2024 was a year of big plans and major progress at University City District and The Skills Initiative.
University City District (UCD) collaborates with anchor institutions, small businesses, and residents to improve economic vitality and quality of life in Philadelphia's University City. We work within a place-based, data-driven framework to invest in world-class public spaces, address crime and public safety, support small businesses along our commercial corridors, connect Philadelphians to careers with employer partners, and promote job growth and innovation. Every day, we work to change places and change lives. Please enjoy these highlights from our work in 2024.
ACCELERATING NEIGHBORHOOD STEWARDSHIP AND QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVEMENTS
We serve the neighborhood on a daily basis through the efforts of dedicated crews, including our Safety Ambassadors, Public Space Maintenance workers, homeless outreach personnel, and the Green Team, our in-house team dedicated to curating public spaces throughout University City. These men and women work together to address daily quality of life issues including trash collection, sidewalk sweeping, vehicle jumpstarts and lock-outs, connecting the unhoused to resources and offering well-being checks, and the maintenance of our public spaces. In 2024, Ambassadors provided approximately 78,000 hours of safety coverage in the neighborhood, including over 34,000 checks on businesses, over 1,100 vehicle jumpstarts and lock-out assistances, and nearly 1,500 walking escorts. Our Public Space Maintenance team collected nearly 45,000 bags of trash and removed 271 graffiti tags. Our teams provided 293 engagements with people experiencing homelessness and developed case management plans for 62 unhoused individuals, resulting in connecting 44 individuals to shelter with Project Home and another 28 individuals to treatment services and/or permanent housing. We extend our gratitude to the hardworking women and men who serve our neighborhood.
✔️ 78,000 hours of safety coverage
✔️ 34,000 checks on businesses
✔️ 1,100 vehicle jumpstarts & lock-out assistances
✔️ 1,500 walking escorts
✔️ 45,000 bags of trash collected
✔️ 271 graffiti tags removed
✔️ 293 homeless engagements
✔️ 44 individuals connected to shelter
✔️ 78,000 hours of safety coverage ✔️ 34,000 checks on businesses ✔️ 1,100 vehicle jumpstarts & lock-out assistances ✔️ 1,500 walking escorts ✔️ 45,000 bags of trash collected ✔️ 271 graffiti tags removed ✔️ 293 homeless engagements ✔️ 44 individuals connected to shelter
“The Walnut Hill Community Association has developed a wonderful partnership with UCD. When we expressed to them the idea of a commemorative Bus Bench in front of the Paul Robeson House and Museum at 50th and Walnut Street, they didn’t hesitate to turn our idea into a reality. The Walnut Hill Community Association, and especially our older community members, thank UCD for their work.”
A Year of Transformative Milestones for The Skills Initiative
The Skills Initiative’s new logo.
2024 proved to be a year of major headlines, new projects, and significant growth for The Skills Initiative, UCD's workforce subsidiary that continues to cement its status as a national leader in economic mobility solutions. In March, we announced a $4 million donation from philanthropist Mackenzie Scott through her charitable organization Yield Giving, a transformative gift that has accelerated our impact on Philadelphia residents and employer partners. That same month we officially launched the Keystone LifeSci Collaborative, a Next Gen partnership of Southeastern Pennsylvania life science leaders and community partners supported by the American Rescue Plan’s Good Jobs Challenge. In the fall, The Skills Initiative shared a new brand identity, website, and name, shortening our name from the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative to The Skills Initiative to reflect our rapid growth beyond the neighborhood where we originated. And outside of these major announcements were the daily impacts on the lives and career trajectories of the 306 Philadelphians we served in 2024.
THE SKILLS INITIATIVE FY24 BY THE NUMBERS
The Skills Initiative In The News!
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The Skills Initiative In The News!
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The Skills Initiative In The News!
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The Skills Initiative In The News! 📰 The Skills Initiative In The News! 🗞️ The Skills Initiative In The News! 💻
“My experience with The Skills Initiative has been transformative for my career journey. The program has not only equipped me with essential technical skills but has also built my confidence and readiness for a role in healthcare. Through The Skills Initiative, I’ve gained valuable insights and hands-on experience that make me feel prepared for my new position at Penn Medicine. Additionally, connecting with the Penn Medicine patient care tech peer network has been inspiring, as I’ve met passionate, knowledgeable peers who are committed to excellent patient care. This supportive community has further solidified my commitment to my career in healthcare.”
Lifting Up the Small Business Community with Events, Resources, and Guidance
We offer year-round assistance to our local small business community through events, guidance, resources, and connections. We plan small and large events with small businesses in mind, ranging from huge undertakings like the Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll and University City Dining Days to smaller meetups such as small business networking events and our University City MIX series. Our Small Business Support services are a resource for businesses planning to open, relocate, or who simply need help connecting with City resources. In 2024, we provided guidance to multiple businesses including Lulu Cafe, who we helped guide through a complicated relocation to their new storefront on 40th Street, scheduled to open early in 2025. When misfortune strikes local small businesses, UCD acts quickly to offer support and guidance. In 2024, we came to the aid of beloved Ethiopian restaurant Abyssinia when a truck crashed into their building, we assisted Milkcrate Cafe on Baltimore Avenue to replace damaged windows and install a permanent solution after their shop was vandalized, and we served as a resource to many other local non-profits and small businesses through marketing efforts, connections with City departments, and general support.
Neighbors enjoying Milkcrate Cafe on Baltimore Avenue
The aftermath of the truck accident at Abyssinia
GET TO KNOW THE TEAM BEHIND RENATA’S KITCHEN
In 2024 we produced a series of videos highlighting impactful small businesses within University City. In the video above, meet Yasser and Kate Air, the owners of University City's Renata's Kitchen, and hear about the history of their outstanding restaurant.
“UCD has made every effort to make us feel so included in the community. Not only do they create opportunities to network with other businesses in the area, they promote big events for businesses and the events they host reach a massive amount of consumers. We were also honored to have UCD’s Margaret Starke speak at our grand opening! They are amazing partners and we couldn’t be more excited to continue working with them!”
Renewing the Public Realm Through Interventions Large and Small
Each year, UCD works with neighbors, partners, and City agencies to explore ways to improve the public realm. In April of 2024, we grabbed headlines by announcing a new vision for the West Philly Waterfront, our ambitious proposal to create a two-level public space that will increase our connection with the Schuylkill River and serve as a gateway to University City for residents and visitors. Since the announcement, we’ve been hard at work to advance the project by meeting with key partners and fundraising. In October, we received the first $250,000 for a schematic design from a Local Share Account (LSA) grant with help from Representative Rick Krajewski's office. In 2025, we anticipate securing additional funding and will begin community engagement for the project.
At the neighborhood level, we’ve continued in our role as consultants and partners to neighborhood groups and organizations seeking help navigating the planning and permitting process to transform public space. We consulted on projects including the Clark Park Plan, a master plan for the Powelton Village Community Association, and a new crosswalk connecting the 40th Street Trolley Portal to The Woodlands. We also worked with Cedar Park Neighbors to design and install a new ground mural by artist Lawren Alice at the eastern edge of Cedar Park, and with parents and stakeholders from the Penn Alexander School who sought to calm traffic at 43rd and Spruce Streets where children routinely crossed on their way to school. We look forward to continuing this work with new projects into 2025 and beyond.
The Cedar Park ground mural.
“Parents of Penn Alexander began the journey to make the surrounding sidewalks and streets safer in November of 2021. After persisting through unclear routes, we have landed at a milestone: completion of a Pedestrian Plaza at one of the busiest and most dangerous intersections for students. We could not have arrived at this milestone without UCD. They stepped in as our sponsor for the application and managed the process with patience, persistence, and expertise. They were truly our advocates for the cause and used all they had to make this come to fruition. Since its completion, one can sense a collective sigh of relief as parents have the infrastructure in place to keep their kiddos safe. Families are often remarking on how cool it looks, and how they feel much safer from speeding and turning cars.”
Showcasing the Best in Local Arts, Food, and Businesses Through Signature Events
Our events and marketing teams collaborated with local businesses, performers, and non-profit organizations to present another robust year of standout community events. We expanded our roster of local performers to present free music and pop-up activities at Trolley Portal Gardens, we attracted tens of thousands of visitors to our neighborhood for unforgettable summer evenings during the Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll and Movies in Clark Park, and we highlighted our eclectic dining scene during University City Dining Days, with the highest number (33) of participating restaurants since before COVID. We also collaborated with partners from Wexford Science + Technology and Brandywine Realty Trust to revive our Summer Series music series, presenting two concerts featuring standout talent at the Lawn at uCity Square and Drexel Square. Whether we’re encouraging professional connections during our networking event University City MIX or promoting the many great arts and cultures activities on our curated community calendar, our events and promotions help add to the rich tapestry of things to do, eat, and experience within University City. Our events, marketing, and data teams use follow-up surveys, pedestrian counts, and other forms of analysis to continually build on and improve our events to serve our wide audience of neighbors, employees, and visitors.
“The UCD team is amazing. For someone I have known briefly, [Senior Manager of Events and Community Partnerships] Margaret Starke feels like a longtime friend and community co-conspirator. For the first time in my life, I truly felt what it was like to be a positive image in the community while sharing my artistic gifts in the most beautiful synergy of love, community joy, and professionalism that I’ve ever experienced as a performer and emcee of the University City Summer Series. The level of impact that I get to be a part of through UCD is humbling and deeply fulfilling.”
A Year of Growth and Opportunity For Our Landscaping Social Venture
UCD’s landscaping social enterprise Green City Works (GCW), which was established to provide systemic solutions to create job opportunities to formerly unemployed Philadelphians, continued its evolution in 2024 to meet the demands of clients throughout the city. We brought on new crew members to supplement the team, delivered on beautifully conceived, in-house landscaping projects, and added to our portfolio of 3 million + square feet of green spaces maintained. We helped conceptualize upgrades and obtained $75,000 in grant dollars to improve the safety of the Walnut Hill Community Playground in 2025. We designed, built, and maintained a series of pergolas and boardwalk style decking and renovated the gardens for the National Board of Medical Examiners so their employees may enjoy a connection with nature at their headquarters in University City. Finally, we delivered on a substantial construction and horticultural project when we were hired by Brandywine Realty Trust to install all planting and paving elements at their new dog park at 3025 JFK Blvd, part of the burgeoning Schuylkill Yards project. Our commitment to offering above-market wages, full benefits, and employing our crew year-round continues, and we look forward to exciting new projects for 2025.
CELEBRATE TWO LOCALS, PENNSYLVANIA’S FIRST BLACK-OWNED BREWERY
In the video above, we profiled Richard and Mengistu Koilor, the owners and operators of Two Locals Brewery. Richard and Mengistu made history when they opened the first Black-owned brewery in Pennsylvania in January of 2024 at 3675 Market Street within uCity Square. They serve a growing selection of house-brewed beers and food provided by Liberty Kitchen.
“[Project Rehab Manager] Ryan Spak’s guidance when we were looking to relocate was invaluable — he shared his knowledge on government programs and funding opportunities, and even assisted in negotiating favorable lease terms for the perfect relocation spot. This move and our store renovation wouldn’t have been possible without Ryan’s expertise and support. We’re forever thankful for UCD’s help and connections. All it takes is reaching out and sharing your stories for them to make a difference!”
UCD Impact Map
See our impact throughout the neighborhood!
