By Daniel Claycomb, P.G. and Joe Kraycik, P.G., CQA, Integral Consulting, Inc. 

The Women’s Community Revitalization Project (WCRP) is a Philadelphia based, women led nonprofit dedicated to advancing social and economic equity for low income women and their families through the development of affordable housing, the provision of supportive services, and advocacy for equitable public policy.

Founded in 1987, WCRP emerged from grassroots organizing in North Philadelphia after local women successfully challenged discriminatory lending practices, leveraging the momentum to address neighborhood disinvestment and housing instability. The organization involves residents and neighbors in their design to ensure homes meet the real-life needs of the families who live there.

Over the last 40 years the organization has grown to become a nationally recognized, innovative developer that has built more than 414 units of housing and invested $155 million in some of Philadelphia’s poorest neighborhoods.

Integral Consulting, Inc. (Integral) has provided environmental consulting services to WCRP on three recent projects. Each project was developed on brownfield sites owned by a community land trust. 

Linda Lockman King Apartments

WCRP recently celebrated the groundbreaking of the Linda Lockman King Apartments, a new affordable housing development located at 5500 Haverford Avenue in West Philadelphia. The event marked an important milestone in WCRP’s ongoing commitment to creating stable, permanently affordable housing for low income Philadelphians, particularly women and their families. 

The Linda Lockman King Apartments are designed to remain affordable for generations to come. The four story building will include 33 rental units, with nine units fully wheelchair accessible. Twenty three of the apartments will be supported by the Philadelphia Housing Authority, helping ensure access for families most in need.

The development is named in honor of Linda Lockman King, a beloved West Philadelphia community leader and social worker known for her tireless dedication to neighborhood families. King organized free food programs, coordinated youth summer initiatives, and dreamed of transforming land across from Philadelphia Baptist Church into affordable housing—a vision now brought to life through this project.

In addition to developing and managing the property, WCRP will provide on site supportive services for residents, reinforcing its holistic approach to housing. Once completed, the Linda Lockman King Apartments will provide a safe, affordable home for 33 Philadelphia families, strengthening the surrounding community and advancing the city’s broader efforts to address housing insecurity.

Integral conducted Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA); Phase II investigations involving soil, groundwater, and vapor intrusion evaluations; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) evaluations including Noise Abatement and Control Analysis and Explosive and Flammable Facilities Analysis; preparation of a Soil Management Plan; oversight of smoke testing associated with vapor barrier installation; and provided oversight and consulting during redevelopment activities. 

Abigail Pankey Apartments

Another WCRP project, the Abigail Pankey Apartments, was completed in early 2026 in West Philadelphia’s Mantua neighborhood. This apartment complex consists of 32 units including 22 two-bedroom and 10 three-bedroom units, all suited for families with children. Eight apartments are fully accessible for individuals with disabilities and two are sensory units designed for individuals with hearing and visual differences. 

Abigail Pankey Apartments were built within a rapidly changing neighborhood that has received multiple revitalization designations, including HUD Choice Neighborhood, Promise Zone, and Opportunity Zone status. These programs reflect the community’s commitment to revitalization while preserving affordability. The project addresses the urgent need for affordable housing as market-rate development accelerates, threatening to displace low- and moderate-income families. By activating previously vacant land, the development creates much-needed homes while also improving neighborhood safety and property values.

The development is named in honor of Abigail Pankey who was a leader of the Mantua Housing Committee and co-founder of the Philadelphia Anti-Poverty Coalition (Women's Community Revitalization Project, Abigail Pankey Apartments announcement, March 2026). She understood housing not as an abstraction or a policy problem, but as the foundation of everything else a community needs: safety, stability, the ability to stay.

Integral also provided environmental consulting services to WCRP on this project. These services included Remedial Investigation Report and Cleanup Plan Addendum Preparation; Phase II investigations involving soil, groundwater, and vapor intrusion evaluations; underground storage tank removal efforts; preparation of a Soil Management Plan; oversight of smoke testing associated with vapor barrier installation; redevelopment oversight and consulting, and reporting under Pennsylvania’s Voluntary Cleanup Program in order to obtain a  site-specific release of liability associated with historical environmental impacts at the property. 

Nayda Cintron Apartments

Nayda Cintron Apartments is a 40-unit, new construction affordable housing community located in the Fairhill neighborhood of North Philadelphia. Being developed by WCRP on land donated by the City of Philadelphia, the project will span 0.97 acres across 11 parcels. It will consist of a three-story, 34-unit multifamily building and two three-story triplexes situated on separate parcels across Fairhill Street. The multifamily building includes 2 one-bedroom units, 23 two-bedroom units, and 9 three-bedroom units, while each triplex contains two bi-level three-bedroom units and one single-level ADA-accessible three-bedroom unit. In total, the development will offer 10 fully ADA-accessible units, 2 units designed for hearing or visual impairments, and 36 Visit Able units.

The $25.3 million development will transform multiple vacant and blighted parcels into high-quality, energy-efficient homes designed to meet Zero Energy Ready Homes standards and Enterprise Green Communities criteria. The site is within walking distance of schools, parks, libraries, recreation centers, and local employment opportunities, making it ideal for families. Larger unit sizes will address a critical shortage of affordable housing for bigger households, helping to combat overcrowding and substandard living conditions in the area. The design and site plan take advantage of by-right zoning, which expedites the development process and supports neighborhood revitalization. Environmentally sustainable materials, efficient systems, and thoughtful urban design will enhance both livability and long-term operational savings.

The development is named in honor of Nayda Cintron who is a prominent Puerto Rican activist and community organizer in Philadelphia, best known for her foundational work in the Norris Square neighborhood during the 1980’s during which she organized residents to challenge a system that split the Norris Square community across multiple council districts. She founded the Norris Square Civic Association (now known as Xiente), establishing a model for grassroots community control over housing, zoning, and safety. She also helped launch the American Street Business Corridor and introduced some of the city's first community gardens, land banks, and job training programs.

Integral has provided environmental consulting services to WCRP on this project. These services included a Phase I ESA; Phase II investigation involving soil and vapor intrusion evaluations; HUD-required evaluations including Noise Abatement and Control Analysis and Explosive and Flammable Facilities Analysis; and redevelopment oversight and consulting.

To learn more about WCRP, please visit www.wcrpphila.org

Integral Consulting, Inc. is a multidisciplinary environmental consulting firm that helps clients make informed, strategic, and compliant decisions on complex environmental and human health issues. The company brings together scientists, engineers, and regulatory specialists to deliver practical, technically rigorous solutions, emphasizing collaboration, clear communication, and results that balance scientific precision with real world feasibility.

https://www.integral-corp.com/about/

The Authors:

Mr. Claycomb has more than 38 years of experience as a geologist with engineering and environmental consulting firms. His work focuses on quality assurance oversight for environmental emergency response, as well as emergency response planning and preparedness documents related to sampling, analytical, and data management programs. He also provides technical support for environmental litigation, risk-based investigations and corrective actions, Pennsylvania’s Land Recycling Program (Act 2) and Management of Fill Policy, sediment and surface water quality investigations, quality assurance oversight for major surface water bodies, and environmental investigations involving vapor intrusion, subsurface soil and rock exploration, and groundwater contamination.

Mr. Kraycik is a professional geologist with 30 years of environmental consulting experience. He is an effective and successful manager who has been recognized with four prestigious brownfield redevelopment excellence awards for public and private projects in EPA Region 3. He has managed numerous EPA and state grants on behalf of clients throughout the northeast and mid-Atlantic with an emphasis on best practices for establishing sustainable assessment and redevelopment programs.