CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA TO DEVELOP COMMUNITY HEALTH & LITERACY CENTER

by PIDC
November 17, 2014

Categories: NMTC,

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View from Broad and Morris Streets

 

On October 30, 2014, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) closed on New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) financing with PIDC, Chase Community Equity LLC, Chase New Markets Corporation, City First Bank of D.C., and Commonwealth Cornerstone Group to develop the Community Health & Literacy Center located at 1700 South Broad Street in the Newbold section of South Philadelphia.

PIDC allocated $11.5M in New Markets Tax Credits to the project, which along with additional New Markets Tax Credits from other Community Development Entities, generous contributions from CHOP donors and operating funds will fund this $42M project.

The Community Health & Literacy Center project is a first in the nation model of public-private partnership for the creation of a new state-of-the-art 96,000 SF health, wellness, and literacy center.  Under an agreement with the City who provided the 1.5 acres of land, CHOP will demolish the existing structure and construct a new 3-story $42M targeted LEED Silver certified facility. When completed in 2015, the Center for Health Literacy will have four fully integrated components:

  • The City of Philadelphia’s Free Library and DiSilvestro Recreation Center on the first floor;
  • The City of Philadelphia’s Health Center 2 on the second floor; and
  • The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Care Network, Primary Care, South Philadelphia facility on the third floor

The South Philadelphia Neighborhood Library will be one of the Free Library’s new 21st Century libraries, which will include a Consumer Health Resource Center, dedicated Makerspace for consumers to embark on creative activities with access to a new computer lab, 3-D printer and supplies, literacy and computer classes, and new programming to include nutrition, healthy lifestyle, and disease prevention classes.

The new DiSilvestro Playground and Recreation Center will double in size greatly expanding existing programming in both offerings and frequency.  With the new construction, the playground area will be renovated utilizing state-of-the-art construction materials to create a soft, smooth surface. The playground will feature substantial green space and a rain garden.

Health Center 2 offers Adult and Pediatric care, women’s health care including gynecology, family planning and prenatal care, as well as dental care. The new 29,500-square-foot space will include additional exam rooms along with an additional dental operatory and state of the art radiology and mammography services.

The new CHOP primary care facility will provide expanded space and equipment, enhancing the patient and family experience. The new 22,000 square foot space will provide an additional 6200 square feet compared to the previous location, and will accommodate six additional exam rooms and a large, inviting waiting area with dedicated space for reading and computer use by patients and families while they wait.

In addition to enhanced integrated programming across these City and CHOP functions, it is estimated to create a combined increase in new City and CHOP patient visits annually to 183,000, up from 168,000 in 2012. The recreation center will be able to serve as many as 5000 users up from 1000. The project will create more than 200 predevelopment or construction jobs and 9 permanent jobs in addition to the existing 138 jobs from the current CHOP and City centers. The project will also serve as a catalyst for future investment in the surrounding area.

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