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Philadelphia Housing Authority Breaks Ground For Energy Efficient Housing
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The Philadelphia Housing Authority kicked off its effort to beautify Philadelphia's gateway from Delaware County with the groundbreaking of Paschall Village in southwest Philadelphia this week. The new 100-home development, featuring the latest in green technologies, is scheduled to be completed in October, 2011, replacing the antiquated Paschall Apartments, which was demolished earlier this year.
"We are proud to be transforming this formerly crime-ravaged neighborhood into what will be a safe, modern, efficient community," said PHA Executive Director Carl Greene. "Paschall Village will provide an attractive network of open streets, which will create a greater sense of community and strengthen the neighborhood's residential character."
The first stage of the development will offer 100 rental homes and apartments from one to three bedrooms. Twenty of these homes will be handicapped accessible. Construction will include a 4,000 square foot community center and management office building, including a computer lab. A second stage of development is also planned.
Paschall Village will be PHA's most ambitious green project thus far. It will utilize central geothermal heating and cooling, bamboo flooring, solar domestic hot water, a rainwater harvesting/irrigation system and Energy Star fixtures and equipment.
According to Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency CEO Brian Hudson, who helped arrange the tax credits for construction, "Paschall Village will be a model for future developments."
Juanita Davis, a former Paschall resident, praised the housing authority for "making Philadelphia a more beautiful place to live" by rebuilding the development. Davis took advantage of PHA educational programs and homeownership training and will not be returning to live in Paschall Village, but instead living in a home that she has purchased.
She used her place on the podium to urge housing residents to follow her lead. "PHA is not only about housing. It offers the same programs that I have taken to buy my house at the age of 55."
Construction for Paschall Village will run $38 million. A third of the cost is coming from stimulus dollars. PHA is in the midst of a wave of neighborhood changing construction projects, spurred by the stimulus program and PHA's long-term plan for replacing old public housing with modern communities.
Paschall Village is located in the Cobb's Creek Parkway neighborhood bound by 72nd Street, Paschall Avenue, Cobb's Creek Parkway and Lloyd Street.
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8/16/2010 |
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