiaSouth Delaware Industrial District Zoning, 2009Figure 151:


South Delaware Industrial District by SectorFigure 152:


industrial use

South Delaware Industrial District Industrial Use by SectorFigure 153:

184

sou

th d

elaw

are

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


South Delaware Industrial District VacancyFigure 154: Source: 2008 field survey

vacancy


186

sou

thw

est

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


southwest14dis

tric

t


Southwest Industrial District Key MapFigure 155:

introduction: Southwest Industrial DistrictThe Southwest industrial district spans a large wedge of land comprised of the Philadelphia portion of the International Aiport, stretching north along the west bank of the Schuylkill River to Grays Ferry Avenue, and bounded by SEPTA’s R1 Airport line on the west. This marshy, low-lying area was subject to an extensive urban renewal plan decades ago resulting in housing development in the Kingsessing, Essington, and Eastwick neighborhoods, as well as industrial park developement between Lindbergh and Essington Avenues. The area is currently plagued by high crime rates, real and perceived land contamination and odd parcel configurations caused by the highways, interchanges, bridges and rail infrastructure that criss-cross the area. North of PIDC’s well-developed Eastwick A industrial park lies the Essington Auto Mall and the future home of the Philadelphia Regional Produce Market, as well as various petrochemical storage tank fields and terminals adjacent to the river. North of this area lies a sprawling, underutilized swath of auto salvage and repair yards, vacant land, and waste transfer and recycling yards. A portion of this area comprises PIDC’s Eastwick B industrial park and has good potential for continuing industrial expansion due to its proximity to West Philadelphia, Center City and area freeways.

Completed in 2005, the USPS Processing & Distribution Center became the largest postal replacement facility for the United States Postal Service in the country. Costing $300 million dollars, the 930,000 square-foot project sits on a 50-acre site, and can process 8 million pieces of mail every night.

• District Size: Ranks 2nd among surveyed districts at 3,148 acres in 533 properties (including a portion of Phila International Airport).

• LandUse: Dominant land uses are Industrial (52%), Transportation (24%) – due almost entirely to Phila International Airport - and Vacant (13%).


• ParcelSize: Ranks 3rd at 5.91 acres average.

• Buildings: Average building size is 71,159 square feet; average year built was 1986 (year-built data was scarce in this area).

• RecentDevelopments: Philadelphia Regional Produce market is relocating to a new 677,000 square foot facility on Essington Avenue and 67th Street.

188

sou

thw

est

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


introduction: Southwest Industrial District


history

Philadelphia Airport, 1954

Hog Island Shipyard, 1915


Southwest, 1910. Source: Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network

Southwest, 1944. Source: Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network

190

sou

thw

est

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


Southwest Industrial District ContextFigure 156: Source: 2008 field survey within industrial districts, BRT land use codes in surrounding areas

context


Southwest Industrial District Transportation InfrastructureFigure 157: Source: City of Philadelphia


192

sou

thw

est

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


Southwest Industrial District Access to Public TransitFigure 158: Source: SEPTA

access to transit


Southwest Industrial District Land UseFigure 159: Source: 2008 field survey

land use

194

sou

thw

est

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


Southwest Industrial District Figure 160: Land Use & Zoning Comparison

zoning

Source: City of PhiladelphiaSouthwest Industrial District Zoning, 2009Figure 161:


Southwest Industrial District by SectorFigure 162:


industrial use

Southwest Industrial District Industrial Use by SectorFigure 163:

196

sou

thw

est

D R

A F

T A T

l a

s


Southwest Industrial District VacancyFigure 164: Source: 2008 field survey

vacancy


198

upp

er n

orth

del

awar

e D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


upper north delaware15dis

tric

t


Upper North Delaware Industrial District Key MapFigure 165:

introduction: Upper North Delaware Industrial DistrictThe Upper North Delaware industrial district continues northward where the Lower North Delaware district terminates at the former Philly Coke site just north of the Betsy Ross Bridge, past Tacony and Holmesburg to the mouth of Pennypack Creek in Torresdale. This district is generally bounded to the west by I-95 and the R7 Regional Rail / Amtrak line, but also includes three nodes of industrial activity that spill across the highway divide. A great diversity of industrial firms operate along this waterfront area, well-buffered from the inner Northeast Philadelphia neighborhoods it abuts. Food processors and manufacturers, such as Dietz & Watson and Just Born Peanut Chews, sit cheek-by-jowl with the Newman Paperboard plant, Acme-Standex air duct plant, and the B&B gray-iron foundry. Metal coating, precision machinery, injection-molded plastic and foam, generic drugs, and chemical feedstocks are also produced here. The district was once home to the Disston Saw Works, at its height the largest saw and blade manufacturing facility in the world, employing 8,000 workers. Thousands of units of housing built by Henry Disston for his workforce spurred the development of the Tacony section of the City. (The company continues operation today - albeit in a highly consolidated incarnation - as Disston Precision Incorporated.) Several pockets of underutilized and vacant land abut the waterfront here, including the former Tacony Army Warehouse and Northern Shipping parcels north of the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge. Many utilities and institutional uses also share the waterfront in this vicinity – including PWD’s Baxter Water Treatment Plant, the Curran-Fromhold correctional facility, St.Vincent’s Home, and the Philadelphia Fire and Police Academies near the mouth of Pennypack Creek. There has been a desire on the part of the residential neighborhoods in this area for a reconnection to the Delaware River waterfront, and several plans have been produced to this end. As of yet, however, specific residential and mixed-use development proposals on the waterfront have stalled.

In 2008, Revolution Recovery, which recovers and recycles waste materials from construction and industrial processes, relocated to this area. The facility has aided in the completion of over 100 LEED certifications in the region, handling an average of 80 tons of materials per day, including wood, metals, cardboard, plastics, drywall and masonry. Its separation proccess boasts a 75% diversion rate for inbound construction waste debris from landfills, and by the end of 2009 had brought 29 full time, permanent, green jobs to the City.

• District Size: Ranks 5th among surveyed districts at 1,413 acres in 732 properties.

• LandUse: Dominant land uses are Industrial (53%), Institutional (16%), Vacant (14%), and Commercial (8%).

• Vacancy:Building vacancy is 4%. Land vacancy is 14% (71% of this is not zoned industrial).



200

upp

er n

orth

del

awar

e D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s



history


Disston Saw Mill, 1901 Frankford Pumping Station, 1900Torresdale Filtration Plant, 1916

House of Correction, 1916 Ice Boats and Dredging Plant, 1916

Upper North Delaware, 1910. Source: Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network

202

upp

er n

orth

del

awar

e D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Upper North Delaware Industrial District ContextFigure 166: Source: 2008 field survey within industrial districts, BRT land use codes in surrounding areas

context


Upper North Delaware Industrial District Figure 167: Transportation InfrastructureSource: City of Philadelphia


204

upp

er n

orth

del

awar

e D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Upper North Delaware Industrial District Access to Public TransitFigure 168: Source: SEPTA

access to transit


Upper North Delaware Industrial District Land UseFigure 169: Source: 2008 field survey

land use

206

upp

er n

orth

del

awar

e D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Upper North Delaware Industrial District Figure 170: Land Use & Zoning Comparison

zoning

Source: City of PhiladelphiaUpper North Delaware Industrial District Zoning, 2009Figure 171:


Upper North Delaware Industrial District by SectorFigure 172:


industrial use

Upper North Delaware Industrial District Industrial Use by SectorFigure 173:

208

upp

er n

orth

del

awar

e D

R A

F T

A T

l a

s


Upper North Delaware Industrial District VacancyFigure 174: Source: 2008 field survey

vacancy


pimlus atlas - final - september 2010

Technology

philadelphia navy yard

representatives of city

industrial market

land use strategy

deputy mayors office

liberty property trust

consultant team

hankin group john gattuso