PlanPhilly: Planning Philadelphia's Future

The latest plans for streetscape improvements that would beautify Market Street in University City were presented at a community meeting in West Philadelphia last night.

Proposals for a redesign of Market Street from 34th to 41st Street aim to "unify and beautify the corridor."  The plans call for new sidewalks, curbs, a six-foot "amenity strip" between the sidewalk and the driving lanes, greening, pedestrian lighting, sidewalk bump-outs, and a landscaped center median where feasible.

The improvement plans include many unique elements not typically found in standard streetscape plans.  These include:

• "Rain gardens" designed by the Philadelphia Water Department, which will be installed in the amenity strip for stormwater retention purposes.
• Solar panel fixtures along each block of the corridor.
• Wissahickon schist, the predominant bedrock underlying the Philadelphia region, will be integrated into the sidewalk to give a nighttime sparkle as well as incorporate local historical elements.
  

The project represents a unique public-private partnership between the University City Science Center and numerous city agencies, including the Commerce and Streets Department and the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation.  It began in summer 2007 when Third District Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell allocated $200,000 of ReStore Commercial Corridor bond money to physical improvements to 40th and Market Street following a community design process led by the Friends of 40th Street.  The Science Center and its partnering organizations then agreed to offer implementation funding in order to extend the project east into its campus.  This quick coalition building will help the project get an additional $1 million from the ReStore package, allocated for projects that are implemented by the end of 2009.

The Science Center is giving $2 million in addition to the City's $1.2 million.  However, consultants estimate the project will cost around $5 million total, so team members are meeting with state and federal representatives to try to fill the gap. 

Questions came up at the meeting about SEPTA's involvement, and why this project could not be extended to 44th Street to meet the streetcape improvements being done for the West Philadelphia El reconstruction. The opportunity to enhance the accessibility and aesthetics of the 40th Street El stop entrances was also discussed, as this was a signature piece of the Civic Vision the Friends of 40th Street developed.  The project team hopes that this work will spur further physical improvements and investment in the area.

Plans have been submitted to the Streets Department for review and approval -- if approved on schedule, construction would begin early 2009 with the hope of completing the entire seven-block project by Fall 2009.

Anyone interested in participating the the project's letter-writing campaign to elected officials, email Curt Hess, VP for Real Estate at the Science Center, at chess@sciencecenter.org.

Graphics courtesy of Wells Appel.

Posted by Andrew Goodman.  Contact him at agoodman@design.upenn.edu.