University City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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University City is a neighborhood in the West Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, whose name reflects the proximity of several institutions of higher learning, including the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, and The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College. The eastern core of the neighborhood is home to these universities as well as several prominent medical institutions, including the highly regarded Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), independent centers of scientific research, 30th Street Station, and the Cira Centre. The western portion, with its numerous historic Victorian houses, is primarily residential and is home to a diverse population.

The name "University City" was coined in the 1960s as part of an urban-renewal effort.^[1] The neighborhood's current boundaries, as defined by the non-profit University City District organization, are: the Schuylkill River to the east; Spring Garden Street, Powelton Avenue, and Market Street to the north; Civic Center Boulevard, University Avenue and Woodland Avenue to the south; and 52nd Street to the west.^[2][3] These boundaries include the sub-neighborhoods of Cedar Park, Garden Court, Spruce Hill, Squirrel Hill, Powelton Village, Walnut Hill, and Woodland Terrace, as well as much of the West Philadelphia Streetcar Suburb Historic District^[4] and the zip codes 19104, 19139, and 19143.

Contents 1 Names of the region 2 University City District 3 Town and gown 3.1 University City Science Center 3.2 Planned development along the Schuylkill's west bank 4 Demographics 5 Local institutions 5.1 Higher education 5.2 Medical 5.3 Scientific 5.4 Charitable 5.5 Legal 5.6 Secondary education 5.7 Primary education 6 Government representation 7 See also 8 External links 8.1 General sources 8.2 References

[edit] Names of the region

Blockley is one of the earliest names applied to this region. In 1677, William Warner, purchased 1,500 acres from the local Indian tribe and named the area. ^[5] Blockley Township did not have a great reputation in 19th century. "It was an ideal hideout for shadowy characters and evil-doers who crossed the river in skiffs after a thieving or smuggling job south of the city. As late as 1850 it was considered hazardous to be abroad alone in this area." ^[6] The Blockley Almshouse, later known as Philadelphia General Hospital, was located here. Philadelphia proper was actually founded 5 years after Blockley, but its influence was quickly felt. People soon started calling the Township of Blockley by the made up name West Philadelphia.^[7] Later, parts of Blockley were carved out to form the District of West Philadelphia.

In 1735, Andrew Hamilton, a "Philadelphia Lawyer", purchased 300 acres of land within Blockley Township. This area came to be known as Hamilton Village ^[8] and The Woodlands, a sprawling botanical garden and mansion were built here. The gardens is now the Woodlands Cemetery. Much of the rest of Hamilton Village is now covered by the 40th St. retail corridor.

A small section on the northern side of this area was once known as Greenville.^[9] Situated near Lancaster Ave, Powelton Ave, and Market St., Greenville served as a way point for travelers and cattle drivers. Many taverns and inns accommodated the generally rowdy travelers. Later, the area expanded in all directions with many German immigrants and offered much more than simple taverns. By the mid 20th century, the area had changed again to a neighborhood that was colloquially referred to as the Black Bottom, a nickname that referenced the neighborhood's racial and economic status. Much of this neighborhood was destroyed as part of a gentrification plan in the 1960s. ^[10]

The late 19th and early 20th centuries were a time of enormous growth in the area. Bridges and streetcars were installed and people were able to easily commute from West Philadelphia into Center City. This led to rapid development in the area, both within the borders of University City and far beyond. It was around this time that the "local" neighborhood names like Spruce Hill and Cedar Park^[11] were established.

In the 1960s, the name University City was coined^[1] in an attempt to attract people back to the large Victorian houses in the vicinity of Penn. The boundaries were defined as extending from the "Schuylkill River to 52nd Street, and from Haverford Avenue to the Media-line railroad tracks south of Kingsessing Avenue — though over the years many have viewed it as a smaller domain". This has led to some community tension; some saw it as an attempt to secede from West Philadelphia. ^[12]

[edit] University City District

University City is not to be confused with the University City District (UCD). University City is the name of the neighborhood, while University City District is the name of a private, non-profit special services district which provides the neighborhood with additional safety and cleanup services. UCD was created by the University of Pennsylvania and other large institutions in 1997.

The UCD has been criticized for its director's involvement in the Philadelphia mayoral election, 2007 ^[13] and recent crimes committed by one of its employees. ^[14]

[edit] Town and gown

University City has a history of strained town and gown relations, particularly with Penn. Since the 1960s, Penn has led a series of gentrification and redevelopment programs that have changed the character of the area. Some locals call this "Penntrification" or "McPenntrification" ^[16] as it seems to only benefit those with a relationship to Penn.

Some, including local anarchists,^[17] believe Penn's actions divide the community. The Sadie Alexander public elementary school, which Penn helped to build and currently subsidizes, is closed to students outside its "catchment". The Penn Mortgage program is available only to Penn employees and only for homes purchased within Penn's definition of the boundaries of University City. The university is also active in branding the area as "University City", with its logo showing up next to the name on signs and bridges.

[edit] University City Science Center

As part of the Housing Act of 1949, Congress established the "Slum Clearance and Community Development and Redevelopment" program, commissioning federal funds to "assist local communities in eliminating their slums and blighted areas and in providing the maximum opportunity for the redevelopment of project areas by private enterprise." ^[18] A few years prior, in 1945, the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia (RDA) was formed with the power to acquire and redevelop land through condemnation procedings. This power to take land reached University City when The West Philadelphia Corporation (WPC) was formed in 1959 by a group of local institutions including Penn.^[19] By 1965, the WPC had developed a massive plan to demolish homes and redevelop the land as a center of private scientific research. Within four years, the University City Science Center had been established and most of the buildings on Market St. between 34th St. and 40th St. had been demolished.^[20]

Penn's "Superblock", the area between 38th, 40th, Spruce, and Walnut streets, was also cleared and redeveloped as a follow-up to this plan.

[edit] Planned development along the Schuylkill's west bank

In 2007, Penn bought 24 acres between its campus and the Schuylkill river, an area largely previously occupied by the United States Postal Service and known as the Postal Lands. (This 1994 map shows the area before the GE bulding was refurbished into the Left Bank and the Cira Centre was built.^[21]) According to plans in the works since 2005, Penn officials intend to build several facilities and to connect its campus with the riverfront and Center City. New buildings will include a college house, parking garages, hotel and conference spaces and more green space on campus. A walkway will extend from Locust Walk across the Schuylkill River to Center City.

Slated to begin in 2007, the first of four construction stages will cost an estimated $1.94 billion, including about $194 million from city taxpayers.^{[22] [23]}

In addition, the former post office is to be turned into office space for the Internal Revenue Service. In November 2007, Cira Center developer Brandywine Realty Trust broke ground for a 28-story mixed-used high-rise called Cira Center South, to be completed in 2010.^{[24] [25]}

[edit] Demographics

In 2007, the University City District released its updated University City Report Card. ^[26] This report card provided a detailed look at the area. The following information was accurate as of 2006.

There are 45,787 people, living in 16,625 households in University City. 29% of these households were classified as "Family" households and the remaining 71% were classified as "Non-Family". The averge household size is 2.0 people. Median household income is $23,749, and the median age of the residents is 23.8 years. Median "Family" household income is $40,042. 8.1% of households have incomes of $100,000 or more and 35.2% have incomes of less than $15,000. The racial makeup of University City is approximately 42% Black, 35% White, 18% Asian/Pacific Islander, 4% Hispanic, with the remainder not classified. (UC Report Card: Households, Age, Income, Race; p.7)

There are 63,878 employees in the area. The largest employers are, with employee count in parentheses, Penn (13,239), Penn Health (11,136), CHoP (6,855), Drexel-Main (2,706), AMTRAK (2,551), and The VA (2,100). The leading employment sectors were, not surprisingly, educational services (53.1%) and health care services (21%). (UC Report Card: Employment; p.8)

The median home sale is $312,000, an increase of 22% over 2005. The average monthly rent is $667 for a studio apartment, $823 for a one-bedroom apartment, and $1,174 for a two-bedroom apartment. (UC Report Card: Housing; p.23)

[edit] Local institutions

[edit] Higher education

Ordered by size (Number of students, 2006): ^[27]

• University of Pennsylvania (23,704): Founded in 1740, moved to current neighborhood in 1872.
• Drexel University (Main Campus: 18,466): Founded in 1891.
• University of the Sciences in Philadelphia (3,008): Established in 1821.
• Community College of Philadelphia, West Regional Center (748): CCP established in 1965, West campus established in 1985.
• The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College (535): Founded in 1974, moved to current neighborhood in 1992.
• Lincoln University Urban Center (?)
• Philadelphia Divinity School (0): Founded in 1858, left neighborhood in 1974. Was located at 42nd and Spruce, where buildings remain.

[edit] Medical

• Children's Hospital of Philadelphia ("CHoP"): The top childrens hospital in the country.
• Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania ("HUP"): #12-ranked general hospital in the country.
• Penn Presbyterian Medical Center ("Presby"): 300-bed hospital, home to the Scheie Eye Institute.
• VA Medical Center, Philadelphia ("The VA"): Local center for veterans' healthcare.
• Medical Examiner's Office [1]: Part of the city government.
• The Consortium: Drug and alcohol abuse treatment organization.

[edit] Scientific

Not including the scientific departments of the local universities

• Monell Chemical Senses Center: Leader in research on smell and taste.
• The Science Center at University City [2]: Focuses on commercialization.
• Wistar Institute: Leader in research on the causes and cures of disease.

[edit] Charitable

• Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House: A "home away from home" for families of seriously ill children receiving treatment at nearby hospitals.
• Philadelphia Elwyn: Care for the mentally disabled.

[edit] Legal

• American Law Institute: Provides Restatements of the Law.
• Dechert: Philadelphia's largest law firm.

[edit] Secondary education

• Public (School District of Philadelphia)
  • Middle Years Alternative & Parkway School (6-12): 49th and Chestnut St.
  • University City High School (9-12): 36th and Filbert St.
  • West Philadelphia High School (9-12): 48th and Walnut St.
• Private
  • HMS School for Children with Cerebral Palsy (ages 2-21): 4400 Baltimore Ave.
  • West Philadelphia Catholic High School (9-12): 45th and Chestnut St.

[edit] Primary education

• Public (School District of Philadelphia)
  • Alexander Wilson School (K-5): 46th and Woodland Ave.
  • Charles R. Drew School (PreK-8): 38th and Powelton Ave.
  • Henry C. Lea School (K-8): 47th and Locust St.
  • Middle Years Alternative & Parkway School (6-12): 49th and Chestnut St.
  • Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander University of Pennsylvania Partnership School (K-8): 42nd and Locust St.
  • Samuel Powel School (K-4): 36th and Powelton Ave.
• Private
  • Christ Memorial Day School (K-6): 43rd and Chestnut St.
  • HMS School for Children with Cerebral Palsy (ages 2-21): 4400 Baltimore Ave.
  • Jubilee School (pre-K-6):42nd and Chester Ave.
  • Spruce Hill Christian School (K-8): 42nd and Baltimore Av.
• Parochial
  • St. Francis de Sales School (1-8): 912 S. 47th St.

[edit] Government representation

• City Council: Hon. Jannie L. Blackwell, 3rd District
• PA Senate: Hon. Anthony H. Williams, 8th District
• PA House: Hon. James R. Roebuck, Jr., 188th District

[edit] See also

• Saint Mary's Church, Hamilton Village
• Neighborhood Bike Works

[edit] External links

• An Article about the District's Recent Transformation (PW - Sept. 2006)
• Photo tour of University City
• Neighborhood Profile - from the Penn Library's InfoResources project.
• University City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is at coordinates 39°57′06″N 75°11′44″W / 39.951533, -75.195417Coordinates: 39°57′06″N 75°11′44″W / 39.951533, -75.195417

[edit] General sources

• University City District (UCD) - Local safety and administrative organization.
• University City Historical Society (UCHS) - Local history organization.
• University of Pennsylvania Archives (UPA) - University Archives and Record Center.
• Daily Pennsylvanian (DP) - Penn's daily student newspaper.
• The Triangle (TRI) - Drexel's weekly student newspaper.
• The University City Review (UCR) - Local weekly community newspaper.
• Penn Gazette (PG) - Penn's monthly alumni magazine.
• neighborhoodBase from Penn's Cartographic Modeling Laboratory.
• Penn Partners (PP) - The Plan for West Philadelphia, 1994.

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b c} CP: Schemers on the Schuylkill: Should Marketers Name our Neighborhoods?
2. ^ UCD: Boundary map of University City.
3. ^ UCD: Description of the neighborhood's boundaries.
4. ^ UCHS: Development of the West Philadelphia Streetcar Suburb.
5. ^ UCHS: Early history of The Area
6. ^ UCHS: Notes about Blockley Township.
7. ^ UCHS: Development of "West Philadelphia" which in the 18th century generally referred to what is now called University City.
8. ^ UCHS: History of Hamilton Village
9. ^ UCHS account of the history of Greenville
10. ^ UCHS: West Philadelphia Corporation's origins
11. ^ CPN: History of Cedar Park.
12. ^ PG: Origin of University City.
13. ^ Philly.com: UCD offical involved with the Knox campaign.
14. ^ DP: UCD employee arrested for string of burglaries
15. ^ DP: A Fresh Coat of Paint Goes a Long Way
16. ^ DP: McPenntrification
17. ^ An anarchist perspective on Penn's changes to the area
18. ^ UPA: History of the development of the University City Science Center.
19. ^ UPA: West Philadelphia Corporation formed.
20. ^ UPA: Massive redevelopment plan for West Philadelphia, centered around the University City Science Center.
21. ^ PP: Schuylkill West Bank Map from 1994 redevelopment plan.
22. ^ Entrepreneur Magazine: Postal Lands development
23. ^ DP: Eastern Expansion
24. ^ Philadelphia Business Journal: Cira Centre South
25. ^ Penn's official site for Cira Centre South
26. ^ UCD: University City Report Card 2007
27. ^ UCD: University City Report Card 2007: School populations, p. 11/40

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