Chris at UCD's blog

On Wednesday, December 4th, hundreds of guests attended our annual State of University City event at World Cafe Live.

We at University City District are thrilled to announce that Renata’s Kitchen will be the new operators at 3940 Baltimore Avenue, the restaurant space within Trolley Portal Gardens. Kate Steenstra and Yasser Aiq, the co-owners of Renata’s Kitchen, have been serving the neighborhood for six years, and will bring their beloved brunch service, catering, and eventually dinner and bar service to this new, larger location.

On Wednesday, December 4th, JP Morgan announced details of a $1.5 million grant to UCD to support the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative, in collaboration with Temple University and the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC), as we partner to build a place-based network of employer-driven workforce programs in West, North, and South Philadelphia. Representatives from JP Morgan presented a ceremonial check to UCD staff and partners from Temple and PIDC this morning during the opening of a new branch of Chase Bank at 2815 Grays Ferry Avenue. 

While The HOW Group has only been a member for less than a year, its partnership with UCD is creating a pathway to the skilled trades for talented West Philadelphians, and illustrating the potential that our relationships with members have to evolve for the benefit of the neighborhood.

In nearly 30 years of real estate development and property management, AMC Delancey has become involved in all angles of the real estate field. Throughout their long history, they’ve invested in a wide range of asset classes – from hotels and golf courses, to land and industrial properties. Like many businesses, the 2009 financial collapse offered the company the opportunity to rethink its long-term strategy and reposition itself as a leader in multi-family apartments and multi-family mixed-use assets.

The winter holidays are alive in University City! We've collected some highlights from throughout the neighborhood of fun activities to celebrate. See our community calendar for a comprehensive list of neighborhood offerings and check out these highlights. 

On Thursday, November 14th, Citizens Bank announced a $125,000 investment in our nationally-recognized job training program, the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative (WPSI), in support of our expansion efforts. Citizens Bank’s substantial investment in WPSI is one of the largest the bank has made in Philadelphia.

We are making some changes to the schedule at The Porch due to the arrival of cold weather. We will now be welcoming only a single truck each day for weekday lunch vending. We've also expanded the hours of La Chocolatera, the new vendor of drinking chocolate, coffee, and baked goods. See more details on both below!  

In 2010, the southern boundary of Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station – home to Amtrak, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), New Jersey Transit and their combined 27,000 daily commuters – was a drab strip of concrete. The area seemed to exist exclusively for cars entering and exiting the Schuylkill Expressway, or whizzing down Market Street through six lanes of traffic.

Not everyone gets to combine their personal passion with a professional pursuit. For Palma Marinas, owner of the new self-serve pet washing business PHilthy Paws at 806 South 47th Street, the road to working with animals took nearly 40 years.