The Porch at 30th Street Station has been upping its game. Launched in 2011, the space has been improved in phases demonstrating an alternative way to public space making: build what you can when you can, then improve. It’s like buying an old home and fixing it up over time.

View of the Porch. Image from UCD. Because they take nicer photos than we do.

Over the last year, the folks at University City District that conceived The Porch have introduced innovative programming like beer gardens and a mini golf course, and a WXPN concert. When ongoing 30th Street Station renovations caused a less than park-like setting at The Porch, UCD staff envisioned and installed a temporary wall where scores of flowers will bloom this spring.

Good stuff from The Porch

The Porch Partnership Programming Fund is one more engaging idea from the folks at UCD. Through this fund, UCD will provide financial and marketing support to selected partners who will provide cultural programming at the Porch. A first-round of proposal submissions, the requirements of which can be accessed here, closes at the end of May. While grants have made many of the improvements at The Porch possible, it’s great to see the folks at UCD now have the opportunity to extend the place to other groups for help and ideas. This season’s programming kicked off this month.

From above. Again, image from UCD.

“People and programming are critical to animating The Porch,” said Matt Bergheiser, UCD Executive Director, in a press release. “We are thrilled to be able to seed other organizations to showcase the best of Philadelphia arts and culture at this key regional gateway. We are very grateful to the William Penn Foundation for their support of great public spaces and for encouraging creativity and innovation at The Porch.”

Naked Philly is thrilled to see financial support continuing to come through for The Porch as it’s emerging as national model for urban placemaking. Another strong example of placemaking is Washington Avenue Green, a park on the Delaware we’ve covered a couple of times in the past. Plans for Phase Two, which will create a boardwalk that may extend as far as Race Street Pier, are now being presented to the public. We’ll be covering that very soon, so be on the lookout.

–Lou Mancinelli