ULI Philadelphia’s 2021 Awards for Excellence finalists represent superior development projects in the greater Philadelphia region that embody the ULI mission of shaping the future of the built environment for transformative impact in communities worldwide.

Joel A. Johnson, AICP, P.H.M, Executive Director, Montgomery County Housing Authority, developer of Crest Manor Redevelopment, joins us for “Five Minutes with a Finalist”. Here’s what he had to say:

Can you share your favorite story behind this project?

Mr. John E. Gibson was first elected to the Abington Township Board of Commissioners in 1955 and is believed to have been the first African-American official elected at the municipal level in Montgomery County’s history. Commissioner Gibson was integral in the original development of Crest Manor in the late-1950s and early-1960s. The MCHA was thrilled to welcome Commissioner Gibson’s daughter, Ms. Sandra Gibson to the grand opening/ribbon-cutting ceremony for the comprehensive redevelopment of Crest Manor. Ms. Gibson offered public remarks during the ribbon-cutting ceremony and spoke of how proud her father was during the opening of the original Crest Manor and how he would be overjoyed with its redevelopment.

How have you had to respond or shift your project over the past year due to COVID-19?

Covid’s impact on Crest Manor operations has been to significantly limit the in-person interaction between tenants and management staff which has been difficult for both parties. The community building use has been curtailed and access to the management office is via phone, email or a Mobile Doorman application. For the majority of the year only emergency work orders were being completed, but that has recently changed.

What inspires you the most about Philadelphia and the region right now?

The MCHA is pleased to see local elected officials, public agencies and non-profit organizations lead the effort to offer convenient COVID vaccinations across the region, especially through the lens of equity relative to distribution and access. The MCHA was proud to partner with Montgomery County’s Department of Public Safety and Office of Public Health to recently offer all of our Public Housing residents the COVID vaccine at ‘on-site’ locations across our portfolio. We’re thrilled to report that almost 80% of the residents of our high-rise buildings (designed for elderly and/or disabled households) are now fully vaccinated.

Winners will be announced live at a virtual celebration on June 16. For more information and to register, click here.