To the Temple community:

 

I’m pleased to report that Temple is taking the next step in evaluating the potential for a multipurpose facility, including retail space and a stadium, on our Main Campus. The university will soon file a project submission for review by the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. The commission’s recommendation would be vital for city approval of the project.

 

As you may know, we have been carefully reviewing the potential for, and impacts of, this facility for more than two years. After extensive conversations with neighbors, and in light of the project’s value for Temple and North Philadelphia, I have concluded that the time is right to take this step. To be clear, this is the next step in the process, not the final step.

 

I want to emphasize that we will continue our conversations with neighbors to address their concerns. These discussions have been invaluable not only in terms of the proposed facility but also in helping us understand and develop better working relationships in the community. We learned that it was important for us to be better neighbors, and we have taken a number of steps to address community issues as a result.

 

To help everyone understand the project’s scope and potential, we have put together a more detailed overview that I hope you will find helpful. This overview contains a history and summary of the project, and answers to frequently asked questions, among other material. We will update this page as the process continues. 

 

Our goal is to build a project that can be a source of pride for Temple, our neighbors and our city. I look forward to the public hearings that will take place on the project where university officials and others will have an opportunity to discuss the plans in detail.  

 

Richard M. Englert

President