Renovation to transform Dilworth Plaza into City Hall's green space

City and federal officials gathered on Monday morning to celebrate the Dilworth Plaza project groundbreaking.

The $50 million renovation will transform the plaza next to City Hall into a green public space and a hub for regional public transportation. Demolition of the old plaza officially started Monday.

Slated for completion by spring 2014, the project will turn the plaza into a sustainable, green public space complete with a large lawn, tree groves, seating for 400, a programmable fountain and a café. A portable ice rink will cover the fountain area during the winter months.

The concourse beneath Dilworth Plaza will be improved as a new transit gateway, providing entrances to Broad Street and Market Street subways and subway-surface trolley lines. As part of the plaza renovation, glass entrances with animated lighting at night will direct riders to transit lines. New elevators will make transit platforms accessible for the first time.

“It’s going to transform it into sustainable green space that is fully accessible to the public and to our commuters,” Mayor Michael Nutter said of the project.

“As we attract more and more families to our city, we need gathering places like Dilworth Plaza that will enhance the vitality, not just of Center City, but it actually enhances the vitality of our entire region,” said Nutter.

The partnership between public and private officials whose support brought the project to fruition was touted during the event held at 1515 Market St.

“We’re here today to thank the public officials and agencies that came together. All stepped forward with major public support to form a unique public-private partnership to help us improve the historic center square of Philadelphia,” said Paul Levy, president and CEO of the Center City District,

The $50 million project is financed by a combination of funding sources, including a competitive $15 million federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant; a $15.5 million grant from the commonwealth of Pennsylvania; $5 million from the city of Philadelphia’s capital program; $4.3 million from Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority and donations from private foundations.

The project is expected to generate 900 construction-related jobs and $14.5 million in minority and female subcontracting activity. Twenty percent of the construction contracts were awarded to female-owned firms, and minority owned firms received 19.48 percent.

“That is three times the federal requirement on this site, and far in excess of what the city would set if they were setting standards, so we know disadvantaged businesses will benefit from this project,” Levy said of the project’s minority and female participation.

During the event, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood called for congressional support for a bill that would fund transportation projects across the nation.

LaHood’s visit follows the theme of President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address, in which he called for using funds saved from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to pay down the national debt and support a transportation bill.

“I don’t have to lecture your delegation – they get it. They know that if Congress were to pass the transportation bill, America would to go work. People would have good paying jobs, and we would begin again to rebuild our infrastructure in America,” said LaHood.

He praised Nutter and Philadelphia’s congressional delegation for being able to work in partnership on behalf of their constituents.

U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah noted LaHood and the transportation department are very supportive of projects across the region.

“You need to put this announcement in context – that is to say that this Department of Transportation has helped make sure that in our region, people can move and our economy can grow,” said Fattah.

Dilworth Plaza sits atop the intersection of SEPTA’s Market-Frankford and Broad Street lines, subway-surface trolley lines serving University City, West Philadelphia and adjacent suburban and regional rail lines. More than 300,000 commuters use these lines to access downtown Philadelphia.

“Completion of the Dilworth Plaza project is only the beginning of SEPTA’s work to enhance our 15th Street and City Hall stations, but we believe this project will highlight the importance of providing the resources needed to make critical transportation improvements to better serve our customers and support the growth and vitality of the city,” said Jeffery Knueppel, assistant general manager of SEPTA.

The Center City District has a 30-year lease with the city to construct, maintain and manage Dilworth Plaza. It will assume all cleaning, site and landscape maintenance and programming responsibilities for the plaza.

Daniel J. Keating Co. is the general contractor and the District’s owner representative is Gilbane Building Co.

The renovation of Dilworth Plaza was designed by KieranTimberlack architects, OLIN landscape architects and Urban Engineers. A work of public art created by Janet Echelman will be integrated into the programmable fountain.

Contact Tribune Staff Writer Ayana Jones at (215) 893-5747 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .