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

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