Officials to rework 'Steppin' Out Nite'

The "Steppin' Out Nite" initiative -- which is currently under evaluation by administrators -- may shift to a more "event-specific" program this spring, according to University Treasurer Scott Lederman. During November and December, the initiative extended the hours of participating area businesses until 8 p.m. Wednesdays in an effort to improve business and safety in University City. Director of Community Relations Glenn Bryan explained that when officials ended Steppin' Out Nite at the end of December, they had "intentions of starting it again at the beginning of the spring." "Now we are going to rethink how this can be a more broader based event to make this area more of a destination point," he said. And John Greenwood, general manager of the University City Associates realty group, said officials are still in the process of determining whether or not to continue the initiative. "I don't see that happening -- we're just trying to see how we can improve the program," Greenwood said. UCA manages the 3401 Walnut Shops at Penn complex and the Hamilton Village shopping center. Lederman explained that shifting the focus of Steppin' Out Nite -- which received mixed reviews from students and retailers -- could improve the program's success. "We don't want to do the same thing again if something else can give us a better result," he said, adding that "we'll have a more general idea in about a month." Possible improvements to the program include a more event-oriented approach, including an effort to tie retail incentives to events such as Spring Fling, according to Lederman. He explained that achieving greater success with Steppin' Out Nite will take time, adding that Center City's similar "Make It A Night" campaign took nearly a year to "catch on" in the area. Generating that success will depend on improved publicity for the initiative, according to 9 & Co. Assistant Manager Carly Rhodes, who added that she would be interested in participating in a more event-specific initiative. "If [the University] is going to do this again, they need more publicity," she said. "They're not helping us by giving us Steppin' Out Nite and not following through on it." Many area retailers expressed frustration at a lack of University and community response to the initiative. Christine Kern, who manages University of Cards in the 3401 Walnut complex, said the store offered a 25 percent discount on purchases of all Looney Tunes stuffed animals this fall as part of the initiative. "We only sold one the entire eight weeks of the program," she said. But despite complaints from area businesses, the initiative is "not a failure," University President Judith Rodin said, praising the University's continuing efforts to encourage nighttime student and community involvement in the area. "There is just no single way to get people out and entertained," Rodin said. "We're going to try a bunch of them." Some retailers said they eagerly await a University decision to continue the program, explaining that Steppin' Out Nite encouraged involvement in the community. "I hope it will start again," said Martin Abney, manager of Thrift Drug on Walnut Street. "It's a good thing -- it brings people out at night." And Lederman expressed hope that the initiative will serve as a "spark" that encourages interest in the area's retail options. "As we increase our retail options, other investors will be coming to the University City area," he said. Although some students said they were unfamiliar with the program, others said the poor quality of local retail ensured the program's failure. "I personally don't shop around here," Wharton junior Jonathan Rosenfeld said. "I just think college students shop during the day, so Steppin' Out Nite doesn't appeal to them."