Mark Keener aia aicp pp
Town Planner
preserve, empower and advance a vibrant and diverse Mt. Airy by stimulating development responsive to the community’s needs
Mt. Airy CDC, a local community development corporation, commissioned a multi-diciplinary team, led by Mark Keener AIA AICP, to craft a plan for investing in the public infrastructure of the Avenue. The resulting Mt. Airy Placemaking & Streetscape Improvement Plan consists of four components:
STREETSCAPE ELEMENTS. To plan for and prioritize improvements to the Avenue’s streetscape, including sidewalks, street lights, trees, and furnishings such as bike racks, benches, trash receptacles, and bus shelters.
CREATIVE PROJECTS. To imagine, conceptualize, and set paramaters for creative projects that will enhance the appearance, identity, and quality-of-life.
MOBILITY & TRAFFIC. To identify and devise solutions to the vehicular and pedestrian circulation problems along the Avenue in order to make the Avenue more safe and appealing.
NAVIGATION & WAYFINDING. To devise a new signage system to help people navigate to Mt. Airy and its major attractions and institutions, including the 6 nearby Regional Rail stations. With assistance from firms specializing in landscape architecture, transportation planning/ engineering and environmental identity.
Neighborhood Plan | , Mark led production for the 2004 Mt. Airy Neighborhood Plan: Opportunities, Challenges & Recommendations (PDF).
Project Team:Mark Keener, Robert Brown, Craig Barbieri | Project Lead: Kise Straw & Kolodner | With: Urban Partners, Gannet Fleming | For: Mt Airy CDC and DVRPC
Placemaking and Streetscape | A multi-diciplinary team, led by Mark Keener AIA AICP, craft a plan for investing in the public infrastructure of the Avenue. The team included, Ground Reconsidered, Pennoni Associates Inc., and Cloud Gehshan Associates. Results include a $3.5 million streetscape improvement project and nearly 80 façade improvements, transforming the appearance of Germantown Avenue. New businesses have opened, safety has improved, and pedestrian traffic has increased. Mt Airy also launched the proposed transformative park project in partnership with the Free Library; now complete.
Mt Airy 2025 | Most recently, Mark conducted housing investigation and fieldwork effort assessing existing conditions for the 7,000+ properties for the Action plan, funded by Wells Fargo and led by Urban Partners, assisted by The RBA Group, Baker & Company, and Jeremiah White &.
The housing stock in Mt. Airy is considered one of its greatest assets. In the Resident Survey, nearly 60% of the respondents said their “house or apartment” is the best thing about living in Mt. Airy—far surpassing all other answers.
Despite the signs of a strong residential market in certain sections of the neighborhood—as evidenced by the new construction activity—there are on-going concerns with home foreclosures, absentee landlords, and deferred maintenance. In order to preserve the legacy of inclusion and diversity that Mt.Airy identifies as a defining characteristic, a comprehensive strategy must be implemented to expand housing options for all its residents and to improve the quality of older housing stock.- page 45 Mt. Airy 2025
Mt Airy Placemaking & Streetscape Improvement Plan
Improve these three Germantown Ave. retail nodes:
Allens Lane /Mt. Pleasant Ave.
Gorgas Lane/Sharpnack St.
Johnson St. /Washington Lane
In the Gorgas/Shapnack node, specifically, complete the development of the Pelham Professional Building, and begin the process to redevelop the SEPTA site, and the two blocks of buildings near Hortter St. that have several vacancies.
Construction of streetscape improvements (including special lighting in the shopping areas).
Creation of new, shared, parking lots and a parking system.
Support and expansion of the facade, and sign improvement program
Develop a “Shop Mt. Airy” marketing program.
Establish management support system.
Extend the cleanliness campaign.
Expand and support the facade/signage improvement program
Project Team
Neighborhood Plan : Mark Keener, Robert Brown, Craig Barbieri | Project Lead: Kise Straw & Kolodner | With: Urban Partners, Gannet Fleming | For: Mt Airy CDC and DVRPC
Placemaking and Streetscape: Mark Keener AIA AICP | team: N Desai, T Bressi | with: Landscape Architects, Ground Reconsidered, Engineers, Pennoni Associates Inc., and environmental graphics firm, Cloud Gehshan Associates.
Mt Airy 2025 Action Plan | Mark led housing investigation and fieldwork component of the contract | Project Lead: Urban Partners | with: The RBA Group, Baker & Company, and Jeremiah White & Associates.
Outcomes
Results include a $3.5 million streetscape improvement project and nearly 80 façade improvements, transforming the appearance of Germantown Avenue. New businesses have opened, safety has improved, and pedestrian traffic has increased. Mt Airy also launched the proposed transformative park project in partnership with the Free Library; now complete. Following completion of the 2015 plan, Mt Airy was awarded additional resources for implementation. Key initiative include housing counseling, foreclosure prevention, expanded school curriculum and literacy programming as well as a very successful Storefront Improvement Program.
