We were in the area the other day, and noticed that the new pedestrian plaza at 42nd St. and Woodland Ave., which we told you about last month, is nearly complete. As you can see from the photos, this effort has taken a somewhat silly little stretch of city street, and turned it into an inviting and attractive public space.

In the past

Yesterday

Closer look

Huge planter

You can still see the old street

This project is the result of efforts of the University City District, the Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities, and the Streets Department. Also, kudos to ThinkGreen for an appealing design for this new green space. We’re particularly impressed with the giant planter, made out of tree trunks from the nearby Woodland Cemetery, and we imagine students from University of the Sciences will appreciate the new public space right in the middle of campus.

A grand opening/dedication ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, September 19th, at 2:30PM. Snacks will be provided by Four Worlds Bakery, Little Baby’s Ice Cream, and the Starbucks from across the street.