Ground broken for Sansom Common.
Over the summer, the University broke ground on its $120 million Sansom Common project on the site of the parking lot in the 3600 blocks of Walnut and Sansom Streets. In addition to a new University bookstore operated by Barnes & Noble, there will be a 250-room Inn at Penn as well as assorted shops, restaurants, and townhouses. The project is one of a series of initiatives designed to improve Penn’s immediate environment. Another was the creation of the University City District, a special-services district that is providing a program of cleaning, security, marketing, and other services to University City.
Several other major initiatives are expected to be announced in time for an in-depth article on West Philadelphia in next month’s Gazette.