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Mayor’s Office Soliciting Requests To Build More Parklets

The Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities wants to get you involved in making your community more livable and fun. They’ve put out the word that any business or community group can now apply for the construction of a “parklet,” a two-parking-space long seating platform perfect for hanging out on a summer day. Read a book, ignore the children around you, or drag yourself there on a post-hangover morning when you need to dry out in the sun without anyone harassing you about drink orders or public loitering. The two parklets erected so far in West Philly have boosted revenue at local Green Line Cafe, and everybody seems to be digging them pretty hard. So the city’s extending the Parklet Program to basically anyone: get one set up in place of a parking lane now through mid fall. All you have to do is follow the application instructions, linked here, and get the approval of property owners and at least 51% of residents. This is an awesome initiative that partners the city with the people who live in it. So go forth, and curate your curbside.

[Photo credit: Ryan Collerd, courtesy of the University City District]

This entry was posted on Monday, April 2nd, 2012 at 12:38 pm.

  • jbette01

    “All you have to do”

    HA! Did you actually read the all you have to do?

    Community support shall be evidenced by (1) letters of support from the property owner(s), (2) letters
    of support from adjacent property owners, (3) letters of support from the district councilperson, (4) a
    petition indicating that 51% of residents and/or business owners on the potential parklet’s block are in support of the parklet.

    This is a great idea that requires *months* of coordinating community support. I applaud anyone that takes this on.

  • knarph

    The one next to the Green Line was completely stupid. It was installed across the street from Clark Park. Why not save these things for places where there isn’t a huge park right across the street?

  • Snake

    Sitting at a table on a small platform in the street. This is a parklet? Is there a tree or anything involved?

  • northphilly

    So they’re taking away parking spaces to build platforms that stick out into the street? Huh?