Has the increase in sidewalk cafés in Philadelphia become a nuisance for pedestrians?  Stu Bykofsky of the Daily News says they have become a hazard for people on crutches and in wheelchairs and have limited the pedestrian’s right away.  The Philadelphia code for sidewalks states that a 13 ft. wide sidewalk must have at least 5 feet of clear sidewalk space.  Any sidewalk greater than 13 feet wide must be at least half cleared.   Enforcing this law is the job of the Streets Department but they have only written 20 tickets all year and 17 tickets last year.

Outdoor cafes have absolutely benefited Philly neighborhoods overall.   They have increased socializing, people watching, chance encounters, natural surveillance/street safety, and greatly improved the atmosphere and mood of the city.  But Stu is right; it doesn’t need to be abused.  Anyone who walks around Philly on any given day has probably noticed the cramped sidewalks.  It would be nice to be able to walk side by side with your friend without being inches away from getting nailed by a SEPTA bus.  It’s definitely time for owners to start following the regulations before the city is forced to get rid of outdoor seating altogether.

Check out the video from Philly.com: Get off my sidewalk

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According to the latest Center City Reports, sidewalk cafés in Philadelphia have expanded rapidly over the past decade.  In 2001 the survey recorded only 69 outdoor cafes.  The latest survey recorded 213 in the same area and found an additional 35 after they expanded the boundaries of the study to include Pine to South Streets and the Delaware River to 24^th St. for a total of 248 outdoor cafes.

There are 72 outdoor cafes on the east side of Broad St. and 62 on the west side.  These two neighborhoods within Center City are the most popular spots for outdoor cafes.  Old City/Society Hill comes in 3^rd.

Mayor Rendell legalized sidewalk cafes in 1995 and they have clearly become very popular ever since.  Additional outdoor seating is very helpful in attracting impulse customers during the appropriate seasons and significantly expands valuable restaurant real estate during busy dining hours.  According to the report, outdoor seating increases socializing, people watching, chance encounters, natural surveillance/street safety, and makes the City of Brotherly Love an overall friendlier place.

For a complete guide to Outdoor Dining in Philadelphia, check out this link to foobooz.com.

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Logan Square Neighborhood Information, 19103

Rittenhouse Square , Fitler Square and Logan Circle, are neighboring downtown neighborhoods located in the heart of Center City. The Rittenhouse Square neighborhood (17th-21st, Lombard-Walnut) has been famous world-wide for decades as the address of choice for high brow Philadelphians and illustrates the elegance, wealth, and culture of Philadelphia. The gorgeous Rittenhouse Square is one of the five original open-space parks/squares planned by William Penn.

Today, the tree-filled park is surrounded by high rise residences, luxury apartments, Walnut Street Boutiques, that rival San Francisco’s Union Square, and high-end hotels  including the five-star, Rittenhouse Hotel. In addition, it features sleek sidewalk cafes, including Rouge, Devon and most recently Parc. It is the place to see and be seen and if there is a movie star filming in town it is pretty much guaranteed they will be making a stop at one of those restaurants.

The bordering, Fitler Square neighborhood, 19013 & 19146 (21st-26th, Locust-South) is primary an upscale residential neighborhood that features a beautiful park in the heart of it. The buildings surrounding Fitler Square are mostly  situated on tree-lined streets. In addition to the natural beauty of the Square boasts a collection of animal sculptures. It is also home to one of Center City’s three prestigious Private Schools, The Philadelphia School.

The third bordering neighborhood is Logan Square 19103 & 19102 (Market-Spring Garden,Broad-26th. It is also one of the five original open-space parks/squares planned by William Penn. Running through the heart of it is The Ben Franklin Parkway and the jaw dropping Swann Fountain.  This thriving neighborhood is the home to The Museum District (Museum of Art, Franklin Institute, Academy of Fine Arts, Academy of Natural Science, the Rodin Museum and the soon to be  Barnes Foundation. In addition, City Hall, ThePenn Center and much of Philadelphia’s Central Business District are all located here too. On the western end of this exciting neighborhood, lies a realitively quiet residential area filled with peaceful tree-lined streets. This is home to both the highly sought after Montessori pre-school, The Greenetowne School and Friends Select School (pre-K-high school)  The residents enjoy getting groceries at both the corner grocer and at Trader Joe’s.

Fitler Square: Stately single family townhouse from the mid 19th century to early 20th century and modern townhouse with garages.

Logan Square: Huge Federal homes, contemporary townhouses, high and low rise condominiums and lofts

Of the 538 houses and condos sold in 19103 between August, 2008 & August 2009, the average sold price was $478,085.

Walk Score: 98 out of 100, Walker’s Paradise

The FEEL:

Rittenhouse Square: Chic & Sleek filled with both the upwardly mobile and those who made it like the ladies who lunch

Fitler Square: Tranquil, Peaceful, Plenty of Penn students, professors and medical professionals

Logan Square: Unbelievable Quiet to be so close to the action, lots of families.

19103 Real Estate Market Report

Center City Housing Report

Landmarks

Academy of Music

City Hall

Clothespin Sculpture

Domino Sculpture

Friends Center

First Unitarian Church

Fitler Square

The Franklin Institute

Grip The Raven

Harriet’s Nervous System

Love Park

Mary Dyer Statue

The Masonic Temple

Packard Building

Rittenhouse Fountain

Saint Mark’s Church

Swann Fountain

Wachovia Building

William Penn Statue

Schools

The College of Physicians of Philadelphia

Greenfield

Moore College of Art & Design

Science Leadership Academy

Greentowne School (preschool)

City Center Academy

The Curtis Institute of Music

Freire Charter

Friends Select

Hallahan Girl’s School

Peirce College

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

Philadelphia Electrical & Tech

The Philadelphia School

Roman Catholic High

Russell Byers Charter

Thomas Durham

University of Phoenix – Center City Campus

University of The Arts

World Communications Charter

www.centercityschools.com  

https://sdp-webprod.phila.k12.pa.us/OnlineDirectory/Directory

http://nces.ed.gov/datatools/

Supermarkets

Bally Total Fitness

Philadelphia Sports Club

The Sporting Club at the Bellvue

Rittenhouse Square Fitness Club

Sweat Gym

Weston Fitness

Neighborhood Associations

www.centercityresidents.org/

http://www.fitlersquare.org/

http://www.lsnaphilly.org

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In Logan Square, 19103 there were 18 house and condo sales, combined in the 1st half of 2008. The highest priced home sold for $2,000,000 and the deal of the neighborhood sold at $350,000.  The Average  Price for a Home was $711,695 and it took 146 days to settle from the time it was listed in the MLS. To View EVERY Logan Square property that sold between January 1, 2008 to May 31, 2008, click here!