What We're Reading: Week of November 29, 2021

Here's what we're reading this week about the projects, people and policies driving local development:

Inquirer: Council President Darrell L. Clarke wants to give lawmakers more influence over development

by Sean Collins Walsh, Updated December 6, 2021

View The Development Workshop's Testimony before the Law & Government Committee here

The City of Philadelphia released an announcement that Frank DiCicco was stepping down as Chair of the Zoning Board of Adjustments, and will be replaced by William (Bill) Bergman, who is retiring from a long career at Temple, including overseeing development and operations of the main campus

by the Mayor's Office of Communications, November 29, 2021

The Philadelphia Business Journal traces Bernardon’s national search for a merger partner, that brought them right back to the Philadelphia metropolitan area to launch its national growth

by Natalie Kostelni, November 30, 2021

The Philadelphia Business Journal tracks how the region’s housing market is unlike national averages in year another way, as fewer single family homes are being bought locally by national investment funds than in similarly sized regions

by Ashley Fahey and Ryan Mulligan, November 26, 2021

Philadelphia Business Journal: Lubert Adler’s plans for the iconic Bellevue Stratford at Broad and Walnut, including a $100 million dollar in upgrades, are described by the Business Journal as a crown jewel in their “distressed property” rejuvenation fund that includes redevelopment of the former PECO power plant on the Delaware River

by Natalie Kostelni, November 19, 2021

The Pew Charitable Trusts released a study on rental code enforcement in Philadelphia, including comparisons with peer cities

by Pew's Philadelphia Research and Policy Project, November 18, 2021

Philadelphia Business Journal: After exceeding their multi-year fundraising goal by $1.3 billion, Penn is embarking on major expansion of its research and teaching facilities, and faculty positions in medicine and engineering, to further its leading edge in areas including immunology, gene therapy, cellular technology, and address to climate change and energy generation and storage

by Kennedy Rose, November 17, 2021

The Inquirer notes that the appointment of Ryan Boyer, the first Black leader of the Building Trade Council, to replace John Dougherty, as a sign of hope that the building trades will make more progress in expanding racial diversity among the ranks of the building trades membership

by Juliana Feliciano Reyes and Max Marin, Updated November 17, 2021

Philadelphia Business Journal reports that Philly Shipyard has secured a $179 million contract to build its first vessel to work on off shore wind turbines, with the possibility of doubling that contract

by Michael Potter, November 16, 2021

The Philadelphia Water Department celebrates 10 years of its Green City/Clean Waters plan, reducing stormwater runoff including from backyards and large commercial projects, and increasing training and jobs related to stormwater mitigation

by the PWD, November 2021

Next City: Backyard’s reporting asks the question “if you design it, will they build”, and finds out that designing for “missing middle” housing in Norfolk did not result in it being built

by Cinnamon Janzer, October 21, 2021

Philadelphia Business Journal: The national Business Journals team reports on the rise of office to apartment conversion, with the Philadelphia market having the sixth highest number of such units; hotel to apartment conversions are also on the rise

by Ashley Fahey, October 11, 2021