26 YO Moving to Philly this May (Philadelphia, Dallas: 2014, apartment, neighborhood)

[charlesxm]

Hello everyone. I'm graduating in May and moving from Dallas to Philly. I am very excited because I have never lived in the north before and really want a new adventure. I have a few questions to ask and then more based on the responses that I get.
I'm coming up to Philly in two week to find an apartment. So far I have found a few in the Spruce Hill neighborhood around 41st and Baltimore. Can anyone tell me about this area? I am 26 years old and a single guy that enjoys art, sports, bicycling, hiking, and reading.

Also, how is the trolley service in Philly? I understand the trolley comes through this area and I will be using it to commute to work in Center City.

I will not be a student at Penn or Drexel, will that make it hard to find friends in this area since it is so close to the university?

Thanks for your help.

[2e1m5a]

Welcome! We have some posters on here that live right near that area, so I'll let them give you some more information.

I don't use the trolleys often but they seem pretty frequent. At least it will be great Weather when you move here in May, so it should make it easier to talk to people/make friends. Everyone will be out!

[charlesxm]

Thank you. I'm planning on spending a good amount of time familiarizing myself with the city when I move there. I am excited about the beer gardens that I have heard about in the summers there.

[PhillyPhan95]

Spruce Hill is an excellent neighborhood! I currently live in that area as a college student; there are a lot of young professionals in the area who work in CC and take the trolley like you do. There's also a lot of college students as well that live off-campus right around there. There are a lot of neat places nearby, cool coffee shops and whatnot. Up the way a lottle on Baltimore b/n 45th and 50th there are a lot of restaurants. One of my favorite events in Philly is the $1 Restaurant night during the summers when all of the restaurants offer food outside for just $1, it's a great way to try everything! The neighborhood also has Clark Park, which is a nice community gathering area. I believe there is a new apartment building that will be constructed at 43rd and Baltimore with ground floor retail. The Daily Pennsylvanian :: New retail, housing heads to 43rd and Baltimore Also, the trolley station at 40th street will be getting renovated to become a nice community greenspace, unlike its current form, which is mostly concrete. 40th Street Trolley Station Redesign Plan Gets More Funding So there is investment going into the area, which is nice. "Penntrification" people like to call it. Anyway, I don't imagine you'll have trouble finding similar people there - you sound like you'll fit right in!

[charlesxm]

Thanks PhillyPhan95 that is great to hear. Just curious is the Penn library open to the public or do you have to be a student? I am going to be studying for the GRE and would like to use their library or the Drexel library.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by charlesxm

Thanks PhillyPhan95 that is great to hear. Just curious is the Penn library open to the public or do you have to be a student? I am going to be studying for the GRE and would like to use their library or the Drexel library.

Former University of Pennsylvania employee answering:

Yes, you can enter the Penn library without a University ID. You do need a photo ID, though - a state driver's license will do.

[CarbonCountyLiving]

Spruce Hill is a beautiful neighborhood. If I wasn't leaving Philly soon, I would move there.

There is also the Walnut Street West branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia. They have testing software and books, I believe. The librarian at my local branch showed me briefly how to access them with my library card.

[newmarlig]

Welcome. Just don't wear any Cowboy gear and you will be fine.

[Mimidae]

I think the "dollar restaurant night" Phan is referring to is the Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll: Baltimore Ave Dollar Stroll | University City District

You'll also be able to enjoy free Shakespeare in Clark Park in the summer: Shakespeare in Clark Park, the farmer's market in Clark Park (twice weekly during the warmer months, once a week when it gets cold). There's the Awesome Fest, which brings public outdoor movies to the city each summer, including a couple of locations near Spruce Hill: The Awesome Fest!.

There are a lot of students in the area you're talking about, but it's not totally over-run with student culture. You'll be rubbing elbows with plenty of older folks, young families, etc. And they're not "party schools", per se - not like places like Penn State. I used to share your same misgivings about Spruce Hill, but it doesn't approach the level of annoyance where it would be a deal breaker. Welcome!

[Sammy215267]

You will like the area....i live further down past 50th st on the sketchy side lol. But the area is nice. Nice cafes , lil stores, Clark PArk....you should have a cool adjustment.....and the trolley runs very frequent during peak hours....i will warn you ...since you moving to 41/B-More you will hear the trolleys screatching the tracks coming in and out of the tunnel so that my friend i will say be prepared lol. Hope you enjoy it here. ;-)...Philly is big....enjoy and explore