Real Estate Journal — Pennsylvania — July 14 - 27, 2017 — 3C
www.marejournal.com
M id A tlantic
P ennsylvania In conjunction with Schuylkill Yards Brandywine Realty Trust unveils $5.6 million Neighborhood Engagement Initiative
hiladelphia, PA — Brandywine Re- alty Trust (Brandy- wine) announced a $5.6 mil- lion job creation and commu- nity engagement program as part of Phase I of its Schuylkill Yards development in Univer- sity City. In developing this program, Brandywine worked collab- oratively with neighborhood groups and stakeholders to create Philadelphia’s largest and most innovative neighbor- hood engagement initiative to date. Through a combination of direct program implemen- tation and grant funding, this comprehensive program ad- dresses multiple areas of stat- ed community need including (1) small, local, and minority business development; (2) job creation and career advance- ment; (3) affordable housing and housing preservation; (4) community organization capacity building; and (5) edu- cational support. “A key component of Bran- dywine’s mission is active support of the communities in which we operate,” said Jerry Sweeney , president and CEO of Brandywine Realty Trust, “It’s important that our proj- ects not only serve our inves- tors and partners, but also the communities that house them. This initiative emphasizes Brandywine’s commitment to working closely with commu- nity stakeholders to improve Philadelphia’s neighborhoods, and ensure Schuylkill Yards serves as a bridge to West Philadelphia communities.” Brandywine’s Neighbor- hood Engagement Initiative will engage, employ, and help strengthenWest Philadelphia. The initiative is designed to provide capital and capacity to local and minority busi- nesses; employ local workers; provide needed job training and workforce advancement; preserve and add to the hous- ing stock for all income levels; and encourage community organizations to fully engage in all aspects of their neighbor- hood development. Mayor Jim Kenney praised Brandywine’s announcement, “I’m particularly excited to see Brandywine’s commitment to apprenticeship opportu- nities and career advance- ment, which complement the Penn Assist program and the workforce diversity model that my Administration and P
City Council plan to adopt for Rebuild. Through this model, men and women will be given real opportunities to learn a trade, and to earnmoney while they learn. And just as impor- tantly, Philadelphians who haven’t yet benefitted from our city’s recent development and construction boom, will have the opportunity to partake.” “The investment Brandy- wine Realty Trust is making in the people and the commu- nities of West Philadelphia is commendable. In leading the Construction Apprentice Pre- paratory Program, I am able
to see first-hand the direct impact this initiative is having on each individual involved and the sense of pride they gain upon graduating from the program and at their first day on the job,” said Walter McGill, executive director of the Construction Advance- ment and Placement Program (CAPP). “Because of this ini- tiative, many men and women will be granted the opportu- nity to build and re-shape the communities they grew up in, providing a more sustainable future for their families and neighbors.” n
Schuylkill Yards
integrating the ART of landscape architecture with the SCIENCE of civil engineering
Lime Spring Square, Lancaster
www. rg s a s s oc i a te s . com
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker