Powelton Village, Philadelphia

One of Philadelphia more “exclusive” neighborhoods, Powelton Village has had many iterations in its lengthy history. Named after Samuel Powel, Philadelphia’s Mayor under both the British and American Flags, it was the first westward suburb of the city. Crossing the river, it was home to the first Quaker Meeting along the banks of the Schuylhill River. Quaker traditions remain a part of the culture today.

In the 60s, it was home to the “hippies” and housed one of the first food coops in the area. The radical group MOVE made residence and the efforts to remove them, during the 1970s, caused quite an upheaval.

Today, Powelton Village is a quiet community of expensive Victorian homes whose residents are members of the Powelton Village Civic Association (PVCA). It publishes a monthly newsletter and maintains a website. The PVCA closely monitors zoning requests. Staving off encroachment by Drexel University is a constant struggle. Drexel Park, a block wide green space, is a recent addition.

The elementary school is named for Samuel Powel and the Community Education Center (CEC), the former West Philadelphia Meetinghouse was one of five centers in the country to win the Drops of Good, a $50,000 renovation from Maxwell House.

Powelton Village is a neighborhood located in the University City section of Philadelphia. It is bound by Market Street to the south, Spring Garden Street to the north, 32nd Street to the east and 40th Street to the west.
Powelton Village is an extremely pretty residential neighborhood and features a lot of Victorian style twin-family homes. It has a large population of younger residents due to its close proximity to Drexel University. The area also has many African American and Hispanic residents.
There are a lot of nightlife and dining opportunities in Powelton Village that are very affordable. Some of the key restaurants include Powelton Pizza, Mad Greeks, Stan Deli, Green Line Café, Village Pizza and California Pizza.
The area is a national historic district and offers some of the most scenic architecture in Philadelphia. The houses are beautifully maintained and the tree-lined streets create a charming ambiance.
It is fairly easy to get around Powelton Village thanks to public trans including the Market-Frankford Line and easily accessible trolleys. You can also you a bike to get you from place to place since everything is located close together in the neighborhood.
Powelton Village is a cute area to live and is ideal for young people.

When I first mentioned moving from South Philadelphia to West Philadelphia I had several older friends suggest Powelton Village because the houses were wonderful and it was close enough to University City without being consumed by students. My friends obviously lived there at another time because students have moved further west. But the Victorian houses are definitely beautiful, at least the ones that have been maintained and not turned into frat houses.

One thing that Powelton Village still has that it did during the time that my older friends lived there is a sense of community. The residents of the neighborhood are very active in social and political movements. It’s a very diverse, open community where people strive for change and it is definitely home to many of the eclectic individuals that those who don’t live in West Philly always like to talk about.

The property value in Powelton Village has gone up considerably over the years because of its location to schools and businesses. Drexel University actually owns property in the neighborhood which is where many Drexel students live. It’s also accessible by car and public transportation which makes it appealing to those who want to live in Philadelphia but still feel like they are outside of the city in some ways.