Girard Estates

Girard Estates

Type	Neighborhood
Location	South Philadelphia
ZIP code(s)	19145
Established	1906
Named for	Stephen Girard (via Girard Trust)
Boundaries	Roughly 20th to 27th Streets, Shunk to Moyamensing
Adjacent	Packer Park, Passyunk Square
Major streets	20th Street, Oregon Avenue
Transit	Broad Street Line (Oregon Station), SEPTA bus routes
Landmarks	Distinctive brick rowhouses, planned community layout

Girard Estates is a planned community in South Philadelphia developed in the early 20th century by the Girard Trust from the estate of Stephen Girard. The neighborhood is distinctive for its uniform brick rowhouses, planned street layout, and consistent architectural character—unusual in a city known for piecemeal development.

History

Stephen Girard

Stephen Girard (1750-1831) was a French-born merchant and banker who became one of the wealthiest men in America. His will established Girard College and a trust that eventually funded development of Girard Estates.

Planned Development

Girard Estates was developed beginning in 1906 as a planned community with:

• Uniform architecture
• Consistent setbacks
• Quality construction
• Middle-class housing

Character

Architecture

The neighborhood's distinctive character comes from:

• Red brick rowhouses
• Consistent design across blocks
• Front porches
• Small front yards
• Planned streetscape

Community

• Strong neighborhood identity
• Pride in the planned community heritage
• Middle-class families
• Well-maintained properties

Living in Girard Estates

• Middle-class housing
• Strong community
• Consistent property values
• Family-oriented

Getting There

• Broad Street Line: Oregon Station
• SEPTA bus routes: 17, 29
• Close to sports complex

See Also

• Packer Park
• Passyunk Square
• South Philadelphia
• Stephen Girard