Mayor Michael Nutter recently announced that construction will move forward on the proposed $70 million Mormon Temple.
The temple is expected to open in 2013 and the proposed location is 18th and Vine Streets. While the temple’s opening will be a historic moment for the Mormon community, its construction is significant to the Philadelphia community. Once the temple gets zoning and other approvals, 300 new construction jobs will be associated with the project.
Also on deck, a number of Philadelphia projects that are part of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Revenue, Capital and Debt’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program have recently been approved by the state’s General Assembly. Once approved by Governor Rendell, these projects will be a go.
One of the projects awaiting approval is $5 million worth of capital improvements on the Independence Visitors Center. Making the Center a green building is a priority. “One of my goals is to make this a green building, if possible. It could include solar panels, lighting, HVAC systems,” said Jim Cuorato, the director of Center, and former Philadelphia city Commerce Director. Philadelphia has a long history of being green and the City of Brotherly Love is currently the 8th-most sustainable city in the country. The number of green construction opportunities both in Philadelphia and across the country is expected to grow in the future. Accordingly, it’s no surprise that green construction is a topic that has been generating a lot of Buzz.
To read more about green construction and LEED certification, click here. Christopher P. Soper is an associate at Cohen Seglias and focuses his practice on construction law. Mr. Soper is among the few attorneys in Philadelphia accredited by the U.S. Green Building Council as a LEED® Accredited Professional (LEED AP).
