reNewbold Breaks Ground
On Wednesday October 16, principles of LPMG, Postgreen Homes, Valley Green Bank, Councilman Kenyatta Johnson, and community leaders gathered to officially break ground at the site of reNewbold. reNewbold, at S. 16th St. and Moore St., is the single largest private investment in the West Broad neighborhood of Newbold in more than 50 years. The development of sixteen rowhomes, two condos, and one retail space is the only South Philadelphia project currently seeking platinum LEED certification. John Longacre, president of LPMG, opened the ceremony by noting the improvement in civic engagement and small business development in the neighborhood over the past decade. This new development of reNewbold will build on the success and significantly improve a site that once contained abandoned homes and an unused school building. Councilman Kenyatta Johnson spoke the crowd of fifty community members praising the work of LPMG and other groups and their contributions to the neighborhood development. Johnson also noted the work of long time leaders like Claudia Sherrod, President of the Point Breeze Community Development Coalition, who attended the ceremony. The Philadelphia Inquirer quoted the councilman on the reNewbold project, “It represents smart development and improves the quality of life in that area.” (Greener homes for South Philadelphia, Alison Burdo, Oct. 16, 2013) The ground breaking ceremony was followed by a community cook out where neighbors mingled to learn more about the development and the LEED certification.
