Guest Commentator: Jasmine E. Sessoms, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Hilco Redevelopment Partners @HRPPHILLY
What role can developers play in ensuring an environmentally responsible and economically revitalized future for Greater Philadelphia?
I grew up at 21st & Bainbridge, and was raised to believe in three tenets: the value of hard work, duty to my family and community, and a commitment to public service. Put simply, I was taught to give back some of what I took from society. For me, the concept of “sustainability” felt familiar and very personal, although I never would have given it that label.
After graduating from Engineering & Science High School and pursuing a rewarding career in public service, my own beliefs about what’s important for the city I love have evolved and solidified. In July 2020, in the midst of a global pandemic, when all of our lives and beliefs were stripped down to essentials, I took a leap of faith. I accepted a job working for a private redevelopment company here in Philadelphia. Hilco Redevelopment Partners is a company that willingly tackles the toughest redevelopment challenges across the nation. It’s a company that puts sustainability first — not just environmentally, but across the board. Hilco Redevelopment Partners has a unique approach to redevelopment and, like me, extremely high standards.
All of our projects — from start to finish — must be tackled in a way that is sustainable for the environment, for jobs and the economy, and, most importantly to me, for the community. These principles convinced me to accept the job and throw myself into the biggest redevelopment project in Philadelphia — the remediation and redevelopment of the former PES refinery in Southwest Philly, my childhood stomping grounds. Only a company committed to transforming that derelict site into something that would breathe new life into the neighborhood I love would earn my dedication and loyalty. It has. And believe me, I’m a tough sell.
Everything Hilco Redevelopment Partners does must be sustainable for the environment. We tackle the toughest cleanup challenges, and maintain the highest environmental redevelopment standards. As we remediate, we recycle as much as 98% of materials on site and remove an estimated 30,000 tons of asbestos. In the redevelopment stage we will prioritize planting trees, installing solar panels, and enabling electric vehicle infrastructure, in addition to other green initiatives.
But sustainability for us goes beyond the buildings we construct. Creating a sustainable future for residents by creating long-term jobs is at the core of our mission. Hilco Redevelopment Partners is committed to creating economic opportunities through our Good Jobs Commitment(s) — thousands promised here in Philadelphia alone. We know that we can only thrive if the surrounding community thrives. That’s why we have been so thrilled to see the lasting economic benefits at Sparrows Point, a former iron and steel manufacturing facility that we redeveloped into a bustling logistics hub called Tradepoint Atlantic, which now accounts for 1% of Maryland’s GDP and 8,000+ jobs. This impact is the reason I agreed to meet Hilco Redevelopment Partners’ executive team for an in-person (socially distant) interview in the middle of COVID-19.
If we have learned anything from the pandemic, it’s that we are all in this together. That’s a main reason why Hilco Redevelopment Partners is grateful to join the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, as it brings together businesses and civic leaders to promote growth and create opportunity. Like the Chamber, we believe that the best things are accomplished when we all work together. The clean-up and revitalization of the former PES property is no exception. As a lifelong Philadelphian and product of the Point Breeze neighborhood, I’m proud to say that this company has been warmly welcomed by my hometown. Now the hard work begins for all of us.
The Chamber supports an advanced, affordable, diversified, low-carbon energy economy. Our Greater Philadelphia Energy Action Team brings together 150+ industry leaders committed to delivering affordable energy solutions that will benefit the current families and businesses living and operating in Greater Philadelphia while attracting new development and growth opportunities.
