West Philly's regeneration. An urban design approach for the regeneration of West Philadelphia promise zone

The West Philadelphia’s neighborhoods of Mantua and Belmont are facing social and economical problems impacting the quality of the urban environment and the life of the inhabitants. Recognized by the President Obama as the first’s Promise Zone for economic development, the area has the need of physical design interventions to solve the main community needs: high poverty rate, crimes, low employment, high long-term vacancy and low educational attainment. The central location of the area, close to vibrant neighborhoods such as Center City and University City, make it suitable for attracting resources and investments. The neighborhoods are also surrounded by some of Philadelphia’s largest institutions like the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, Philadelphia Zoo and Fairmont park. The city of Philadelphia is experiencing a dynamic urban planning phase with the redaction of the District Plans according to the Citywide Vision Philadelphia 2035, the main strategic document defining the guidelines for the future of the city. The West Philadelphia District Plan that is not yet started, is a great occasion for a concrete and efficient project to be insert in the strategic vision. In consideration of all above, on one hand the critical situation of the neighborhood and on the other the capacity of attracting resources and the active planning phase are the perfect ingredients for the definition of an urban regeneration project. A comprehensive approach, typical of the urban regeneration strategy, is simply what the Promise Zone Application Narrative recognize as the crucial need, defining it as: collective impact approach. The urban regeneration plan proposed in this thesis is based on the physical interventions in the urban environment as the engine for the social and economical transformation. Including the different initiatives, actors and resources in one single strategic plan is the solution for solving the community needs on one side and also give to the city a new centrality. Taking into consideration the general objectives of the 2035 Plan and the resources of the Promise Zone initiative, the project provides a sustainable vision for the future of Mantua and Belmont neighborhoods.