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State funding for local projects

Artifacts from the Marian Anderson Museum in South Philly. Archive photo/Mark Zimmaro

Several South Philly installations including the Marian Anderson Museum, Philadelphia International Airport and Philabundance received significant state funding through the Commonwealth Financing Authority’s Local Share Account Program.

The Marian Anderson Museum at 762 S. Martin St. in the Graduate Hospital neighborhood will receive a $400,000 grant through the program as the legendary opera singer’s home continues to recover from a flood that caused significant damage. 

Renovations include the complete exterior and interior restoration of the property on all three floors, including replacement of the roof, windows, doors and electrical system. It will also install sprinkler systems on all floors and a new HVAC system. It will also include upgrades to plumbing, restorative design and protective museum and artifact enclosures with historical protective equipment.

“It’s time to reinvest in our communities and return them to the same state they were in before the COVID-19 pandemic and disastrous flooding,” state Rep. Ben Waxman said. “This historic museum on Martin Street has been a source of pride for the area and is crucial to educating the public on local legend Marian Anderson. Her voice, concerts, radio and vision broke down barriers. Through her incredible work, she became a symbol of the fight for civil rights and desegregation. We have much to learn from her story and journey; with these funds, the public will now be able to learn about this local hero in a revitalized space.” 

State Rep. Regina Young announced $2.4 million of funding in her district, which includes parts of South and Southwest Philly as well as the airport and a small part of Delaware County. The money will be used on infrastructure projects including improvements of $200,000 at the airport. Terminals A-F will receive $100,000 of improvements while a South Commercial Road Rehabilitation project will see another $100,000 of funding.

Another $362,000 will go to the PIDC Financing Corp. for the Delaware Valley Youth Athletic Association Redevelopment project for improving the restrooms and snack bar around the baseball fields located at 19th and Johnston streets in South Philly.           

Young also announced $350,000 to Olde Yankee Inc. for the Schuylkill River port improvement project, which will rehabilitate the marine terminal along the river.

“Infrastructure is vital to the health of the local economy,” Young said. “When you invest in infrastructure you invest in the community. I’m incredibly pleased to see this funding go to so many wonderful and useful projects throughout the city.”

State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler announced almost $500,000 in state funding for infrastructure projects in her district on the east side of Broad Street in South Philly. It includes $260,500 to restore and repair the historic Chapel of the Four Chaplains in the Navy Yard and $213,000 to Philabundance for parking lot lighting upgrades at its warehouse at 3616 S. Galloway St.

“Community support and historic preservation are both important in our community, and I’m glad the state is investing dollars in both right here in South Philly,” Fiedler said.

LSA funding is generated from casinos and gaming revenue located in host or contiguous counties and are distributed by the Department of Community and Economic Development. They are designed to help economic development, job training, community improvement and public interest projects within the state.

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