Celebrating 10 Years of Philadelphia's First Parklet Program

Local leaders cut the ribbon on Philadelphia's first Parklet
Aug 03, 2021 2 years ago

Ten years ago today, UCD introduced Philadelphia's first Parklet at 43rd, just north of Baltimore Avenue. Our Parklets are landscaped with planters and a decorative railing, furnished with movable café tables and chairs, and add a distinct vibrancy and public gathering space to the neighborhood. In the ten years since, we've revamped, reconfigured, and experimented with extra features and amenities at our Parklets, including different decking and furniture, different locations other than outside of restaurants, and extras like board games to rent or borrow. 

In 2015, we published The Case for Parklets: Measuring the Impact on Sidewalk Vitality and Neighborhood Businesses. Many of the conclusions in this report are still relevant today, and our trailblazing work on the Parklet program paved the way for many more throughout Philadelphia. When COVID-19 hit and restaurants were suddenly faced with a problem of where to seat customers, our Parklet program proved to be a template that led to the development of Temporary Sidewalk Cafes/Streeteries throughout the City. 

Parklets are a coordinated effort between our Planning and Economic Development department, our Public Space and Maintenance crews, and Green City Works. Our 2021 Parklet locations are on 36th just north of Market Street, on 44th outside of Taco Taco and Lil Pop Shop, and in its original location on 43rd outside of Green Line Coffee.