PECO presented $10,000 to The Enterprise Center CDC to support the development of the Walnut Hill Community Farm. The grant was awarded yesterday through PECO’s Green Region Open Space Program. Green Region grants, administered by PECO in partnership with the Natural Lands Trust, help municipalities in Southeastern Pennsylvania plan for, protect, and improve open land.

The Community Design Collaborative is working with The Enterprise Center CDC to create a conceptual master plan for the farm, a quarter-acre lot in the shadow of the Market Street El. Read Full Story

Here's looking at you! Haley Loram on the white roof of ECA's Training Center

Last week, the Community Design Collaborative bid farewell to Haley Loram and Erik Kojola. Both Haley and Erik came to the Collaborative through Philly Fellows, a year-long post-graduate fellowship program which offers top graduates of Philadelphia-area colleges and universities opportunities to engage in the city’s vibrant neighborhoods and diverse nonprofit agencies.

Over the past two years, I’ve watched Haley and Erik sail into work on their bicycles in all kinds of weather, eat bottomless bowls of veggies for lunch, take advantage of all that Philly has to offer, and grow professionally.

Last week, I sat down with Haley to reflect on her time with the Collaborative, city living, and first jobs. Read Full Story

Rendering of the conceptual design for new driveway and expanded facilities.

Libertae, Inc. wants to enhance the services it offers to mothers who are recovering from substance abuse and mental health issues, but the Bucks County-based organization needs to expand its facilities to make room for new programs and more clients.

A multi-disciplinary Community Design Collaborative volunteer team worked with Libertae, a nonprofit that seeks to empower women and their families to maintain sobriety though comprehensive treatment, to develop a conceptual design for expanding and updating their Learning Center in Bensalem to keep up with the growing organization.  Libertae’s site on Bensalem Boulevard consists of two buildings that house women and their children in different stages of rehabilitation, the Halfway House and the Family House. Libertae wanted to transform a conference room in the Family House into a multi-purpose space as well as increase parking on the property and reduce energy consumption.

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Germantown Avenue in Mt. Airy, North 5th Street in El Centro de Oro, Ridge Avenue in Roxborough, and Lancaster Avenue in Mantua/Powelton Village have gotten facelifts through the city’s Restore Targeted Blocks Facade Program. Corridor Managers on the staffs of Mt. Airy USA, HACE, People’s Emergency Center CDC, Roxborough Development Corporation and Korean Community Development Services. implemented the program, which provided funding for the design and construction of 15 to 20 façade improvement projects ranging from new signage to lighting to window replacement.

Volunteer architects with the Community Design Collaborative provided some of the initial design concepts for two of the participating corridors through the Collaborative’s rStore program. In 2007 Collaborative volunteers provided design consultations to Nickens Agency Inc., The Eye Institute, and Karate Academy in Mt. Airy and with Cambria Pharmacy on North 5th Street.  The business owners then worked with Mt. Airy USA and HACE to secure funding for the improvements through the Targeted Blocks program.

Check out these before, after and preliminary design images of some of the featured storefronts.

Few volunteers have been as involved with the Collaborative as Joe Matje, Project Engineer at Bruce E. Brooks & Associates.  He has volunteered on eleven projects and now serves on the Board of Directors.

Through the Collaborative, Joe has been able to help nonprofits with the nuts and bolts of sustainability. He utilizes his expertise in construction engineering, building systems, and energy use to help nonprofits renovate and construct new buildings that are energy efficient and have well-functioning mechanical systems, like heating and air-flow. “I try to not get too complicated but make simple and basic recommendations for the clients that will have big impacts for their dollars,” says Joe. Read Full Story

The Collaborative staff had a great time at the Phillies game on a hot Tuesday night complete with popcorn and peanuts.  Unfortunately the Phillies narrowly lost in extra innings. Thanks to all the friends, board members, and volunteers who came out.