City of Philadelphia - File #: 130545

• File #: 130545
• Version: 0
• Type: Resolution
• Status: ADOPTED
• File created: 6/13/2013
• In control: Committee on Education
• Title: Authorizing the City Council Committee on Education to hold public hearings to investigate strategies and offer recommendations for the adaptive reuse of school buildings that will become shuttered as a result of recent school closures, mergers and relocations and urging the Administration to include Councilmembers in all efforts to work with the School District of Philadelphia, City agencies, communities, and developers in repurposing those buildings.
• Sponsors: Councilmember Reynolds Brown, Councilmember Blackwell, Councilmember Quiñones Sánchez, Councilmember Jones, Councilmember O'Brien, Councilmember Kenney, Councilmember Greenlee, Councilmember Goode, Councilmember Green, Councilmember Johnson, Council President Clarke, Councilmember Bass, Councilmember Henon, Councilmember Oh, Councilmember Squilla, Councilmember O'Neill

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
6/13/2013	0	CITY COUNCIL	Introduced and Ordered Placed on This Week's Final Passage Calendar	Pass
6/13/2013	0	CITY COUNCIL	ADOPTED & REFERRED

Title
Authorizing the City Council Committee on Education to hold public hearings to investigate strategies and offer recommendations for the adaptive reuse of school buildings that will become shuttered as a result of recent school closures, mergers and relocations and urging the Administration to include Councilmembers in all efforts to work with the School District of Philadelphia, City agencies, communities, and developers in repurposing those buildings.

Body
WHEREAS, The School Reform Commission has voted to close 23 schools in the School District of Philadelphia for the 2013-2014 school year, with the likelihood that more school closures are imminent; and

WHEREAS, The shuttering of such a large number of schools in a short period of time presents a challenge to the School District with respect to finding new uses for those buildings; and

WHEREAS, It is important that studies for adaptive reuses be performed in a timely manner to avoid blight in communities and public safety concerns; and

WHEREAS, According to Harris Steinberg, FAIA, of the University of Pennsylvania's School of Design, the School District of Philadelphia is not alone in confronting this problem, and numerous school closings will be occurring in cities across the nation, including Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, Washington D.C. and Cincinnati; and

WHEREAS, A study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Design revealed that only 25 percent of the closed schools are located in strong real estate markets with the remaining 75 percent located in transitional or weak markets; and

WHEREAS, The Mayor has directed Deputy Mayor Alan Greenberger to organize an effort, with the School District and appropriate City agencies, to develop a plan for the repurposing of shuttered school buildings; and

WHEREAS, In view of the number of school closings, their dispersal throughout the City and the glut of newly vacated buildings, the effects of school closures...