It was known only as barren, uninviting and often restricted.

Now, it is Center City’s lively new centerpiece around Philadelphia’s City Hall.

After years of construction, Dilworth Park finally became a reality in September, attracting local workers, families and tourists to the transformed space with more improvements soon.

When the Center City District needed a partner to brand and promote Dilworth Park, it chose LevLane. Another cool project for a client we’ve loved for more than 10 years. Levlane has helped promote CCD’s Restaurant Week, Lunchtime Concert Series and other special events.

LevLane was excited to help Center City District position Dilworth Park as the new place to live, work and play in the city. It’s the stage for quiet gatherings for people from all sections of the city, for children to play in the fountains, and for entertainment and family fun. Dilworth also would be the new gateway for hordes of commuters using mass transit with the dramatically improved underground entrances to SEPTA’s subways and trolley lines.

New name, more action. CCD turned Dilworth Plaza from the inaccessible, multi-level mass of hard surfaces around City Hall into a fresh, green well-maintained public space with the new name, Dilworth Park. It features expanded public space with groves of trees and a lawn, a café operated by famed local chef/restauranteur Jose Garces, a programmable fountain that will become an ice skating rink in the wintertime, and space for plenty of benches and chairs for people to hang out.

LevLane’s objective was to develop a multimedia campaign that would reach local residents and workers, young professionals and families with young children, as well as public officials, civic leaders event planners and donors. We created fresh new identity for Dilworth Park to attract locals and encourage them to take advantage of the new cafe and events.

From lifeless in the past to lively today.  LevLane created new branding that positioned Dilworth Park as a place with energy, a place with planned entertainment and arts and cultural events year-round, like weekday happy hours with a DJ and movie nights under the stars.

The campaign creative is evident in newspaper, magazine, digital and radio ads, outdoor signage and giant banners, transit signs and bus wraps, brochures and event promotional materials.

“LevLane played a huge part in developing all of the signage and marketing for the park. It was a long road to get everything done, but another job well done by our team!” said Josh Lev, account director for CCD. “The branding and promotion of the city’s newest was a great opportunity to demonstrate our creative and media capabilities. We were happy to support a project that would be so visible and positive for Philadelphia.” Along with Josh and Stephania Marsico from account services, LevLane’s team included RJ Cassi, Evan Monsky, and Gabby Shirdan.

Center City District works year-round to ensure that Philadelphia’s downtown not only looks welcoming, but also is brighter, safer and more accessible. The $55 million Dilworth Park project was the fourth and most prominent city park to be re-developed and managed by CCD. All renovations are expected to be complete in November.

A sample of events at Dilworth Park:

• Pictures in the Park with Tuesday night movies al fresco under the glow from City Hall, the first on Sept. 30 with Seabiscuit
• Live @ Lunch — Philadelphia’s center stage shines every Wednesday afternoon with a showcase of local music, dance & performing arts.
• Style Pop – Thursdays at Dilworth Park, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dilworth becomes a chic, cutting-edge designer pop-up market with designer apparel, accessories & crafts.
• Grooves in the Grove – Every Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. pack a brown bag lunch or grab some treats from the café and settle in for some shoulder-bopping, hip-swinging, head-bobbing tunes.
• Octoberfest – Saturday, Oct. 18 and 25 — This fall festival will fill the park with a series of fun activities & games, plus a social 21+ beer garden.

www.ccdparks.org/dilworth-park