University City | |
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University City at 40th and Walnut with the Free Library of Philadelphia branch in front | |
Coordinates: 39°57′13″N 75°11′55″W / 39.95361°N 75.19861°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Pennsylvania |
County | Philadelphia County |
City | Philadelphia |
Population (2014) | |
• Total | 50,967[1] |
ZIP Code | 19104, 19139, and 19143 |
Area code(s) | 215, 267, and 445 |
University City is the easternmost portion of West Philadelphia, encompassing several Philadelphia universities. It is situated directly across the Schuylkill River from Center City.
The University of Pennsylvania was instrumental in coining the name University City as part of a 1950s urban renewal and gentrification effort.[2][3] University City is also home to Drexel University and the University City campus of Saint Joseph's University.
The eastern side of University City contains the Penn and Drexel campuses, several medical institutions, independent centers of scientific research, 30th Street Station, one of the nation's busiest passenger train stations, Cira Centre, and Cira Centre South. The western side contains Victorian and early 20th-century housing stock and is primarily residential.