Major Improvements Coming To Maplewood Mall in Germantown

The city will begin reconstructing Maplewood Mall in Germantown next week as part of an effort to make this unique area more pedestrian friendly. Maplewood Mall is a u-shaped street with both entrances on W. Armat St. between Green St. and Germantown Ave. The oval shaped area formed by Maplewood Mall is a mixture of small shops and private residences. Each end has a separate pedestrian plaza with adjacent transit connections. 

The reconstructed mall will have seating, pedestrian lights, sidewalks with street trees, landscaping, and public art. The roadway will be reconstructed, and a new water service main will be installed. The mall will serve as an anchor for the revitalization of Central Germantown and a place for local festivals, block parties, and other community events.

The plazas will be upgraded to accommodate people waiting for buses and to provide a more appealing green space. Work is expected to begin on Monday, November 18 and will be completed in fall 2020. Once finished, this unique area will become a central piece to a more pedestrian friendly Germantown.

“By the end of next year, this area will be completely refurbished, turning Maplewood Mall into a centerpiece for the people who live, work, and shop here,” said Mayor Jim Kenney. “The new Maplewood Mall will be a pedestrian-friendly gathering space for all of Germantown and its visitors to enjoy festivals, events, block parties, and more.”

While this is a welcomed improvement, the Germantown Ave. corridor still has many challenges for pedestrians. Feet First Philly worked with Germantown United CDC last year to conduct a walk audit of two nearby intersections, which highlighted the difficulty for pedestrians to safely cross Germantown Ave.

Maplewood Mall is only a couple blocks away from streets that are part of the City’s High Injury Network, where a majority of traffic related crashes, injuries, and fatalities occur. We hope to see more pedestrian friendly redesigns along this busy corridor, and will share new details on this project as they are released.