In 2015, Temple officials proposed the construction of a new football stadium at Broad and Norris Streets. College football crowds are known to be rowdy and inebriated, and it didn’t take long for North Central community members to express their concerns about a potential increase in noise, trash and traffic.
When city traffic congests Broad Street, many local drivers find 15th Street a more convenient option for traveling south. The stadium’s construction would’ve also required 15th Street to close between Norris and Montgomery, further inconveniencing North Philly residents.
The stadium idea was ultimately shot down, but the proposal is just one example of why many North Philadelphia residents feel there is a disconnect between the university and the community — something that has existed for a long time.
Judith Robinson, a long-time North Philadelphia resident, believes it’s beneficial to have a system of higher education in the community, but Temple’s expansive nature can have a negative effect on the residents.
“Temple University is an institution with a lovely archive and library, all the great international people come from all over the world,” Robinson said. “I’m happy – it’s great, okay? However, the Temple Board of Trustees, the ones who make the decisions, I’m really concerned about how they deal with the Black community as they expand into the neighborhood where we as homeowners live.”
Robinson believes it’s beneficial to have a system of higher education in the community, but Temple’s expansive nature can have a negative effect on the residents.
Temple hired architecture firm Moody Nolan in February 2016 and conducted a $1.25 million feasibility study to determine the impacts of the stadium development project. They worked with community members and government officials to address residents’ concerns.
“It came back really what we thought – not good. Not good,” Robinson said. “They could have asked a novice, and we would have been able to tell them that was the wrong move.”
Based on the backlash Temple received regarding the project, they concluded the proposed stadium would be disruptive to the residential neighborhood and the larger North Philly community. Temple decided to accommodate local concerns in 2016, but it didn’t take long for the university to set its sights on another project that was equally as alarming to North Central residents.
In 2023, Temple announced plans to build a Media and Performance Center on Broad Street to house facilities for the Klein College of Media and Communications and the Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts.
In July of that year, Robinson noticed a black and white flier in the neighborhood that stated, “Come find out what development is going on in your community.” The flier did not present an apparent connection between the event and the university aside from its location: the Temple Performing Arts Center on Broad Street.
Neighbors called Robinson imploring her to attend the meeting due to her involvement in registered community organizations. Upon her arrival, Robinson was disappointed to see Temple’s development team discussing a new project — this time an educational facility instead of a stadium.
“Why on Earth would you be hiding this?” Robinson said. “Why would you send out a flier that doesn’t have Temple’s logo on it?”
North Philly natives want to be aware of changes in their community, but Temple’s guileful approach left them feeling out of the loop, Robinson said.
With Temple’s expansion comes a large influx of students living off-campus and moving closer to native community members. Residents like Towanda Tanksley have experienced unwanted student activity near their homes as a result.
“I came home after work and a student had taken my parking spot,” said Tanksley, a mail carrier. “The last thing I want to do after working all day is contact the police for them to give out a ticket.”
Tanksley also recalls an event when a drunk student knocked loudly on her door in the middle of the night, waking her and causing damage to her property. She believes the Temple Police have gotten better at quickly responding to these situations during the years, but room for improvement remains.
Robinson also doesn’t hold back her criticisms of Temple out of concern for the community she was born into, but she’s quick to give the university credit where it’s due.
“There’s been this adversarial relationship with Temple,” Robinson said. “Some people have even said, ‘Oh, they’re not an anchor of our community.’ Yes, the hell they are. Temple is certainly an anchor of our community, and I’m happy about that. But the back and forth and the negativity, it just should not be.”
Residents like Robinson think Temple is taking steps in the right direction. The university’s recently introduced Good Neighbor Initiative has played a large part in rebuilding the community’s trust in Temple.
The initiative, spearheaded by Student Affairs, educates Temple students to respect their long-standing neighbors. The initiative works to ensure the community is aware of trash days and coordinates large trash pick-ups at the end of each semester. Welcome Wagon events at the start of the school year bring students and community members together with a cookout environment.
Interim Associate Vice President of Student Affairs Rachael Stark says Temple and their students have a responsibility to support the community and play a role in keeping it safe, clean and comfortable for longtime residents.
“Be kind and respectful, take trash out on the appropriate days,” Stark wrote in a statement to The Temple News. “Students need to remember that their time in the Temple community is temporary while some of our neighbors have been here for over 50 years.”
Trash cleanup is heavily prioritized in conversations regarding support for North Central’s neighborhoods. Rats have been an issue due to the significant volume of trash on the sidewalk, Tanksley said.
Robinson acknowledged Temple’s efforts in cleaning up the trash but expressed concern about the lack of prevention.
Robinson believes there’s a way to limit the trash seen on sidewalks by spreading awareness of the sanitation convenience center on Glenwood Avenue. When speaking with parents, she found that most were unaware of this resource that would prove useful for students.
Robinson also suggested an ambassador program for more interaction between community members and students. This, among other solutions, could help Temple become more connected with the neighborhood it calls home.
“Every semester we could talk to students and say ‘Welcome to North Philly. We want you here. If we ever can be of help to you, here’s our telephone number,’” Robinson said.
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