ORGANIZATIONAL VISIONArcadia Commons was founded by residents of the East Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia with collective expertise in visual arts, design, architecture, arts education, community organizing, urban planning, sustainable building, and real estate.Our name derives from Arcadia Street, which once ran through the area that is now a series of vacant lots in the East Kensington neighborhood adjacent to the Frankford Avenue corridor in Philadelphia. We will obtain permanent control of these parcels to preserve as a community green space. In our first year, we have begun exploring and experimenting with programming for the space, including community BBQ's and clean up events. Our summer workshops will focus on topics such as: community gardening, green job skills, housing, crafts, and the many challenges that we face as a neighborhood. Our first order of business is to acquire the necessary parcels to preserve Arcadia Commons for the surrounding community. The majority of the properties that make up the commons are tax delinquent; the remainder are neglected and often encourage negative and illegal activities. We will work with the necessary city agencies and owners to purchase these properties and transform them into a much needed green space for the community.