Staff Editorial: Citizens of West Philadelphia

Improving the University City neighborhood and Penn's relationship with its West Philadelphia neighbors has been a cornerstone of University President Judith Rodin's administration.

Working to both better the quality of life in the area immediately surrounding the campus and to break down some of the seemingly impenetrable boundaries between town and gown, Rodin and her lieutenants have had their share of failures, most notably in dealing with the community, but have been, for the most part, a smashing success.

And the partnership between the University and Citizens Bank -- announced yesterday at City Hall -- to work to further revitalize West Philadelphia is both a testament to that work and a much-needed shot in the arm for Penn's community development initiatives. Citizens Bank has pledged nearly $30 million dollars to the five-year partnership.

The plan focuses on some of the areas neglected by the Penn boom of the '90s, which was characterized by a focus on public safety and making the campus an attractive retail destination.

This new partnership's goals include providing for housing and business development, loan and mortgage programs to encourage home ownership, blight removal and improving the overall quality of life in the neighborhood.

Especially satisfying about the deal is its scope. Not limited to the University City District's traditional boundaries, the project goes as far west as 52nd Street, well north of Market Street and south to the Schuylkill River, impacting, as Mayor John Street noted, areas "not typically viewed as the University City area."

We applaud Citizens Bank not only for its generosity, but also for the wide variety of community groups it has sought to include in its philanthropy, which we hope will blunt some of the certain criticism that this is yet another effort by the University to gentrify the neighborhood.

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