IN UNIVERSITY CITY YOU’LL FIND:

Top-Ranked Colleges and Universities

The Nation’s Hottest Tech Submarket

UNIVERSITY CITY’S STATUS as a major employment hub grows each year. Our neighborhood is home to approximately five million square feet of office space, with nearly 800,000 square feet of additional office space currently under construction at major development projects throughout the neighborhood. After years of office rent significantly below other major innovation clusters, a fall report from CBRE ranked University City as the top tech submarket in North America in terms of rent growth, fueled by our low vacancy rate and abundance of new construction.

STUDENTS FROM AROUND the country and around the world converge on University City to attend our highly regarded colleges and universities. Both the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University fared well in recent U.S. News & World Report rankings, and St. Joseph’s University’s merger with the University of the Sciences brings another top Philadelphia school into our impressive lineup of higher education offerings.

Bountiful Public Spaces and Parks

W ITHIN UNIVERSITY CITY’S 2.4 square miles are over 100 acres of parks and public spaces, including beloved favorites like Clark Park, the Woodlands, and The Porch at 30 th Street Station, along with newer additions including rooftop park Cira Green, Drexel Square, and the Lawn at uCity Square. These green oases are critical for neighbors and employees seeking places to gather and enjoy the outdoors.

World Class Transit

OUR NEIGHBORHOOD BOASTS fantastic scores for walking, biking, and public transit, earning “paradise” distinctions in all three categories from Walkscore.com. Continued investments in traffic mitigation, safe biking corridors, a growing network of bike share stations, and new transit routes add to the tapestry of options for traveling within or beyond our borders.

Construction and Cranes

IN 2022, OVER 1.5 MILLION square feet of new development or major renovations were underway for an estimated value of $366 million. The boom shows no signs of slowing, with more than 33 million square feet of lab, residential, institutional, office, and public space in the pipeline at major developments like uCity Square and Schuylkill Yards, plus individual projects throughout the district.

Innovation Everywhere

UNIVERSITY CITY’S STATUS as a major nerve center for innovation grows each year as more start-ups, labs, and research facilities launch tech, treatments, and apps. In 2022, 127 patents were issued to University City businesses and institutions, the cumulative 30 year total of R&D investment reached a whopping $23.9 billion, and 43% of all Pennsylvania National Institutes of Health funding totaling $930 million billion was awarded to University City institutions.

Top Regional Hospitals

THE FOUR HOSPITALS LOCATED in University City serve as a vital part of the local economy, employing a combined total of over 36,000 doctors, nurses, techs, and other positions. Our hospital systems are developing cutting-edge treatment options and cures for both global and local challenges, while providing premier care for the residents living in their backyard.