The PA Horticultural Society and the Philadelphia Department of Commerce Wednesday announced the winners of two “Neighborhood Placemaker Grants” for projects that will enhance public spaces and improve the beauty and environmental sustainability of their communities.

The winning organizations and their projects are:

— Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation will receive design support to update the 10th Street Plaza, at 10th and Vine Streets, and funding support to implement the first phase of improvements to this neighborhood gateway. PHS will contribute design services and project management, and Commerce will contribute $37,500 for capital improvements.

— Roxborough Development Corporation will receive funding support that will leverage other resources for the creation of the Roxborough Pocket Park at 6170-72 Ridge Ave. PHS will contribute technical assistance and material review and $12,000 toward capital improvements. Commerce will contribute $25,500 for capital improvements.

Each winner will receive $37,500 to support development and construction of its project and services from PHS.

The Neighborhood Placemaker Grant program was launched in 2015 and since its inception has awarded $150,000 in funding and more than $50,000 in in-kind professional design services to five projects in Philadelphia neighborhoods.

A request for Letters of Interest is typically announced in November.

The Neighborhood Placemaker Grants are part of the larger PHS Civic Landscapes program. For the last four decades, PHS has transformed public landscapes and neighborhood open spaces into the region’s premier sites and destinations.

With funding from the William Penn Foundation, PHS has created a plan that will guide the organization and its partners in creating the region’s next great landscapes. The goal of the Neighborhood Placemaker Grants is to support the creation of beautiful public spaces that have a long-term impact on their communities.

The program is offered with funding support from the City of Philadelphia Department of Commerce as part of the city’s strategy to foster vibrant neighborhood commercial corridors.

For more information, visit the PA Horticultural Society’s Neighborhood Placemaker Grants webpage.  Click Here to receive regular updates from PHS.

7/11/2016