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Page 28 text:
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' ' J t 3 press conference f November 2, 1995, Philadelphia mayor Ed Rendell and Temple University President Peter ]. Liacouras announced that after five years of contentum between Temple administration and North Philadelphia ' s community lead- ers, the Apollo Project has been approved. The Apollo at Temple is envisioned as a plaza enfolding three buildings, complete with a pedestrian bridge and sur- rounding retail complex. The largest of the three buildings will be a convocation center, which will seat up to 3,500 for theater and dance, and 10,000 for sports events or family entertainment. The center ' s capacity can expand to 11,000 for concerts. A recreation and com- munity center with 20,000 square feet of indoor space will be attached to the center. This center will include on-line learning sites for youth and the elderly as well as a community center and retail stores. Finally, there will be an entertainment and parking center that will house up to 1,200 cars and will include more retail stores. For five years. Temple adminis- trators have been trying to get acceptance for the Apollo Project from the city council, which deals with zoning in the city. Temple administration had faced intense opposition fn m the council. The most consis- tent and powerful objections have come fn m the president of the Council, John StR-et. Street has held firmly to a position that Temple should Apollo will not expand mto the surround- ing North Philadelphia commu- nity, which he represents on the council, unless the university benefits the community at the same time. Because of Street ' s objection to the project, many observers felt that if it went through, he was one person who could be counted on to not be there. At yesterday ' s press conference, however. Street stood side by side with Rendell as the mayor declared that the Apollo Pmject was great for the city of Philadelphia and great for the areas around Temple University. The mayor explained why Street had come around to support the Apollo Project. He descnbed how Temple is to cre- ate a $5 million Housing Rehabilitation Fund and will transfer control of the fund over to the city, which has estab- lished a Office of Housing and Community Development. According to the agree- ment between the city of Philadelphia, Temple and com- munity leaders, the fund will be used to leverage financing for a $25 million effort to revitalize the North Central Philadelphia area by creating new homes. Rendell announced that 500 units will be created in the areas surrounding Temple. Twenty-five percent will be very low income homes, 25 per- cent will be moderate and the final fourth will be medium income homes. Four hundred of these units will be created; the other hundred will be reha- bilitated from existing build- ings. Besides the $6.3 million being spent on housing through Temple, its partners and several corporations which have made grants to the project, and addi- tional $5.7 million is being spent in other contributions to the community, including $404,150 in four-year scholarships to 15 neighborhood students. The money will be award-ed start- ing in 1996 and will continue until the turn of the century. Rendell said the hous- ing development fund was Street ' s idea, and he concluded THE h?Ollo 0 by saying that the building pro- ject will create 1,800 jobs in the city. Street spoke next. ' Today is a gixxl day because Temple is going to get what it wants and the community is going to get what it needs. Street thanked several people who helped him during his negotiations with Temple administration, and he thanked the people of North Philadelphia as a dedicated, committed, uncompromising I 24
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Page 29 text:
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uhhAfLl nlhf next. halil ityis ■mple sM Sorth group of people in the commu- nity who will not surrender their community and will not surrender their rights to the state or the governor. Street continued by say- ing what his view of the rela- tionship between North Philadelphia and Temple is. What is good for Temple must be good for North Philadelphia, and what is good for North Philadelphia has to be good for Temple. If North Philadelphia does not succeed, Temple can- not either. Street said by winning these concessions, North Philadelphia has won a victory for the whole city. He also said there is a gulf between Temple and the surrounding area, a gulf that is much too wide to be tolerated. Street began to con- clude his remarks by calling for the creation of a permanent advisory council so that the community would be kept part of Temple ' s plans for North Philadelphia. An advisory council would get us all in sync. As street was conclud- ing, a voice from the door inter- rupted him. Why have you waited until now, on the eve of the election, to do something for the people of North Philadelphia? The voice came from Street ' s opponent for his seat on the city council, Melvin Sharpe. Sharpe had been at the confer- ence for some time and had handed out campaign flyers. A wave of reporters ran to catch the strong words of Street ' s opponent, while Street tried to finish his speech. An effort was made by several community leaders loyal to Street to get Sharpe to leave and bloc k the cameras from him, but Street ' s chal- lenger refused to leave until he had his say. He accused Street of manipulating Temple and the North Philadelphia community in order to ensure himself another term. After Sharpe and a few supporters left. Street denied Sharpe ' s charges. 1 can ' t understand why someone would want to disrupt a meeting like that. Mr. Sharpe said he wasn ' t celebrat- ing what we did today. Maybe he ' s not celebrating because he wasn ' t involved. Rendell agreed that whaf s good for Temple is good for North Philadelphia, and introduced Temple President Liacouras, whom he praised for his leadership and vision. Liacouras referred to the project as part of Temple ' s decision to reinvigorate its presence in Philadelphia. He said it includes a constellation of building projects that are underway or will soon begin— 228,900,000 of them ' Liacouras spoke of the many other projects Temple is planning. The new student law center, housing for an addition- al 1,500 students on campus, and the Learning Center. Liacouras also referred to the Apollo Project ' s name- sake, the mythical god Apollo, whose domain included Ught, music and sport. ' The Apollo of Temple spans these human endeavors, and more. Liacouras painted a vision of a future where an emerging Temple Town will draw thousands from the com- munities and the dty at large. In this spirit. Temple trustee and men ' s basketball coach John Chaney spoke. He said that the most important thing about the project was that we will be able to provide for the needs of more young peo- ple. He concluded by calling the Apollo of Temple the most significant thing I have seen happen in the community. 25
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