Program areas at UCD
Clean and safe - University City District is dedicated to the physical beauty and safety of our neighborhood. Our public space maintenance employees work seven days a week to clean and enhance more than 160 commercial and residential blocks through street cleanings, graffiti removal, trash collection, and more. Our public safety ambassadors patrol the streets and serve as highly-visible deterrents to crime while offering assistance to those in need, from residents to local employees to the unhoused population. Approximately 187,000 people, 650 organizations and businesses benefit from the program.
Economic development - University City District has extensive experience creating all-season temporary spaces that attract visitors, generate economic activity, and foster community. Ucd has spearheaded successful projects in philadelphia including the porch at 30th street station, trolley portal gardens, and the lucy bus system in partnership with septa. Ucd also provides services that help businesses looking to open, expand, or relocate in University City. Approximately 187,000 people, 650 organizations and businesses benefit from the program.
The west philadelphia skills initiative - University City District's nationally recognized west philadelphia skills initiative (wpsi) is the bold solution necessary to close the opportunity gap in philadelphia. For over ten years, wpsi has solidified its role as one of the highest-performing workforce intermediaries in the country by building customized talent solutions that bridge the divide between unemployed philadelphians seeking opportunity and employers seeking talent. The skills initiative runs year-round, cohort-based, jobs-driven training models that harness the hiring power of our area's major employers while cultivating our neighbors' talent. Approximately 295 people and 80 organizations and businesses have been affiliated with the program in the previous year.
Green City works - University City District runs a landscaping social enterprise, green City works (gcw), that provides high-quality landscaping services to clients throughout philadelphia while connecting local community members to good, stable jobs. University City District is committed to advancing our services, our labor force, and our community through green space improvements. Gcw assists in maintaining spaces in University City that are managed by ucd and runs landscape maintenance and design-build programs in our neighborhood and throughout philadelphia. Approximately 187,000 people and 650 organizations and businesses benefit from the program.marketing and events - ucd partners with local performers, business owners, and organizations throughout the year to help bring neighbors, visitors, and businesses together through a wide selection of events. We bring live music, arts, crafts, and holiday events to trolley portal gardens, entertain thousands with our curated film series movies in clark park, present our wildly popular baltimore avenue dollar stroll, and draw diners into restaurants during our summer University City dining days promotion. We routinely plan smaller events to bring together members of the small business community. Approximately 187,000 people and 650 organizations and businesses benefit from the program.