8.1.2021

DAG Dispatch

By Lachelle Weathers, DAG Fellow

Start the week off with a wrap up of Philadelphia area news, public proposals, and happenings in the world of design, architecture, and planning. Follow us @designadvocacy on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and subscribe to our email list to keep up with DAG Dispatch. Articles are shared to spark dialogue and keep our members informed, and do not represent DAG’s endorsement of an idea or project.

Philadelphia’s rental assistance program has been in its fourth phase for quite some time, but on Saturday the application process closed. Mayor Jim Kenney took to the news this past week to urge residents to apply. However with a large number of applications in the queue, there will be some time before decisions are made.

 

 

Although Philadelphia’s Rental Assistance Program may have ended, the city’s Black clergy may be able to help. They are coming out to support tenants as the federal moratorium that has shielded renters from eviction comes to an end. The community sticks together to help those in need!

 

The AIA has announced the winners of the 2021  AIA/ Academy of Architecture for Health Design Awards! Six projects were selected that were intended to address social needs while also integrating sustainability goals; among them was the Penn Medicine Radnor in Philadelphia by Ballinger. 

 

A 5G cellular network requires an intense amount of small cell site installations across the city in order to ensure full coverage. Some of these installs are fairly miniscule and might not have much of an effect on the surrounding buildings. However, in a city such as Philadelphia which is rich in historic properties these installations have to be monitored more closely and the public may have a say.


The Furness Bank site, an architectural staple admired by many in Fishtown, will soon be getting a makeover! As the intersection of Frankford and Girard continues to gain commercial traction, plans have developed to convert this property into 55 residential units, with a large commercial/retail space on the ground floor so that more Philadelphians can enjoy its interior.