The Girard Coalition, Inc. is a broad coalition of over
50 neighborhood groups, businesses and major
institutions along Girard Avenue, a major east-west
artery in Philadelphia, who have come together to
stimulate commerce, increase foot traffic, and grow the
population of the Avenue, creating a vibrant and
exciting commercial corridor.
The Girard Coalition's target area goes from I-95 on the East to 33rd Street on the West.
Girard Avenue is a prime location for commercial development, nestled between Temple University and Center City. Additionally, on September 4, 2005, Philadelphia's regional transit provider SEPTA, reopened the historic Route 15 trolley, which runs the length of the Avenue. The Coalition seeks to use this new rail linkage and other new investments to stabilize the improvement that has already occurred, and use it as an economic driver for the area.
The Girard Coalition's target area goes from I-95 on the East to 33rd Street on the West.
Girard Avenue is a prime location for commercial development, nestled between Temple University and Center City. Additionally, on September 4, 2005, Philadelphia's regional transit provider SEPTA, reopened the historic Route 15 trolley, which runs the length of the Avenue. The Coalition seeks to use this new rail linkage and other new investments to stabilize the improvement that has already occurred, and use it as an economic driver for the area.
Breaking News (Click + signs to expand and - signs to collapse.)
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December 2006
- December 7, 2006 December 16, 2006 Winter Festival Brochure available for download.
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June 2006
- June 7, 2006 Spring 2006 Issue of Girard Coalition, Inc. Newsletter available for download.
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May 2006
- May 22, 2006 PENNDOT District 6 has posted information on the design for the new Girard Avenue Interchange at I-95. A PENNDOT status report is also available. While a start date is not provided, work should not start for several years.
- May 22, 2006 The Girard Coalition, Inc. announces a Workshop on June 8, 2006 at 6:00 p.m. at St. Augustine Presbyterian Church at 27th Street and Girard Avenue titled Marketing Your Retail Business on a Shoestring Budget Whether you have a huge million dollar business or a small shop, this workshop will give you tools and tips designed to get you the maximum bang for your marketing buck. Come and learn how to avoid blowing money on marketing methods that don't work. Register today by calling Angel Coleman at 215-825-8821 or by e-mail at acoleman@girardcoalition.org
- May 17, 2006 The Girard Coalition, Inc. is working with Girard Avenue merchants and those surrounding the Avenue to launch the Passport to Savings promotion. The promotion is scheduled to begin on Thursday June 1st and will run until Saturday December 30th. Customers will receive a card valid for various discounts at participating merchant locations. There will be an announcement lunch to launch the promotion on Thursday June 1st at 12:00 noon at the newly opened Italian restaurant Bussola. The restaurant is located at 1176 N. 3rd Street on the corner of Girard Avenue and N. 3rd Street.
- May 11, 2006 The City of Philadelphia's Department of Commerce has been awarded $1 million in funding by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania under the Home Town Streets Program for the Mid-East Girard Avenue Streetscape Project to install new curbs, lights, sidewalks, bump-outs and trees along the corridor from Susquehanna Avenue to Front Street. Earlier funding was awarded to do streetscape improvements on Girard Avenue for the area between Front Street to 7th Street. Work on the area between Front Street to 7th Street is planned to start during the summer of 2006. Work in the area from Susquehanna Avenue to Front Street is planned for 2007.
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April 2006
- April 19, 2006 Join the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program as they celebrate the installation of "Metamorphosis" on May 1, 2006 at 5:30 p.m. at Girard Avenue at 31st Street.
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March 2006
- March 31, 2006 The Girard Coalition, Inc. will present "Marketing your Retail Business on a Shoestring Budget", the second of several merchant workshops, on Thursday April 20, 2006. The workshop is scheduled to take place at the St. Augustine Presbyterian Church located at 2701 W. Girard Avenue and will run from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Maven, Inc. marketing consultant Iola Harper will facilitate the workshop. To register for this Free workshop, future workshops, or for more information about the Girard Coalition, Inc., please contact Angel Coleman, Community Organizer, by phone at 215.825.8821 or by email at acoleman@girardcoalition.org. Please register by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday April 19, 2006. Walk-ins are welcome.
- March 27, 2006. Girard Crossing Installation. Installation of the Girard Crossing Metamorphosis project. Five ornamental sculptures of butterflies and dragonflies were installed at Girard Avenue and N. 31st Street. LISC, Westrum Development Company, the William Penn Foundation, and the Mural Arts Program partnered with the Girard Coalition on this project.
- March 27, 2006. Mill work has started on Girard Avenue from Broad Street going east to the I-95 entrance. The work involves tearing up the road surface in preparation for repaving. Expect lane closures. The project is projected to last one month and will not involve the area of the trolley tracks.
- March 24, 2006. Girard Avenue free Merchant Clinic and Business Design Days information posted.
- March 20, 2006. The March 2006 issue of the Girard Coalition, Inc. Merchant Newsletter is available.
- March 14, 2006. The first issue of the Girard Coalition, Inc. Merchant Newsletter from March 2006 is available.
- March 10, 2006. Girard Coalition, Inc. Announces March Promotion for Girard Avenue Businesses. Just in time for St. Patrick's Day the Girard Coalition, Inc. announces the "Show your 4-leaf clover and save!!!" promotion. Participating businesses will distribute 4-leaf clovers to customers and/or offer discounts or promotional items to customers that show their 4-leaf clovers.
- March 7, 2006. The Girard Coalition will be participating at the Hospitality Business Orientation hosted being held by the Philadelphia Hospitality Resources Panel to be held on March 13, 2006 from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. at Temple University in Center City at 1515 Market Street.
- March 1, 2006. Girard Avenue Available Real Estate page and map posted.
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February 2006
- February 6, 2006. Free Business Event: Extreme Storefront Makeovers Seminar on February 22, 2006 from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at the Althea Gibson Community Education and Tennis Center at 1000-38 W. Girard Ave. Free workshop for Girard Avenue merchants and property owners. Learn about ways to improve the appearance of your storefront, including facade improvements. Representatives from the City of Philadelphia will be available to discuss grant programs to help pay for improvements. Please RSVP to David L. Cohen at the Girard Coalition at (215) 825-8822 or dcohen@girardcoalition.org.
- February 2, 2006. Empowerment Zone and Renewal Community Information posted. Business and development incentive programs are available for properties located at certain addresses along Girard Avenue.
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January 2006
- January 30, 2006. Girard Coalition, Inc. Design Bulletins posted. These brief bulletins provide design examples and design guidance for Address Numerals, Signband Signs, Projecting Signs, Shopfront Windows, Shopfront Elements, Building Facades, Security, Parking Lot Edges, and Design Assistance.
- January 23, 2006. Wall of Rugs: the global language of textiles mural completed. Painted by Philadelphia-based textile/visual artist, Kathryn Pannepacker Location: N.W and S.E sides of street at Girard Avenue and Belmont Avenue. Size: Approx. 7 feet wide by 500 feet long. (45 panels total, each a painting of a textile from a different part of the world including Uganda, Panama, Spain, Ghana, Sierre Leone, Peru, Tibet, Turkmanistan, China.) Sponsored by the Mural Arts Program/City of Philadelphia and the Ford Foundation.
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November and December 2005
- December 29, 2005. Philadelphia Small Business Commercial Improvement Program form added to site.
- December 22, 2005. Santa Claus Visits Girard Avenue from 26th Street to 30th Street on Friday, December 23, 2005 at 4:00 p.m. See Santa Claus and get your children's picture taken with Santa Claus.
- December 5, 2005. Student Art Exhibition on the 133 Birthday of Philadelphia's Trolleys on display at local businesses from December 14 - December 20, 2005. Leidy Elementary School students. Sponsored by the West Girard Community Council.
- November 16, 2005. Philadelphia Weekly Article on Young's Candy on Girard Avenue since 1897.
- November 7, 2005. SEPTA Strike Ends, Route 15 Trolley Service to Restart.
If you would like to receive regular updates about the Girard Coalition, please e-mail info@girardcoalition.org
Updated 12.07.06
