The new Levy Park lights will be three feet taller than the one pictured and will have a transparent globe.
Workers are hard at work digging trenches on Locust Walk from 38th to 40th streets as the University begins the first phase of a wide-scale campus lighting project. The project--the result of an extensive eight-month study--is designed to upgrade lighting on campus walkways and ensure that the most effective lighting is utilized.
"We had been continually installing new lighting on campus over the years in response to feedback we've received from our campus community," said James Wargo, Executive Director of Physical Plant. "But we began to ask ourselves, 'Are we really doing this the best way possible?' That is when we decided to bring in lighting experts to assess our efforts."
Working with lighting consultants, Facilities Management began studying various types of lights at night. After trying five different lights--including the lights used by Center City's Special Services District--the experts concluded that the best light for campus walkways was the Levy Park light, which is already in use in Levy Park in the heart of campus. The Levy Park light is a semi-clear globe mounted on a green standard.
"The Levy Park lights did the best job, with two modifications," Wargo said. "We decided to extend them from their current 10 feet up to 13 feet, and replace the semi-clear globe with a transparent globe. "
The first phase of the project will concentrate on the Hamilton Village area--the new designation for the area near the Hi-Rise residences--and will run from 38th to 40th streets, from Spruce to Walnut streets.
The existing "lollipop" lights will be replaced with 61 Levy Park lights. These lights will be installed on Locust Walk, between 38th and 40th streets, and 39th Street between Spruce and Walnut streets.
The new Levy Park lights will be "soldiered," that is, they will be installed one directly across from the other.
"That type of placement distributes light more evenly and looks more inviting," Wargo said.
Thirty-three "cut-off" lights that shine directly down onto the walkways will be installed in the auxiliary pathways. They will be placed in a staggered manner.
The philosophy behind this lighting strategy was to emphasize the major walkways with the decorative new
Levy Park lights while using a more utilitarian light on the auxiliary pathways, Wargo said.
The first-phase of the project is expected to be completed by June 1. In the next phase, the new Levy Park lights will be installed from 34th and 33rd streets, from Walnut to Spruce streets. Eventually, the new Levy Park lights and cutoff lights will be installed throughout the entire campus, Wargo said.
Return to Compass Features for April 1, 1997