It takes more than classrooms and dormitories to give life and color to a campus. That's why quaint and quiet Sansom Street, nestled among the University's residences, libraries and academic buildings, has found its niche at the University. Judy Wicks, owner of The White Dog Cafe and The Black Cat shop, describes the 3400 block of Sansom Street, where her businesses are located, as "a crossroads between the campus and the outside community." "I don't think you can underestimate the importance of having a mix of people on campus," Wicks said. "What makes this an exciting urban campus is the mix of outsiders with students." The University is currently planning to expand northward, essentially enveloping Sansom Street. The new Revlon Center is expected to require closing of 36th Street between Walnut and Sansom streets and plans released earlier this year mention turning Hill House into part of a residential quadrangle on Hill Field. Wick has mixed feeling about these possible changes, which combined with other developments throughout University City, make the future of her business less certain. "The idea of having more activity on this part of campus is good," Wicks said. But turning the parking lot at 36th and Walnut streets into the Revlon Center eliminates the majority of her customer parking. Unlike many other businesses on campus which cater mostly to students, The White Dog and The Black Cat cater mostly to other Philadelphians. "Parking is a serious problem now," Wicks said. "We have customers currently complaining that there is not parking, and cancelling their reservations because they couldn't find a parking spot." Wicks pointed out that "anyone who builds a public building is required to supply parking." The University will work with her to remedy the problem. "We had thought that one of the things we could do after hours was to make available some University lots," said John Gould, vice president for planning. "We have every intention of working with [Sansom Street store owners] to help their businesses." The new parking garage on 38th and Walnut streets will be too far away from her businesses, Wicks said, because with the perceived dangers of West Philadelphia, many of her off-campus customers will be apprehensive about walking the distance. "Walking from 34th Street to 38th Street is an issue," she said. Vice Provost for University Life Kim Morrisson said the University "will certainly be working" with Sansom Street shop owners in the development of future plans for North Campus. Earlier this year, Morrisson described the future north campus as "analogous to Locust Walk on the other side," adding that Sansom Street will have "some flavor of Locust Walk," with fewer cars and more pedestrians. The New Deck Tavern, also located on the 3400 block of Sansom Street, is in a different situation than Wicks' shops, because it caters primarily to the campus population, manager Mary Doyle said. Although most of Doyle's customers have "permanent parking" on campus, she said, parking is an issue for those who do not. And if the University goes ahead with plans to expand the commercial quality of Sansom Street by encouraging businesses to locate between 36th and 38th streets, the availability of parking may become a more pressing issue. Both Doyle and Wicks said expanding Sansom Street commerce is a "great idea," although Wicks said construction would have to be done "tastefully and not institutionally." "All the [current] buildings [on the 3400 block of Sansom] have that individualistic quality," she said. "That is the character [of the area] that you don't want to destroy." Currently, Wicks said, the biggest threat to her businesses is not campus expansion on the north side, but the possible purchase of the Civic Center across campus. "A lot of the traffic that we get is created by the Civic Center," she said. "[The purchase of the Civic Center] is going to be a real tough one. That's going to isolate the campus in a way that nothing else could do."
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