Living In Center City

We're fortunate that we were able to buy at the low end of the market, 30 years ago, just before our daughter was born.  As a result we live in a four-story house at 21st and Locust streets, a block from Rittenhouse Square, one of the most balanced, loved small urban parks in the country.  Housing at my corner is no longer cheap, but within five or six blocks there are still possibilities for younger faculty.

What do I love about living here?

• Almost everything we need for daily life is within walking distance: groceries, hardware, books, ice-cream, flowers.
• Curtis Institute, one of the world's great music schools, is just across the square, with free concerts two or more times a week.  The concert quality ranges from good to world class.
• We have only one car, whereas we'd need two if we lived out.
• I can ride my bicycle to Drexel in six minutes - I waste almost no time commuting.
• We're surrounded by excellent restaurants - diner to among country's best - again all in walking distance.
• Our daughter got a fine education at a private school - admittedly not "free", but we didn't have that second car and commuting expenses, and our property taxes were reasonable.
• A branch of the Free Library (you can get a card since you work in Philadelphia) is a block away, with the main library a five minute bike-ride on the parkway.
• When we want "country" it's easy to get to in all directions. We've tried the suburbs (Lansdowne) which allowed us a vegetable garden and a backyard larger than a large carpet, but we've been happy in Center City for many years.

Jim Mitchell