The Department of Commerce is the lead economic development agency within Philadelphia City government. Commerce seeks to be a catalyst for economic growth with the City. Our department funds programs to improve neighborhood commercial districts, including PHL Taking Care of Business, a citywide commercial corridor cleaning program https://www.phila.gov/programs/phl-taking-care-of-business/
The 9th St Market in South Philadelphia is a unique and iconic Philadelphia destination, for residents throughout the City and for visitors. 9th St between Fitzwater and Federal Street is home to restaurants, home goods businesses and a concentration of food vendors, including outdoor curbstands that sell produce.
The concentration of outdoor business activity in a small concentrated area along street creates trash management issues that impact the visitor and shopper experience. The Commerce Department funds 3 day per week regular litter removal within the market that is performed by a uniformed cleaning crew. This service has helped with the issue of litter on sidewalks but the impact could be strengthened through better management and coordination of all of the sources of trash that impact conditions on the street. Some of the issues include residential trash placed out by residents who live in apartments above stores on 9th St, daily management of cardboard and produce by the outdoor curbstand vendors, and a lack of coordination of business trash hauling practices which leads to different practices by businesses in terms of when and how they put their trash out for collection.
Commerce has been in discussion with the United Merchants of S 9th Street about expanding the Taking Care of Business sidewalk cleaning program on 9th St, and as part of these discussions has spoken with staff from Councilman Squilla's office as well as representatives of the Association of Mexican Business owners and neighboring civic associations about how to comprehensively address the multiple trash management issues that impact 9th Street. In these meetings the group agreed that it would be helpful if there was a "trash plan" for 9th Street. Development of this plan is very timely because Philadelphia is planning for the nation's 250 anniversary in 2026 and S 9th Street will be a highlighted destination for visitors travelling to Philadelphia for 250 celebrations as well as the FIFA World Cup and the MLB All Star game.
A successful project would inventory/categorize the sources of trash which negatively impact the corridor, and identify actions that would improve management of these trash sources. Development of the action plan would be done in partnership with key local stakeholders as well as City departments and Councilman Squilla's office.
1-Issue identification with a committee including the United Merchants of S 9th St, cleaning crew members, the Association of Mexican Business Owners, staff from Councilman Squilla's office and representatives of local civic associations.
2-Research and development of trash management solutions and recommendations to lessen common negative trash practices
2024-2025
