Field Report: Commerce and Industry

In Northern Liberties, it seems as though the main thoroughfares for commerce today are along Spring Garden, Girard, and Second Ave. Sprinkled throughout the rest of the neighborhood are other little restaurants and shops. An historical legacy also remains from earlier days of industry and trade in this neighborhood. The American Street corridor has a great deal of industrial legacy. According to Matt Davis, from the Information and Technology Society Research Group of Temple University, in the late 1800s and early 1900s north Philadelphia and American Street, specifically, was once the industrial center of the east coast and of the world. Within this assignment, there are two distinct goals: recording current commerce and retail, and recording historical commerce and industry. The route that I walked to gather information about urban industrial and commercial landscapes was between Girard Avenue and Spring Garden Street and along Front and American Streets. In large part this field work was collected on April 17, 2006 between 12:30 pm and 7:50 pm. Some photographs and field notes were also taken on March 19, 2006.

While taking notes on industry and commerce, it was apparent that Front and American streets have more of an industrial legacy, while Girard and Spring Garden house current retail and commerce. Second Street, which was not a part of this field exercise, also shows very different offerings. These offerings will be fleshed out in the gentrification post.

Front Street, on the outskirts of Northern Liberties, is littered with glass and trash. It has abandoned warehouses and vacant lots from a more historic industrial era, including Fruchter Industries, Inc. – “whole sale distributors of kitchens, vanities, and appliances” and Wood Superior, Inc.
Also on this block are General Marine Refrigeration Corp., and Viking Supply. These two industries are still in business. I looked them up on the Web. One thing that helped during the field exercise was that many older buildings had their names etched or painted onto the facade. I don't know much about architectural history, but I think this was an interesting feature of older businesses. Instead of having a neon sign, the name was more permanent. Maybe people thought their businesses would be around a lot longer. It also makes me wonder what used to be where the vacant lots are now, and when the el and the interstate were erected.

The elevated train runs above Front Street until Laurel Street and the I-95 corridor, where a PECO substation is located, then the train follows under the interstate. Before I walked along this leg of the journey, I wondered what would be under the interstate and the el. I found, maybe not so surprisingly, abandoned and vacant areas, along with a NIMBY (the PECO Laurel substation). Not many people want to live under the loud rumblings and dreary belly of the el and the highway.

After Front Street emerges out from underneath the el, it is still littered, but there are apartment units being built on Front between Ellen and Poplar and some trendy shops and bars emerge on Front and Fairmount. At Front and Ellen, the Herman L. Winterer building is available for lease by Plumer associates. Turning the corner onto Spring Garden, there is another “adult entertainment club” along with other shops and bars.

Spring Garden Street is the southern limit of Northern Liberties. The commerce and industry along Spring Garden between Front and 3rd Streets consists of an autobody shop, a health food store, a popular bar, an abandoned shoe company, a spa and salon, and a plaza with Rite-Aid pharmacy, deli, Chinese food, pizza, and laundry.

American Street is more insulated within the Northern Liberties neighborhood. The industrial legacy is more starkly contrasted on American. Buildings such as Ortleib’s Brewhouse on Poplar and American are vacant. When I walked by there were bulldozers there. I do not know if this building is slated for demolition or for rehabilitation and mixed use. Henry F. Ortleib’s Brewhouse, circa 1914, is large, occupying half of the American Street block from Brown to Poplar and extends deeply into Poplar to 3rd, where Ortleib’s Jazzhaus utilizes some of the space for live music. Directly across the street on American and Poplar is a bottling house. I’m not sure if the bottling house was owned by Ortleib, but the two buildings are definitely connected.

When traveling north on American, from Poplar to Laurel, most of the block is residential. Between Wildey and George, there is an area with shops below and residential above. These mixed-use buildings are called “Liberties Walk” and are Tower Investment property. I will talk more about Tower Investment in the gentrification post. The Philadelphia 76 Trolley Works and Carriage Company on American and George has a sign posted stating, ”For sale… prime development, 40,000 sq. feet.” The Horse and Carriage post ties into this commercial space. If this land is for sale, where will these horses go? Where will the company go? And how will that affect tourism and traffic in Philadelphia?

Turning onto Girard and stepping down toward 4th, you can see shops like Botanica Rodriguez and Anta African Hair Braiding. The Poison Apple Tattoo shop sits between Hancock and 2nd. And who can miss McDonalds, just a couple of steps away from Front St. on Girard and Lee, their sign stating, “Billions and Billions served”? These commercial strips provide insight into who shops in the
neighborhood, and what their needs are.

All photos by Bri Crowley. Map courtesy of Google Earth.