Committee advances a package of property bills including two new city health centers and extension for Christmas Village

Philadelphia City Council’s Committee on Public Property and Public Works on Thursday advanced a package of property ordinances, reporting ten bills out of committee with a favorable recommendation and asking the Council to suspend rules to allow first reading at the next Council session.

The package includes authorizations to convey or acquire property, enter long-term leases or subleases, and approve a multi-year concession agreement for Christmas Village at Love Park. Two measures in the group would enable new City health centers: one at the Friends campus on East Roosevelt Boulevard (bill 250485) and a transit‑oriented mixed‑use project near the Frankford Transportation Center that includes a health center, supermarket and affordable housing (bill 250486).

Why it matters: the measures would change ownership or long‑term use of city‑owned property and permit capital projects and long‑term leases that city departments said are necessary to deliver services — notably expanded primary care access in neighborhoods with documented gaps — and to secure financing for nonprofit and private partners.

Key details and outcomes

- Committee action: Vice Chair (motion maker) moved that bills 250426, 250485, 250486, 250433, 250492, 250434, 250435, 250440, 250441 and 250484 be reported favorably and that Council suspend rules to permit first reading; the motion was seconded, a voice vote was taken and the motion carried. Bill 250483 was held at the sponsor’s request and was not advanced in this session.

- Health‑center authorizations: Bill 250485 would allow the Department of Public Property to acquire fee or lesser interests in property on East Roosevelt Boulevard (the Friends campus) to develop a roughly 55,000‑square‑foot health center the Department of Public Health described as capable of serving about 30,000 patients per year, offering adult and pediatric primary care, dental, pharmacy, radiology and behavioral health services. Bill 250486 would authorize agreements with the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development and related actions to develop a mixed‑use condominium and health center at the former Penn Fruit supermarket site opposite the Frankford Transportation Center. Testimony and public comment emphasized that the Frankford project would include a roughly 40,000‑square‑foot health center, a 20,000‑square‑foot supermarket and 32 affordable housing units and that the ordinance would authorize up to $21,000,000 toward the health center construction.

- Christmas Village concession: The committee advanced bill 250492 to authorize a 5‑year plus 38‑day extension of the concession agreement with German American Marketing Inc., the operator of Christmas Village at Love Park. Susan Slauson, Commissioner of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, said the event draws more than 1,000,000 visitors annually and that in 2024 70 of the 107 vendors were minority or women‑owned, with 46% identifying as MBE vendors. The concessionaire’s written testimony said the operator has invested more than $1 million in upgraded vendor structures and plans further investment in 2025.

- Leases and conveyances: The committee also advanced long‑term lease and conveyance bills that city departments said are needed so tenants and nonprofit operators can obtain financing or consolidate operations. Examples include a proposed sublease for portions of 1601–1629 JFK Boulevard to house several city offices (bill 250433); conversion of a year‑to‑year arrangement to a 10‑year lease in the Broad Street Sub Concourse North to formalize and expand Project HOME’s Hub of Hope services (bill 250434); a 10‑year lease with renewal options for the Holmesburg Fish and Game Protective Association to allow capital improvements (bill 250435); and an authorization to lease additional space at 1234 Market Street so the Office of Innovation and Technology can expand near its central data center (bill 250440). Another bill (250441) would enable a long‑term lease with the Newmarket and Head House Conservancy to fund and oversee restoration and maintenance of the Head House and Shambles.

- Stormwater and trail parcels: Bill 250484 would authorize transfer of parcels at 1822–1830 West Cayuga Street from the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority back to the Department of Public Property for use by the Philadelphia Water Department as a green stormwater infrastructure project adjacent to Nicetown Park. Bill 250483, authorizing conveyances for the Cobbs Creek Trail extension, was held at the sponsor’s request.

What supporters said

- Joseph Braske, Commissioner of Public Property, testified in support of most bills and described how conveyances and long‑term leases enable the city and partners to finance capital work and operate services. “The Department of Public Property supports this measure,” Braske said repeatedly while answering committee questions.

- Dr. Palak Veil Nelson, Commissioner of the Department of Public Health, and Sarah Ennis, deputy commissioner and chief of staff, described community engagement on the Friends campus proposal and said the historical commission review had been appealed and was awaiting a final adjudication. Ennis said the department conducted a series of community meetings in 2023–24 and that concerns (including traffic and historic‑preservation questions) had been addressed in follow‑up outreach. “We will continue the conversations as needed,” Ennis said.

- Susan Slauson, Commissioner of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, described the economic and vendor‑diversity impacts of Christmas Village and said the concessionaire assumes financial responsibility for the event’s operation. “Christmas Village has become an integral part of the city’s holiday tradition,” Slauson said.

Public comment

- Several members of the public, including representatives of the Frankford CDC and its development partner Mosaic Development Partners, urged support for bill 250486, emphasizing the project’s combination of supermarket, health center and affordable housing and the need for improved primary‑care access in the 19124 ZIP code. Ellie Devyatkin (Frankford CDC) said the ordinance would “authorize up to $21,000,000 to be used toward the construction of this new health center” and framed that authorization as leverage for additional public and private financing.

- Local development and project partners described job creation estimates and the broader neighborhood impact; Blaine Stoddard, the owners’ representative on the Frankford project, described the development as an approximately $85,000,000 transit‑oriented development and said it would create construction and permanent jobs.

Votes at a glance (committee)

- 250426 — Convey City property in Cobbs Creek area to allow PennDOT easement consideration; committee reported favorably (approved by voice vote). - 250485 — Acquire or lease interest on East Roosevelt Boulevard (Friends campus) for a ~55,000 sq ft health center; committee reported favorably (approved by voice vote). - 250486 — Agreements for mixed‑use condominium and health center at Frankford Transit site (includes supermarket and affordable housing); committee reported favorably (approved by voice vote). - 250433 — Sublease at 1601–1629 JFK Blvd to consolidate city offices (DHS, CEO, Capital Programs); committee reported favorably (approved by voice vote). - 250492 — Multi‑year concession agreement extension for Christmas Village at Love Park; committee reported favorably (approved by voice vote). - 250434 — Lease for Broad Street Sub Concourse North to formalize Hub of Hope operations (Project HOME); committee reported favorably (approved by voice vote). - 250435 — 10‑year lease with renewals for Holmesburg Fish and Game Protective Association; committee reported favorably (approved by voice vote). - 250440 — Lease additional 13,750 sq ft at 1234 Market St so OIT can expand near the central data center; committee reported favorably (approved by voice vote). - 250441 — Lease with Newmarket and Head House Conservancy for Head House and Shambles; committee reported favorably (approved by voice vote). - 250484 — Convey parcels at 1822–1830 West Cayuga Street to Public Property for green stormwater infrastructure; committee reported favorably (approved by voice vote). - 250483 — Cobbs Creek Trail parcel conveyance (from PRA/PLB/PHDC) — held at sponsor’s request (not advanced).

What’s next

The committee asked Council to suspend rules to permit first reading of the advanced bills at the next Council session; if that motion is approved by the full Council, the measures would proceed through the standard legislative process, including any required public hearings, agency actions, permitting and final Council votes. Several projects (notably the Friends campus and Frankford proposals) also face separate administrative processes such as historic‑preservation review and appeals and final financing steps before construction can begin.

Ending note: Committee members and agency witnesses repeatedly framed many measures as technical or implementation steps needed to secure financing or enable long‑term operations; specific cost allocations and final construction budgets will be determined through subsequent contract awards, permitting, and capital appropriations.