Blatstein will lead the organization, whose mission is to continue the preservation and beautification of historic Rittenhouse Square Park
Bart Blatstein, President and CEO of the privately held development company Tower Investments. Inc., has been elected Friends of Rittenhouse Square president for the 2018-2019 term.
“I am honored to serve as president of Friends of Rittenhouse Square,” said Blatstein. “As a lifelong Philadelphian and a resident of Rittenhouse Square, I have spent the majority of my career working to improve Philadelphia in ways that will have an impact on the city for years to come. Because of that, I know the critical role that clean and safe public spaces play, and it starts with our wonderful public park system. I look forward to leading the mission of the Friends of Rittenhouse Square.”
In his more than 40 years in the real estate industry, Bart Blatstein has earned the reputation as one of the region’s most respected and creative developers. With a proven track record of bringing vibrancy and energy to underutilized spaces, Bart transformed vast tracts of post-industrial properties along Columbus Boulevard into flourishing retail, entertainment, and office developments, including Riverview Plaza, Columbus Crossing, and Dickinson Square. In Manayunk, Tower developed one of the largest contiguous commercial sites along the Schuylkill River. Among the company’s many signature projects, Bart redeveloped Northern Liberties, creating the award-winning Piazza and Liberties Walk community, and establishing this once barren neighborhood as the place in Philadelphia to live, work and play. His redevelopment efforts have created jobs, business opportunities, tax revenues and the impetus for more investment in the Philadelphia. The transformation of Atlantic City, beginning with the re-imagining of The Playground and Showboat Hotel, is his next frontier.
Bart is very active in numerous civic and charitable endeavors. He was a founding member of the Waterfront Developers Council and is a past President of the Jewish Publishing Group Board. He served on the Board of Trustees of Community College of Philadelphia, Northeast Treatment Centers, Federation of Jewish Agencies as Real Estate Division chairman and Israel Bonds and the Technical Assistance Center for Emerging Contractors. He currently serves on President’s Advisory Board and Board of Visitors of Temple University and the Kimmel Center Board of Directors.
About the Friends of Rittenhouse Square
The Friends of Rittenhouse Square was created in 1976 to address the increasing gap between available city funding and the maintenance needs of Rittenhouse Square. With a mission to “preserve, protect, and beautify” the park, the Friends work in a public-private partnership with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation. The Friends fund and manage many programs and projects needed to sustain The Square. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the Friends provide funding through membership, special events, private donations, sponsorships and capital campaigns. Our supporters include local businesses, national corporations, top executives, young professionals, area visitors, students, families and long-time residents of The Square.
