My community description will be on the area surrounding Temple University. I ultimately chose this area not because, I couldn't find another section of the city to focus on, but for personal reasons. I haven't lived in this area since, I was about eleven years old, but I remember many of the things that have changed since I came back as a Temple student. I always knew I would attend college, but attending Temple was not an option I entertain at all when I was younger. I believed I'd had it with North Philadelphia and was only too happy to leave it behind.
What's unique now is how much has changed, and I am glad I came back. It took me two years and a visit to realize that I wasted two years of my college life at Delaware Valley College in Doylestown, when I should've been at Temple all along. The area is so different now, and I believe its for the better.There was a time when a Pizza Hut resturant stood on the corner of Broad and Cecil B. Moore, where a Temple bookstore sits today. As a kid I would go there, often as a reward from my parents for a good grade on a test or other achievements. I honestly can not remember if the chief volume of pedestrians walking about the area were Temple students, but that could be my fuzzy memory at play. It seemed as if the area cattered to many of the residents of the neighborhood as well as the Temple community.
The demographic of people in the area has changed throughout the years also. I think there are several reasons for this recent occurance such as : the expansion of infrastructure by Temple University, the development of attractive housing for students, and the loss of Superfresh the major shopping Center in the area. Many of the residents in this area of have now moved to different parts of Philadelphia. The change shows a drop amongst children of Elementary and Middle School age, with the closing of Wannamaker School.
The numbers of students applying to Temple, and those choosing to live in the area has risen greatly. This has caused a spur in housing development like my building Kardon, Oxford Villiage, University, and the soon to be opened mega residence on Broad and Cecil B. Moore. As the population of Temple students expands, the number of residents in this area seems to be declining. The area seems really quiet at night, and not that scary despite what some people would contend. The exception would be the students leaving the Draught Horse, the Seven Eleven or just Oxford Village students hanging out. I'm sure the Temple Police unit and the "Owl Light" security booths serves its part in keeping crime in the area down.
I never would've imagined things this quiet at night, when I was younger.I would say that overall the area has changed for the better. There are newer buildings like the Liacourous Center and beside the usual college kid antics crime incidents are down as well. It has certainly come a long way, since my sister worked at the old Roy Rogers as a teenager in.....(well I can't lead you on to her age, you know how women are. Let's just say it's been awhile)
Picture above shows Broad St. right up to Cecil B. Moore Avenue
Photo Courtesy of : Temple University News Media
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