It wasn't long ago that the corner of 40th and Walnut street was dead at night. Where people from Penn and all over Philadelphia now eat dinner at Marathon Grill, there was an ugly Burger King. Across the street, where thousands of people zip in and out of Fresh Grocer each day, there was a parking lot.
A lot has changed in the last 10 years.
The corner, once one of the least desirable areas of the Penn campus, now buzzes with life nearly 24 hours a day. It's a major change that has brought benefits to both Penn students and local residents.
And the energy that now envelopes 40th and Walnut is beginning to spread north.
40th and Chestnut streets is in the process of a significant transformation with the construction of a new eight-story tower. And, more importantly, the changes may even reach Market Street.
The desirability of the 40th and Market intersection has always lagged behind its importance. Because the Market-Frankford El stops at 40th Street, the corner is a hub for pedestrian traffic. Yet, even Martin Flynn, who has run Flynn's Bar at 4010 Market St., called the 40th Street side of Market Street a "dead zone."
The dreariness of the area has a real effect on the Penn community - many avoid taking the El after dark. And with Penn students constantly being told to take advantage of all that Philadelphia has to offer, the University and the city have a vested interest in improving the intersection.
But Penn has learned from the past - it can't, nor should it, tell local residents how to build or operate their neighborhood. Yet, as Flynn shows, local residents see problems, too.
Penn can work to improve the neighborhood with local support, by working with local residents and business owners. Few would likely oppose offering up resources such as support from the Center for Community Partnerships and the University City District.
And few people, even those worried about Penn's expansion, would be opposed to placing more police and security officers in the area.
40th Street should link Penn with areas north of campus, as well as the rest of the city via SEPTA. Right now, that's just not happening.
University City has made major progress revitalizing its neighborhood in the last decade we hope that change continues to spiral outward, as long as residents and business owners want to see that change.
But be certain - everyone wants to see improvements reach Market Street.
