Construction at 30th Street Station?

**eldondre** · 05-23-2012, 09:43 AM

Public improvements don't always beget investment. The landscaping is nice but overall its poorly done. The farmers market is during the day rather than when the commuters are pouring through. There are no food trucks for the sizable lunch crowd. It appears the ucd isn't as competent as the ccd

**lewblum** · 05-23-2012, 10:20 PM

They certainly can't hurt, especially at a regional transit hub where we're trying to encourage TOD.

I don't buy the notion of this as a "plaza" or "porch". I consider it a streetscape improvement in an area that needs to be humanized. That's a necessity for TOD.
What they've done in terms of hardscaping and landscaping serves that purpose well (although it remains to be seen how those trees will hold up in the long run)

Programming is another issue. I think what they're doing right now is a waste of $, e.g. carbon monoxide yoga.

**mixiboi** · 06-13-2012, 11:58 AM

More money coming to the Porch...

The Brand New Porch at 30th Street Station Already Being Reimagined | NakedPhilly

Today, we’ve learned that The Porch will be getting a makeover in the near future. University City District has received a $375K grant from ArtPlace

**eldondre** · 06-13-2012, 01:08 PM

so far this space has been a dud. looks nice though

**unionspaghetti** · 06-13-2012, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by eldondre

so far this space has been a dud. looks nice though

If you think it's a dud you must have had pretty high expectations. I think it's a huge improvement to the sidewalk since you can now walk on the plaza and not just between the planters and the curb (even if you still choose to do that I believe you have a tiny bit more space and bollards). The crosswalk to the southwest corner of the station is much nicer and even the space is useful if not always well used. Considering the only food/retail on the block is in 30th St. or that Irish bar caddy corner with food trucks for Kaplan folks I think it's doing pretty well.

**threecount1** · 06-13-2012, 04:18 PM

I work across the street at the IRS from 4:00PM-12:30 AM and think it's a nice improvement...also, for those that didn't know, inside the old McDonalds which has been closed is being remodled into a Wendy's..

**thoth** · 06-13-2012, 04:59 PM

Looks better. I thought no one would use it or would become bumland, but I've seen a modest amount of traffic. I'd call it a reasonable success.

Originally Posted by unionspaghetti

If you think it's a dud you must have had pretty high expectations. I think it's a huge improvement to the sidewalk since you can now walk on the plaza and not just between the planters and the curb (even if you still choose to do that I believe you have a tiny bit more space and bollards). The crosswalk to the southwest corner of the station is much nicer and even the space is useful if not always well used. Considering the only food/retail on the block is in 30th St. or that Irish bar caddy corner with food trucks for Kaplan folks I think it's doing pretty well.

Some dope food trucks there

**eldondre** · 06-13-2012, 10:03 PM

Originally Posted by unionspaghetti

If you think it's a dud you must have had pretty high expectations. I think it's a huge improvement to the sidewalk since you can now walk on the plaza and not just between the planters and the curb (even if you still choose to do that I believe you have a tiny bit more space and bollards). The crosswalk to the southwest corner of the station is much nicer and even the space is useful if not always well used. Considering the only food/retail on the block is in 30th St. or that Irish bar caddy corner with food trucks for Kaplan folks I think it's doing pretty well.

meh... I guess I thought that plaza meant that one should measure the plaza's success as a plaza, not a sidewalk. if they'd called it sidewalk improvement, sure, it's a hugely improved sidewalk. that doesn't change the fact that it's a dud as a plaza. it's an ok lunch spot for local workers and little else. I didn't have high expectations, the people who built it did. I thought it would be what it is, an extravagant sidewalk that gets use at lunchtime. it's not an impressive gateway. I'd have much preferred if they'd used the porticos for seating and food vendors and moved the cabs to the market st side. and they have no money to take care of the lake at 30th st, maybe it goes well with the porch.
the porch in pittsburgh

Lunch at The Porch at Schenley
the porch ny

the morons that run the porch haven't been able to get it together to get any food trucks over there...and plenty are interested. he ucd seems to be one entity that manages more poorly than amtrak. lots of great food trucks a couple blocks away and a 2 tear old could have done a better job scheduling the farmers market. I'm there everyday, you aren't pulling the wool over my eyes.

Originally Posted by threecount1

I work across the street at the IRS from 4:00PM-12:30 AM and think it's a nice improvement...also, for those that didn't know, inside the old McDonalds which has been closed is being remodled into a Wendy's..

nice improvement is about right, as a plaza it's a dud. it's going to be a wendy's and a jersey mike's
http://www.jerseymikes.com/

**mixiboi** · 06-14-2012, 11:06 PM

their Facebook is so make it look nice:

https://www.facebook.com/theporchat30th

**mixiboi** · 07-02-2012, 11:49 AM

YES! mini-Golf..that is what was neded:

**Jaysmom** · 07-08-2012, 06:10 PM

actually, the mini golf seems to be the biggest draw they've had so far.

**eldondre** · 07-09-2012, 08:40 AM

Originally Posted by Jaysmom

actually, the mini golf seems to be the biggest draw they've had so far.

yeah they haven't had much success. they're having a pop up beer garden this week and the weather may actually cooperate. I'm still left scratching my head as to why the farmer's market is at lunch time instead of in the evening when thousands of commuters are walking by

**Jaysmom** · 07-27-2012, 11:29 AM

The farmer's market seemed to do really well this week. I think the weather being do nice had a lot to do with that. Plus the fact they have added a few food trucks for the lunch crowd. The pizza place smelled delicious, it was cooked in a woodstove truck (not sure if that is even a word)

**eldondre** · 07-27-2012, 12:34 PM

Originally Posted by Jaysmom

The farmer's market seemed to do really well this week. I think the weather being do nice had a lot to do with that. Plus the fact they have added a few food trucks for the lunch crowd. The pizza place smelled delicious, it was cooked in a woodstove truck (not sure if that is even a word)

the food trucks do really well and should be there daily. the farmer's market should be in the evening when there are a lot more people passing through. too bad the farmer's can't come in by train. the only thing that has had any success in the evening has been the ber garden, which perhaps should become a permanent fixture as well.

**mixiboi** · 08-13-2012, 01:15 PM

In Philadelphia, a Porch for an Entire City - Arts & Lifestyle - The Atlantic Cities

The new 50-foot-wide, block-long plaza replaces an unnecessary outer parking lane and barren sidewalk on one side of the station with seating, tables, shade, plantings and, depending on the week or day, perhaps music, a farmers’ market, a beer garden, or even miniature golf. It is ambitious because, in its statement when The Porch opened, UCD said that it "sees this new space as Philadelphia’s front porch, a welcoming entryway to the city, as well as a place to linger and socialize, and to entertain and be entertained. The Porch serves to balance the indoor grandeur of 30th Street Station with the wonder and expanse of Philadelphia."

Look for more to be installed, step by step, in part due to some financial assistance, says Mancinelli:

And there will be more on the way thanks to a recent $500K grant (they fabricated the park with $275K in capital resources) offered by the William Penn Foundation. According to UCD’s director of planning and economic development Prema Gupta, the vision for UCD is to create a park in phases . . .

It’s possible a permanent retail space, maybe with a rotating cast of retailers, might manifest in the future, or a landscaped buffer wall between Market Street and The Porch, or a public art installation. UCD is exploring many options at this time. Before anything is decided, however, they’ll have to determine what land-use is acceptable at the location.
Wi-Fi and a food kiosk have also been among the requested additions. Gupta told Mancinelli that "the era of being able to create a park ... in one fell swoop is over."

**mixiboi** · 08-17-2012, 03:35 PM

Justs a heads up

Market Street to Close this Weekend in Philadelphia for Paving

King of Prussia – Market Street will be closed and detoured between 30th Street and Schuylkill Avenue in Philadelphia from 8 p.m. Friday (Aug. 17) to 5 a.m. Monday (Aug. 20) for paving.

This weekend operation is part of a $50.8 million project to improve Market and Chestnut streets in the area of 30th Street Station and to rehabilitate six structurally deficient bridges carrying Arch Street, 30th Street, Market Street, Chestnut Street and Little Market Street over Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor rail lines.

Detours will be posted this weekend to move Market Street traffic around the construction zone. The detours are:

Westbound Market Street traffic will turn right on Schuylkill Avenue, left on Arch Street, left on 30th Street and right on J.F.K. Boulevard; and

Eastbound Market Street traffic will turn right on 34th Street, left on Chestnut Street and left on Schuylkill Avenue.

Access will be maintained to 30th Street Station during this weekend operation. The construction schedule is dependent on the weather.

**Andy Sharpe** · 08-18-2012, 06:57 PM

I got a chance to observe the detour today, and it certainly complicates access to 30th St. Station by foot, bike, bus, and car. Pedestrians aren't able to cross Market St. at 30th St, while the inbound Routes 9, 44, 124, and 125 buses have to detour through traffic down JFK Blvd. and Market St. to 34th St. and use Chestnut to come into Center City. Needless to say, the buses will be late. As for cars, some drivers are stopping right on 30th St. to drop off and pick up Amtrak passengers. The usual 30th St. entrance is off-limits. With college semesters about to start, also watch out for people pulling over to drop off Mega and Bolt Bus passengers on the JFK detour route.

All in all, I'm happy to see the re-paving. Remember that this inconvenience is only temporary, and should result in a better Market St. for pedestrians, bicyclists, bus riders, and drivers. Check out the Delaware Valley Association of Rail Passengers' (DVARP's) Twitter feed @PhillyDVARP if there's any important information we have to get out about this.

Andy Sharpe
Communications Director
Delaware Valley Association of Rail Passengers
1601 Walnut St., Suite 1129
Philadelphia, PA 19102-2913
Phone: 215-RAILWAY (215-724-5929)
E-mail: sharpe@dvarp.org
@PhillyDVARP on Twitter and Facebook

Originally Posted by mixiboi

Justs a heads up

Market Street to Close this Weekend in Philadelphia for Paving

King of Prussia – Market Street will be closed and detoured between 30th Street and Schuylkill Avenue in Philadelphia from 8 p.m. Friday (Aug. 17) to 5 a.m. Monday (Aug. 20) for paving.

This weekend operation is part of a $50.8 million project to improve Market and Chestnut streets in the area of 30th Street Station and to rehabilitate six structurally deficient bridges carrying Arch Street, 30th Street, Market Street, Chestnut Street and Little Market Street over Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor rail lines.

Detours will be posted this weekend to move Market Street traffic around the construction zone. The detours are:

Westbound Market Street traffic will turn right on Schuylkill Avenue, left on Arch Street, left on 30th Street and right on J.F.K. Boulevard; and

Eastbound Market Street traffic will turn right on 34th Street, left on Chestnut Street and left on Schuylkill Avenue.

Access will be maintained to 30th Street Station during this weekend operation. The construction schedule is dependent on the weather.

**Ptolemy** · 08-18-2012, 11:04 PM

My beef is that I don't like the color - maroon - of the umbrellas. Why couldn't they use bright cheerful colors like yellow, lime green, pink, orange, sapphire blue, turquoise, peach, and lilac?

My other beef: you know those ornamental tree-like multi-light street lamps on the Market Street bridge? Why don't they fix the lights and replace the broken glass globes? They look tacky as they are now!

**mixiboi** · 03-18-2013, 01:15 PM

Its back...

The Porch At 30th Street Station Is Set To Open For The Season On Monday, April 1 | Uwishunu - Philadelphia Blog About Things to Do, Events, Restaurants, Food, Nightlife and More

On April 18 and 19, 30th Street Station’s Bridgewater’s Pub will move outside for The Porch beer garden from 3 to 8 p.m. Sip on brews and enjoy live music into the early evening.