Letter to the Editor

To the Editor: In reference to the article "Area residents discuss 'McPenntrification'" (The Daily Pennsylvanian, 2/7/01), I write to support the notion that Penn's future does not lie to the West, but rather to the East. Rather than disturbing the local community of West Philadelphia, and potentially uprooting families and businesses, Penn should focus its energy and resources on developing the soon to be available land to the East, where the Post Office currently has processing facilities that will be abandoned in the coming year or two. Penn has a great chance for unfettered expansion and to provide housing and land for private developers to build apartments at all price ranges. In addition to making the area a more attractive residential option for students, faculty, and professionals, it will improve the portal from Center City to West Philadelphia. University President Judith Rodin has talked about making Penn like Cambridge, but I think another model is in order: the campus of Harvard Business School. Lush with trees and gardens, tennis courts and walkways, housing and meeting rooms, the HBS campus is a an oasis in urban Boston. Penn has a unique opportunity to create that same environment between the river and 32nd Street -- where it can do so without community objections. Penn should seize upon this opportunity and spare no expense in making it a reality.

Evan Fieldston Medicine '03

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