1201 S. 21st Street: Application for the complete demolition of all structures on the lot and for the erection of a three (3) story attached structure (NTE 35’ high) for use as vacant commercial space on the first floor and a two (2) family dwelling above

1717-21 Point Breeze Avenue: Application for the erection of one (1) flat wall sign accessort to day care center not more than 24 consecutive hours with accessory preparing and serving of food on first and second floor in the same building with an existing performing of arts on first and second floor.

2408 Ellsworth Street: To interconnect the two (2)existing buildings (A’ and B’) and one proposed accessory car garage (building ‘C’) to create one structure: for the demolition of a portion of the existing shed roof of building ‘A’ for the erection of a new canopy above
exterior stairs; for the erection of a new  (46’x46’) roof deck above the northwest corner of proposed building ‘C’; and for the erection of two (2) loft levels (<33%) within buildings ‘A’ and ‘B’ (no change in height of the two story building), for use as forty-three (43) dwelling units in the same building with an accessory maintenance/supply room, an accessory exercise room and a lobby area on the first floor on the same lot with a proposed parking garage consisting of 27 accessory parking spaces (including 2 handicap accessible spaces) 40 accessory storage units and 2 bicycle spaces in building ‘C’ and an accessory open air parking lot consisting of 5 parking spaces.

Yet two days later CBS Philly ran a story headlined “Point Breeze Zoning Proposal Divides The Community By Race, Income.” This is weeks after a Fox29 television and online story made it seem like all of the supporters of new development in Point Breeze are white and all of those in opposition are black.

Everything printed about Point Breeze is a blatant attempt at sensationalism (and overly simplistic about a complex topic). The only news organization that has taken even the time to understand our community is  PlanPhilly.com which correctly identified the problems with our zoning process and reported on our attempts at a solution.

The real story about race in Point Breeze is too complex for a blog post by someone like me, but I’ll try to give my take.

Theressa McCormick and Tiffany Green (photo: myfoxphilly.com)

It is undeniably true that Tiffany Green is black and she does not support new development in Point Breeze (especially three-story buildings). She has a following of like-minded isolationists who are also black. And she uses racially divisive fliers to garner support and attention. But does she represent all black residents? All multi-generational residents? Certainly not.

First, lets state the obvious: Most people in Point Breeze do not pay attention to local zoning issues. So any narrative that makes it seem like there is a giant culture war playing out on our streets is preposterous.

Then there are the long-time black residents like Ms. Sherrod who told PhillyHistory.org:

“[Point Breeze] was a diversified community [in the 1950s], with Caucasians and African-Americans living and working together. We had a beautiful community growing up. I could go to anyone’s house and eat a meal. As children, we never looked at culture. We knew one was white and one was black and that was it.”

On the other side, there are countless white residents (myself included) who worry about property tax increases and want to ensure that Point Breeze doesn’t become a gentrified community.

For the most part, however, Point Breeze residents respond to new development the same way everyone else does: Based on whether they like what is being proposed.

At last month’s zoning meeting — even with Green and her supporters making comments that new “luxury condominiums” were going to drive out low income residents — the proposed development won the support of the community based on the simple fact that many residents are excited about the idea of a new pharmacy on Point Breeze Avenue.

On that day, the the rational weighing of the pros and cons new development defeated racially-divisive rhetoric. Hopefully, our new racially-diverse zoning committee will usher in more days like that in the future. Then maybe the media can stop writing as if our neighborhood is home to a race war.

View a larger map.

Councilman Kenyatta Johnson has yet to state whether he supports the proposed pharmacy/apartments along Point Breeze Avenue and the proposed coffee shop at 2001 Federal Street. His lawyer says he just received the plans and he needs time to form an opinion, but these projects that have been discussed in our community for months.

Sign our petition to show him that members of our community want new businesses to revitalize our commercial corridor and enrich the lives of all neighbors in Point Breeze.

These changes are being made after last month’s meeting spiraled out of control into a multi-hour discussion of only one project, complete with allegations of vote tampering.

All Community Members Vote. Meetings will continue to be held on the fourth Monday of every month (however February’s meeting is cancelled while new procedures are put in place). Every resident of Point Breeze will be eligible to vote on all proposed applications. Point Breeze is between 25th and Broad Streets, South of Washington Avenue to the North side of Moore Street.

Applicants must provide community members with documentation of their projects (a floor plan, elevation drawings, a copy of the refusal from the Department of Licenses and Inspection, and drawings of any proposed new signs) when they present their application.

Transparency. Before a community meeting, a description of every application will be posted both online and at the Neighborhood Action Committee (1444 Point Breeze Ave.) which is open daily from 9am to 5pm. Copies of that months agenda will be delivered to every property within a four block radius of any application.

The rules governing who is eligible to vote will be posted online and at the NAC. Results of each vote will be announced orally at the end of each community meeting and then posted online and at the NAC. Any letters of support or opposition sent to the Zoning Board will be posted online and at the NAC.

Record Anything You Want. The misguided rule preventing audio and video recordings is abolished. Post the whole meeting on YouTube is you want. The entire process will be in public view.

New Zoning Committee. Prior to going before the community, applicants will meet with a zoning committee which was formed last week to represent a cross section of the community. So far, the committee includes NAC Director Zelda Simpkins. contractor Torme Deveauxbray, Pastor Lee Wright  of Mt. Zion Pentecostal Church, Helen Carter, Antoninette Johnson of Point Breeze Pioneers, contractor Marcellus Blair (who has been running the Point Breeze zoning meetings), and myself (I am a former zoning attorney and author of phillyzoning.com).

Members of the zoning committee will meet applicants before the applicant goes before the community to discuss any initial concerns and determine whether the applicant is willing to compromise on the proposed project.

Meetings Will Stay On Topic. Any community member with questions or comments about a proposed application as it relates to zoning will of course be welcome to contribute. But no other discussions will take place. Anyone who cannot stay on topic will be asked to leave.

Voting Accuracy. Safeguards are also being put in place to ensure that every member of the community can vote and all votes are counted.

Concerns About Increased Property Taxes. Like many residents, South Philadelphia HOMES is concerned that new development may lead to tax increases for long-time Point Breeze residents. Together with the community, we will lobby City Council to protect long-term residents from property tax increases and ensure that any new development in Point Breeze benefits all residents and not just those who can afford to stay.

Jobs for Local Contractors. Another frequent concern is that local developers may not hire local contractors. To that end, South Philadelphia HOMES will compile and maintain a list of local contractors so that applicants can gain support from the community by hiring locally. The zoning committee will later follow up with applicants to determine whether the local contractors are recommended for future projects. The zoning committee can then recommend those contractors to new applicants.

It may take a little while before the new process is completely implemented, but South Philadelphia HOMES has stated that its goal is to provide transparent and efficient local zoning meetings. If you have any suggestions as to how to improve the process, please leave a comment below or email info@pointbreezephilly.org and I will be happy to bring it up at the next meeting.

OCF says PharmDirect Pharmacy, currently located at om the 2300 block of Grays Ferry Ave., wants to open a new location in the proposed commercial space if the project is approved. The fate of both projects appears to be in Johnson’s hands.

OCF rendering of the proposed coffee shop

OFC rendering of the proposed pharmacy/apartment building

The ZBA has the authority to approve or reject either project on its own, however they usually defer to the district councilperson. In both of these cases, Councilman Johnson’s Office asked for more time to consider the projects.

Residents who want to voice their opinion on either project can e-mail kenyatta.johnson@phila.gov, call (215) 686-3412, or write to City Hall, Room 580
Philadelphia, PA 19107-3290.

Regarding the coffee shop, the Zoning Code allows OCF to sell food. They could even sell coffee grounds. For some reason, however, the Code says once those grounds are brewed and placed in disposable cup, the property becomes a “takeout restaurant” which requires a Certificate from the ZBA. Certificates are granted if the ZBA finds that the proposed use will not harm the surrounding properties.

Regarding the pharmacy, the Code allows OCF to build multiple commercial units on the first floor with apartments on the second and third floors. They need a Variance from the ZBA, however, to combine all the properties into one commercial space and one apartment building. A variance is also required to build the property without off-street parking. Variances are granted if the ZBA finds that failure to allow the proposed use “would result in unnecessary hardship” to the Applicant and the proposed use will not harm the surrounding properties.

The local neighborhood association, South Philadelphia HOMES (SPHINC) sent a letter of support regarding the pharmacy. In most zoning applications in Philadelphia, neighborhood support sways the district councilperson which sways the ZBA. Councilman Johnson’s Office, however, has expressed concern regarding the voting procedure at the fiasco that was last month’s meeting. SPHINC has not taken a position on the coffee shop. They were unable to even hold a vote on that project because the discussion of the pharmacy lasted well into the night.

Approximately 7-10 residents, led by Tiffany Green and Theressa McCormick, appeared to oppose both projects. Unlike at local zoning meetings, however, members of the ZBA cut off residents who strayed off topic. Approximately 25 residents appeared to support both projects. Time permitted only a few to testify, including myself and Damon K. Roberts, a candidate for state representative. Also supporting both projects was Barbara Capozzi who narrowly lost a city council bid to Johnson.

The ZBA appears to be awaiting a signal from Johnson, even with a letter of support from the neighborhood association. OCF has indicated that they will appeal the decision if they receive a denial on either project.

Four candidates have already announced their intention to run:

Jordan Harris (Website; Facebook page): Harris and Councilman Johnson were both protegés of State Sen. Anthony H. Williams, so Harris has both of their support. Still in his 20s, Harris is young for a politician. But he’s already built an impressive resume: He has worked for Williams and Johnson since he was a teenager and most recently served as the city’s Youth Commissioner where he played a key role in Mayor Nutter’s efforts to stop the flash mobs. He’s been a guest on the Tavis Smiley show and appeared on C-Span more than once. Along the way, he founded the community redevelopment organization Youth Action and is studying for his Ph.D. in educational leadership.

Damon K. Roberts (Website; Facebook page): Roberts is a Harvard-educated real estate attorney who has twice run for City Council in the second district. A committee-person from the 36th Ward, Roberts’ resume is short on political experience and long on civic involvement. Roberts boasts leadership positions with City Wide Neighborhood Advisory Council’s Alliance Board, South Philadelphia Neighborhood Networks, the Housing Association of the Delaware Valley, and the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia.

Edward Nesmith (Website; Facebook page): It’s hard to be more of a “political insider” than Ed Nesmith. Nesmith is the head of the 2nd Ward (a position once held by local legend Buddy Cianfrani) and an ally of John Dougherty, the business manager of Electrician’s Local 98. Nesmith owns a construction company and can count on strong union support. In his last run for City Council, the Daily News endorsed him as “a savvy ward leader in South Philadelphia who seems able to navigate the inner workings of the machine without getting his hands oily.”

Fawwaz “Jazz” Beyha is the owner of Jazz U Up barber shop (1551 S. 16th) as well as a hair salon and real estate development company. Beyha told the Philadelphia Tribune he is “the largest minority employer in South Philadelphia outside of Kenny Gamble and Universal Companies” and told the Public Record that Gamble is a “close friend and supporter.” Beha relishes his outsider status. “Our main connections are not political, but with the community,” he told the Public Record. “As far as community ties are concerned, I’m the [candidate] most connected to the community” he told the Tribune.

Others Will Emerge: This early in the race, it’s not unusual to hear rumors about lots of people contemplating a run. But open seats like this one seem to make lots of people curious. The Philadelphia Tribune hears that “former Rep. Harold James is going to try to recapture the seat he held for years.” The Public Record reports that “South Philadelphia businessman and long-time civic activist Albert Littlepage has said he wants this seat.”

Analysis: It’s still very early, but I think Harris is a strong favorite over Nesmith. The Williams machine is strong on the west side of Broad Street and local leaders are lining up to curry favor with our newly minted city councilman. Nesmith will flood the district with electricians, but support for him is far from unanimous even in his own ward (he barely defeated longtime a DiCicco ally for ward leader). Harris, despite his age, comes across as both capable and intelligent (and just a generally likable guy).

When Roberts dropped out of the race for City Council and endorsed Johnson, many (including myself) believed that he had made a deal for Johnson’s support for state rep. Now that Johnson is supporting his opponent, Roberts once-again looks like an outsider candidate with little support from the democratic machine. That’s a tough position to be in, especially in a low-turnout special election.

When and Where? The speaker of the Pennsylvania House has yet to set a date for the special election. Also unknown are the boundaries of the district. The state legislature changed the 186th District this past year. Since this special election is to fill a seat of someone who was elected before the redistricting, however, a court may decide to use the old boundaries.

Check back with us in the coming months as we learn more about the candidates and more about who gets to vote.

SPHINC is now in the process of contacting those who signed in when they arrived at the meeting but did not have their vote properly counted, according to zoning chair Zelda Simpkins.  It’s going to take some time, Simpkins said, but everyone who attended the meeting will have an opportunity to have their vote recorded.

Stay tuned for the results.

Theressa McCormick and Tiffany Green (photo: myfoxphilly.com)

Ori Feibush and several other attendees at Monday night’s zoning meeting allege that Tiffany Green committed voter fraud during last night’s vote on the proposed retail space and apartment building. Feibush says Green passed around fake voting sheets — intentially targeting supporters of the project to lead them to believe that they had voted — and left with the sheets. 

Meanwhile, the result of the votes has been delayed, “probably until [Wednesday],” according to South Philadelphia HOMES Zoning Director Zelda Simkins. Simkins acknowledged that Green had left with her own voting sheets, but stated that everyone’s vote would be counted.

(Tiffany Green could not be reached for comment because I have no idea what her phone number is. If any reader out there knows her, please have her e-mail info@pointbreezephilly.org so we can try to get her side of the story.)

While we wait for the results, here is a quick round-up of the news coverage from last night’s meeting:

• Fox29 has a video and online news story that is some of the worst journalism I have seen in a while. The report makes it seem like all of the supporters of the project are white and all of those in opposition are black. (Inside the meeting, there were a number of African American supporters hoping the project will bring new businesses and jobs and a number of Caucasians worried about gentrification.) Meanwhile, Fox29 skipped basic facts like what the project will be and what is currently located on the site.
• Local gossip blog Philebrity, which earlier had predicted a “Hyperspace Clusterfuck,” pronounced that That Point Breeze Zoning Meaning Went About As Well As You Could Expect. They repeat the allegation that Green walked off with voter sheets.
• The great Liz Spikol (writing for Curbed.com) calls her new film “The Other Side of Midnight” (a joke that I stole from her and used on Facebook last night).
• As far as I can tell, no other news organization wrote anything.
• I now regret using bullet points for just three real links.

Not a single news organization mentioned either of these fliers:

And, although videos are (for some reason) not allowed at SPHINC zoning meetings, all of these appeared on YouTube:

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I want to encourage everyone to keep the dialogue going. I started this blog as a way for our community to come together and share ideas. On that note, if anyone else wants to contribute posts or photographs, just send me an e-mail to info@pointbreezephilly.org.