About Philadelphia & University City
Philadelphia's growing economy is one of the most diverse in the United States. Health care, education, law, manufacturing and service industries such as banking and insurance are its main industries. The Philadelphia area is a leading center for education with 88 four-year colleges and universities. In health care, Philadelphia ranks second with one out of six doctors in the United States graduating from a Philadelphia medical school or teaching hospital. University City is a neighborhood in the western section of the city and is bordered by the campuses of three major learning institutions. The largest is the University of Pennsylvania. Also nearby are the campuses of University of the Sciences in Philadelphia , formerly the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science, and Drexel University. Property in West Philadelphia is appreciating rapidly- the City Philadelphia's Neighborhood Transformation Initiative has a market analysis of the home value trends for the city. The University of Pennsylvania has a Guaranteed Mortgage Program for faculty and staff of the university. There is more information at the Office of Community Housing's web site. University City homes are mainly three story Victorians, many of which have been converted to student rentals. There is also a large number of two story single family brick row homes built in the 1920's. Most of the area is residential housing with a diverse mix of people, cultures and backgrounds. Convenient to Center City Philadelphia, the area also attracts many residents who seek larger homes than are available downtown. The streets are typically lined with stately Sycamore (buttonwood) trees and Norway Maples, which form a summertime canopy of foliage. |
