The Commonwealth Design Awards were developed by 10,000 Friends as an annual juried program to raise awareness of projects that successfully demonstrate sound land use principles around the Commonwealth – from urban and suburban to rural development and redevelopment projects.
In November 2004, a special highlight of the awards ceremony was the presentation of The Friend of Pennsylvania award to Caren Glotfelty, senior program officer and director of the Environment Program at The Heinz Endowments.
We also were honored to be joined by Governor Ed Rendell in recognizing the projects and addressing the crowd.
This year, submissions were received from 15 counties across the state and included a wide range of project types – urban infill, historic rehabilitation, adaptive reuse, brownfield redevelopment, revitalization plans, traditional neighborhood development, and others.
The winning entries reflect the following objectives of 10,000 Friends:
Thanks to all for participating in our Design Awards program!
The Plaza at PPL Center
Location: Allentown, PA
Submitter: Liberty Property Trust
Project type: Urban redevelopment
The Plaza at PPL Center is the redevelopment of a long vacant site in the City of Allentown, now the anchor of the business district and the first major downtown development in 10 years. Designated as a Keystone Opportunity Zone, the Plaza at PPL Center is a major investment in one of the state's struggling cities and is already stimulating growth in that community.
In addition to being a catalyst for revitalization, the Plaza at PPL Center is receiving the 2004 Commonwealth Award because this project has the ability to serve as a model for the corporate citizens of Pennsylvania. It demonstrates the value of the successful partnership between Liberty Property Trust as the developer, and PPL, a locally based international energy company, as the primary tenant. It is a statement of PPL's on-going commitment to the city's downtown, and a physical expression of the commitment of both PPL and Liberty Property to sustainable design.
The new 250,000 square foot building includes Class A office and retail space and a landscaped plaza for public gatherings that serves to unify PPL's historic 1928 office tower and landmark with this new high performance structure. Once the site of the former Hess Brothers Department Store, a mainstay shopping destination until its closing in 1995, the location is once again a center of activity for the community.
The Plaza at PPL is recognized for sound urban design that takes advantage of existing infrastructure and public transit and provides open space for occupants and the community. The project incorporates a broad spectrum of sustainable design features that earned it a LEED Gold Award from the US Green Building Council and demonstrates to the business community that environmentally-sound buildings can be cost effective.
Innovation Center at Wilkes-Barre
Location: Wilkes-Barre, PA
Submitter: Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
Project type: Commercial - Adaptive Reuse
The Innovation Center at Wilkes-Barre is the adaptive reuse of the former Woolworth 5 and 10 Store built in 1951, for a new mixed use facility consisting of retail, business incubator, and state-of-the-art class "A" office space in downtown Wilkes-Barre. It was designed as a trendsetter for revitalizing the community and business district and strategically placed to catalyze redevelopment where urban infrastructure exists. The Innovation Center is located at the center of the region's public transit system, and in walking distance from housing, recreation, and two institutions of higher learning.
10,000 Friends commends the efforts of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry and its public and private partners in using profit centers to help finance a less profitable, worthy project. A range of organizations has come together to foster a major redevelopment of Wilkes-Barre's downtown, a city that has experienced severe decline since the mid 1990s. The Innovation Center will foster new technology and encourage the creation of quality jobs in the central business district with the goal of making it once again the centerpiece of the wider Luzerne County community.
The Innovation Center at Wilkes-Barre is recognized for setting high urban, environmental, and design standards for the projects that will follow it. The unique trusses of the original store, which allowed column free retail space at street level were preserved and enhanced, and innovative HVAC systems and other green building techniques were incorporated. The design improves the building's adaptability, so that the future needs of the community can be met with little or no modification.
Samuel M. V. Hamilton Building at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Submitter: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Project type: Adaptive reuse of a brownfield site
The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts' Samuel Hamilton Building is the adaptive reuse of a brownfield site into an art education and exhibition facility in center city Philadelphia. The former federal building and automobile factory, adjacent to the historic landmark designed by Frank Furness, brings the school and museum together for the first time in more than 40 years, establishing a center city campus for the nation's oldest art museum and school of fine arts.
Working with the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation and grant money from the state, the Academy purchased the building as part of the federal government's de-acquisition process. It now provides inspirational classroom, studio, exhibition, and retail space. Future phases will include a pedestrian plaza and café, additional gallery space and shops, administrative offices, and library.
The Academy is recognized for restoring the historic 1915 façade, preserving the industrial character of the building, and developing an exceptional cultural and educational resource. It is especially commended for helping to expand Philadelphia's Avenue of the Arts north of City Hall and being a catalyst for revitalization of the community surrounding North Broad Street, an area regarded as underdeveloped and underutilized by city and public organizations alike.
Temple Station Area Redevelopment Plan
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Submitted by: Wallace Roberts & Todd LLC for their work and the work of the project team, including the Asociacion de Puertorriquenos En Marcha (APM), Pennrose Properties, and Temple University Faculty.
Project type: Transit-Oriented Development and Community Revitalization
The Temple Station Area Plan is a comprehensive revitalization program for a critical location in North Philadelphia where a busy rail station, major university, and distressed community intersect. It is an innovative approach to address the divisive presence of the rail corridor and provide a framework for building a more integrated, mixed-income, mixed-use community. The plan strengthens the local market with strategic investments in new housing, civic uses, open space, and retail, including a technology center dedicated to educating and empowering local residents. It builds on the City's Neighborhood Transformation Initiative and is an extension of the local revitalization plan for the APM neighborhood.
10,000 Friends commends the collaborative effort between APM, Temple, Pennrose Properties and WRT to bridge the rail corridor and bring diverse neighborhoods together; concentrate development, investment, and activity around the train station; develop vacant and underutilized land; include the adaptive reuse of existing residential and manufacturing buildings; make optimal use of existing infrastructure and public transit; and provide affordable housing for families and elderly, as well as students.
Summerset at Frick Park
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Submitter: Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA)
Project type: Brownfield redevelopment
Summerset at Frick Park is a brownfield redevelopment project of a 230-acre former slag dump along Nine Mile Run into a mixed residential community of single family homes, townhouses, and apartments. This traditional looking neighborhood with sidewalks, alleyways, and residential courtyards is just four miles from downtown Pittsburgh and connects directly to the parklets and trails of the city's Frick Park.
10,000 Friends is recognizing URA and Summerset Land Development Associates for the successful remediation of this challenging site and bringing people back to a city that has been losing population for years. The development team addressed on-going environmental concerns by improving sewer infrastructure for the communities in the area; reducing stormwater runoff into the stream; and reusing slag and on-site soils to stabilize slopes. Summerset at Frick Park is a major investment in the City of Pittsburgh, which provides higher density new housing in a well-designed community, increases the tax base, and improves and enhances river access and recreational opportunities.
10,000 Friends commends the preservation and adaptive reuse of Liberty Place, which has become a key component of the overall revitalization plan for Lancaster City. The site is included in the North Prince Street corridor revitalization and is located within the boundaries of the James Street Improvement District, and is also expected to serve as the anchor for the Northwest Employment Campus, a vision of the Lancaster Campaign.
The Drogaris Companies is recognized for maximizing the natural landscape and making environmental improvements and especially for going beyond the boundaries of the site by enhancing the streetscape and helping to offset the costs of improvements to the surrounding neighborhood.
York Square Condominium
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Submitter: Soffer Organization
Project type: Urban infill, mixed use project on a brownfield site
York Square is an urban infill project in the Old City neighborhood of Philadelphia, providing 60 live/work loft units on a former automobile service station and warehouse property. Redevelopment of this brownfield site focused on matching the height, scale, and materials of the neighboring industrial buildings. The new building has an entrance courtyard and views of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge and St. Augustine and Old St. George churches. Five of the units surrounding the courtyard are permitted for residential or commercial use.
York Square Condominium is an excellent example of urban infill, developed with community involvement and public support. It is recognized for an exemplary site plan that re-establishes the fabric of the neighborhood with safe and attractive pedestrian frontage on three sides, including on-street parking, street trees, and lighting.
Underground parking is provided at less than one space per unit and public transportation and car-sharing services are readily available. Public and private outdoor space is designed into the building plan and materials that respect and reflect the character of the neighborhood are used throughout. York Square will be an asset to the community and a sound model for infill development in the state's once industrial cities and towns.
International House is recognized for preserving some of the last remaining three-story buildings in the downtown area, maintaining the character of the neighborhood and adding activity and life to the street, which is bringing new business to the area. The project demonstrates how forming partnerships can leverage public funds (DCED, City of Harrisburg, Dauphin County, PA Dept of Ag, and the PA Hardwood Development Council) to make revitalization efforts a success.
10,000 Friends recognizes Lantern Hill for offering a mix of housing types for a variety of ages and incomes and providing a residential density at almost twice the suburban county average, demonstrating that this density makes an attractive, walkable community. The project takes advantage of an infill location where infrastructure and community services already exist and where residents can walk to work, shopping, dining, and recreation. The architecture reflects the character and heritage of the community and the well-designed landscaping adds visual interest, while enhancing storm-water control and mitigating pre-existing flooding problems.
The Phoenix
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Submitter: Bower Lewis Thrower Architects
Project type: Historic renovation and adaptive reuse
The Phoenix is the historic renovation and adaptive reuse of the former 1925 Insurance Company of North America's headquarters for a mix of residential and commercial uses in Philadelphia's central business district. This National Historic Landmark now offers two levels of underground parking; three levels of office, restaurant, and retail space; 15 levels of luxury apartments; and direct access to Suburban Station, downtown Philadelphia's major transportation hub. It is a beautiful example of historic rehabilitation that preserved t he integrity of numerous original and unique architectural details and materials.
