Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority

The Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority (PRA) was created by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Urban Redevelopment Law of 1945.[1] Until the Fall of 2011 it was known as the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia (RDA).

Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority

Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority logo
Agency overview
Formed	1945
Type	Redevelopment authority
Jurisdiction	City and County of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Headquarters	1234 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA
Agency executives	Anne Fadullon, Chair of the Board Gregory Heller, Executive Director
Key document	Urban Redevelopment Law of 1945, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Website	https://www.philadelphiaredevelopmentauthority.org/

Function

The PRA focuses on planning and developing balanced mixed-use communities to create thriving, well-served neighborhoods. As the public government agency charged with the redevelopment of the City of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority provides the foundations that enable private investors to revitalize neighborhoods. The Authority's function is to acquire real estate using the power of eminent domain, plan for redevelopment working with private firms, and financing the redevelopment by issuing municipal bonds of the Authority, with the overall objective of eliminating urban blight in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[1]

Board

The Authority is governed by a five-member board, appointed by the mayor of Philadelphia. The board has the following members:[2]

Anne Fadullon, Chair

James J. Cuorato, Vice Chair

Cynthia Figueroa, 2nd Vice Chair & Assistant Secretary

Duane Bumb, Secretary

Rob Dubow, Treasurer

Land disputes

The University City Science Center filed a lawsuit to stop the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority from seizing two parcels of land in the 3800 block of Market Street in West Philadelphia.[3] The lawsuit was filed on May 28, 2010.

On September 28, 2009, the Authority found the Science Center to be in default of an agreement about the two parcels of land, currently used for parking. The Science Center contended in its lawsuit that current economic conditions had delayed redevelopment, saying that the apparent default was caused by an unforeseeable cause, and therefore should not be grounds for taking the land.

From 2012 to 2014, Dupree Studios in the Mantua community of West Philadelphia was the subject of an eminent domain takeover attempt by the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, which ended with Dupree keeping his studio.[4][5][6]

References

1. "Agency Information:Redevelopment Authority". Philadelphia Information Locator Service. City of Philadelphia:Department of Records. 2010-06-02. Retrieved 2010-06-02.
2. "PRA Board". Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority. 2014-12-03. Retrieved 2017-11-21.
3. Russ, Valerie (2010-05-02). "Science center cites economy in bid to keep its land from city". Philadelphia Daily News. Philadelphia Media Holdings, LLC. Archived from the original on 2010-06-03. Retrieved 2010-06-03. The science center, based at 37th and Market streets, has filed a lawsuit to block the RDA from seizing control of two undeveloped parcels on the center's West Philadelphia campus.
4. Bernick, Evan (December 5, 2014). "Yes, in Your Country: Judge Says City of Philadelphia Can Take Artist's Studio, Turn It Into Grocery Store". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
5. Sibilla, Nick (December 23, 2014). "Philadelphia Artist Defeats Eminent Domain Land Grab, Will Keep His Studio". Forbes. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
6. Russ, Valerie (December 12, 2014). "Mantua artist wins battle against City Hall". Philly.com. Retrieved 4 December 2015.