Trolley Portal Gardens West Philadelphia Public space crowd

Creating welcoming public spaces.

We are dedicated to creating and maintaining public spaces that strengthen and enrich University City. In partnership with local organizations and community members, we work year-round to keep our streets and open spaces beautiful, green, and safe for pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders, and drivers.

UCD is a nationally recognized leader in data-driven placemaking, with extensive experience creating year-round spaces that attract visitors, boost economic activity, build community, and inform city practices and policies. From design and conceptualization to construction and operations, UCD has led successful projects, including the 40th Street Trolley Portal Gardens, various pedestrian plazas and streetscape improvements, and our flagship space, The Porch at 30th Street Station.

Whether we are planting 10,000 bulbs at The Porch, installing custom social seats for the public to enjoy, working on traffic calming efforts, or providing landscape services through our Green City Works landscape team or in-house Green Team, our impact can be felt throughout the neighborhood.

See our impact on the neighborhood.

Visitors enjoy swings and greenery at The Porch at 30th Street Station, with people walking and relaxing in the vibrant public space.

The Porch at 30th Street

A transformative urban open space adjacent to the third busiest train station in the country, The Porch is a key gateway to the region.

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Musicians perform on stage during the Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll, with a singer in a bright pink dress engaging the audience.

Trolley Portal Gardens

Located in the heart of University City at 40th and Baltimore, our public space transformed an underused concrete space into a lush and vital community hub and is home to the restaurant Renata’s Kitchen.

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West Philly Waterfront rendering of a new park built over the Schuylkill River.

The West Philly Waterfront

Our bold plan for a new waterfront public space on the western bank of the Schuylkill River.

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Aerial shot of Cedar Park Ground mural. Mural is abstract and floral, featuring jewel tones, pinks and yellows

Streetscape Improvements

University City District designs, installs, and maintains streetscape improvements like pedestrian plazas and small public spaces that make the environment appealing to pedestrians, transit-users, bicyclists, and drivers.

Streetscape Improvements