UCD banners area to spruce up community

The University City District will hang about 135 banners near campus promoting the area. Do you know where University City begins and ends? If you're not sure, the University City District wants to make the boundaries a little clearer -- and enhance the area's appearance at the same time. In an effort to define the area more clearly and promote it to outsiders, the special services district hung the first of about 135 banners on city-owned light poles yesterday. Using the gold, green and royal blue colors of the UCD logo, the 4'-by-8' banners depict different themes representative of the community. They will be hung at areas determined to be "gateways" to the district, including streets on and around the Penn campus. The UCD -- established last summer and led by Penn, Drexel University, Amtrak and other area institutions -- aims to improve and promote University City. The district is modeled on the Center City District, a 7-year-old quasi-governmental group designed to improve the appearance of the area that is funded through a tax on Center City businesses. The banners are the group's first marketing project. The UCD's 30 safety ambassadors also patrol the area, and workers regularly clean streets and remove graffiti. Penn Executive Vice President John Fry is chairperson of the district. "[The banners] are part of the overall plan to make University City [and] West Philadelphia more appealing," said Marty Cabry, a member of the UCD board of directors. The first banner was hung yesterday near the intersection of 30th and Market streets. The group expects to finish hanging all the banners by March 1, according to UCD Executive Director Paul Steinke. Many of the banners will be hung on and around the Penn campus. Locations include: 40th Street from Market Street to Spruce Street; South and Spruce streets from 31st Street to 38th Street; Market Street from 38th Street to 41st Street; 38th Street from Powelton Avenue to Baltimore Avenue; and 34th Street from Ludlow Street to Walnut Street. The banners depict seven different themes reflecting the many facets of life in University City: arts and culture; dining and cuisine; education; athletics; neighborhood and community; science, medical and information technology; and transportation. One of the main purposes of the banners is to beautify University City for its residents. The banners will also help outsiders identify the community and the attributes that distinguish it from the rest of Philadelphia, UCD officials said. "They're really aimed at people who drive through the community and don't give it a second look," Spruce Hill Community Association President Joe Ruane said. Cabry stressed that the banners were only one part of the UCD's plan to help the community. "I don't think by themselves they can solve the community's problems," he said. "But they are part of our overall effort to improve the neighborhood." The banners were designed by UCD officials in conjunction with the Center City firm Articus Ltd. The UCD, the Philadelphia Art Commission and the Philadelphia Streets Department approved the design prior to the banners' installation. Local community groups and the UCD worked together to identify the best locations for the banners. The parties chose several "gateways" in the community, selected for their high volume of pedestrian and vehicular traffic, as places for the banners. In addition to the locations around the Penn campus, the banners will be hung as far west as 50th and Chestnut streets and 47th Street and Woodland Avenue.

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