Penn’s West Philadelphia Initiatives program, which revitalized the neighborhood around campus with such projects as The Left Bank apartment, retail, and office complex and the University-assisted Penn Alexander School, has won the Urban Land Institute’s 2003 Award for Excellence. Considered the most prestigious in the land-use industry, the award honors the urban-planning and community-development program for its success in reducing crime and blight, increasing job opportunities, and improving the quality of life in West Philadelphia. Other Penn initiatives recognized by the award include University Square, which houses a hotel, campus bookstore, restaurants, retail space, and public plazas; and Hamilton Square, which features a gourmet grocery store, cinema, and multistory parking garage.
