Piazza A Score For Philadelphia

The Philadelphia Enquirer's Inga Saffron looks at the city's newest public plaza and finds much to like -- and much for other cities to learn from.

1 minute read

May 19, 2009, 6:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg


"Blatstein's newest development, The Piazza at Schmidt's, on Second Street in Northern Liberties, really is modeled on the Piazza Navona, and it really does include a vast public square, paved in the exact same scallop pattern as the one in Rome.

The evidence might lead to the assumption that The Piazza is a cheap, cringe-worthy theme park. In reality, The Piazza, which opens this weekend, is anything but. Actually, it's pretty wonderful.

Eight years and $100 million in the making, Blatstein's Piazza is a massive, right-brain assemblage of apartments, offices, shops, and restaurants, all set around a one-acre plaza, and cleverly linked into his earlier Liberties Walk development. Maybe because the expanding territory of Bartistan ignored so many real estate conventions, The Piazza accomplishes something rarely seen in new American developments: It feels like a real place.

Of course, no one would ever confuse the project, which occupies the southern portion of what was once the mighty Schmidt's Brewery, with Rome's glorious Baroque gathering place, with its famous Bernini fountain and larger dimensions, 2.8 acres.

But does the Piazza Navona have a 40-foot, Daktoniks LED television beaming down every Phillies game, along with movie classics on Saturday nights? How about a sound stage for rock concerts? Or a diner inspired by Blatstein's childhood memories of road-trip pit stops at Howard Johnson?"

Monday, May 18, 2009 in The Philadelphia Enquirer

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

U-Haul truck on road with blurred grassy roadside in background.

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?

Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

March 27, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Rusty abandoned oil well and equipment with prickly pear cactus next to it in West Texas.

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage

Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

March 31, 2025 - Pennsylvania State University

People sitting and walking in plaza in front of historic Benton County Courthouse in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners

How a preservation-based approach to redevelopment and urban design can prevent displacement and honor legacy communities.

March 28, 2025 - Emily McCoy

Orange and white vintage-look streetcar on Market Street in San Francisco, CA.

San Francisco’s Muni Ridership Grew in 2024

The system saw its highest ridership since before the Covid-19 pandemic, but faces a severe budget shortage in the coming year.

April 4 - San Francisco Chronicle

Green and silver Max BRT bus at station in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Colorado Lawmakers Move to Protect BRT Funding

In the face of potential federal funding cuts, CDOT leaders reasserted their commitment to planned bus rapid transit projects.

April 4 - Colorado Public Radio

Low view of separated bike lanes in middle of Pennsylvania Avenue with U.S. Capitol dome visible at end of street at night.

Safe Streets Funding in Jeopardy

The Trump administration is specifically targeting bike infrastructure and other road safety projects in its funding cuts.

April 4 - Grist