Market Street to be re-designed

When University City District Executive Director Lewis Wendell exited the subway station at 40th and Market streets for the first time three years ago, he was greeted by an unwelcoming scene.

He contrasted the "uninviting" area with what is otherwise a "relatively vibrant city."

Now Wendell said he is hoping to improve Philadelphia's overall aesthetic appearance - and he's not alone.

When Science Center Senior Vice President of Real Estate and UCD board member Curt Hess learned of Wendell's plans to revitalize the blocks on Market Street between 39th and 41st streets, he suggested adding 34th through 39th streets - the Science Center's campus - to the blueprint. The result was a more than $5 million project aimed at "creating uniformity in the 'streetscape,'" said Wendell.

Cutting-edge environmental engineering will play a large role in the revitalization of this "streetscape," Wendell said. Among the innovative implementations are light fixtures dually-powered by sun and wind, a stormwater collection system known as an "urban rain garden" that prevents pollution by reducing excess stormwater runoff and a sidewalk embedded with Wissahickon schist - a rock that adds a "sparkle effect," he said.

The new design also includes reduced on-street parking, a new bike lane, planted median areas, pedestrian lighting and improved marking of pedestrian crosswalks, Wendell wrote in an e-mail. "All improvements are being reviewed by the Streets Department and SEPTA to insure that issues that relate to busses and other vehicular traffic, in addition to pedestrian and bicycle traffic are addressed," he said.

The revitalization effort is part of a city-wide ReStore Philadelphia Corridors initiative seeking to reduce crime by "transforming neighborhoods" with a "modern updated redesign," said Philadelphia City Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, who approved $1.2 million for the Market Street renovation.

The city's Departments of Commerce and Streets are also co-sponsoring the project, Wendell said, as is the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation.

"It's really a terrific team," said Hess, noting that "the Science Center clearly has the lead on the implementation of the project."

The Friends of 40th Street and Penn Praxis, a venture of Penn Design, recently held meetings in which guides for improvement to the intersection of 40th and Market streets and the surrounding area were discussed, Wendell said.

About $2 million will come from the Science Center and other "corporate partners," he said, adding that the project organizers are in the process of applying for state and federal grants to cover the remaining costs.

The project is slated to start when design is completed in about six to nine months and will last about six months, Wendell said. Two community meetings have also been held to-date.

"This is going to be part of a gateway into University City," said Hess, "a much more elegant boulevard."

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