Kensington

Key ABCD activities:

• In 2005, the New Kensington Community Development Corporation (NKCDC)opened the Coral Street Arts House; a $7.5 million project which converted an old abandoned textile mill into 27 low-income live/work spaces for artists.
• Additionally, in recent years artist studios and art-related business have emerged along Frankford Avenue, the city designated a portion of the Avenue as an “arts corridor” and NKCDC developed the Frankford Avenue Arts Corridor Plan.
• Current arts development efforts are focused on the creation the The Frankford Avenue Theater & Arts Center which will house a black box theater and related arts amenities
• Annual Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby

Background:

The New Kensington Community Development Corporation (NKCDC) was founded in 1985 by the local civic association to meet the housing needs of the community. The CDC serves the neighborhoods between Front Street and Kensington Avenue, Lehigh Avenue and the Delaware River to the south.

In its first ten years NKCDC focused on housing issues; rehabilitating vacant homes and providing housing counseling services. In 1995 the group held a neighborhood planning process and subsequently expanded its mission to include land use management and economic development.  Recognizing the potential of a strong arts community the CDC decided to use arts as tool in their efforts to encourage local economic reinvestment and improve the physical environment of the community.

For more information contact:
 Shanta Schachter
 New Kensington Community Development Corporation
 2515 Frankford Avenue
Philadelphia, PA  19125
(215) 427-0350 x 107
sschachter@nkcdc.org