INSTITUTE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

HOUSING & NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATIONIN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CHESTER COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (CCIP), RADC IS FOCUSING ON PROVIDING QUALITY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ELIMINATING BLIGHT AND REVITALIZING NEIGHBORHOODS. IN THE PAST FISCAL YEAR, THE EMPHASIS HAS BEEN ON DEVELOPING THE GRACE MANOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORTING CCIP IN ITS EFFORTS TO UNDERTAKE A RESIDENT DRIVEN PLANNING PROCESS FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD SURROUNDING THE NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT. -GRACE MANOR NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION PROJECTTHE GRACE MANOR NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION PROJECT CONSISTS OF DEVELOPING TEN UNITS OF AFFORDABLE FOR SALE HOUSING AND ADDRESSING NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING CONCERNS. RADC IS WORKING WITH CCIP TO IMPROVE HOUSING CONDITIONS THROUGH ITS FAADE AND CAMERA INITIATIVES IN THE BLOCKS SURROUNDING THE NEW HOUSING. A DEMONSTRATION HOME REPAIR PROGRAM WILL BE DEVELOPED TO ASSIST LOW-INCOME OWNER OCCUPANTS WITHIN THE TARGET AREA AS WELL.THE GOAL OF THE GRACE MANOR NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION PROJECT IS TO PROMOTE QUALITY AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN CHESTER. THIS PROJECT WILL MEET THIS GOAL BY CONSTRUCTING NEW HOMES FOR FIRST TIME, LOW- AND MODERATE-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS. INTERESTED BUYERS WILL BE REQUIRED TO ATTEND PRE-PURCHASE COUNSELING AND, IF ELIGIBLE, WILL RECEIVE DOWN PAYMENT AND CLOSING COST ASSISTANCE THROUGH CHESTER'S HOMEBUYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. THE GRACE MANOR NEIGHBORHOOD PROJECT CONSISTS OF ADDRESSING HOUSING AND OTHER RESIDENT NEEDS IN A TARGET AREA SURROUNDING THE NEW DEVELOPMENT. CCIP IS CURRENTLY ENGAGED IN A NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING PROCESS THAT INCLUDES A VARIETY OF STAKEHOLDERS. HOUSING HAS BEEN A MAJOR ISSUE MENTIONED BY RESIDENTS AND SUPPORTED BY DATA. AS SUCH, FAADE IMPROVEMENTS, SIMILAR TO THE PROGRAM RADC HAS UNDERTAKEN IN SEVERAL OTHER CHESTER NEIGHBORHOODS, MAY BE A PART OF THE INVESTMENT NEEDED TO STRENGTHEN THIS COMMUNITY. THERE IS ALSO A PENT-UP DEMAND FOR HOUSING REHABILITATION ASSISTANCE.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTIN THE LAST FISCAL YEAR, RADC MADE A GOOD DEAL OF PROGRESS ON IMPROVING STREETSCAPES AND TRAILS ALONG THE CHESTER WATERFRONT AND ENHANCING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN RESIDENTS AND THE DELAWARE RIVER. THIS PROGRESS INCLUDES COMPLETING THE REMAINING CONCRETE WORK ON THE UNIT AND 100 BLOCKS OF REANEY STREET NOW THAT THE UTILITY POLES HAVE BEEN RELOCATED, FINISHING THE DESIGN OF THE COMPLETE STREETS ON HIGHLAND AVENUE AND SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETING THE DESIGN WORK FOR THE NORRIS STREET CONNECTOR TO THE EAST COAST GREENWAY. NOW THAT THE DESIGN OF THE HIGHLAND AVENUE IMPROVEMENTS IS FINISHED, THE IMPROVEMENTS AND TRAIL INSTALLATION HAS BEEN PUT OUT TO BID AND WILL SOON BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION. -WEST 2ND STREET (ROUTE 291) IMPROVEMENTS CHESTER WATERFRONT TRAILRADC IS WORKING ON DESIGN AND FINANCING FOR CONSTRUCTION OF A MULTI-USE, OFF-ROAD PATH AND GREEN STORMWATER LANDSCAPED STRIP ALONG ROUTE 291 (WEST 2ND STREET) FROM HIGHLAND AVE TO NORRIS ST TO ENHANCE PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE SAFETY AND CONNECT RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS TO THE DELAWARE RIVER WATERFRONT. THE CURRENT LAND, LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF ROUTE 291, WILL BE RECLAIMED TO COMPLETE A FULLY CONSTRUCTED 2.9-MILE LOOP OF PUBLIC RECREATION SPACE. THE NEW TRAIL LOOP SEGMENT, THE ROUTE 291 CONNECTIVITY CORRIDOR, WILL CONNECT WITH THE EXISTING TRAIL SEGMENTS ALONG HIGHLAND AVENUE AND NORRIS STREET THAT CONNECT WITH THE EAST COAST GREENWAY TRAIL ALONG THE DELAWARE RIVER WATERFRONT TO CREATE THIS LOOP.THE PROJECT WILL ADD A TRAIL ALONG THE EXISTING 4-LANE CORRIDOR WITH CENTER TURNING LANE, TRANSFORMING IT FROM A HIGH-SPEED, BARE CONCRETE ROADWAY TO A MULTI-USE TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR WITH OPTIONS WHICH WILL FUEL THE GROWTH OF THE CHESTER WATERFRONT AREA WHILE ALSO IMPROVING THE SAFETY AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WORK, LIVE, AND VISIT THE CITY.USING WATERFRONT TAX CREDITS AND OTHER SOURCES OF FINANCING, RADC IS FUNDING THE LAND ACQUISITION PIECE AS WELL AS MANAGING THE DESIGN PROCESS. -WATERFRONT PROGRAMMING, COMMUNITY WORKDAYS & EVENTSIN THE SPRING OF 2025, RADC IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PARTNERSHIP FOR THE DELAWARE ESTUARY (PDE) AND OTHER LOCAL COMMUNITY-BASED PARTNERS PLANNED ITS THIRD DELAWARE RIVER FESTIVAL. THIS FESTIVAL HAS BEEN HELD IN PHILADELPHIA AND IN CAMDEN FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND PDE DECIDED TO EXPAND IT TO THE CHESTER WATERFRONT. RADC PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN ORGANIZING AND PROMOTING THE EVENT THAT WAS HELD THIS YEAR IN THE UNION YARDS LOCATION NEAR THE SUBARU PARK SOCCER STADIUM. WHILE THE EVENT HAS AN ENVIRONMENTAL FOCUS, IT ALSO INCLUDES FOOD TRUCKS, LOCAL DANCE TROUPES AND A D.J. THE GOAL IS TO BRING LOCAL RESIDENTS TO THE WATERFRONT.IN ADDITION TO THE CHESTER RIVER FESTIVAL, RADC SUPPORTED VOLUNTEER TREE PLANTING ACTIVITIES WITH THE CHESTER SHADE TREE COMMISSION. THIS YEAR, THE CHESTER SHADE TREE COMMISSION WORKED WITH A CONTRACTOR TO INSTALL SIDEWALK TREE PITS. BARE ROOT TREES, PROVIDED BY THE PENNSYLVANIA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY (PHS), WERE PLANTED BY VOLUNTEERS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WILLING PROPERTY OWNERS.