Photo: At 2200-08 Frankford Ave., chairs and tables are made from salvaged wood, PVC pipe and electrical cord and are intended for dining, reading or enjoying the shade.

If you spend any time in Philadelphia on Frankford Avenue just north of Girard, you know how much this stretch of street has changed in recent years. Development seems to move faster than any one person can keep track of, with new condos, storefronts and bars spreading out from Frankford into Fishtown and beyond. What is visibly lacking, however, is a large amount of green.

As a way to call attention to public outdoor space, a trio of artists, architects and designers known collectively as LOTS took an empty plot of land at Susquehanna Street and Frankford Avenue and created a pop-up garden. The project was part of LOTS’ month-long participation in the Recycled Artist in Residency program, a finalist in the 2012 Knight Arts Challenge Philadelphia.

In collaboration with the New Kensington Community Development Corporation, which is leading the effort to create a thriving Frankford Arts Corridor, the three artists took to the open space using only materials they salvaged from Revolution Recovery, the Northeast Philadelphia recycling center. Kasey Toomey, Amy Magida and Leslie Billhymer then converted the location zoned for three properties into a public park of sorts, offering nearby residents a place to congregate, reflect or just relax.

LOTS created these tall “beacons” to attract visitors to the public garden installation. They are clustered to help people use the space in new ways.

Using only their ingenuity and planning skills, LOTS waded into the constantly replenishing supply of discarded matter at Revolution Recovery and began to fabricate components for their park. Tall, wooden pylon structures catch the eyes of passersby, some decked out with loops of green garden hose, and others holding planters with flamboyant flowers. There are chairs constructed from reused electrical wire and PVC pipes, as well as transparent-top tables supported by the circular ends of the same type of plastic cylinders. There are rocking, hammock-like seats to lounge in and a stage as well, expanding the multipurpose space’s function from leisure destination to performance venue.

While the LOTS project is up, in fact, the public space will play host to a number of events, including a game night on Aug. 21 and a terrarium-making class on Aug. 22. Most importantly, the location draws some much needed attention to free public spaces at a time when building new apartments seems to be the law of the land. Make sure to stop by LOTS at Susquehanna Street and Frankford Avenue to unwind a little before the end of August; it closes on Aug. 27. Click here for more details on the project.