The strip's success stems from an active, tight-knit group of small business owners known as the Fifth and Lehigh Business Association. The project dragged on for about 20 years, marking the first dent in efforts to ease the traffic congestion. Diaz lobbied city officials and helped navigate the project through a maze of red tape. The recently opened lot required the leveling of five houses, helping to chase away local drug dealers. Diaz now is lobbying city officials for additional parking lots to replace vacant buildings and trash-strewn lots.
More parking is essential if the district is to grow and lure shoppers from outside the region.
The other key is safety. Increased safety will draw more businesses and residents to the struggling neighborhood. After all, the Latino community is the main source of population growth in the city. Consider that Philadelphia's population dropped by 6 percent in the 1980s, while the percentage of Latinos living in the city doubled, to 6 percent. The Avenue, as locals call it, is home to many Italian-owned businesses.