Two new publications highlighting new attractions and developments in University City have been released in the last two months.
The fourth annual University City District Report Card and a new University City visitor's guide were published through the efforts of University City District -- a nonprofit organization that strives to improve and foster the 2.2-square-mile neighborhood of University City.
The report card that was released in March is a 33-page color publication that outlines the changing demographics and residential options, new retail and economic development as well as providing various statistics about the neighborhood.
"The report card serves as a terrific resource for University City's institutions, small businesses, realtors, developers and members of the media. It is the only publication that provides a comprehensive account of everything that is happening in University City," said Eric Goldstein, executive director of UCD, in a press release.
The visitor's guide, printed in mid-April, focuses on vibrant cultural and entertainment scenes of University City that include over 70 restaurants and 30 cultural venues.
It will be distributed at various locations around Philadelphia and is aimed both for visitors and for those, like Penn students, who would like to learn more about the possibilities of the neighborhood. The visitor's guide, as well as the report card, are available free of charge.
Although UCD has printed a visitor's guide in the past, the updated version includes over 20 recently opened retail establishments as well as an in-depth listing of art and entertainment venues.
Both of the publications draw attention to the many new opportunities, both culturally and economically, that have become available in University City in recent years, building on the historically successful tradition of the neighborhood.
"One noticeable trend is the amount of retail and restaurants that have opened in University City in the past two years. I believe it was 25 or 26 new restaurants in the past 12 to 15 months," Goldstein said. "Another major trend we are noticing is the return of residents to University City ... which is bucking the trend of the city as a whole."
While the city of Philadelphia has been consistently losing residents, University City continues to grow.
Goldstein added that the growth throughout University City is sustainable, and cause for celebration, rather than alarm. He pointed to a solid foundation in institutions of higher learning, science and technology that should continue supporting the growth in the future.
But, Goldstein points out, despite the successes, much more improvement needs to be done.
"We still have tons of work to do in the community in the western residential neighborhoods -- still tremendous amount of house rehabilitation work and reconstruction of infrastructure," he said.
He also pointed to the land currently owned by the U.S. Postal Service -- land that the University will take over in 2007 -- as an area that will see development in the near future and offer enormous potential to the University City community.
"There is a lot of work to be done in the humanizing the four blocks that separate Center City from University City," Goldstein said.
