Director of Planning and Design, University City District, United States
Nathon joined University City District (UCD) in 2012 and has served as the Director of Planning and Design since 2015. He served as the project lead on Trolley Portal Gardens, UCD’s largest project to date that turned a utilitarian trolley facility (busiest at-grade rail station in Philadelphia) into a vibrant public space along with a two-story new construction restaurant. He greatly expanded the district’s parklet and public space program, and has been influential in developing UCD’s progressive placemaking, and tactical urbanism methodology to enhance urban quality of life in West Philadelphia. Nathon was instrumental in launching Green City Works, UCD’s landscaping social venture, and serves as lead designer for all landscaping and public space projects that the venture executes. Nathon is one of the founding members of Open Streets PHL and was the External Communications Director for the organization.
Before UCD, Nate worked as a landscape architect/urban designer for two firms in Philadelphia for 9 years, he served as an adjunct professor of landscape architecture at Jefferson University, heading the urban design and community design studios for 4 years.