SHIFT Capital, a nationally recognized neighborhood investment company, in partnership with Broad-Germantown-Erie Collaborative (BGEC), a coalition of community groups serving the communities around the intersection of Broad Street, Germantown Avenue and Erie Avenue, announces the signing of a Community Benefits Agreement for SHIFT’s Residences at the Beury development project at 3709 North Broad Street.
SHIFT is developing The Residences at the Beury, a 101,000-square-foot mixed-use complex, in the heart of North Philadelphia’s Nicetown-Tioga and Hunting Park neighborhoods. The Residences is a critical development cornerstone for these North Philadelphia neighborhoods where 21.5% of the local population is unemployed, and the median household income is $22,000.
SHIFT and BGEC coalition members – Called to Serve CDC, Nicetown Tioga Improvement Team, Hunting Park United, Hunting Park CRC/NAC, Nicetown Community Development Corporation, and North10, Philadelphia, with legal guidance and advice provided by Regional Housing Legal Services – partnered to create a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) that prioritizes community, communication and commitment.
The CBA sets goals for:
- Hiring local and Minority Business Enterprises and Women Business Enterprises for temporary and permanent jobs.
- Establishing a BGEC jobs coordinator who will refer local and minority applicants to open positions, job fairs, postings.
- Assembling job training and apprenticeship initiatives for neighborhood residents.
- Leasing space to businesses that are local and/or who will prioritize residents for permanent jobs.
- Providing consistent cleaning and safety and security measures around the site.
- Offering affordable housing to residents meeting necessary financial standards.
“Creating a CBA is a deliberate process. It is the foundation that helps a community catalyze its voice and power for its future,” said SHIFT’s CEO, Brian Murray. “For the last ten years, SHIFT has been a part of this community and is excited to see their hard work become reality. We hope this is the foundation that future equitable development at the intersection will be built upon.”
Josh Klaris from North10, speaking on behalf of BGEC said, “A lot of hard work went into creating the CBA, and the give-and-take is the stuff that makes a good partnership. It was a long process but a consensus was possible and we’re very excited with the result.”
“SHIFT is committed to engaging with the community to make meaningful investments in local and targeted hiring, health and safety measures in and around the development, affordable housing, and creating spaces for local, minority-owned businesses and entrepreneurs,” said Maria Sourbeer, SHIFT’s Vice President of Development. “By prioritizing the neighborhood and continually having constructive and collaborative conversations, we will deliver a better project for the community together.”
Cynthia Barnes from Nicetown Tioga Improvement Team added, “With SHIFT and BGEC working together to bring resources to the residents who live around the Beury Building, we can make a difference.”The goal is to start construction in December 2021.
