Take a seat, get comfortable and enjoy the view.
That’s the only requirement for residents and visitors at Philadelphia’s first “Parklet.”
What is a Parklet?
The city describes it this way: “an innovative, temporary seating platform that provides residents with a space to take in the area’s lively streetscape.”
The University City District unveiled the first-of-its-kind space on Thursday at 43rd Street just north of Baltimore Avenue.
“University City, like much of Philadelphia, has an unmet demand for pedestrian amenities,” said UCD Executive Director Matt Bergheiser.
The University City Parklet was designed with a 40-foot-long, 6-foot-wide wooden platform, landscaped with planters and a decorative railing. The area is also furnished with nine café tables and eighteen chairs.
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If the idea catches on, more Parklets may spring up around the city.
“Parklets fit into the Mayor's sustainability agenda and the city's overall livability,” said Deputy Mayor for Transportation and Utilities Rina Cutler.
A ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday was presided over by Cutler, Philadelphia City Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, State Rep. James Roebuck, and UCD’s Matt Bergheiser and Prema Katari Gupta.
A grant from the William Penn Foundation helped finance the project.
