The 37,915 persons who reside in these neighborhoods comprise 17% of West Philadelphia's total population. Population density in the City Line neighborhoods is the lowest among the four neighborhood groupings, at approximately 20 persons per acre.
Predominantly residential in terms of land use, the City Line neighborhoods are all desirable middle-to-upper income communities. In 1990 median family income ranged from $35,033 to $87,722 for the census tracts in this area compared with the city-wide figure of $30,140. The 1980 to 1990 population loss of 3.21% is much less than the loss experienced by West Philadelphia and the City as a whole, showing that the popularity of the City Line Neighborhoods remains intact. Between 1987 and 1991, the median price of single-family homes increased in all census tracts in the City Line neighborhoods. This positive trend shows better performance than West Philadelphia as a whole, where prices declined by 5.6% between 1987 and 1991.
The racial composition of the area is approximately 49% Caucasian, 48% Black and 3% other, according to the 1990 Census. One trend that stands out in the 1990 Census data relates to the age of residents. The percentage of residents aged 65 or over is 20%, a much higher percentage than the 15.3% figure for West Philadelphia. In Wynnefield Heights 40.3% of the residents are in this age group.
Strengths:
As indicated by the strong property values, the City Line neighborhoods have maintained their attractiveness as places to live. They offer a suburban-like environment with plentiful open space and modern shopping centers in an area where travelling by car is usually convenient -- especially when driving to and from suburban destinations. Most of the housing and shopping facilities have off-street parking. Three golf courses, two major sections of Fairmount Park and the large landscaped institutional properties around St. Joseph's University convey a feeling of greenery and openness to all of these neighborhoods.
The City Avenue neighborhoods also benefit from quality housing, distinctive architecture and good public transportation. Large stone and tudor style, stucco clad homes, built around the turn of the century in Overbrook Farms and Wynnefield, are among the most beautiful houses in the city. Thirty-to-fifty year old custom single homes make Green Hill Farms an attractive mix of different architectural styles. High-rise apartment and condominium buildings in Wynnefield Heights are well positioned for views of Fairmount Park, the Schuylkill River and the Center City skyline. Unlike the Schuylkill Expressway, which changed this area's locational context when it opened in the late 1950's, the three commuter train stations in Overbrook Farms and Wynnefield are original components of these communities. Each rail station connects with one of the many bus routes in the area. In addition to regional rail, express buses provide good service for persons commuting to Center City, while local bus routes serve the City Avenue and Lancaster Pike corridors.
Commercial and institutional development makes a positive contribution to this area's image and appearance. In addition, the University, hospitals, hotels and shopping centers provide employment and important tax ratables for the city's economy.
The following neighborhood groups are active in the area:
Since 1980, major new construction projects have added three new multi-family housing developments, two single-family subdivisions and (most recently) a new retail and office center to this area. On the campus of St. Joseph's University, a new pedestrian bridge and a new chapel were also constructed since 1980. The largest of the new developments, Lincoln Greene Apartments, is a luxury garden apartment complex covering an 11-acre site in the Wynnefield Heights neighborhood.Specific projects:
The Wynnefield Heights neighborhood is bounded by City Avenue, Belmont Avenue and Fairmount Park. The neighborhood is also known as Woodside Park or Balwynne Park. "Woodside Park" is the name of an amusement park that was constructed in 1897 by the Fairmount Park Transportation Company, and that continued in operation until 1955. This neighborhood contains a wide variety of housing types: two-story brick row homes and row duplexes, garden apartments, and mid-rise and high-rise housing. Ford Road and Conshohocken Avenue, the main streets in the area, intersect at the site of a full-service neighborhood shopping center, and both roads also extend into an area of Fairmount Park that contains tennis courts, a jogging trail and a football field. Additional recreation facilities are available at a public playground that is centrally located within the neighborhood. Recreation opportunities are plentiful in Wynnefield Heights, but the neighborhood does not contain any public or parochial schools.
According to the 1990 Census, the total population of Wynnefield Heights is 6,955. Seventy-nine percent of the residents are white, and the median family income of $41,473 is significantly higher than the estimated median for West Philadelphia ($26,020). A remarkably high, 40.3% of the neighborhood's residents are aged 65 or over, and only 4.76% of the residents are under the age of 20. For comparison, the 1990 city-wide percentage under 20 years of age is 27%.
Many large tracts of land are available for development in Wynnefield Heights. Recommendations for the neighborhood focus on development opportunities, streets, traffic and large billboard signs that detract from the quality and prestige of the "City Line" area.
Recommendations: Wynnefield Heights
These billboards are recommended for removal, and zoning applications for new billboards in the area should not be approved.
Belmont Village is a neighborhood of row homes and semi-detached homes bounded generally by City Avenue, Belmont Avenue and the Bala Golf Club. Apartment complexes and residential facilities for senior citizens are situated along two edges of the neighborhood, and significant new commercial development has recently occurred along the City Avenue border. Almost 3,000 people reside in Belmont Village. The 1990 median family income was in the range of $34,000 to $37,000, and the 1991 median value of single family homes was approximately $70,000.
Community leaders in this area are primarily concerned about the possibility of new development and its impact. One specific development issue, the Bala Golf Club site, is discussed later as part of the description of the Wynnefield neighborhood. The recommendation below, pertaining to the Presbyterian Home property, anticipates the possibility of development in the future.
Recommendation: Belmont Village
Wynnefield is one of Philadelphia's most widely recognized neighborhood names. The neighborhood is known for its many beautiful single homes, its active community organization, and its racial diversity. A portion of St. Joseph's University is located within the boundaries of this neighborhood, and commercial development exists in three areas: on City Avenue, along 54th Street, and near the intersection of Bryn Mawr and Wynnefield Avenues.
Wynnefield is located between City Avenue and Fairmount Park, and between the Bala Golf Club and Cardinal Avenue. The population of approximately 16,000, and racial composition is roughly 80% Black. According to the 1990 Census, median family income ranges from $32,371 to $52,540 for the census tracts in Wynnefield. The value of single family homes is above the norm for West Philadelphia in all sections of Wynnefield, but there is considerable variation in housing values within this diverse neighborhood. Median prices range from $37,000 to $84,000.
The density of residential development is greater in the vicinity of 54th & Berks Streets than in the area near City Avenue. The row homes near 54th & Berks are occupied by middle income households. This is a stable area that exhibits some residential vacancy, but the amount of vacancy is relatively small and manageable. In another section of Wynnefield, near City Avenue there are large, stately detached homes similar to those in the adjoining neighborhoods of Overbrook Farms and Green Hill Farms.
In the summer of 1992, community groups representing Wynnefield, Belmont Village and Woodside Park were faced with the possibility that the Bala Golf Club would be sold for development. The 82-acre property is controlled by members of the golf club who are shareholders; some of the shareholders wanted to enter into an agreement of sale with a developer who sought to construct a 750,000 sq. ft. retail mall on the site. Commercial use is not permitted under the current "R-2 Residential" zoning. The zoning issue caused the proposal to become a matter of public debate.
The reaction from community leaders and elected officials was immediate and decidedly negative. Area residents feared that a large retail mall would seriously damage the character of surrounding neighborhoods. Shortly after this opposition became apparent, the shareholders held a meeting, voted against the proposed sale, and announced that the by-laws of the club would be changed to ensure that the property will continue to be used as a golf club in the future.
While the golf course issue is resolved, the Wynnefield neighborhood has several other planning issues that require attention. One such issue is the conversion of Wynnefield's historic mansions (zoned R-2 Residential) into multi-family, office, institutional and social service uses. Many conversions have already taken place. The character of Wynnefield remains predominantly single-family residential, but that could change if additional land use controls are not put into place. The rezoning of the area is recommended as one way for the community to exert greater control over conversions in the future. In addition, the Planning Commission will not support zoning variances that would change the main use of these properties.
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The row house blocks in the general vicinity of 54th and Berks Streets reflect some warning signs of neighborhood deterioration. Retail blocks in this area also exhibit some decay and neglect. This area, which has much in common with the neighborhoods west of 52nd Street, is also in need of housing conservation strategies. Community initiative is especially important here because Wynnefield is not eligible for federal block grant funding (based on income criteria). Residents and businesspersons of Wynnefield should join together to establish a community development corporation that would work to improve the shopping area and the surrounding housing. Financial and technical assistance is available from a variety of government and private foundation sources for this purpose.
Recommendations: Wynnefield
Approximately 3,000 persons live in Overbrook Farms, which borders City Avenue between Cardinal Avenue and 66th Street. The 1990 median family income is over $46,000, and most of the houses are valued at more than $100,000. The neighborhood contains large detached houses, an abundance of mature trees, an historic commuter train station and a small retail district along 63rd Street. Overbrook Farms is a highly organized neighborhood in terms of the residents' involvement in civic affairs. Recently, the local community played an important role in securing funds for the rehabilitation of the Overbrook commuter rail station. Neighborhood organizations have also installed identification signs along streets and sidewalks.
This neighborhood was developed in the 1890's when the Pennsylvania Railroad purchased a 166-acre farm and created a planned suburban-like community. The original form and character of that community is still very much evident 100 years later.
The Overbrook Farms National Register Historic District was established in 1985, due in large part to the efforts of community volunteers. The task of preserving the historic character of this neighborhood is assisted by the Planning Commission through the monitoring of requests for zoning variances that would damage the integrity of this historic district. One important planning objective that relates to Zoning Board cases in this neighborhood (along with the Green Hill Farms neighborhood) is to prevent the commercialization of City Avenue between St. Joseph's University and Haverford Avenue. This heavily landscaped, green stretch of Route 1 should not be allowed to become another strip commercial zone. This could happen if residential uses are gradually permitted to change over time. Accordingly, the Planning Commission will not support zoning variance applications for commercial development along this section of City Avenue.
Historically, the growth of St. Joseph's University has affected the Wynnefield neighborhood more than the Overbrook Farms neighborhood. During the past decade, however, the University has significantly increased its presence along City Avenue in Overbrook Farms. Using attractive banners and identification signs and by purchasing residential and institutional properties, the University has extended its presence in a southwesterly direction to 63rd Street. This expansion has had many advantages for the surrounding area, but the impact of university development on the neighborhoods remains a concern. It is recommended that dialogue between the university, the neighborhoods and city government should continue on an ongoing basis. The University's long range plans should should become a larger part of those discussions.
Recommendations: Overbrook Farms
This very small and affluent neighborhood was described in the introduction to this chapter, page 35. The total population of Green Hill Farms is 366 persons, according to the 1990 Census.
Recommendation: Green Hill Farms
Overbrook Park is located along both sides of Haverford Avenue between Lansdowne and City Avenues. Separated from other West Philadelphia communities by public parkland, the neighborhood was developed after World War II, and is mainly comprised of two-story brick row homes. Seventy-three percent of the homes are owner-occupied, according to the 1990 Census. The population of just over 7,000 persons is 92.2% Caucasian, a figure that represents a decrease of 6% since 1980, and an increase in the Asian population from 88 persons in 1980 to 376 persons in 1990.
Residents of Overbrook Park have a median family income that is 14% higher than the city-wide median. These residents have an impressive array of shopping opportunities within the boundaries of the neighborhood. The City Line Shopping Center, with 120,000 sq. ft. of gross leasable area, is the largest of West Philadelphia's modern shopping centers. A neighborhood commercial strip, covering six blocks of Haverford Avenue, was improved with public funds during the mid 1980's.
Issues and Recommendation: Overbrook Park
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