Woodland Walk reopens

The University has recently finished construction on Woodland Walk, a pathway linking Spruce and 38th streets.

All major work is complete, although the Facilities and Real Estate Services team will not finalize landscaping and furnishings on the path until spring.

The renovation of what was originally Woodland Avenue was part of an overall plan developed in the 1950s to create a contiguous campus, according to University Landscape Architect Robert Lundgren.

To achieve this goal, Lundgren explained, the FRES team has been pulling up asphalt and converting various city sidewalks into walkways and greens ever since.

The initial design of Woodland Walk, implemented in the 1970s, was crumbling and full of tripping hazards — simply “a band-aid solution,” he said, emphasizing the University’s primary focus on safety.

The refurbished walk, according to Design and Construction Team Project Manager Sheri Miller now features the most modern and durable materials — such as permeable paving, which allows water to drain effectively.

Moreover, Design and Construction Director Steve Becker said, the brick and granite used are not only the most enduring materials, but they also serve to uphold the aesthetic of College Hall.

“This is really a public park, which just happens to be between West Philly, Center City and Market Street,” he added. “We want to build something that is conscious of that, but still has a college feel.”

College senior Jacob Schutz, a residential advisor in Fisher-Hassenfeld, said he also values the collegiate atmosphere that the refurbished Woodland Walk offers.

“It’s maybe a little silly to bring in a bunch of new trees to put in,” he said, “[but] it’s definitely nice to have trees and green spaces and well-thought-out walkways in such a busy and complex campus.”

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