Photos: Schuylkill Yards' new Drexel Square is officially open
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The first element of a $3.2 billion long-term redevelopment project has been completed.
Drexel Square, a new public space across the street from 30th Street Station, offers a little slice of green on the border of University City.
The center of the park is an elliptical lawn with stone pathways, representing the globe and its meridian lines.
More than 20 mature dawn redwood trees form a perimeter around the 1.3-acre urban space.
The redevelopment project, organized by Brandywine Realty Trust's Schuylkill Yards, plans to develop 14 acres between 30th Street Station and universities west of Drexel and Penn over the next 15 to 20 years. More than 6 acres are reserved for public space.
"It's a little piece of heaven on a day like today," said Donna Henry, who was enjoying park Tuesday during lunch with her colleagues. The space was previously a concrete parking lot.
"The tables, the umbrellas, the grass — it's really beautiful. I'm really excited about everything that is going to happen here in Schuylkill Yards, University City and the whole future of the city."
