Regarding the West Philadelphia thing. Yes..we live in West Philadelphia. However.. West Philadelphia is a VERY
large geography from 30th Street to 63rd - - Woodland (maybe even further south) north to City Avenue. Spruce Hill, Overbrook, Mantua, Powelton, Cobbs Creek, Mill Creek, etc.ALL West Philadelphia. My opinion is the "University City" thing has not really worked. My reason for saying this? .it has been 50 years and the average person in Philadelphia STILL can't tell you where it is or what it represents! I would say that anyone associated with the marketing effort would have to agree the campaign really didn't hit the marks set. I believe it was expected to sell through in 20 years. There is so much more to what the vision was for the area named "University City" and what has been realized so far. Not all good things! The institutions and city officials who changed the signage and random names of buildings and programs were successful in confusing the newscasters who report the area who then confuse everyone else! They never seem to be able to make up their minds where they are broadcasting from.University City or West Philly. The unwritten rule...if there is a murder.they are broadcasting from West Philly and if there is a new business or school to promote, it is University City. Blah..Blah..Blah. I don't think they made the right choices by using the name "University City" for this area knowing everything I know today. I believe it has proven to be less collective or representative and doesn't allow us to fully embrace the great history here whether it was the turn of the century architecture or the 30's, 40's and 50's when many of the great families and minds across the cultures lived here and set remarkable tones for diversity. There are many wonderful stories of West Philadelphia and few of University City beyond the institutions and overt marketing efforts of today. S.
