John F. Collins: Significant Projects in Center City

John F. Collins: Significant Projects in Center City. . , Throughout John Collins' career, he demonstrated a commitment to educating young people and young professionals, serving as a lecturer, professor, and visiting studio critic at major landscape architecture programs at various universities. In 1982, Collins launched a program to train inmates in urban horticulture skills at the House of Corrections in Philadelphia. The program PLANT , Philadelphia Landscape and Nursery Training , trained inmates to plant and maintain greenery in public spaces. The program continues, on a smaller scale, to this day. In addition, he established community and teaching gardens in Philadelphia for public school children. In 1988, Collins became the founding Chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture at Temple University, where he taught until his retirement in 1998., Market Street East , John Collins and his partners at The Delta Group played an integral in the 1980s revitalization of Market Street East from City Hall to 5th Street , a project supported by local businesses under the leadership of G. Stockton Strawbridge, CEO of the Strawbridge and Clothier department stores., The Delta Group's design eliminated unnecessary and unsightly traffic islands and signals, established "lay-by" bus lanes, widened sidewalks, installed new passenger shelters and benches, added lighting fixtures with planters and banners, all while accommodating the street's busy commercial and rush-hour traffic. This section was renovated in 1999 by the Center City District with funding from the City of Philadelphia. The integrity of The Delta Group's original design was maintained, but new light fixtures were installed, designed by Cope Linder Associates and Grenald Waldron Associates, and the subway headhouses were modified., The streetscape improvements were extended further east on Market Street from 5th Street to Front Street using Collins' design that recaptured the feel of 18th Century Philadelphia., Schuylkill River Park , In 1965, Collins created a master plan for the Fairmount Park Commission centering on a 1.25 mile park along the Schuylkill River's east bank, from the Art Museum to South Street. For the next 40 years, Collins continued to work, often on a volunteer basis, to realize the vision of Schuylkill River park, which was finally dedicated at a lighting ceremony in 2004., "Schuylkill River Park joins Market Street East, the nationally recognized vest pocket park on Chestnut Street, and dozens of other public and private venues across our city and region as places that have been transformed by your talent," said Philadelphia Mayor John Street in a letter to Collins. "It's no wonder Ed Bacon has said your work deserves the highest accolades. On behalf of the people of Philadelphia, I extend my belated but heart-felt thanks not just for Schuylkill River Park but for your life-long efforts to make Philadelphia a more livable and beautiful city.", 3 Bears Park , Three Bears Park, originally named Delancey Street Park, is located at 319 Delancey Street, and sits under a canopy of locust trees that fill the park with flecked light. This pocket park, originally designed by John Collins in 1965, is known for the charming sculpture of three bears created by Sherl Joseph Winter, which captivates local children, along with play equipment and landscaped gardens. its peaceful and intimate space is greatly treasured by the local residents and was renovated in 2009-2010 with funds raised by the community., Society Hill Greenways , Philadelphia's Planning Commission began the Washington Square Urban Renewal Project in 1957 under commission director Edmund Bacon. Bacon preserved and restored significant historic fabric in tandem with removing blighted or incompatible structures and replaced them with modern buildings and parkland that blended with the neighborhood's historic context. Bacon hired John Collins of Adleman, Collins and DuTot to design the landscape, which includes Delancey Park (now Three Bears Park) and numerous other small-scale greenway parks and pedestrian connections woven between buildings. Collins' details , richly patterned brick sidewalks and walls, granite curbs and backless benches, alleys, street trees, site-specific light standards and bollards , combined with small courtyards and pocket parks peppered throughout the 120-acre neighborhood, unite the unique blend of historic and modern buildigns and landscapes.