DiSilvestro Playground, South Philadelphia Community Health and Literacy Center

South Philadelphia Community Health and Literacy Center

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) joined with the City of Philadelphia in a public-private partnership to create the new South Philadelphia Community Health and Literacy Center. This innovative facility combines a City Health Center, a CHOP primary care practice, a branch of the Free Library, and a recreation center with playground. The site extends from Broad to 15th Street and from Morris Street to Castle Avenue. Ground Reconsidered was the landscape architect on the team, responsible for streetscape design surrounding the site and the new DiSilvestro Playground. The playground includes a basketball court, sprayground, chess and checkers tables, and play equipment for ages 2-5 and 5-12. A rain garden captures stormwater from the adjacent building roof. An additional stormwater system is located under the playground to help manage the remainder of the site’s impervious areas. Ground Reconsidered worked closely with the design team and the projects owners and stakeholders to make this project a reality.

The South Philadelphia Community Health and Literacy Center received a 2017 Award of Excellence at the 4th Annual Willard G. “Bill” Rouse III Awards from the Urban Land Institute, Philadelphia.

  • Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, City of Philadelphia, VSBA
  • Philadelphia, PA
  • 2013-2016
DiSilvestro Playground, South Philadelphia Community Health and Literacy Center
DiSilvestro Playground, South Philadelphia Community Health and Literacy Center
DiSilvestro Playground, South Philadelphia Community Health and Literacy Center
DiSilvestro Playground, South Philadelphia Community Health and Literacy Center
DiSilvestro Playground, South Philadelphia Community Health and Literacy Center
DiSilvestro Playground, South Philadelphia Community Health and Literacy Center