North Philadelphia

North Philadelphia

Type	Region
Location	Philadelphia
ZIP code(s)	19121, 19122, 19123, 19130, 19132, 19133, 19140
Boundaries	Roughly Spring Garden Street to Cheltenham Township, Broad Street to the Schuylkill
Major streets	North Broad Street, Germantown Avenue, Ridge Avenue
Transit	Broad Street Line, SEPTA Regional Rail, bus routes
Landmarks	Temple University, Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia Museum of Art, North Broad Street

North Philadelphia is a region of Philadelphia located north of Center City. The area encompasses a diverse mix of neighborhoods, from the institutional presence of Temple University to historic Fairmount and economically challenged areas in the north. North Philadelphia has experienced cycles of growth and decline, and today combines areas of active development with communities facing poverty, disinvestment, and violence.

Geography

North Philadelphia extends from approximately Spring Garden Street north to the city's edge near Cheltenham Township. The region includes neighborhoods with vastly different characters.

Institutional Areas

• Temple University area - University campus and surrounding blocks
• Fairmount - Near the Art Museum
• Brewerytown - Rapidly developing

Residential Neighborhoods

• Strawberry Mansion - Historic but challenged
• Francisville - Small transitional neighborhood
• Yorktown - North Central area
• Hunting Park - Named for the park
• Logan - Residential area

Challenged Areas

Some North Philadelphia neighborhoods face severe challenges:

• Poverty and unemployment
• Crime and violence
• Vacant properties
• Disinvestment

North Broad Street

North Broad Street is the region's primary corridor:

• Temple University campus
• Divine Lorraine Hotel (redeveloped)
• Historic theaters
• Commercial development
• Mixed investment patterns

Temple University

Temple University is North Philadelphia's major institution:

• ~40,000 students
• Major employer
• Campus expansion
• Community relations efforts

History

Industrial Era

North Philadelphia was a major manufacturing center:

• Textile mills
• Breweries
• Various factories
• Working-class employment

Decline

Deindustrialization and population loss:

• Factory closures
• Middle-class exodus
• Poverty concentration
• Infrastructure deterioration

Recent Developments

Mixed patterns of change:

• Temple University expansion
• Brewery town gentrification
• North Broad Street investment
• Persistent challenges in many areas

Neighborhoods

Developing

• Fairmount - Victorian, near Art Museum
• Brewerytown - Active development
• Francisville - Small, transitional

Institutional

• Temple University Area*** - Campus and surroundings
• Spring Garden - Edge of Center City

Challenged

• Strawberry Mansion - Historic but struggling
• Hunting Park - Working-class
• Nicetown-Tioga*** - Industrial legacy
• Fairhill - Puerto Rican community

Getting There

Broad Street Line

The Broad Street Line runs through North Philadelphia:

• Multiple stations along North Broad Street
• Connection to Center City

Regional Rail

Temple University Station serves the campus area.

Bus Routes

Multiple bus routes serve the region.

See Also

• Fairmount
• Brewerytown
• Temple University
• North Broad Street
• Eastern State Penitentiary