Located in the heart of Philadelphia’s Olney neighborhood, North 5th Street is brimming with over 360 unique businesses, and an exceptional variety of restaurants. The incredible array of exciting new places you’ll find along North 5^th Street is a reflection of the diversity of the many countries our residents represent. “North 5^th Street, Where Global is Local”

Olney offers affordable houses in excellent condition, quality public and parochial schools, and unbeatable parks. It’s the perfect place to call home or visit and try something new every day!

Learn more about our organization, staff, and Advisory Board below.

N5SRP’s mission is to manage, promote, and revitalize North 5th Street in Olney as a thriving commercial district for area shoppers, residents and visitors.

We were founded by Olney residents and merchants, in 2005 as a focused reinvestment toward North 5th Street’s primary commercial hub, located at 5th and Olney Avenue. In 2008, we hired a full-time Corridor Manager and Sanitation Specialist with generous funding from the Philadelphia Commerce Department. We’ve since grown to a full-time staff of three and part-time staff of three and expanded our service area to include North 5th Street from Roosevelt Boulevard (4800) to Spencer Street (6000).

As a community-based program, our work is driven by the ideas and concerns of the community. To share your thoughts and learn how you can become a part of the revitalization effort please contact us today!

N5SRP serves North 5th Street in Philadelphia’s Olney neighborhood (19120) from Roosevelt Boulevard (4800) to Spencer Street (6000). This mile and a half long stretch is bustling with over 360 active businesses, 8 SEPTA bus routes, and over 25,000 residents in the immediate surrounding blocks. Its low commercial vacancy (11%) and surrounding residential vacancy (9%) makes it one of Philadelphia’s most highly trafficked commercial corridors.

Olney is one of Pennsylvania’s most ethnically and linguistically diverse neighborhoods, with 23% of the population being foreign born. Residents hail from Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, the Caribbean, South America, Central America, Mexico, and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Clean and beautiful streets make a neighborhood pleasant for its residents and inviting to outside shoppers. N5SRP hires two sidewalk cleaning specialists to remove litter and maintain overall cleanliness along North 5th Street on a Monday through Friday schedule. Colorful banners, benches at bus stops and new murals have also been installed by N5SPRP to make North 5th Street an attractive centerpiece to the Olney neighborhood.

Safe streets improve the quality of life for residents and allow merchants to do more business at later hours of the day. N5SRP has taken a proactive approach to crime prevention by installing a camera surveillance system on North 5th Street. Through a partnership with   Philadelphia’s 35th Police District we provide surveillance footage whenever needed and advocate for heightened police presence along North 5th Street.

Businesses along North 5th Street provide much needed jobs and services for Olney residents. The primary objective of N5SRP is to support local merchants through a variety of business services and referrals. N5SRP also manages the Olney Business Association and assists merchants in accessing capital improvement grants. By helping small businesses grow, the surrounding community will also flourish.

In 2010, N5SRP established the Olney Community Collaborative (OCC) as a way to join residents and merchants through activities. Korean, Latin and African cultural events, neighborhood cleanup days, open mic nights, summer youth employment programs and community mural paintings are just a few ways the OCC has used Olney’s assets and diversity to foster community cohesion along North 5th Street.

We hope you will join with us to make North 5 Street a more vibrant area to live, work and play.

Stephanie Michel is the Director of the North 5th Street Revitalization Project. She offers planning, coordination, and implementation support to the four of N5SRP’s components , cleaning, safety, business assistance, and community. As the Director, Stephanie applies her passion and talent toward engaging North 5th Street’s residents and merchants.

Stephanie served North 5th Street as an Americorps VISTA Volunteer from October, 2012 to September, 2013. After her year of service, Stephanie became the Program Coordinator. In this capacity she organized community partners in the Olney neighborhood to host and launch various community programs, classes and events.

Previously, she worked as the Civic Engagement Intern with Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition, an Assistant Director with Grassroots Campaigns, and a Kindergarten teacher in the Bensalem School District. She has held leadership positions operating as the African American Representative of the Albright College Student Government Association from 2008 to 2009, as well as serving as the President of Gamma Sigma Upsilon, a volunteer organization. Stephanie holds a B.A in Spanish and Sociology from Albright College. In December 2014, Stephanie accepted the Billy Penn Who’s Next Community Leader Award. In April of 2018 Stephanie was awarded the PACDC 2018 Rising Star Award.

Evan grew up in two different neighborhoods, experiencing first hand how important the businesses, built environment, and human interactions are to the people who make up the communities. As a recent graduate from Ohio State University, with a degree in City and Regional Planning, she is excited to integrate her education and innate capacity for organization to do what she loves most: empowering others to achieve their goals. She fell in love with the Olney community while serving as the Community and Economic Development Assistant before moving into the Corridor Manager role. Evan is energized to elevate the businesses in this role and is impassioned to serve Olney.

If you ever see Randal on 5th Street, he’ll likely have a smile on his face and a broom in his hand. He started with N5SRP in November, 2015 and is a beaming neighborhood ambassador. In his spare time, Randal is an artist with a thick portfolio of  murals, paintings, and sculptures. He even upcycles bottles, metals, and other materials he finds on 5th Street into his sculpture work.

Warren, or affectionately nick-named “Burger” on 5th Street, is a long time Olney resident and 5th Street mainstay. He’s been a Sanitation Specialist with N5SRP since the cleaning services kicked off in 2008. Warren is a dedicated Eagles fan and loves taking summer vacations to the shore with his family.

The Olney Youth Advisory Council are young leaders who want to improve their community by providing fun free events for their peers and provide youth voice to the transformation that is happening here on North 5th. Events by young people for young people.

Cheryl Wiltshire is one of many young advocates that are a part of the Young City Planners Initiative Olney Cohort, a program of the Advocacy Institute. Cheryl’s also very passionate about writing and public speaking due to being on the debate team for 3 years.

Kimberly Rodriguez  is student at the Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush. Kimberly is also a graduate of the Young City Planner’s Initiative: Olney Cohort. As the Youth Advisory Council Photographer, Kimberly captures beautiful moments at community events.

Vanahi Diaz is an alum of the Advocacy Institute Young City Planner’s Initiative  who works with north 5th Street revitalization project to help them promote the corridor through an images and creativity

N5SRP is led by an active and engaged Advisory Board comprised of neighborhood, merchants, residents, and community partners. This knowledgable and committed group advises N5SRP’s initiatives and is the driving force behind the program’s mission and vision. Our Fall 2015 – Fall 2016 Advisory Board Members (in alphabetical order by last name):

Pastor Tim Bathurst – A long time Olney resident and Interim Pastor at New Life Church. Mr. Bathurst is also a residential realtor servicing Olney and the surrounding neighborhoods.

Marjarie Burnett – Olney resident, block captain and involved GPASS Board member. Ms. Burnett sat on the Steering Committee for N5SRP’s 2012 corridor revitalization plan for the southern section of the corridor.

Doreen Burrows – Owner of Alliance Realty Inc., located at 5700 N 5^th Street. Ms. Burrows is an engaged and concerned merchant in the northern section of the corridor.

Alberto Carrasco – Owner of D’Classico Barbershop, located at 4947 N 5^th Street. Mr. Carrasco assists N5SRP by providing meeting space for the Olney Business Association and merchant workshops.

Justin Lee – Former owner of Tommy’s Place Restaurant (5511 N 5^th St) and current owner of Fern Rock Hardware, located at 5957 North 5^th Street. Mr. Lee also served as President of the Olney Business Association from 2011-2012.

Ambrose Liu – Organizer of the Olney Youth Arts Festival and Olney Youth Choir Concert. Mr. Liu also partners with N5SRP to host its monthly Open Mic Nights.

Christina Patton – Head Librarian at the Greater Olney Branch of the Free Library. Ms. Patton continues to facilitate N5SRP’s longstanding partnership with the Greater Olney Branch by providing meeting space for community events.

Laurel Sweeney – Long time Olney resident and active member with Friends of Fisher Park. Ms. Sweeny is currently involved with coordinating community events with the Mural Arts Program’s studio located in Fisher Park.

Read what the media is saying about N5SRP’s good work by visiting our press page.