University City is a global city—at least, that was the theme of this year’s The State of University City address hosted by the University City District and the University of Pennsylvania.

The 2013/2014 program, held Monday afternoon at the International House Philadelphia on 37^th and Chestnut Streets, focused on University City’s global reach. University of Pennsylvania Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli and Dr. Ezekiel J. Emanuel, Vice Provost of UPenn’s Global Initiatives, both discussed how their institution, as well as Drexel University and University of the Sciences, fosters an international neighborhood connection through its diverse student body and international academic, cultural and social partnerships.

In regards to the larger University City community, University City District Executive Director Matt Bergheiser pointed to recent real estate and commercial developments, cultural and community events, and the neighborhood’s shifting demographics as factors in creating “a global University City.” Each speaker, however, stressed that, while University City does impact the global community at large, people living and working in the neighborhood must continue to promote and support initiatives that are global in practice.

While the panel itself presented numbers relative to this year’s theme, attendees were also given a packet detailing more statistics about University City. In numbers:

• 23 percent of University City households speak a language other than English at home.
• 17 percent of University City’s residents is foreign-born, five percent more than Philadelphia’s overall population.
• According to Dr. Emanuel, the University of Pennsylvania has over 7,000 foreign-born students a year. Combined with Drexel University, that’s about 9,000 foreign-born students. (Dr. Emanuel noted that UPenn doesn’t do its best at integrating University City’s foreign-born residents, which he expects to change with the construction of the university’s Perry World House.)
• Nearly $3.5 billion of new or recently completed real estate projects.
• University City has over 72,000 jobs, with a 93 percent office occupancy rate and 89% retail occupancy rate.
• About 16 academic, commercial, medical/biomedical, or residential/mixed-use properties being constructed within the next three years.
• Average property values have tripled since 2000, from over $100,000 to over $300,000 in 2012.
• Cost of living in University City is 28 percent lower than Center City.
• The number of 20- to 34-year-olds living in University City has increased by 21 percent between 2000 and 2010, with 20- to 24-year-olds making up the highest number of residents.
• Racially, the population breaks down as follows: 25 percent Black or African-American, 20 percent Asian, and 50 percent White.
• In 2012, rate of serious crimes in University City was down 50 percent since 1998, compared to just under 25 percent for the city overall.
• Between 1998 and 2012, University City experienced a -44 percent change in rate of violent crime per 1,000 residents, compared to a -16 percent change in the City of Philadelphia.  Continue Reading

The Sedgley Apartments. Photo by Mike Lyons/West Philly Local.

UPDATE 9/27/13, 2:30 P.M. We heard back from David Hess this afternoon, who let us know that the owners of Dunkin’ Donuts plan to open to shop in late October, pending there are no delays in construction.

West Philly Local wrote about many real estate developments taking place in the neighborhood–some of which are welcomed, some of which are criticized. In an effort to keep you up-to-date on a few of these projects, we’ve complied Part I of a list of building updates. Part II is coming soon.

• In April, we reported that Renaissance Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center at 4712 Chester Avenue will undergo some renovations, including the demolition of two vacant, dilapidated houses adjacent to the property. When we stopped by the site this week, we saw that the buildings have been mostly torn down, with the foundation of the structures still standing three-quarters of the way. Two people were also scavenging the mountains of bricks and debris that littered the fenced-in lot. Nursing Home Administrator Camella Kane, who spoke with us originally, said the center had “nothing to report at this time,” even when pressed for further information.
• In June, we let you know that Dunkin’ Donuts is coming to 41^st Street and Chester Avenue, opening up shop in the group floor of the multi-tenant building at 4100 Chester Avenue this fall. Well, observation makes it seem as if everything is still on track, with a sign for the fast-food coffee joint having gone up late this summer. As for the interior, wall beams have been erected and construction seems on the steady. We couldn’t get a confirmation of progress from David Hess, owner and manager of the multi-unit property, by the time of publication.
• As for the Sedgley Apartments, the historic building undergoing renovations, renovation work should be finished in a few months, said Noah Ostroff, principal at 400 S. 45^th Street LLC, which owns the Sedgley. According to Ostroff, the team is making “good progress” and the apartments—which he said will be affordable and competitively priced—should be available for rent come early January. “We believe [the Sedgley] is going to be one of the more luxurious rental buildings in the area,” Ostroff told West Philly Local.

–Annamarya Scaccia

After six years of uncertainty and false starts, it seems that the 40th Street Methodist Episcopal Church will finally undergo demolition to make way for 7,000-square-feet of retail space—or so the Daily Pennsylvanian reports.

Photo by Annamarya Scaccia/West Philly Local.

According to the DP, construction on the former house of worship, which stood at 125 S. 40th Street for 136 years, is expected to be complete by April 2014, but the developers, P&A Associates, have yet to release a specific work timeline. A search on Philadelphia License & Inspections site, though, does return multiple hits for the church address, one being a new construction permit that was issued in June to architectural firm Albert Taus & Associates and contractor Joe Freidman Construction Corp. If finished by next spring, the humble Romanesque-style two-story church—a gaping shell of its prior appeal—will become home to Dunkin Donuts, Whirled Peace Frozen Yogurt, Zesto Pizza and a fourth yet-to-be-identified commercial space.

Designed by leading mid-nineteenth century architects Samuel Sloan and Addison Hutton, the 40th Street Methodist Episcopal Church was home to three congregations before it was sold to P&A for $2 million in 2007. The previous owners, St. Joseph’s Baptist Congregation, worshipped in the village sanctuary for 50 years until it moved to a larger space six years ago, according to Hidden City Philadelphia. Prior to St. Joseph’s, it served First Church of the Covenanters from 1908 to 1954, which took over the church from Centennial Methodist Episcopal—the budding congregation that originally purchased the land in 1860 and erected Methodist Episcopal in 1871. Continue Reading

The city’s Office of Property Assessment estimates that about 50 percent of homeowners who are eligible for a special property tax break have yet to apply. If you are one of those homeowners, you might want to get on this – the deadline is September 13.

To be eligible a property must be the homeowner’s primary residence, so it can’t be a rental or a co-op. That’s it.

There are a bunch of different ways to apply. You can apply online or download a form here. The telephone number to apply is 215-686-9200. Once you apply and are approved, you will get the exemption every year unless you move or your deed changes.

Housing prices are bouncing back all over Philadelphia, except in West Philly, according to a recent report.

Second quarter home prices fell 7.8 percent in University City compared to the first quarter and an average of 5.9 percent in other parts of West Philly, the Fels Institute of Government analysis shows.

Photo by Katrine Lvovskaya.

Prices around the city bottomed out about 18 months ago and prices in many neighborhoods have begun to bounce back (as much as 8 percent in parts of North Philly), while prices in this side of the Schuylkill have lagged. Not to worry, said Kevin Gillen, a senior research consultant at Fels and the report author. He believes the down tick in house value is just a short-term phenomenon and can be regarded as more of a “correction” in pricing, particularly for University City, which saw double-digit home price rises for the last 10 to 15 years.

“The prices are still way above where they were 10 years ago. It’s like 100 steps forward and 15 steps back. Think of it as a mean reversion,” said Gillen, who believes the long-term trend for the area is still optimistic. “It’s positive going forward but a more modest positive than you had in the past.”

Average home prices across the city have increased 3.1 percent compared to the second quarter last year.

This over-inflation during the decade’s housing boom, said Gillen, can be attributed to University of Pennsylvania renewed, three-fold investment in the neighborhood: the creation of the University City Business District, which led to better public services; a mortgage program aimed at UPenn faculty and staff to encourage them to invest in the neighborhood; and the opening of the Penn Alexander School at 43^rd and Locust Streets 10 years ago.
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