UEDs are the byproduct of three years of work by Catalyst Outdoor Advertising based locally in the Philadelphia market. UEDs are unique physical, three-dimensional structures – part art, part architecture, and part advertising– that would function as a content rich communication platform.

In addition, the innovative installations – Philadelphia will be the first city in North America to showcase them – will provide much-needed financial support for the City’s arts and community groups. In addition, unlike conventional and electronic billboard displays that are devoted almost exclusively to promotional advertising, 30 percent of the content distributed by the UEDs would be devoted to content including communications from the City, to charitable organizations, original relevant and local informational content and general announcements, as well as alerts and messages from the National Amber Alert System.

According to the legislation, the UED operator will be required to invest a minimum of $2 million into the construction of each UED, and be subject to approvals from City Council, the City Planning Commission, the Art Commission and the Department of Licenses and Inspections. The UEDs will also be regulated by a sound ordinance to ensure local businesses and residences are protected.

In addition, beginning in 2015, each UED is required to make a $5.2 million commitment to a non-profit organization located in the Councilmatic district in which the UED is sited. The objective is to put the money to work through organizations that “promote, maintain, and reinvest into the Councilmatic district in which the UED is to be constructed.” The organizations that will benefit from the three initial locations include The Avenue of the Arts District, The Reading Terminal Market and The Center City District.