The State of University City 2019

On Wednesday, December 5th, hundreds of guests attended our annual State of University City event at World Cafe Live. This year, the event focused on how University City is setting the pace for the future of work for the region. UCD Board Chair Craig Carnaroli and UCD President Matt Bergheiser spoke about University City's role in the future of employment in the region, and how inclusion and opportunity are as critical as innovation and development. 

For the first time this year, we have produced an interactive online map of development projects in our neighborhood. Click here to view the map and read more about exciting projects underway in University City. 

Discoveries initiated in University City spark billions of dollars in economic growth and attract international attention to those working in fields like robotics, biotech, and medicine. Annual R&D expenditures have nearly doubled among University City institutions over a decade, topping out at a record $1.5 billion this past year. A significant driver of this growth is the fact that 42% of all National Institutes of Health funding in the entire state of Pennsylvania was awarded right here to University City researchers. And, to transfer discovery to commercial possibilities, University City institutions and businesses secured a new patent, on average, every other day last year – a rate twice as high as it was just six years ago. At our State of University City event, we shined a light on local companies and programs who are driving innovation and defining what the future of work looks like in the region and beyond. 

The future of work is also about how we find, recruit, train, and prepare local talent for premier employers. Our West Philadelphia Skills Initiative is UCD's shared commitment to cultivating the incredible talent in this neighborhood in ways that lead to better fit, longer retention, faster advancements, and greater impact at University City workplaces. In the video below, we highlight Xia Frazier, a member of our Green City Works landscape crew who is defining the future of work right here in University City.      

Finally, the State of University City event served as the official release of The State of University City 2019, our annual report made up of nearly 80 pages of charts, statistics, photographs, and stories demonstrating the development and progress within University City over the past year. To obtain physical copies, please stop by our office at 3940 Chestnut Street or email us at [email protected]. You can also download a PDF here.