use planning decisions. From the design aspect, the Community Design Collaborative had initiated its three-part InFill Philadelphia project. Finally, at the neighborhood level, the Eastern North Philadelphia Coalition, comprised of many community groups and residents of Northern Liberties, Old Kensington, and Kensington South, was undertaking a community planning process to develop economic development and land use goals for the area. For GMDC, these local initiatives reflected an existing interest and inclination to explore GMDC’s economic development model. GMDC began its pre-development phase by interviewing existing small manufacturers in North Philadelphia and implementing a property survey of industrial buildings in the area. Interestingly, the building survey revealed that Philadelphia has a well-maintained stock of abandoned industrial facilities that remain structurally sound for manufacturing uses, suggesting that appropriate future uses can include small manufacturing enterprises. In addition to field observations of individual buildings, GIS maps of physical conditions, tax revenue, and demographic data were created for spatial analyses of the larger area of interest. Unlike New York, most industrial buildings in North Philadelphia were one or two-story buildings, indicating a lower density of industrial buildings and suggesting different needs for potential tenants. Data from the 2000 Census provided demographic context to the area in terms of poverty level, unemployment rates, and average household median incomes. Though dated, these demographic and economic indicators have likely
privately-owned buildings that provide studio spaces for small manufacturers and designers. In the former group of craft-based manufacturers, for example, is Bahdeebahdu, which is a studio and gallery space to showcase unique lighting and furniture designs for the design community. John Pomp Studios, one of the newer enterprises in the area, relocated its production space from Brooklyn because of Philadelphia’s affordable real estate environment and its easy access to regional
GMDC’s work demonstrates that their economic development model of targeting small manufacturers produces tangible results for places with underutilized manufacturing areas while simultaneously addressing physical and social aspects of development in de-industrialized cities. remained the same, if not gotten worse, due to the recent national economic crisis. Together, these maps provided the information for GMDC to build a stronger case for the compatibility and implementation of their economic development model in North Philadelphia. During the pre-development phase, GMDC found that there were a number of recently established small manufacturers and existing privatelyrun operations in North Philadelphia that have similar goals to GMDC. In the latter group, the Crane Arts Building and Global Dye Works are
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markets. John Pomp Studios manufactures custom hand-blown glass works, as well as metal and lighting sculptures. What is unique about GMDC is that they would be the first to establish a nonprofit industrial developer in this arena, centering a social component to their project. GMDC’s pre-development planning phase for its Philadelphia Project is building momentum as the organization continues to assess properties of interest and collaborate with local organizations. GMDC’s work demonstrates that their economic development model of targeting small
manufacturers produces tangible results for places with underutilized manufacturing areas while simultaneously addressing physical and social aspects of development in de-industrialized cities. Physically, this model is a place-based strategy because it prompts adaptive reuse of supposedly archaic industrial buildings and preserves historic architecture. Fortunately, economic development conversations in Philadelphia are already recognizing the role of manufacturing as part of the equation to the success of the city. Rather than viewing all industrial zones as places of obsolescence, the existing assets in these areas can serve as fodder for innovation and economic development (Christopherson, 2009). The current work of city agencies and PIDC’s industrial land use survey have the potential to incorporate this type of economic development approach within a larger comprehensive planning strategy as they reshape the city’s zoning code.
Recovering Manufacturing The familiar narrative about manufacturing in the U.S. is one that begins at the turn of the 20th century. Manufacturing gave us prosperity; it was the foundation for this country’s global economic power. The growth of manufacturing during the industrialization of the United States expanded the economic mobility for many citizens by creating a robust middle class. Quickly, manufacturing ramped up at unprecedented scales to meet the demands of mass production, particularly in the automobile industry. During WWII and the postwar years, cities in the Northeast and Midwest became industrial strongholds. With a strong manufacturing base, cities like Philadelphia