University City gets Philadelphia’s first “parklet”

What is a “parklet”?

According to the article, and parklet is “a pavement reuse initiative that re-purposes one or two existing parking spots with a platform that brings the grade of the sidewalk out to the street.”

Hmmm.

Sounds a little complicated, but it really isn’t. It’s actually quite ingenious for a city like Philadelphia, where city streets/sidewalks can sometimes be small and narrow due to their age.

It’s a great option for pedestrians in high-traffic areas, and considering Philadelphia was just voted the “5th Most Walkable” city in the US, parklets should actually be a part of daily pedestrian life in Philly’s dense commercial districts.

The next question is, when will Center City get its first?

An Updated 52nd Street?

The City of Philadelphia and local business owners are trying to breathe new life into this once thriving urban, commercial business district. They’re immediate goals are to get everyone talking about the project (so it gains traction), and find a creative way to finance it.
More information and pictures can be found here.