Title
Honoring and recognizing Larry Freedman for his tireless dedication to the City of Philadelphia and especially the Northern Liberties Neighborhood.
Body
WHEREAS, In 1986 Larry Freedman and his partner, Natalie Wieters, established their residence, sound studio, and art business on North 2nd Street in Northern Liberties. Larry quickly became an active member of the Northern Liberties Community, which was at the time seeing the first signs of rebirth after decades of population loss and disinvestment; and
WHEREAS, In 1987 Larry joined the Northern Liberties Neighbors Association (NLNA) Zoning Committee and in the early 1990s became its chair, a position he still holds today, helping to oversee community input into a staggering volume of new development, and helping to shape that development while preserving the community's fabric; and
WHEREAS, Larry served on the NLNA board of directors for many years, and co-founded the Northern Liberties Community Development Corporation, which redeveloped an historical building into the Garden Looms affordable housing project; and
WHEREAS, Larry was the prime mover in a multi-year effort to secure a permanent home for the NLNA, the Northern Liberties Community Center, and in helping raise approximately $1 million in donations, grants, and financing to complete the renovation of a group of abandoned, blighted properties into a community gathering space with tax-paying residential and commercial uses; and
WHEREAS, Larry secured donations enabling the NLNA to begin and sustain weekly sidewalk sweeping in the community; and
WHEREAS, Over the past three decades Larry has devoted tens of thousands of daytime, evening and weekend hours to help residents and business owners with problems, to mediate disagreements, and to mentor fellow NLNA board members and other community volunteers; and
WHEREAS, Larry has become the Dean of the City’s RCO zoning chairs, and a preeminent citizen authority on the City’s zoning and building codes, looked to and trusted by members of City Council, zoning and land-use attorneys, developers, business owners, and residents alike; and
WHEREAS, Larry is unfailingly fair, friendly, good-humored, and diligent, and he and Natalie are devoted, loving parents to their son Jesse; and
WHEREAS, Larry is a model citizen who has poured his heart, mind, hands, and financial resources into our City as a resident, business owner, and civic leader of whom all Philadelphians can be proud; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we honor and recognize Larry Freedman for his tireless dedication to making the City of Philadelphia a better place to live.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Larry Freedman as evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.
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