Ah, Snyder Plaza. You love that it's there when you need to make a Target run or you want to take your weepy four year to Chuck E. Cheese's, but deep down you hate it because of the awful traffic flow and the fact that it doesn't even remotely relate to the surrounding urban environment. But one thing we've always appreciated about the shopping center is the mural on Swanson Street, on the side of the building that was home to Shop Rite for many years. We believe a Fresh Grocer is taking over that space, by the way, but we haven't seen that formally announced anywhere.

Mural on the former Shop Rite

Future Fresh Grocer?

Perhaps inspired by the aforementioned mural and perhaps just because the shopping center hasn't exactly been a wonder to behold, the Mural Arts Program has teamed with the Goldenberg Group to pretty up Snyder Plaza. According to Mural Arts, the shopping center is turning into Swanson Walk, a transformation that will mean new buildings, new stores, and some new public art. The first murals were completed at the end of September, with four local artists putting their mark on Swanson Walk. The new murals certainly make for a more attractive shopping center, and we'll be excited to what happens next.

Stephen Powers was the artist for the mural on the Marshall's building. Isaac Lin did the abstract work on the eastern side of the Rite Aid, while Joe Boruchow's silhouettes are on the northern wall of the Rite Aid. Not pictured is a work on the side of Kicks USA from Peter Ferrari.

Murals on the Marshall's

More Marshall's murals on Water Street

Murals on the Rite Aid

Closer look at the Joe Boruchow work

Has anyone heard anything concrete about new stores coming to Snyder Plaza? Can everyone agree that some new traffic lights would also be a fine addition to the shopping center?