Save Triangle Park!
Donation protected
Friends of Triangle Park is a community group that is appealing the City’s grant of a zoning permit to a developer to build a five-story apartment building and restaurant (53 feet tall) on the site at 601 Christian Street. This is 15 feet taller than the code normally allows.
The city previously rejected a very similar version of this project in January of 2016 for being 10 feet too tall (they were asking for 48 feet, the by right limit is 38 feet) and lacking open space. The developer has attempted to put roughly the same plan through by using a loophole in the zoning code that grants bonus height and area with the addition of a “fresh food market.” This exception to the code was created to bring markets to neighborhoods that need access to fresh food. This is a gross misuse of the statute considering these neighborhoods have plenty of grocery stores and the Italian Market is three blocks away. One concern is that the city lacks the resources to make sure the developers follow through with the market and there will be no penalty.
We need funds immediately to pursue the appeals process that is currently underway. Friends of Triangle Park (FOTP) is a 501 c 3 nonprofit group comprised of community members in Queen Village and Bella Vista who advocate turning the empty lot between 6th Street, Christian Street, and Passyunk Avenue into a community green space. We formed in 2008 and have lobbied the City since to keep this space as a green-planted area in perpetuity. The land is currently in the possession of the developer, but we will still advocate for legal and sustainable development of the currently empty lot. If the land happens to become available for purchase in the future, we intend to pursue state and city grants that will accomplish this purchase.
The city previously rejected a very similar version of this project in January of 2016 for being 10 feet too tall (they were asking for 48 feet, the by right limit is 38 feet) and lacking open space. The developer has attempted to put roughly the same plan through by using a loophole in the zoning code that grants bonus height and area with the addition of a “fresh food market.” This exception to the code was created to bring markets to neighborhoods that need access to fresh food. This is a gross misuse of the statute considering these neighborhoods have plenty of grocery stores and the Italian Market is three blocks away. One concern is that the city lacks the resources to make sure the developers follow through with the market and there will be no penalty.
We need funds immediately to pursue the appeals process that is currently underway. Friends of Triangle Park (FOTP) is a 501 c 3 nonprofit group comprised of community members in Queen Village and Bella Vista who advocate turning the empty lot between 6th Street, Christian Street, and Passyunk Avenue into a community green space. We formed in 2008 and have lobbied the City since to keep this space as a green-planted area in perpetuity. The land is currently in the possession of the developer, but we will still advocate for legal and sustainable development of the currently empty lot. If the land happens to become available for purchase in the future, we intend to pursue state and city grants that will accomplish this purchase.
Organizer and beneficiary
Mariel Antonia Carr
Organizer
Philadelphia, PA
Jason Carr
Beneficiary
