Community-minded initiative, sponsored by Andorra KinderCare and curated by The Free Library of Philadelphia, brings literacy and outdoor activity together along retail corridor
Philadelphia, PA – Federal Realty Investment Trust (NYSE: FRT), a leader in operat
ing and developing sustainable and high-quality retail-based properties, today announced the installation of a StoryWalk® at Andorra Shopping Center, located at 701 Cathedral Road in Philadelphia. The activation will feature 18 permanent display stations stretching across the outdoor corridor situated between the Free Library of Philadelphia Andorra and the Andorra KinderCare Learning Center. The installation is part of the center’s ongoing $30 million redevelopment, which will add anchor grocer GIANT, approximately 14,000 square feet of landscaped plazas and new outdoor dining spaces to the Roxborough community.
The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. A StoryWalk® is an innovative way to combine physical activity with literacy, inviting people of all ages to get outside and follow a path of children’s picture book pages displayed on signs along a trail. Pages of a featured book are sequenced across the stations, drawing families, children, caregivers, teachers, and community members along the route as they read together. The inaugural book will be Tinyville Town Gets to Work by Philadelphia-based author and illustrator, Brian Biggs.
“Creating vibrant, community-focused spaces is at the heart of what Federal Realty does and Andorra is a great example of that vision coming to life,” said Kari Glinski, Vice President, Asset Management at Federal Realty. “The StoryWalk® is the thread that ties it all together and we are thrilled about this addition to the shopping center.”
Andorra KinderCare Learning Center, accepting enrollment for summer 2026, is the founding sponsor of the installation, reflecting the child care provider’s commitment to language and literacy as a cornerstone of early childhood development brought to life through their research-backed curriculum.
“At KinderCare we focus on building children’s language and literacy skills at every age and in every classroom, whether that’s reading with babies or helping four-year-olds learn to recognize the letters in their name,” said Courtney Wells, center director of the Andorra KinderCare Learning Center. “Installing a StoryWalk® in the neighborhood where we are planting roots felt like the perfect fit.”
The Free Library of Philadelphia Andorra will serve as curator, ensuring featured books are refreshed monthly and reflect the interests and needs of the Roxborough community.
“Books belong everywhere,” said Ms. Molly, Children’s Librarian at The Andorra Library. “We’re proud to bring the Free Library experience outside our walls and into the daily life of the Upper Roxborough neighborhood.”
The StoryWalk® is the latest activation in Federal Realty’s broader transformation of Andorra Shopping Center, reinforcing the company’s vision for Andorra as a vibrant community destination for Roxborough. For more information about Andorra Shopping Center and its tenants, visit www.federalrealty.com. For information about the Andorra KinderCare Learning Center, visit kindercare.com. For information about Free Library of Philadelphia programs, visit freelibrary.org.
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