Senator Sharif Street brings 15 Million Dollars in Grants to North Philly Nonprofits to lift them up in 2022

Guess what Pennsylvania State Senator Sharif Street has gone and done? He fought hard to get $15 million in Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grants for North Philadelphia. I would say that’s doing a great job. The announcement came just in time for the Christmas Holidays. It’s almost as if Senator Street gave specific nonprofits in his district a special Christmas present. “We advocate for these projects because they are the kind of investments in hard and human infrastructure that will sustain our communities now and make them viable for years to come,” said Senator Street, “Grocery stores, upgrades to safety and accessibility, and investments in educational resources and affordable housing enhance the quality of life for working families.”
Here’s who the grant recipients are in the third Senate District:
Sharswood Grocery Outlet II (Sharswood 1 LLC) $2,125,000 The project will construct a grocery store and Sharswood Shopping Center anchored by Grocery Outlet. The full shopping center is a +/- 200,000 SF renovation of currently vacant land that includes (4) buildings. The commercial uses have additional space for a restaurant and other retail use. The residential aspect of the project houses 98 residential units.
Temple Center for Anti-Racism and Africology/African American Studies $1,300,000 – This project creates a new Center for Anti-Racism and upgrades to the Africology/African American Studies (AAS) department. More specifically, the project will enclose existing exterior overhang areas and provide interior renovations to create the new Center complete with multi-purpose event space, offices, support spaces, resource/display areas, and a new exterior vestibule entrance.
ODAAT (AFCOM Renovation) $1,000,000 – The project will renovate the AFCOM facility to make it handicap accessible, including a new street-level entry and an elevator. The capacity will be increased to 75 beds, with 55 single carrels, 2 single rooms, and 9 double rooms. The number of private powder rooms will increase to four. Bathing areas and kitchens will be completely modernized and rebuilt.
Youth Development & Community Empowerment Ctr. II (Phila. Youth Basketball) $2,500,000 – The project will purchase the project site and renovate the existing building into a world-class basketball and youth development-focused nonprofit community center. The renovation will include environmental abatement, select demolition, site-work, and utility improvements, structural improvements, roof, and exterior repairs, new mechanical/HVAC electrical, plumbing and life safety systems, and more.
Called to Serve CDC (Zion Baptist Church Annex) $500,000 – The project will renovate the nearly 27,000 SF of space through structural improvements to bring the building up to code; new mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems and equipment; installation of an elevator; removal of some interior partitions to provide larger-scale workspaces; new thermally efficient windows; new ADA accessible entrance; and exterior restoration and lighting.
Police Athletic League of Phila. (Samuel D. Cozen PAL Center & Scattered Sites) $1,000,000 – The project will construct, renovate, and/or improve six PAL locations: 2128 W. Ontario St.: site preparation and construction of a new PAL Center; 851 E. Tioga St: HVAC, safety, and efficiency upgrades, and structural improvements; 5330 Germantown Ave: HVAC, safety, and efficiency upgrades, and construction of a zero-maintenance athletic field; 2524 E. Clearfield St: HVAC, safety, and efficiency upgrades, and structural improvements; 124 E. Indiana Ave: build-out of a PAL Center within the empty warehouse space; 2601 N. 11th St: HVAC, safety, and efficiency upgrades, and space renovations.
Logan West Assoc. LP (Logan Point Community Retail) $500,000 – The project will initiate site work on a 10-acre redevelopment parcel, which will ultimately house a new 120,000 square-foot retail center.
Girard College (Girard College Campus) $750,000 – This project includes creating a Science Center at the high school. The Science Center includes renovating the HS, MS, and elementary science rooms with new systems, ventilation, chemical storage areas, lighting, teaching walls, casework, chemistry hoods, and computer network infrastructure.
Independence Mission Schools (DePaul Campus Expansion) $500,000 – The project will preserve a former church and renovate it into a preschool facility on one level and a multi-use assembly/recreation/gym space on the first floor. Improvements include interior ceiling and wall repairs, exterior pointing and masonry repairs, roof repairs, heating, and mechanical repairs.
AD Fairmount Property Partners (2700 N Broad St. Phila.) – $1000,000 The project will redevelop a nine-story, 600,000 SF building. The first and second floors will be commercial/retail use, anchored by a grocery store. The third, fourth, and fifth floors will contain medical office space. The remaining four floors will be comprised of 120 apartment units. The project will complete the buildout of the first five floors of the building, including HVAC systems, electrical, plumbing, wiring, fire safety requirements, and more.
1315 Windrim Ave. (WES Corp.) $1,750,000 – The project will acquire and rehabilitate the Windrim Facility to construct administrative support offices and additional parking. The project will yield a state-of-the-art healthcare facility/business service hub and headquarters for WES Corporation
3031 N. 21st St. Senior $2,000,000 – The project will convert a warehouse in the Allegheny West Neighborhood into an age-restricted, senior affordable housing rental community. The structure will include 56 apartments, a management office, community space, and on-site laundry. The rehab will replace the roof, refurbish the staircase, floor, and ceiling, and install a new façade.
PATH Project (Tioga District Capital Management Group) $750,000 – The project will include 46,196 SF of pedestrian and streetscape improvements along several stretches of roadway. This will include: LED light poles installed with cameras; new sidewalks; accessible curb ramps; granite curb demolition and replacement; pedestrian bulb-outs; new trees; trash receptacles, street furniture, wayfinding signage, and public art; green roofs; green, sustainable material and equipment purchase and installation.
Esperanza Opportunity Community Land Trust (Nueva Esperanza Inc.) $1,000,000 – This project will build a mixed-use building to include eight to twelve new units of affordable rental housing and an approximately 5,000 SF economic incubator space. The project will provide much-needed affordable housing in the Hunting Park neighborhood.
When folk asks me, what has your elected official done for you lately and why vote to reelect this person? First of all, when I look at elected officials, I don’t look at them to ask the question, what can you do for me lately, because it’s not about a “me” thing. Elected officials are here to serve us. So when I see an elected official that can do something like this, bring $15 million in grants into our community that will lift up some 14 organizations or development projects, I know that what that elected official is doing is a very good thing.
The Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) is a Commonwealth grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement projects. For more information about RACP please visit www.budget.pa.gov/programs/racp.
2021 has certainly been another very challenging year for many of us, particularly those of us who have been adversely impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic or the violence pandemic. Through it all, we are still standing. That says to me, we are still here for a reason, and we need to make it count.
Peace and Blessings to all our SCOOP USA Readers, Advertisers, Supporters, and Cheerleaders. We appreciate each of you. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.