Philly U. Students Think Gorgas Park

announced today that they have entered into a partnership with Philadelphia University with an eye on revitalizing the Roxborough property.

According to the terms of the project, 14 second and third year students in the university's landscape architecture program will develop and present conceptual and master plans to remake the park's storm water management system and streetscape. These student plans are expected to provide the basis for the ultimate remake of the park.

"The Gorgas Park Project supports the landscape architecture program's mission of sustainable urban design through service-learning," said Philadelphia University's landscape architecture program director Claudia Phillips in a press release.

"Our students [will] work with community groups, schools and other nonprofit organizations to provide conceptual designs and master plans so that the client/partner can then raise the necessary funds to hire landscape architects and/or other professions to develop the final designs, construction documents in order for the project to be realized."

Starting at the end of this month, the students will have eight weeks to complete their conceptual plans—during which they time will confer with community members for input and feedback. In May or June, FOGP president John Boyce will review the final plans

The project will begin in earnest on Jan. 18 when representatives from the local conservation group and faculty and students from the university are scheduled to meet at the park for a walkthrough of the target areas.