The 52nd Street business corridor will get improvements ahead of Philadelphia’s Juneteenth Parade and Festival, thanks to funding received as part of Wells Fargo’s “HOPE 2.0” initiative. The $250,000 in funding, presented to The Enterprise Center today, is a continuation of Wells Fargo’s “HOPE, USA” initiative, which pledged more than $1 million in support for the 52nd Street corridor ahead of the 2021 holiday shopping season and encouraged residents to shop local in support of small businesses.

The funding will be used for continued façade improvements and enhancements along the 52nd Street commercial corridor. This includes new signage, gates and doors, power washing and graffiti removal for a number of small businesses on the 300 block, as well as sidewalk repairs. New planters will be placed along the corridor, and street banners designed by local female-owned artist collective Hagopian Arts with the phrase “Never Lose Hope” will run from Market to Larchwood Street.

The announcement was made today in front of Cotton’s Place, one of the small businesses benefitting from the HOPE 2.0 initiative. The enhancements and beautification work are scheduled to be completed in advance of the Philadelphia Juneteenth Parade & Festival, which will be held this Sunday. All façade and street improvement work is being completed by locally-based minority contractors.

To learn more about The Enterprise Center’s efforts to revitalize 52nd Street, historically known as “West Philly’s Main Street,” visit: https://www.theenterprisecenter.com/community/52nd-street-projects.

The Philadelphia Juneteenth parade will begin at 11 a.m. at 52nd and Parkside (gathering starts at 10 a.m.) and proceed to Malcolm X Park where the festival will take place until 8 p.m. For more info, go to: https://juneteenthphilly.org/.

Photos by Elise Corbett/Wells Fargo