Penn begins building Shoemaker Green

Construction of Shoemaker Green is underway as PennConnects continues its green march along the eastern edge of the Penn Campus. Shoemaker Green will be a new 2.75-acre public commons that will link the campus with Penn Park, and provide space for passive recreation, study, and events.

Shoemaker Green is being built where Penn’s Lott Tennis Courts stood, tucked off of 33rd Street. Since the University’s built new tennis facilities in Penn Park, Penn had an opportunity to remake the space created by Franklin Field, the Palestra, and the David Rittenhouse Labs. Demolition work and site preparation started in September.

Shoemaker Green’s site design by Andropogon, has strong sustainability features: native plantings, fewer paved surfaces, means to collect and reuse stormwater, energy-efficient lighting, local building materials, and 95% of the existing materials will be recycled. So green is the Green that the project was selected as a pilot site for the Sustainable Sites Initiative, which will measure the landscape’s sustainability performance.

In addition to Shoemaker Green’s landscape features, The Daily Pennsylvanian reports, “Tables and chairs will be placed outside Hutchinson Gym, a new crosswalk will be added on 33rd Street and the War Memorial will be partially restored.” Construction is expected to finish in Fall 2012.

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