Dear Benny,
I heard that the University recently announced its Master Plan for Penn’s South Bank region of campus. Could you tell me more about the plan—as well as how I can get there so I can check it out for myself?
—Curious Quaker

Dear Curious,
You’re right—Penn recently released its plans for developing a research park on the 23-acre former DuPont property, located along the Schuylkill River in the Grays Ferry section of the city.

The plan, which was produced by Philadelphia-based planning firm WRT, is designed to support entrepreneurial growth as well as innovation for the technology-led economic development shift underway in the city.

The South Bank master plan aligns with the already-released plans by the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation for the long-term revitalization of the entire Lower Schuylkill River into a 500-acre Innovation District that creates a stronger corridor of commercial activity anchored by Penn to the north and the Navy Yard to the South, with the Philadelphia International Airport and other transportation hubs located within the center. To learn more specifics about the plan, visit www.pennconnects.upenn.edu.

If you’d like to visit the space for yourself, Matthew Brown, associate director of Penn Transit, says you’re in luck. Brown says Penn Transit recently announced a pilot program for a convenient, on-demand shuttle service to South Bank campus locations. The service, which launched earlier in March, will be available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

To take advantage of the South Bank Shuttle Service, riders must present a valid PennCard. The shuttle will transport passengers from Penn Transit stops on the University’s main campus directly to South Bank. To request a ride, passengers may call 215-898-RIDE. They will be asked to provide their name, PennCard ID number, and their pick-up location—a Penn Transit stop or South Bank.