Gamble opens sixteen units in South Philly

A new senior housing complex has officially opened in Philadelphia.  It’s part of a music legend’s effort to redevelop South Philadelphia.

 

Kenny Gamble’s Universal companies fought to open the Osun   Village, which is providing 16 senior citizen housing units and commercial space in Grays Ferry.  Gamble says the development has been years in the making because in this economy it’s difficult to build affordable housing.

“I think it’s been a struggle for everybody and we just continue to fight and keep at it because it’s definitely needed,” he says.

Gamble has been active in the South of South Street community over the years, Andrew Dalzell is a program coordinator of the group.  He says neighbors have had good collaboration with Gamble.

“Most recently there have been a lot of projects from the opening of Osun to our collaboration with them on a really cool project, an intersection mural at 15th and Catherine streets, to the expansion of the Universal Institute Charter School,” Dalzell says.

Gamble says education is the key to moving the neighborhood forward.