Rejuvenation Headed for North Broad

By Eldon Graham

CELEBRATING the receiving of $10,000, courtesy of Verizon Wireless, at the North Broad Renaissance Fundraiser was Shalimar Thomas, Executive Director of NBR; Douglas Smith, Verizon Vice President of External Affairs; Darrell Clarke, City Council President; Kenneth Scott: President of Beech Companies and State Rep-Elect Sharif Street. Photo by Eldon Graham

If you’ve spent even a few moments on Broad Street heading north from City Hall in the past few years, you know that the city’s central north-south artery is beating afresh with new blood: the Divine Lorraine, new restaurants and high-rises – it’s the renaissance long discussed, long awaited.

Fittingly, there is a new nonprofit planning to advocate for this rebirth. North Broad Renaissance, the organization setting its sights on showcasing the unique beauty of the northerly stretches of the street, held its kickoff fundraiser at the Pennsylvania Convention Center this past week.

Led by the efforts of Executive Director Shalimar Thomas, the organization gave North Philadelphians a peek at what they can expect from it, including a five-year plan to ensure North Broad Street will be a destination for years to come.

Thomas gave some specifics about NBR’s focus. “We are focused strictly on North Broad,” she emphasized. “We don’t extend east and west; we go from City Hall up to Germantown Avenue, just above Erie Avenue – it’s about a four-mile stretch.”

The organization wants to raise $1.75 million by the year 2020, which falls squarely within its five-year strategic plan.

Thomas is hoping a collaboration between NBS and Temple University, the area’s largest stakeholder, can be a mutually beneficial partnership. “We know that if you’re on North Broad, it makes sense for you to invest in what we’re doing,” she explained. “You get to connect with the community, hear what the community needs and act accordingly.”

VOLUNTEERS Kymberly Gilmore, Tesha cook, Angelo Christopher and Alysia Robinson strutting their orange North Broad shirts in support of the new beginnings. Photo by Eldon Graham

Some preliminary work is already being done on the streets. As Thomas puts it, cleaning crews are already working on the most derelict areas.

City Council President Darrell Clarke, the evening’s keynote speaker, let it be known that NBR had his full support. “As a councilperson and former member of the Avenue of the Arts, it is time for the North Broad portion to identify itself as a different commercial quarter,” he said.

“During the course of the entire Avenue of the Arts” rebuild, he added, “we didn’t feel it was getting enough attention, enough vision or enough focus, so representatives from the north side decided to secede from the Avenue of the Arts. I was responsible for getting resources for startup for the organization.”

The kickoff had a unique way of offering people in the room the option to donate to the organization. It involved a live thermometer image projected up on two screens allowing people to donate through texting SONorthBroad to 91999. Any amount could be donated but the donator’s name would be displayed on the screen along with the amount they pledged.

The audience was impressed with the ingenuity as the funds started rolling in immediately to the organization’s delight.

In addition to the funds NBR was seeking for the night, the group was presented with an additional $10,000 from Verizon, presented by Verizon Vice President of External Affairs Douglas Smith.

“Verizon invests in the community where our employees live and work, Smith said. “The opportunities we’re bringing here to North Broad is an investment so we can help Shalimar achieve her goals: security, safety and commerce.

“It’s investing in the organization that is going to end up investing in the people” Smith added. “It’s going to bring the business and when you bring the businesses, it’s going to bring customers, the residents, everything.”

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