The University City is Growing (Up!)

In March a new tower began construction adjacent to 30th Street Station as part of a series of buildings known as Schuylkill Yards (according to an article in the PhillyVoice).

The mixed-use building will feature apartments, offices, and retail designed by an architectural firm led by a woman - still a rarity in the field - Ruchika Modi (more about her here and below the red over-sized Jenga thingy).

The West Tower at Schuylkill Yards

Modi is also designing a city in Mongolia as well as authoring a proposal to ban cars from the center of cities which is a particularly compelling idea for some West Lofts residents who are avid bikers. And Philadelphia is getting more bike friendly all the time, sometimes for religious reasons. In fact, there is a great new(ish) bike lane in West Philadelphia that goes down Chestnut Street - the easterly counterpart to the Walnut Street bike lane that connects Drexel University, The University of Pennsylvania, Schuylkill Yards and Center City to West Lofts!