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University City District partnered with the Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities and the Streets Department to transform Woodland Avenue Pedestrian Plaza, a lifeless traffic island, into a permanent pop-up park. (Photo courtesy University City District)

University City District just doesn’t slow down.

The organization behind The Porch at 30th Street Station, the incredibly popular Baltimore Avenue Dollar Strolls (last one of the season is Thursday night, September 20) and the city’s first pop-up parklets , is ready to unveil the latest feather in its cap.

On Wednesday, September 19, UCD will unveil the newly transformed Woodland Avenue Pedestrian Plaza, a formerly forlorn traffic triangle at 42nd Street and Woodland Avenue, now a vibrant, verdant urban oasis complete with trees, planters, bistro tables and umbrellas. Beautiful plantings including Knockout Rose, Shasta Daisy, Russian Sage, Lavender, Blackeyed Susan and other native flowers.

UCD partnered with the Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities and the Philadelphia Streets Department to transform this lifeless traffic island into a permanent pop-up park perfect for pedestrians nearby the University of the Sciences’ campus.

Cool green facts: In creating a new green space that links together The Woodlands, Clark Park and the USciences campus, the plaza’s planters will capture rain that would otherwise runoff as stormwater. They also incorporate salvaged wood, both in the form of fallen trees from Woodlands Cemetery and elsewhere, as well as old lumber from a building renovation in University City.

From 1-2:30 p.m. tomorrow, a special ceremony will include complimentary treats provided by Little Baby’s Ice Cream and Woodland Avenue’s Four Worlds Bakery and Starbucks.

The Woodland Avenue Pedestrian Plaza is the first completed project of the City of Philadelphia’s Pedestrian Plaza Program, which seeks to reclaim these unused swathes of asphalt and concrete by turning them into new public parks.

Last year, the City awarded three grants through this Pedestrian Plaza Program. UCD was the recipient of two of those grants; next spring, another pedestrian plaza will be unveiled at 48th Street and Baltimore Avenue.

Check out a site plan for the plaza, below.

Woodland Avenue Pedestrian Plaza
42nd Street and Woodland Avenue
www.universitycity.org