In U. City retail, something for everyone

Retail options have greatly expanded in University City over the past decade - but not necessarily with just Penn students in mind.

The stores and restaurants opening under the Radian this fall are representative of the area's growth in recent years, but some students still long for a wider range of retail offerings.

Ed Datz, director of Penn real estate, said about 97 percent of all space allotted for retail in University City is occupied - something he attributed to extensive market analysis.

He said Penn's real-estate division held focus groups with faculty, staff, students and West Philadelphia residents to determine which retail would best suit the community.

Yet according to Datz, students and faculty in the area are not counted in the city's demographic statistics.

This means the retail that comes through University City is often more geared to permanent residents rather than the student population. This may explain why some students think their local purchasing options are limited.

"I think King of Prussia is probably the best place to go," said College sophomore Everett Benjamin. "The area definitely needs some more places."

Mardieh Dennis, a senior in the College, expressed both satisfaction with the local retail and a desire for more options.

"I don't particularly like Fresh Grocer, but I'm usually too busy to go anywhere else," she said. She added that, for the most part, everything she needs is within walking distance, "although that doesn't include clothes and shoes."

Datz said he has worked closely with the developers for some of the local mixed-use luxury complexes to better provide the area with useful retail options. Among the complexes he has worked with are the Radian, the Hub and Domus.

The Radian, an apartment complex at 39th and Walnut streets that opened this fall, will house a CVS, Jimmy John's gourmet sandwich shop, Chipotle Mexican Grill and Capogiro Gelato on its ground level. CVS opened yesterday.

"We look at it as a community," Datz said.

He lauded the efforts the University has made to better serve the community.

"We do that by staying in touch with the customer," he said. "We probably have a more defined retail strategy than other academic institutions."

Datz, who has worked with Penn real estate for more than 20 years, spends much of his time in meetings or on the phone with a slew of potential retailers searching for the right area to set up shop.

"There is interest expressed almost every day," he said.

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