The Dilworth facelift is almost done

With workers placing the final stones and positioning plants at renovated Dilworth Plaza, Center City is about to get a new green space that serves as a stylish entry to mass transit and a pleasant link between the Avenue of the Arts and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

Seemingly to make clear the plaza's intended use, designers have had the words "Dilworth Park" etched in block letters on the walkway from City Hall's west portal.

The $55 million project, which is scheduled to open to the public on Sept. 4, is a result of federal, state, local, private, and foundation funding. SEPTA is also working on a $15 million upgrade to its station below City Hall, including new elevators for the Market-Frankford line.

Creation of the park represents a huge milestone for the Center City District, which was founded in 1991 to literally clean up downtown Philadelphia. The organization deserves the public's gratitude for being the driving force behind the Dilworth Plaza project.

Completed in 1977, the plaza has long proven its worth as a public space for rallies, speeches, or passive enjoyment. Most memorably, it was the scene of the Occupy Philadelphia encampment in 2011. The new Dilworth Plaza will be a stark contrast to that cacophony of tents, protesters, and drum circles.

The plaza features sloping glass entrances to the transit system beneath it, plus gardens, trees, and a lawn. No doubt a focal point will be a brilliant work of public art by Janet Echelman, which will trace train movements at the underground station in real time with colored lights and mist.

In the winter months, the park will host a skating rink. There will be a plaza café, with catering available for private events such as weddings or business meetings. Designers have imagined movie nights and concerts.

Another new park, several blocks away, joined the city's inventory of cleverly designed public spaces just last week. Capitalizing on the Delaware waterfront, the park at the foot of Washington Avenue near Columbus Boulevard memorializes the immigration station used by the city between 1870 and 1915.

This is the second new park on the Delaware, following the Race Street Pier, which opened in 2011. A third park is planned. The Washington Avenue park also has a strong work of public art, a sculpture by Jody Pinto that wraps a spiral staircase around a pole to offer its climbers breathtaking views of both sides of the river and its bridges.

Investing in public spaces like these parks, where people can relax and reflect on the most appealing aspects of the city, will help to make life in Philadelphia more enjoyable for residents and visitors alike.