University City’s Second Parklet Installed on 44th Street

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Mark Christman, [email protected] or 215-243-0555

(Philadelphia, PA) - University City District (UCD), in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities, the Philadelphia Department of Streets, and the offices of Councilwoman Jannie L. Blackwell, is pleased to announce the installation of University City’s second “Parklet” – an innovative, temporary seating platform that provides residents and visitors with a space to take in the area’s lively streetscape. On the heels of the successful 43rd Street Parklet – Philadelphia’s first, this new Parklet will be located on University City’s ever-evolving 44th Street, home of Honest Tom’s Taco Shop, Lil’ Pop Shop, Tampopo Restaurant and Local 44.

With University City pedestrian counts continually growing, UCD sees the addition of Parklets as a simple and low-cost solution to the growing demand for the infrastructure of walkability. The 40-foot-long, 6-foot-wide wooden platform is landscaped with lush plantings and a decorative railing and furnished with eight café tables and sixteen chairs. All members of the community are encouraged to enjoy this new public space.

Nate Hommel, UCD’s capital projects manager, added “The bustling 44th Street corridor is a great home for our next Parklet. Public open space is hard to come by in this area, and a Parklet gives people a chance to sit and enjoy life in a space previously used by stagnant cars. Exciting new restaurants Honest Tom’s and Lil’ Pop Shop combined with renowned standbys like Koch’s Deli, Local 44 and Tampopo make for vibrant pedestrian traffic both day and night.”

The Parklet was made possible by a generous grant from the William Penn Foundation and was designed by Philadelphia architecture firm DIGSAU. Partner Jules Dingle, a Spruce Hill resident, led this project. The project was fabricated by Bill Curran Design, which is located in Philadelphia’s Callowhill neighborhood. UCD has ordered three Parklets, which will be installed in yet-to-be-determined locations around University City in the late summer.

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