Chris at UCD's blog

We'd like to thank the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey for their continued support of our West Philadelphia Skills Initiative. This month, the United Way gifted us with $45,000 to support the operations of the Skills Initiative. They have been a longtime ally in our work to connect talented West Philadelphians to life-changing jobs at University City institutions and across the city of Philadelphia. 

UCD, in partnership with Philadelphia Parks and Recreation and Friends of Clark Park, will once again present Movies in Clark Park, four Fridays of free outdoor movies running from August 9th through August 30th. The schedule this year will be Solo: A Star Wars Story, Crazy Rich Asians, Creed II, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The films will be screened beginning at sundown in the Clark Park bowl during fair weather. Bring a blanket or chair, grab a snack at a food truck, and join the fun!

August at The Porch at 30th Street Station brings free weekly lunchtime performances presented by PECO, the completion of our new shade structure, post-work drinks three nights a week at the Pub, and of course a daily selection of food trucks. 

In early August, two major infrastructure improvement projects will impact travel within University City.

July at The Porch at 30th Street Station brings you the return of free weekly lunchtime performances, the unveiling of our new shade structure, post-work drinks three nights a week at the Pub, and of course a daily selection of food trucks. Please note: there will be no food trucks vending the week of July 4th (July 1st through July 5th). 

In the same year they will celebrate their forty-fifth anniversary, the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House completed a massive expansion to more than double their capacity to serve families in need of temporary housing during their children’s treatment. The Room in Our Hearts expansion campaign grew capacity from 45 to 127 rooms at the Chestnut Street house, and modernized and expanded common facilities to more than double the number of families the organization can serve each year.

Our data scientist Tyler Tran has recently been conducting pedestrian counts throughout our district using automated sensors. Pedestrian count data help us estimate the number of people walking on various streets, which we then share with partners to help inform decisions regarding street safety, transit, and real estate.

We have an exciting month at The Porch at 30th! This June we have a great selection of food trucks vending lunch each weekday, plus we'll be re-opening the Pub at The Porch and unveiling a new shade structure with charging stations. Oh, and did we mention free lunchtime music is returning? 

Univest is a relative newcomer to the local financial landscape in Philadelphia, but the regional bank has a long history of serving people and businesses throughout eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Univest opened its doors in Souderton, PA in 1876 as a commercial bank. Regulatory shifts in the late 90s led the company to expand its provision of services and today, they boast insurance, employee benefits, investments, leasing. Univest Bank and Trust Co.

As part of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s (PennDOT) ongoing $150 million investment in renewing infrastructure around 30^th Street Station, major changes are coming to weekday and weekend travel patterns in the eastern edge of University City.