University City District
PHILADELPHIA
CHANGING PLACES CHANGING LIVES
University City District
CHANGING PLACES CHANGING LIVES
Since 1997, University City District (UCD) has invested in the vitality of a 2.4 square mile district in West Philadelphia. While we were founded to provide the clean, safe, and welcoming streets that are the necessary foundation of every healthy community, our portfolio has grown throughout our history. As a partnership of world-renowned anchor institutions, small businesses, and residents, we create premier public spaces, address crime and public safety, bring life to commercial corridors, and connect residents and businesses to the opportunity created by University City’s burgeoning economy. Every day, we work to change places and change lives.
PHILADELPHIA
Creating a Clean and Safe Community
UCD’S foundational focus is on the physical world, and we are dedicated to the safety, cleanliness, and continued success of our neighborhood. Our Public Safety Ambassadors patrol the streets, offer walking escort services, and generally serve as highly visible deterrents to crime while offering assistance to those in need. Our Public Space
Maintenance employees work seven days a week to clean and enhance more than 160 commercial and residential blocks through street cleanings, graffiti removal, trash collection, and more. Together, these women and men ensure that the neighborhood is a safe and welcoming environment for residents, employees, and visitors all year round.
“ I would just like to say thank you to all the dedicated people who make me feel safe at night! Thank you for the work you do.”
– LONGTIME NEIGHBOR
Activating Public Spaces
UCD designs, builds, and maintains lively public venues intended to reactivate space and enhance community building. We are a nationally recognized leader in data-driven placemaking, and have extensive experience creating both temporary and permanent public spaces that attract visitors, generate economic activity, and foster community. Our smaller interventions like bus seats, pedestrian plazas, and Parklets make the public realm safe and appealing for bicyclists, pedestrians,
transit-riders, and drivers while encouraging social interaction across the community. Our largescale projects like Trolley Portal Gardens – a $4.5 million public space and restaurant at the busiest at-grade rail station in Philadelphia – and The Porch at 30 th Street Station – a dynamic plaza filled with lush plantings, moveable furniture, food trucks and arts programming outside Philadelphia’s train station – transform underutilized concrete spaces into vibrant community assets for everyone to enjoy.
The Porch at 30 th Street Station
“[UCD] has made a specialty out of greening paved waste spaces...It started tinkering with the plaza in front of 30th Street Station in 2011, transforming it into a lively gathering spot now known as The Porch. It has sponsored half a dozen parklets around the neighborhood. The Portal Gardens is its most ambitious undertaking yet.”
– IN GA SAFFRON, THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
The Porch at 30 th Street Station Market Street Bridge
Economic Opportunity
As University City has transformed into a hub of employment and development activity, UCD has sought to leverage this tremendous growth by expanding economic opportunity for local residents. In 2011, UCD launched our nationally recognized job-training program, the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative (WPSI), which connects talented individuals to life-changing opportunities with the city’s premier institutions. The Skills Initiative prepares jobseekers to thrive in the workplace, while helping our employer partners address
longstanding challenges around recruitment, training, and retention. In 2016, we launched Green City Works, a landscaping social venture that maintains green space for University City’s largest institutions while creating quality jobs for local community residents. UCD is committed to providing good wages and benefits, full time positions, and skill building and advancement opportunities – all a rarity in the landscaping industry. Together with our institutional partners, we work to share the benefits of our economically vibrant community in a broad and inclusive way.
“WPSI has changed my
life. When I came here, I knew I had the skills to land a job, but working closely with the staff, they brought out my potential to build a future career and to pull out my best self. I know that I am capable of doing whatever I put my mind to because I have a phenomenal group of people behind me.”
– R ECENT GRADUATE, MARCH 2019 BRIGHTVIEW COHORT
Economic Development
UCD takes a holistic approach to cultivating the economic health of our community while providing valuable data to support business growth and retention. Our Small Business Services team supports businesses looking to open, expand, or relocate in University City. We also address problems of vacancy and distressed real estate head
on through Project Rehab, which guides owners through the process of restoring their property in order to return it to useful life. This work is complemented by our core services – Clean and Safe, marketing and promotion, and destination events – which ensure that University City is one of the best places in Philadelphia to run and grow a business.
Project Rehab
“From the very beginning 10 years ago, UCD tore down walls, stumbling blocks, gave support and indefatigable energy. They continue to give broad support whenever needed. Without UCD, Dock Street would not be the success that we are today.”
– ROSEMARIE CERTO, OWNER, DOCK STREET BREWERY
Lee's Deli
Data Excerpt from The State of University City
Events
UCD plans dynamic, familyfriendly destination events that draw nearly 45,000 people from across the neighborhood, city, and region every year. Our diverse portfolio of offerings supports our local business community, with thousands showing up to enjoy $1 specials from local businesses and vendors at the Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll or explore University City’s
international restaurant scene through our Dining Days restaurant promotion. We bring life to public spaces with free events like Movies in Clark Park, the 40 th Street Summer Series, and pop-up performances at The Porch at 30 th Street Station. Through our events and gatherings, we promote our neighborhood’s corridors and spaces and create opportunities for our diverse community to connect and engage.
Movies in Clark Park
“The Dollar Stroll is such a great event for all the businesses on the avenue, especially during the quiet months in the summer. We receive a great response from our customers. Vientiane is excited to see more events in the future and hope to keep the lines coming.”
– SUNNY PHANTHAVONG OWNER, VIENTIANE CAFE
University City Dining Days
Transportation
UCD works to address transportation issues that affect the district, including bike and pedestrian safety, traffic congestion, and transit routing. UCD, major institutions, developers, the City, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission run a Transportation Management Association (TMA), which aims to improve
every mode of transit to benefit residents and commuters. Together with SEPTA, the TMA operates the Loop through University City (LUCY) bus that carries over 700,000 annual passengers from 30 th Street Station to jobs throughout the district. UCD works on projects ranging from starting the new bus Route 49, updating highway on-ramps, bringing bike lanes to the district, working to reduce congestion, and more.
UCD In The News
Trolleys in the garden: New landscape and cafe transform bleak West
Philly junction
PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
$5 million from Lenfest Foundation will bring career training to West Philly
TECHNICAL.LY
UC 2.0: Development in University City is transforming West Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA BUSINESS JOURNAL
Aiming for inclusive public spaces, University City District bucks defensive design trends
PL AN PHILLY
In University City, giving the jobless a chance
PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
What makes public spaces ‘just’?
GENEROCITY
As University City booms, a meadow grows at uCity Square
CURBED
University City District unveils Philly’s longest parklet yet
PHILLY VOICE
University City Dining Days aims to drive business to the area
CBS PHILLY
Board Member Organizations
Institutions
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Drexel University
National Board of Medical Examiners
The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College
University City Science Center
Businesses & Developers
Brandywine Realty Trust
Campus Apartments
Central City & Ardmore Toyota
FMC Corporation
HCP Medical Office Properties
Community Organizations
Cedar Park Neighbors
The Enterprise Center
Garden Court Community Association
International House
University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania Health System
University of the Sciences
Wexford Science + Technology
The Wistar Institute
INTECH Construction, Inc.
Metropolis Group / 40 th Street Live
Pennoni Associates, Inc.
Verizon Pennsylvania
Powelton Village Civic Association
Spruce Hill Community Association
Walnut Hill Community Association
University City District
3940 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
215.243.0555
University City District (UCD) was founded in 1997 by a partnership of worldrenowned anchor institutions, small businesses and residents to improve economic vitality and quality of life in Philadelphia's University City. Our primary mission is community revitalization. We work within a place-based, data-driven framework to invest in world-class public spaces, address crime and public safety, bring life to commercial corridors, connect low-income residents to careers, and promote job growth and innovation.
To make a secure, online donation to UCD, please visit: www.universitycity.org/donate