University City is home to the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, and the University of the Sciences. For years University City has existed almost entirely separate from Center City Philadelphia. The Schuylkill River divides University City and Center City and for whatever reason, that divide seemed much wider than the river. Recently the two areas have slowly crept closer together. The former No-Man's land along the river is now home to the Cira Centre and the Cira Centre South - these buildings extend the Center City skyline west across the river. Penn's campus continues to creep further East. At this point there's just a block or two along Market Street, west of 30th Street Station, that are a bit sketchy.
University City has transformed as much as any other neighborhood in the city. If you are looking for new, modern buildings this is the place to be. There's also been an influx of restaurants, although classics like The New Deck Tavern are still the places to go.
University City has transformed as much as any other neighborhood in the city. If you are looking for new, modern buildings this is the place to be. There's also been an influx of restaurants, although classics like The New Deck Tavern are still the places to go.
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
In hindsight, I really regret not applying to both the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University. I have doubts as to whether or not I would have been accepted and also if I had been accepted whether or not I would have attended. I always wanted to go away for college and with these two schools being an hour away from home they were not part of my search and I never visited the campuses for a tour. Whenever I visit Penn I can't help but pretend I'm an alumni in an alternative life. In terms of Philadelphia land ownership, Penn is the Catholic Church. The University's campus sprawls across several blocks - its footprint seems to grow every year. Recent years have seen an increase in new and modern buildings as well as dining options. In my public accounting days I had an engagement on 30th Street between Chestnut and Walnut. The client was a mental health organization and we had to bring our lunches because some of those being rehabilitated may take a bite out of your sandwich. I'd walk around for lunch in the direction of Penn but could never find anything. I'd usually settle on the fast food options at 30th Street Station or a Jamaican Food Truck that would setup on Market Street - this was pre smart phone and pre Food Truck craze. |
Today the Penn campus and surrounding blocks are as vibrant as ever - if I was working here now I'd have plenty of dining options (interestingly enough the client moved because of Penn's expansion). There are a few areas, such as Locust Walk, that have a distinct university "bubble" feel to it, otherwise, the campus integrates well into the surrounding city.
Penn's campus is also intertwined with Philadelphia sports - the school's football field, Franklin Field, and basketball arena, the Palestra are iconic sporting venues. Every spring Franklin Field hosts the Penn Relays, the oldest track and field competition in the United States. I saw Usain Bolt race here once - he is an electric personality and the crowd went wild as he sprinted across the finish line and struck his Lightning Bolt victory pose. I try to attend a Penn basketball game every few years. The Palestra is a great spot to watch a game - at one point it was the largest arena in the US. It's hosted some great games over the year at both a college and high school level. Attending the Penn Relays and a basketball game at the Palestra are two things all Philadelphians should do at least once before they die.
Penn's campus is also intertwined with Philadelphia sports - the school's football field, Franklin Field, and basketball arena, the Palestra are iconic sporting venues. Every spring Franklin Field hosts the Penn Relays, the oldest track and field competition in the United States. I saw Usain Bolt race here once - he is an electric personality and the crowd went wild as he sprinted across the finish line and struck his Lightning Bolt victory pose. I try to attend a Penn basketball game every few years. The Palestra is a great spot to watch a game - at one point it was the largest arena in the US. It's hosted some great games over the year at both a college and high school level. Attending the Penn Relays and a basketball game at the Palestra are two things all Philadelphians should do at least once before they die.
The University of Pennsylvania also has one of the best Egyptian antiquity museums in the world. The musuem was recently remodeled (completed in 2019, I think) and should be on every Philadelphian's itinerary to check out with the City's other museums. The scale of the collection is impressive - there's simply a ton of stuff to see and it's well presented in interesting rooms that complement the item.
DREXEL UNIVERSITY
The transformation / renaissance of University City is not limited to University of Pennsylvania activity. Not to be outdone, Drexel has seen an influx of new, modern buildings and expansion of their campus footprint. Drexel's campus starts a block west of 30th Street Station and continues north and further west from there. Powelton Village, the neighborhood directly north of Drexel's campus has become a decent area to live and the next neighborhood up, Mantua, is slowly turning, slowly. It's easy to see the positive impact Drexel has had on the surrounding area.
The transformation / renaissance of University City is not limited to University of Pennsylvania activity. Not to be outdone, Drexel has seen an influx of new, modern buildings and expansion of their campus footprint. Drexel's campus starts a block west of 30th Street Station and continues north and further west from there. Powelton Village, the neighborhood directly north of Drexel's campus has become a decent area to live and the next neighborhood up, Mantua, is slowly turning, slowly. It's easy to see the positive impact Drexel has had on the surrounding area.
30TH STREET STATION
30th Street Station is Philadelphia’s Amtrak Station that also has SEPTA Regional Rail stops and a short connection to the city’s subway system. It’s a beautiful old building reflective of an era when the U.S. took a pride in building infrastructure. 30th Street has undergone a recent transformation with a cleanup of what was a lousy and dirty food court and adding a park on the 30th Street side. Unfortunately, a major casualty of this transformation was the retiring of the Amtrak train schedule flipboard. I miss the clicking and clacking of numbers and letters and the expectation of what destination would appear next. LED has nothing on the old sign. |
THE CIRA CENTRES
The 30th Street area transformation isn’t limited to the station cleanup. Over the past decade or so, three large glass skyscrapers, collectively known as the Cira Centres have risen on the western side of the Schuylkill.
The 30th Street area transformation isn’t limited to the station cleanup. Over the past decade or so, three large glass skyscrapers, collectively known as the Cira Centres have risen on the western side of the Schuylkill.
Shakespeare in the Park - a highlight of summer is the Shakespeare performance in Clark Park. This event is a bit of an acquired taste and it's tough to hear the actors. Come more for the spectacle, the wonder that is Clark Park, etc. than the actual performance.