Urban was proud to attend the groundbreaking of the Filbert Street Transformation Project at Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia. The initiative, which was announced in 2019 and delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, puts an emphasis on extending the footprint of Philadelphia’s historic public market and activating an underutilized outdoor public space.

“Useful and inviting outdoor spaces have become increasingly important to our city, its residents, and visitors throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, putting an emphasis on the importance of projects like this,” said Annie Allman, CEO and General Manager of the Reading Terminal Market. “As a cornerstone of the Philadelphia community and diverse, welcoming hub for our city, providing a safe, engaging outdoor experience in addition to the extensive options indoors is critical. I want to thank all of the elected officials and community members who supported this effort and our generous funders for enabling us to make this plan a reality including the Commonwealth, William Penn Foundation, Knight Foundation, and Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority.”

“We are proud to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Filbert Street Transformation project,” said Abbey Gancz, PE, an Urban project manager. “Our firm has been excited to team with Ground Reconsidered to provide design and construction support services for what will become a great new outdoor space in Philadelphia.”

The $1 million initiative will reconstruct the 1100 block of Filbert Street into a seasonal, multi-use public area and thoroughfare. The project, of which several phases have been completed, will activate approximately 15,000 square feet of public space directly adjacent to the Market with a greatly improved streetscape. The project is being funded by grants from the William Penn Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Multi-Modal Transportation Fund, and the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority.

The major elements of this project include streetscape improvements, mixed-use outdoor furniture, and artwork enhancements. Urban provided design for the streetscape improvements, including grading the 1100 block of Filbert Street adjacent to the Market to create one of Center City’s first “curbless” multi-purpose street; removing a portion of the parking lane immediately adjacent to the Market on Filbert Street; and widening the sidewalk by approximately eight feet to accommodate additional seating. Access to public transit will also be improved, as well as parking flexibility and the addition of a rideshare-designated zone.