St. Joseph’s University merged with USciences in 2022, marking the largest acquisition in the university’s history. School officials began exploring selling the newly acquired 24-acre University City campus soon after the merger. The West Philadelphia campus has been quietly on the market for one year, with a university spokesperson saying they would prefer to sell the entire property to a single developer. Such a large area of prime real estate offers a rare opportunity for developers, while potentially accelerating gentrification of the neighborhood. The university agreed to fund a “community advisory committee” made up of representatives of local community groups. The committee came up with “guiding principles” for what the community wants on the site, including: capitalizing on borders and topography; connectivity and accessibility; intentional residential development; and commercial activity. Find out more about the community conversation here.
Source: WestPhillyLocal.com; 2/14/2024 & Axios; 2/27/2024