Campus expansion draws
Parkwood residents’ ire

By Jon Campisi
Times Staff Writer

Representatives of Community College of Philadelphia got an earful from residents last week during a meeting of the Parkwood Civic Association.
A presentation by the college on its proposed expansion of the Northeast Regional Center at Townsend and McNulty roads was cut short when some neighbors raised issues about the plan during the April 17 meeting.
Much of the concerns were related to aesthetics, additional impervious or paved surfaces to accommodate more vehicles, noise generated from the site and more lighting.
"We’re not talking about someone who is worried about the neighborhood, they’re worried about learning," Parkwood resident Ray Kampf said, making a generalization about those who would use the center.
A frustrated Kampf said certain parts of the site already collect litter, and he is afraid more space for the college would create an opportunity for more loose refuse.
Kampf also took issue with the fact that neighbors have voiced similar concerns about the site for the past 10 years — concerns he believes have fallen on deaf ears.
"They were all hollow promises," he said. "Everything that was promised did not come true."
In addition, Kampf said it was disconcerting to know that the college will most likely go ahead with its plans despite neighborhood outcry.
Gary Bixby, director of facilities planning and construction manager at CCP, sought to quell some of those concerns and clear up any misconceptions.
"It doesn’t mean we’re going to turn a deaf ear and say, ‘tough on you; this is how we’re going to do it,’" said Bixby, who vowed to work with the neighbors and the civic association to resolve any conflict.
"We are going to work through this with this community," he said.
Bixby, who noted that he lives in the area, disputed Kampf’s charge that users of the center would have no stake in the community.
And he said the college’s intent is to actually have the facility used by not just students, but community members as well.
"We really do want to say, ‘this is the community we’re serving,’ " he said.
Anthony Twyman, public relations coordinator for the college, added that the concerns raised were well noted.
"I’m jotting everything down. They’re not going on deaf ears," he promised. "I’m listening intently."
He added that despite Kampf’s comments about the project being a "done deal," the college is more than willing to work with the community.
"It’s not a done deal," he said. "If it was, we wouldn’t be here."
The project is, however, a long way from coming to fruition, which college representatives admitted. For starters, the college has not yet appeared before the city’s Zoning Board of Adjustment, although officials admitted they don’t yet know if a zoning variance will be needed to construct the additional 57,000-square-feet of space that they seek.
They are also in the process of obtaining a construction permit, yet another aspect that could take some time.
The Northeast Regional Center currently measures 60,000 square feet, and the goal is to have an end result of 117,000 square feet, Twyman said. He noted that that figure will include parking lots and landscaping, and is not strictly building square footage.
In addition to the three-story addition, the plan calls for renovations to the existing building, which opened in June 1995.
According to officials, the idea behind the expansion is to accommodate for growing enrollment, as well as meet the needs of today’s student body.
Tom Hawk, vice president of planning and finance for CCP, told the civic group that with the building expansion comes an expansion of the center’s programming, such as greater science laboratory space.
The plans also call for a "one-stop center" that will consolidate all enrollment functions to a specific locale. Other features will include building-wide wireless Internet access; a common area complete with study rooms, library instruction lab and student academic computing center; a large multipurpose room that is open to both students and outside community members and businesses; and an expanded cafeteria complete with an Internet cafe and a coffee bar that architect Thomas Fantacone referred to as the "kind of Starbucks and Barnes & Noble paradigm."
Officials have also labeled the addition a "green building," since components such as a green roof will showcase the college’s commitment to environmental friendliness.
"We’re trying to be very environmentally responsible in the design," Hawk said.
Fantacone, the architect, said internal road access will also be upgraded, since the center currently experiences traffic-flow issues. He said in the past, there has been "pedestrian and vehicular conflict," something that will hopefully be alleviated with a new roadway configuration.
The plan also provides for 150 new parking spaces, additional security and more lighting, although engineer Christopher Jensen said the latter shouldn’t worry neighbors since it will be dim, as part of an attempt to satisfy environmental standards.
"The reality is, it’s going to be a state-of-the-art site," Jensen said. "I can assure you that it will be an attractive design."
But no amount of assurance seemed to satisfy the few people who spoke up against the plan.
"We know it’s going to be beautiful; it’s nice," said Parkwood resident Tom Mastromarco. "(But) what are you going to do about our concerns?"
Parkwood Civic Association president Mike Hatala said many of the neighbors had valid, quality-of-life concerns, although he admitted the reaction came as a bit of a shock.
"We weren’t aware of all the opposition, I’ll be honest," he said.
The neighbors responded that they wouldn’t expect the civic leader to be aware of their opposition unless he lived on that block and was privy to their concerns.
Nevertheless, Hatala agreed to organize a meeting with college officials and nearby residents in an attempt to work out their differences. The college was receptive to that suggestion.
"We want to hear from you. That’s why we wanted to do the presentation," Twyman, the college’s public relations coordinator, told the group. "We want to work with you in the future." ••
Reporter Jon Campisi can be reached at 215-354-3038 or jcampisi@phillynews.com