Nonprofits are moving forward with improvements to Tacony’s Torresdale Avenue, the Rail Park, and Hagert Playground. Here’s a roundup of the latest news about nonprofits and community leaders who are using our design grants as a springboard to success.

Tacony celebrates 15 refreshed storefronts Fresh paint, new lighting and awnings and improvements made “one mosaic tile at a time” are adding up to give Torresdale Avenue a new look, writes Ashely Hahn of Eyes on the Street.



UNUSUAL SPACES: Abandoned Railway Below Philadelphia The late Paul VanMeter walked PBS Digital Studio through “one of the greatest architectural spaces ever.” This stunning footage will build your appreciation for the submerged City Branch. The other branch of the future Rail Park, the elevated rail line that snakes through the Loft District east of Broad, has received funding for the first phaseof development.

Friends of Hagert Playground Unveil Plans For Renovation When Max Pulcini of The Spirit asked East Kensington's Julius Rivera about Hagert Playground’s role in community building, he said, "The playground is a sacred space. This is a place where fights shouldn’t happen, a space that is safe— where there aren’t needles, there isn’t glass. A place where people can walk in and not worry." Greening the playground will only strengthen the playground's role.