Stuck in the Middle (Neighborhoods) with You: Philly

This workshop is a counterpart to the “Caught in the Middle” educational session, which features experts from three city governments focused on revitalization and stabilization of middle neighborhoods.

Explore the Mt. Airy Pelham District, a racially mixed, legacy “streetcar suburb” on Philadelphia’s northwest side. View Mt. Airy’s diverse housing stock — which ranges from modest row homes to Victorian estates — and a historic commercial corridor, all of which contribute to this middle neighborhood’s social diversity and economic vitality. Learn how community institutions such as the Art Deco Sedgwick Theater and a grocery co-op bridge the neighborhood’s history and reinforce a tradition of civic engagement and social activism.

Staff from the Mt. Airy Community Development Corporation share their organization’s evolution from addressing nuisance properties in the 1980s, through housing counseling and supporting affordable housing, to its recent role in developing a neighborhood-wide plan. Finally, learn how Mt. Airy CDC partners with East Mt. Airy Neighbors to provide zoning and land-use guidance to the Philadelphia City Planning Commission.

Observe how this Black middle neighborhood navigates the recent pace and scale of development, which put pressure on housing affordability and the community’s sense of place.

Attendees walk approximately one mile.