The State of University City – Center City Philadelphia – West!

Of all the data and trends analysis contained in this year’s publication, the number that jumps out most is University City’s realization of the 75,000 jobs milestone.

Why is 75,000 a magic number?  It means that from nanofab equipment specialists to neonatologists, from software development engineers to clinical programmers, and from carpenters to electricians, University City institutions and businesses are fueling the growth of the regional economy.  University City is not simply producing jobs, we’re producing good jobs, creating opportunity in the neighborhood, city and region.  

From 2008 to 2013, in fact,we’ve seen a 79% increase in middle- to high-wage positions.  In a city whose progress has been constrained by tepid private sector job growth, the magical mix of academic, research and commercial partners in University City is leading the region–and much of the country–in the acceleration of economic activity.

As we enter an age of innovation districts, when the cities that succeed are the ones that cluster research and knowledge institutions with talent and start-ups, University City boasts an astonishing 30,000 jobs per square mile.

By comparison, Cambridge, MA–always a benchmark for anchor institution-driven development–contains 19,000 jobsper square mile. With job density comes commercial vibrancy.  Indeed, eastern University City has seen a 24% increase in food and beverage establishments since 2009 and a recent construction boom resulting in than 10 million new square feet of new development.  Remarkably, even as office inventory has grown by 26% in less  than a decade, University City has a region-leading 97.4% office occupancy rate.  And, as the neighborhood transforms palpably into a dynamic, 24/7 urban center, eight major residential projects have driven an 11% increase in population since 2013.

While job growth, construction figures and commercial vibrancy tell a substantial part of the University City story, qualitative measures revealing a neighborhood of choice abound. Institutions, businesses, communities and civic intermediaries like University City District fully understand that booming commercial infrastructure must be accompanied by commensurate investments in beautiful civic infrastructure.  The sustained growth in the development, evolution and improvement of parks, public squares, vibrant streets and attractive transit infrastructure heralds a future University City admired as much for its quality of place as it is for its quantity of jobs, institutions and building projects.

Download the entire comprehensive report here….