3900 Walnut

Goodbye Cinemagic, we knew thee well. That's just one of the familiar storefronts that will be gone with the University's planned reconstruction of the 3900 block of Walnut Street. What is on the drawing board, however, will be well worth the loss. Penn has ambitious and laudable goals for the block, which heretofore has been one of the less attractive retail spaces on campus.

Additional residences and more shopping on the block will both be boons to the community. Developers have made similar projects work near campus, and this looks to be a promising improvement to the neighborhood.

But while the end product looks good on paper, the process cannot be overlooked. Demolishing and then then resurrecting the majority of a city block is a huge undertaking. In doing so, the development team must be cautious not to cause too much of a disruption in the lives of students and everyone else in West Philadelphia.

One potential problem is late-night dining. While the Philly Diner may not be the best place to grab a bite on campus, it's the only place to eat at 4 a.m. Before the construction equipment rolls in, Penn should evaluate its options for providing a 24-hour eating establishment -- something many college students cannot live without.

More than just satisfying students' late-night appetites, the University should also keep some of the small local businesses in mind when it comes to slotting tenants into the new property. Some will be displaced by the construction, but they should not be shut out completely when the dust settles.

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