A community-based committee tasked with brainstorming ideas for the Saint Joseph’s University (formerly USciences) campus near the south end of Clark Park and other buildings scattered nearby presented initial ideas to the Spruce Hill Community Association last night.
St. Joe’s hopes to sell the entire campus, including stand-alone residential buildings dotting the nearby neighborhood, to a single developer in a process that will likely take years to complete. For nearby residents, that process began last fall, when the university agreed to fund a “community advisory committee” made up of representatives of local community groups – including Friends of Clark Park, neighborhood associations and residents from the West Shore neighborhood.
Projects might include another university buying and occupying the space, building a residential neighborhood complete with roads and a commercial corridor, apartment buildings or even a school. The School District of Philadelphia sold the site of the former K-8 Alexander Wilson School to USciences in 2013. USciences built student housing on the site.
The main part of the campus abuts The Woodlands to the east, residential housing to the west, Woodland Avenue to the north and train tracks to the south and most of it is currently zoned industrial. The sale also includes the historic Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science building along the north side of Woodland Avenue, across from Clark Park.
The goal of the fall meetings was to get four or five “guiding principles” for what the community wants on the site. The principles are not binding – the developer could ignore them – but they are the first step in a vetting process that will likely include zoning changes and several community meetings.
Principles included:
• “Capitalizing on borders and topography” – Promote density while minimizing disruption to residents and nearby spaces like Clark Park and The Woodlands.
• Connectivity and accessibility – Keeping community access. Green spaces, maybe roads. No gated communities.
• Intentional residential development – Consider residential development for low-income people and seniors.
• Commercial activity – Commercial uses that serve residents, like a grocery store, community center, etc.
St. Joe’s began soliciting bids on the property in 2022, soon after it acquired USciences. Few students remain on the Woodland Avenue campus and several campus buildings have been closed down. (Correction: Joseph England Library, located along Woodland Avenue, is still operational, according to SJU official Kevin Gfeller, but is expected to be vacated by the end of next academic year).
Rosenberger Hall, the small building within Clark Park’s boundaries, is owned by the city and is not part of the sale. It is currently being used for classes and community meetings upon request, according to Gfeller. St. Joe’s lease of that building expires in 2029.
Once SJU finds a buyer, several more community meetings will likely have to be scheduled to consider zoning changes.
February 14th, 2024 at 11:35 pm
This should be fun. The community with all their delightful liberal ideas and a developer who undoubtedly will be try to make a buck for themselves and some cash for St. Joes. This will make the years long fun and games that went re the 43rd and Balitmore project look like a walk in the park.
I wonder if Penn could be bribed into opening up a school of Pharmacy?
February 15th, 2024 at 12:24 am
As a current student at this campus who enrolled in University of the Sciences and is graduating next year, this is very sad news. Our campus is a beautiful learning space with many lovely classrooms and labs, and a great dorm building.The library is such an integral part of our community. Griffith Hall is a historical building that I can’t imagine anything other than a university could use due to mostly being chemistry labs. I know that selling this campus will inevitably lead to SJU cutting staff and faculty, which breaks my heart because all the people who work here are so incredible. When we merged, we were told nothing would change but the name. Turns out we’re just being capitalized on and our educations and futures are being disregarded by SJU. They already got rid of two dorm buildings and the upper floor of the student center, which had a hugely detrimental impact on our community. I may only have one year left here, but people in professional programs may have as many as four, and I can’t imagine continuing an education on such a bare-bones campus once SJU has gotten rid of the remaining recreation areas and historical buildings. They’ve destroyed a really good thing, and I am so sad and angry with them for this.
February 15th, 2024 at 2:08 pm
Anonymous, I totally agree with you! Immensely sad! And the nightmare scenario everyone wished would never come and they swore wouldn’t. What in the hell was even the point of buying the university if they were just gonna punt it soon after?! I mean honestly what was the point of all this? If they didn’t want it they shouldn’t have bought it.
February 15th, 2024 at 3:21 pm
Just to be clear for all, SJU did not “buy” USciences. USciences was unsustainable as an institution, unable to meet its enrollment targets or keep spending down. It was bleeding tens of millions of dollars a year, with massive debt and a small endowment. USciences would have gone under in 1-3 years, as Cabrini did recently. (Cabrini’s fate was the only alternative for USciences.)
SJU was approached by USciences, and stepped in at the request of USciences administrators to provide job security to the vast majority of the faculty and staff at USciences, and gave an opportunity for current students to continue working with those faculty. But it is also unsustainable for SJU to replicate itself across multiple campuses in the same area in the long run. Please realize that the alternative to merging with SJU was the immediate termination of all employees and the sale of the campus much sooner (just as Cabrini sold its campus to Villanova, but without a merger that preserved jobs).
February 15th, 2024 at 3:26 pm
I enrolled into Usci in 2019 and was surprised at the merger. They never really told us anything. The merger was the worst thing that could’ve happened to Usci students and professors. SJU was the worst experience I ever had and this just goes to show it. I feel bad for my Usci colleagues who enrolled into a great science driven school, now have to deal with SJU’s bs.
During the whole transition, Usci students and staff were told nothing. Absolutely nothing. We had to figure out things on our own or have an SJU student help us out. SJU recently acquired nother school and will probably do the same thing for them. They only care about money and the professional programs Usci and the other school had to offer.
Steer clear of SJU. There are better schools to go to.
February 15th, 2024 at 7:37 pm
I worked at UScienses for 20 years until 2016. This was a great place to work with great people. It saddens me that this is happening to a once great university. Never I’m a million years did I ever think this would happen. Also it’s true that St Joe’s bailed out the university. I know Penn wanted this space for years and I can’t understand why they haven’t purchased the land and buildings.
February 16th, 2024 at 12:10 pm
This school was and always will be a joke. Good riddance to a hopeless school. Classic case of over promise and under deliver type of school.
February 16th, 2024 at 2:27 pm
Is any of the buildings contents being sold off? As a former student, I’d be interested in school and pharmacy memorabilia.
February 16th, 2024 at 3:03 pm
Disappointed that the campus is being sold off, but I suppose to is a sign of the times. Unfortunate that the very first pharmacy school of the western hemisphere goes out this way. Really hope Penn buys this area and honors some of the history. The first medical school in the country can own the first pharmacy school as well.
February 16th, 2024 at 3:32 pm
While it is a sad I can’t help but recall a time when I was a student at PCPS going into my last professional year. Doctor George Downs held a meeting with us and told us how they are increasing tuition for the last year. And when we asked why they held this information for so long and how are we supposed to come up w funding as it was too late to apply for aid, he just smiled and had no answer.
Maybe what comes around goes around.
February 17th, 2024 at 4:09 pm
When the “merger” was under discussion and negotiation, St. Joe’s said unequivocally that they would maintain two equal campuses, Hawk Hill and the University City campus. Obviously, they lied. This was a bad faith negotiation. If I didn’t have friends who teach there, I’d be hoping they go out of business.
February 18th, 2024 at 7:45 pm
In my opinion, the only people who benefitted from the merger and eventual downfall of USciences (formerly PCPS) and its community are the people who arranged the take over deal. These were the presidents of the 2 universities who pocketed MILLIONS and/or got better and more high profile jobs at more prestigious universities. Students and staff were just convenient casualties. It wasn’t SJU, they had good but misguided intentions. It was the top of the food chain. It’s all about money, power and self interest. These guys should all be investigated for fraud.
February 21st, 2024 at 8:52 pm
This is what happens when the presidents, board members and influential university leaders weren’t even graduates of PCP/Usciences. POOR choices.
Too many stupid name changes along with leaving the core skill set and wanting to push more and more liberal arts BS made things even worse.
There would be no funding issues ever if they did a better job of reaching out to well off alumni and most importantly get royalties from all of the inventions and discoveries that have occurred there and with faculty research. Similar institutions gather millions and billions from this common sense shared benefit arrangement.
March 6th, 2024 at 4:50 pm
I would like to see the gym converted to a YMCA. The one at 52nd street is small compared to the YMCAs in Springfield and Haverford. Also, I hope any development preserves the quad with the circle of beautiful, mature cherry trees.
March 18th, 2024 at 9:45 am
If UPENN buys the campus for dorms and the gym, they will set up student housing for freshmen and the gym will be for their needs. They could permit use by people living in the area. UPENN will find a use for the historical School of Pharmacy. Important is a smooth transaction to enable college students to use the facilities.
March 28th, 2024 at 4:35 pm
Are we able to get our bricks back? Howabout the periodic chart panel which I purchased? Anybody know? Contact me at amonroe1234 at gmail
April 7th, 2024 at 2:08 pm
The whole thing should be turned into a safe injection site, with public bathrooms open 24/7.