DVRPC News: Special Issue

Special Issue
2010

Celebrating Excellence

Dignitaries, public and private sector leaders, and representatives of local, state, and federal government gathered on May 20th to mark DVRPC's 9th Annual Celebration of Regional Excellence, held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Philadelphia.

Lauding the extraordinary contributions to the region of our five honorees, DVRPC Board members presented the awards and provided a perspective of the hard work and dedication exhibited by each individual and organization.

The Honorable Michael Nutter, Mayor of Philadelphia, joined in the applause, citing the years Joseph Manko, the Regional Leader of the Year, and he had spent in promoting a regional perspective. Mayor Nutter also noted DVRPC's role in moving the Delaware Valley toward a vital and economically stable future.

This Year's Regional Excellence Awardees were:

Regional Leader of the Year: Joseph M. Manko, Esq.
Presented By: The Honorable Michael Nutter Mayor, City of Philadelphia

Regional Transportation Program of the Year: The Port Authority Transit Corporation (PATCO)
Presented By: The Honorable Louis J. Cappelli Jr., Esq. Freeholder Director, Camden County Board of Chosen Freeholders and DVRPC Board Chair
Accepted By: John H. Estey, DRPA Board Chair Jeffrey Nash, DRPA Board Vice Chair John Matheussen, CEO, Delaware River Port Authority Robert Box, General Manager, PATCO

Regional Environmental Program of the Year: The Keep It Green Coalition of New Jersey
Presented By: The Honorable Guiseppe (Joe) Chila Freeholder, Gloucester County Board of Chosen Freeholders
Accepted By: Tom Gilbert, Chair, The Keep It Green Coalition of New Jersey and Director, Regional Conservation Services, Trust for Public Land Kelly Mooij, Campaign Coordinator, The Keep It Green Coalition of New Jersey, and Director, Government Relations, Conservation Department, New Jersey Audubon Society

Regional Economic Development Program of the Year: Montgomery County's Economic Development Initiative
Presented By: The Honorable Carol Aichele Commissioner, Chester County
Accepted By: Joseph M. Hoeffel, Commissioner, Montgomery County Kenneth Klothen, Director, Economic Development, Montgomery County

Regional Land Use Project of the Year: The Piazza at Schmidts
Presented By: Joanne R. Denworth Pennsylvania Governor's Policy Office
Accepted By: Bart Blatstein, President, Tower Investments Inc.

FY2010 Transportation Community Development Initiative Grants

In Fiscal Year 2010, DVRPC awarded over $1.6 million to 28 municipalities in Pennsylvania and New Jersey through the Transportation and Community Development Initiative (TCDI) Program. In New Jersey, 16 municipalities received a total of $1,000,000, and in Pennsylvania, 12 municipalities received $620,000.

The TCDI program targets transportation investments in a sustainable way. Federal transportation funds are used to provide grants to local governments to create plans that link transportation improvements with land use strategies, enhance established communities, and build upon existing assets. The adoption of the TCDI program set in motion the ideology of coordinating regional transportation planning with local land use planning and decisionmaking.

TCDI creates more livable neighborhoods in the region's core cities and disadvantaged communities. Since 2002, DVRPC has provided almost $10 million in over 100 grants to communities across Greater Philadelphia. Perhaps most importantly, these grants have leveraged hundreds of millions of dollars in additional public and private investment to support the revitalization of these communities.

New Jersey

Burlington County ($228,400)

Bordentown Township: Light Rail Station - $75,000
Pemberton Township: Browns Mill Form-Based Code - $28,400
Moorestown Township: Parking Plan - $50,000
Mt. Holly Township: Redevelopment Market and Feasibility Analysis - $75,000

Camden County ($223,000)

City of Camden: Economic Development Strategy - $48,000
Camden County Improvement Authority: Broadway District Overlay - $40,000
Merchantville / Pennsauken,: West Maple Neighborhood Revitalization - $60,000
Haddon Heights Borough: Form-Based Code - $75,000

Gloucester County ($318,600)

Gloucester County: South Jersey Transit Expansion Vision Plan - $100,000
Glassboro Borough: Public Space Destinations - $50,000
Pitman Borough: Downtown Revitalization Plan - $75,000
City of Woodbury: Neighborhood Conservation Plan - $70,000
Wenonah Borough: Traffic Circulation and Parking Management - $23,600

Mercer County ($230,000)

City of Trenton: Fostering TOD - $75,000
Lawrence Township: Brunswick Pike Redevelopment Area - $55,000
East Windsor Township: Route 33 Revitalization - $100,000

Pennsylvania

Bucks County ($100,000)

Bensalem Township: East Coast Greenway/Master Plan - $60,000
New Hope Borough (Landmark Towns of Bucks County): Bicycle Strategy - $40,000

Chester County ($68,000)

Caln Township (Coatesville Area School District): Economic Development Study - $60,000
Phoenixville Borough: Wayfinding Study - $8,000

Delaware County ($100,000)

Marcus Hook Borough: Transit Revitalization Investment District - $50,000
Millbourne Borough: Station Area TOD Planning - $50,000

Montgomery County ($170,000)

Norristown Borough: Intermodal Connections - $45,000
Pottstown Borough: High Street Corridor - $65,000
Upper Moreland Township: Willow Grove Train Station Feasibility Study - $60,000

Philadelphia ($182,000)

City of Philadelphia: Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan for West / Southwest Philadelphia - $62,000
City of Philadelphia: Complete Streets Handbook - $60,000
City of Philadelphia: Urban Design / Physical Planning Services - $60,000

Special thanks to the 2010 sponsors for making this year's Celebration of Regional Excellence possible.

Platinum

Delaware River Port Authority

Gold

McCormick Taylor
Urban Engineers, Inc.

Silver

Advanced Audio Visual
AECOM
American Equity Properties
Aqua Pennsylvania, Inc.
Boardman Hamilton Company
CSX
eXude Benefits Group
Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce
Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation
Jane and Leonard Korman Family
Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox, LLP
Michael Baker Jr., Inc.
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Pennoni Associates
Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency
Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT)
Philadelphia Regional Port Authority
Temple University Ambler

Pewter

Accor Services USA
American College of Physicians
BAE Systems ADR
Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson
McMahon Associates, Inc.
Portfolio Associates, Inc.
Raymond Coleman Heinold, LLP
SMS Rail Services
The Redvelopment Authority of Bucks County
Traffic Club of Philadelphia
Urban Land Institute
Wallace, Roberts & Todd, LLC

Special Contributor

Judy Munroe