UPenn begins work to create green space
Monday, November 9th, 2009
By: Tom MacDonald
tmacdonald@whyy.org
The University of Pennsylvania is embarking on an ambitious project transforming its eastern border into a massive green space.
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Penn Park is a $46 million dollar project at the eastern end of the University's campus, featuring open space, athletic fields and tennis courts. Anne Papageorge is Vice President for Facilities and Real Estate Services at the university. She says the park goes from Walnut to South Streets.
Papageorge: Our mission at this point, our vision, is to connect the West Philadelphia Campus to Center City, and not have this empty oasis of industrial space in between West Philadelphia and Center City.
The plan is to extend 10 acres of property already owned by the university with 14 newly acquired acres and transform it from mostly asphalt and concrete into a sports facility and multi-level elevated walkways for casual recreational activities. It would be completed by the late summer of 2011.