safety• People told us they felt safe and welcome in the community
• No one reported feeling uncomfortable or having any negative experiences |
diversity• Several people pointed out the diversity of the neighborhood
• People seemed to feel that everyone in the neighborhood gets along well, regardless of ethnicity and background |
outdoor spaces• We noticed lots of kids and parents at the two parks in the area
• There are organized playdates for Jackson families at Capitolo playground |
friendly people• Almost everyone we met was happy to give us a full interview
• People welcomed us to the neighborhood and wished us luck at schoool |
other important places
We focused our study of the neighborhood on the three by two block area shown on the tour. But we wanted to include some other important community features in Passyunk Square that fall outside our operationalized neighborhood. The map below shows a few community resources, popular places, and the area's famous Italian Market and tourist-trap cheesesteak vendors.
An important community resource without a specified location is the Passyunk Square Civic Association, a non-profit that aims to "enhance the quality of life in the neighborhood, preserve the neighborhood's unique historic character and to promote a cohesive community of residents, businesses, and institutions."
Is the neighborhood changing?
A couple people in the community, as well as some Jackson parents and a Jackson teacher, alluded to changes: new buildings, increasing rent prices, "bringing in a new class, bringing in a yuppie type thing" [see Abe's interview in the "School in Society" tab]. We saw several construction projects on our walk around the neighborhood. One parent, who moved to the neighborhood a week before we interviewed him, said he feels he is contributing to the gentrification of the neighborhood [see Dustin's interview in the "Parent/Student Interviews" tab]. Mrs. Johnson, a teacher at Jackson, said a lot of poorer people are being "forced out" [see Mrs. Johnson's interview in the "Teacher Interview" tab].
A recent article on Philly.com, "E. Passyunk a hot property," confirmed that the value of housing in the area is indeed rising:
A recent article on Philly.com, "E. Passyunk a hot property," confirmed that the value of housing in the area is indeed rising:
The Passyunk area has changed often over the years--once a predominantly Italian neighborhood, it now is home to a wide variety of ethnicities and increasing Latino and Asian populations. As many residents have noticed, it seems that the area is changing once again, with an influx of people willing to pay high prices to live in the area. This demographic shift will likely impact Andrew Jackson, though the extent and nature of the impact may depend on how many of the recently-relocated parents choose to send their children to Jackson.
To get a demographic sense of the Passyunk neighborhood, please click the "Neighborhood Data" link.
To get a demographic sense of the Passyunk neighborhood, please click the "Neighborhood Data" link.
[Information on this page courtesy of article linked above]