Community Ventures

Spring is in full bloom at Old First House! We just installed new corner planters outside on the corner of 4th & Race too!

Design by

So glad to celebrate the groundbreaking of Rebuild Philadelphia improvements at Vogt Recreation Center! Thanks to Senator Tina Tartaglione, Councilman Mike Driscoll, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Commissioner Slawson and Deputy Managing Director Aparna Palantino along with members of the Tacony community for joining us! Special shout out to our design and construction team: OZ Collaborative, Hunt Engineering, J+M engineering, Revision and Clemens Construction!

We’re excited to share that Community Ventures (CV) and Octavia Hill Association (OHA) have entered into a new collaboration rooted in our shared commitment to providing quality, affordable housing in Philadelphia.
As of March 29, 2026, all staffing and property management operations from both organizations have been consolidated under Community Ventures.
What this means:
🏘 Community Ventures will continue to advance its mission of strengthening neighborhoods and expanding affordable housing options.
🏘 OHA’s legacy, grounded in the Quaker principles of social housing reform pioneered by Octavia Hill, will carry forward through Community Ventures’ mission.
🏘 OHA will remain an independent corporation and will continue to own its units across Philadelphia.
🏘 Community Ventures has retained all existing OHA staff for a combined staff of 38-person staff across real estate development, property management, supportive services and finance.
🏘 Community Ventures will manage all OHA-owned properties, along with its existing rental portfolio, for a combined portfolio of 720 units.
🏘 Residents will continue working with the same property management staff and will soon see the Community Ventures name and logo on all communications.

Learn more about our collaboration below:
🔗 https://octaviahill.com/
🔗 https://community-ventures.org/affordable-rentals/

We are excited to celebrate the groundbreaking of another Rebuild Philadelphia transformation. New playground and building improvements are on their way at Vogt Recreation Center! See details below!

We're breaking ground at Vogt Recreation Center!

Join Councilmember Mike Driscoll, Capital Program Office (CPO), Rep. Joe Hohenstein, Senator Tina Tartaglione, Community Ventures, and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation as we kick off an $8 million project to transform this important community asset.

When: Friday, April 24, 2025, at 2:30 PM
Where: Vogt Recreation Center, 4131 Unruh Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19135

This project will bring a series of transformational improvements throughout the building and site:

Building:
New roof, windows, security cameras, and lighting
New HVAC, electrical, and mechanical systems
New interior finishes and furniture
ADA upgrades, including building access and restrooms

Site Improvements:
New playground equipment and safety surfacing
New benches, picnic tables, and trash/recycling receptacles
New trees and landscaping
This project will bring a series of transformational improvements throughout the building and site:

We hope to see you there!

Check out this article in the Inquirer about our recent Playful Learning project at our Susquehanna Square development in North Philly. The playful learning installations were designed based on resident engagement and working with Tree House Books. Thanks to our partners and William Penn Foundation for making this possible.

Educational play spaces were built at two North Philly affordable housing sites. Could they inspire similar projects nationwide?

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Community Ventures, I am pleased to announce that Troy Hannigan will serve as our new Executive Director, effective January 1, 2026. Troy brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the role, and I am confident that he will lead the organization well through the coming transitions.

On December 31, 2025, David La Fontaine retired as Community Ventures’ Executive Director after almost 30 years with the organization including 12 years as its Executive Director. David will continue to serve Community Ventures as a Special Advisor to the Executive Director particularly around asset management and to ensure a smooth transition.

Thank you for your support for Community Ventures. We will continue to share more information as the year goes on. For a full press release visit our website: https://community-ventures.org/troy-hannigan-named-executive-director/

Sincerely,
Nancy Wagner-Hislip
Chair, Board of Directors

Two years ago this week, we moved a 1760s rowhouse structure to make way for Old First House, a new mixed-use 34 unit permanent supportive housing development at 4th & Race in Old City! We are thankful that 34 individuals now have a warm, dry, and safe place to call home this winter.

Sending huge thanks to those who made this possible! Old First Reformed UCC, Depaul USA, Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA), Philadelphia Department of Planning & Development, Philadelphia Housing Authority, Councilman Mark Squilla, National Equity Fund, TD Bank, Community Lenders Community Development Corp., Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh, O Z Collaborative, Domus Inc, O'Donnell & Naccarato, BSEG, LLC, Re:Vision Architecture, Rodriguez, Studio Bryan Hanes, MaGrann Associates, Wolfe House & Building Movers, LLC.

Sharing this video by Colorspace Labs of the move day!

Community Ventures + OZ Collaborative // Historic Building Move, Old City Philadelphia This is "Community Ventures + OZ Collaborative // Historic Building Move, Old City Philadelphia" by Charles @ Colorspace Labs on Vimeo, the home for high…

We were honored to celebrate our Old First House development by receiving a 2025 Groundbreaker Award from last week! It was a fantastic event to celebrate innovation, environmental stewardship, and positive social and economic impact in the Philadelphia region.

Huge thanks to our partners, design and construction team! BSEG, MaGrann Associates

Excited to share that Old First House has been nominated for the Groundbreaker Awards! The award ceremony is October 9th and check out Green Building United’s profile for details.

We are preparing for our next Rebuild Philadelphia project to start construction in early 2026! We are seeking general contractors, special inspection agencies and movers for the renovation of Vogt Recreation Center!

Attention contractors and service providers!

and Community Ventures are seeking qualified firms to support the upcoming renovations at Vogt Recreation Center, located at 4131 Unruh Avenue in the Tacony neighborhood of Philadelphia. This major project will revitalize the recreation center, playground, pool, spray area, hockey rink, sports courts, and more — all designed to meet LEED Gold standards.

Current Requests for Proposals:

1) General Contractor – Comprehensive renovation of the recreation center and site, including new finishes, doors and windows, roofing, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing system upgrades, playground equipment installation, landscaping, and stormwater management.
• Budget: $5M–$10M
• Pre-bid Meeting: September 22, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. (on-site, entrance on Cottage Street)
• Submission Deadline: October 20, 2025

2) Special Inspections – Oversight of materials, equipment, and construction methods to ensure compliance with codes and standards during the renovation.
• Budget: $10K–$50K
• Submission Deadline: October 3, 2025

3) Moving and Storage Services – Support for relocating and storing facility contents to allow for construction activities.

For full details and instructions on how to submit a proposal, check our contract opportunities portal: http://bit.ly/3K2MPhD

We are excited for another ribbon cutting with Rebuild Philadelphia! Next week we will be cutting the ribbon on a new picnic area, basketball, volleyball, multipurpose courts, a new bike track and painted game area plus lots of new trees and benches at Piccoli Playground!

We’re cutting the ribbon at Piccoli Playground! 🎉

Join , Councilmember Quetcy Lozada, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, and Community Ventures to celebrate the $1.9 million renovation of this community hub.

This renovation brings exciting upgrades: new seating areas, lighting improvements, an updated sports court, and an inclusive “all wheels” track for bikes, scooters, and wheelchairs—designed to serve neighbors for years to come.

When: Friday, August 22, 2025, at 4:00 p.m.
Where: 1501 E Bristol Street, Philadelphia, PA 19124

Come see how we’re reimagining community spaces across Philadelphia, and celebrate this vibrant new space with us! ✂️🎀