Preview party held for redesigned The Porch at 30th Street Station

Friday, May 29, 2015

Originally published by Philadelphia Business Journal

University City District held a preview party for the newly redesigned The Porch at 30th Street Station with a pop-up beer garden at their popular outdoor space.

About 100 people came by to check out the beautifully landscaped space, which sits on the south side of the busy train station and runs from 29th to 30th streets.

David Fierabend’s company Groundswell, which created the space for the Independence Beer Garden, Morgan's Pier, Spruce Street Harbor Park and the soon-to-be expanded Rosa Blanca at Dilworth Park, created an urban garden, complete with lots of places to sit, interesting light fixtures, a lawn and newly designed bike racks, which ivy will cover by the end of the summer.

This year, The Porch created a pop-up beer garden which features a permanent food truck called “The Rotisserie at the Porch” by Chef Michael Schulson, the man behind restaurants Sampan, Graffiti Bar, Independence Beer Garden and the upcoming Double Knot. When the food truck is closed, one can always bring their own lunch to The Porch.

The menu is the best of summer eating with BBQ Chips, watermelon salad, burgers, wings and, my favorite, the spit-roasted lamb. There’s also a trailer that serves as a bar with drinks ranging from specialty cocktails and beers to soda and water.

Lunch is seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The spirits are served Wednesday through Saturday from 4 to 9 p.m. The menu is available during this time, too.

Prema Gupta, director of planning and economic development at University District, is the mastermind behind The Porch, managing all aspects of its transformation from a sidewalk to a vibrant public space.

Gupta was an honoree in the PBJ's 2015 40 Under 40 Awards.


View "Preview party" at bizjournals.com