East Passyunk Avenue (pronounced ‘pashunk’ by the locals) is a diagonal street located in South Philadelphia a few 
minutes from Center City. In recent years this neighborhood’s transformation into a restaurant and boutique shopping destination has received attention in the media. Food & Wine magazine named East Passyunk Avenue one of the 10 Best Foodie Streets In America.
On April 14, 2015 the plans and concept for the East Passyunk Avenue Gateway were announced. Passyunk Avenue Revitalization Corporation’s goal is to create a visual landmark that announces to visitors that they have arrived. The Lighting Practice previously worked with Passyunk Avenue Revitalization Corporation (PARC) on their project to refresh the “Singing Fountain” an iconic meeting spot located along the avenue. We are excited to once again team with PARC under the direction of Studio Bryan Hanes.
New Look East Passyunk Avenue Gateway Set To Break Ground
Passyunk Avenue Revitalization Corporation plans for June unveiling.
By James Jennings | April 14, 2015 at 3:13 pm
It’s been over a year in the making, but East Passyunk Avenue will finally get its gateway. Sam Sherman, director of the Passyunk Avenue Revitalization Corporation, said that a groundbreaking for the project at East Passyunk Avenue and Broad and McKean Streets will take place on Wednesday, April 15 at 6 p.m. and will be followed by a reception at Palladino’s, a relatively new (and well-reviewed) steakhouse just down The Avenue from the gateway.
The design, led by Studio Bryan Hanes, has changed quite a bit since the announcement in January 2014. Gone is the water fountain/feature and also the Indego Bike Share location with it. Sherman said that the fountain “just didn’t work” and it was putting a cramp on the budget for the space. The long-term maintenance of the fountain, coupled with questions as to whether people would actually use it, caused them to scrap it from the designs.
Now, the idea is to “introduce some interest there, especially at night,” said Sherman. The ever-changing light scheme, designed by Al Borden of The Lighting Practice, the firm behind the lighting at the Pennsylvania Convention Center and South Broad’s Avenue of the Arts (to name a few), will look to accomplish just that. For example, Sherman said that the pergola will be lit by LED tracks mounted to the “roof” of the structure. The Citizen’s Bank across from the new park will also have some sort of light interaction to liven up the space.
Read more: New Look East Passyunk Avenue Gateway Set To Break Ground