Penn Under Construction: Central retail complex soon to be completed

Wootton High School '98

Rockville, Md.

After three years of construction, Penn's vision of a full-scale retail complex will come to fruition this fall.

Sansom Common, the hotel and retail center located on the 3600 block of Walnut Street, will add one new store this summer and a second restaurant by November, according to University officials. Most of the $120 million complex -- including the Barnes and Noble-operated University Bookstore and the Xando coffee house and bar -- opened in the summer of 1998.

Since its groundbreaking, Sansom Common has redefined the center of campus.

The upscale dining and shopping complex was once a parking lot between 36th and 37th streets and Walnut and Sansom streets.

The goal of the Sansom Common project, conceived in 1996, was to create a vibrant, round-the-clock, exciting destination in University City, according to University President Judith Rodin.

Now, the University's dream is closer to reality.

Renowned Philadelphia restaurateur Stephen Starr, owner of popular Center City restaurants like Buddakan and the Continental, will bring the Asian-style Pod restaurant to Sansom Common this fall. And area entrepreneur Arnold Bank, operator of several downtown card and gift shops, will open the Messages card store by August.

The shopping complex's early tenants -- which include the Urban Outfitters clothing store, Eastern Mountain Sports and Parfumerie Douglas -- have all enjoyed success, University and company officials have said.

Steve Madden shoes and independent operator Ma Jolie, an eclectic women's clothing store, joined the list of stores last fall.

The 263-room, DoubleTree Hotels-operated Inn at Penn and the Ivy Grille restaurant also opened this fall.

The University Bookstore was relocated to Sansom Common after its former location was slated for destruction to make way for Huntsman Hall, a new Wharton School facility.

The two-floor superstore -- taking up more than 50,000 square feet -- is 60 percent larger and offers more products and services than did the old University Bookstore.

In addition to the usual supply of textbooks and academic necessities, the store features a cafe serving Starbucks coffee, a small second-floor music section and book displays featuring books by Penn faculty and publications of the University of Pennsylvania Press.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.