Signs and Banners
Streetlight Banner Program University City District installs and maintains pedestrian and vehicular signs, maps and banners to make it easier to navigate the area and locate the neighborhood’s attractions.
UCD’s Streetlight Banner Program enhances University City streets while providing a low–cost means for cultural institutions, art groups and non–profit organizations to communicate their message through large, colorful banners installed on streetlights in the heart of the neighborhood. There are currently hundreds of locations on streetlights throughout University City, and many of the areas leading institutions and cultural happenings have enlivened the city streets through the banner program.
Banners should promote institutions and events contributing to the public good and benefiting the cultural and intellectual life of University City. Current and previous banner activities or organizations have included University of Pennsylvania’s Homecoming Weekend, Philadelphia Film Festival, Partnership CDC’s Blues Fest, Penn Museum’s Amarna Exhibition, Barken Park and Annenberg Center’s Annual Children’s Festival.
If your organization or institution has a major event, anniversary, or initiative to promote, you should consider using eye-catching side-mounted banners on streetlight poles to deliver your message*. Please click here to download the Banner Program Guidelines for detailed procedures and requirements. For further questions, contact Mark Christman at 215-243-0555 x229 or email mark@ucityphila.org.
*With the exception of sponsorships, banners may not promote for-profit corporations or advertise profit-making enterprises.
Walk!Philadelphia & Direction Philadelphia
Direction Philadelphia©, a system designed to assist motorists, was developed by the Foundation for Architecture in the mid-1980s to eliminate dated and conflicting signs to major Center City destinations. A pedestrian-oriented system, Walk!Philadelphia© was developed by the Center City District and Joel Katz design associates in the mid-1990s and UCD implemented this system for University City. The signs were initially funded by a grant from The William Penn Foundation as well as city capital dollars.
These clear and attractive signs have assisted residents and visitors alike in finding their way quickly and easily around University City (as well as downtown Philadelphia). Direction Philadelphia© signs are installed from the Schuylkill River to 63rd Street, and Walk!Philadelphia© signs can be found from the river to 40th Street and in the area adjacent to the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia.
Those listed on the signs pay a small fee for annual maintenance. UCD monitors sign conditions and arranges for repairs.
If your organization is interested in learning more about this program, or you would like to report a broken or unclean sign, please notify Mark Christman at 215-243-0555 x229 or email mark@ucityphila.org.
