Projects like this one at 35th and Haverford, a block from where last week’s meeting to talk about rezoning took place, has many Mantua residents worried about displacement and gentrification (Photo by West Philly Local).

As Drexel University’s residential footprint continues to creep north, Mantua residents are turning to rezoning to keep their neighborhood diverse.

Roughly bound by Spring Garden Street to the south, Mantua Avenue to the north and 31st Street and 40th Street to the east and west respectively, Mantua has become a focal point for developers looking to cash in on the relatively cheap stock of rowhomes and vacant lots. Most of the building is aimed at students pushing north from pricier Powelton Village.

About 100 Mantua residents met last week at the Grace Lutheran Church to talk about a plan to rezone the neighborhood as primarily single family housing and make it more difficult for developers to build multi-unit student housing.  Continue Reading

Proposed zoning changes fall within the area pictured above.

Proposed zoning changes for the area stretching from 45th to 50th streets and between Chestnut and Spruce streets will be the subject of a public meeting tonight at the Lea School Auditorium (47th and Locust). Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell introduced the proposed changes on May 8th and the City Council’s Rules Committee hearing (the last opportunity for public input) is scheduled for Tuesday, June 3, according to Garden Court Community Association’s Zoning Chair Mariya Khandros.

The Garden Court, Walnut Hill and Spruce Hill neighborhoods are included in the area, so residents in these neighborhoods are encouraged to attend today’s meeting to provide their input (yes, we know it’s Friday night but the zoning changes affect almost every block in that area, so the organizers want to make sure that as many residents as possible give their input).

The changes include switching some parcels from multi-family to single-family zoning, or changing a commercially zoned location to residential. The parcel that includes the old West Philadelphia High School would also reportedly be zoned  for commercial use, presumedly to clear the way for  development of the high school building.

Blackwell introduced several zoning changes earlier this month, including proposed rezoning of the old University City High School parcel at 38th and Powelton.

The meeting will be held from 6 – 8 p.m.. Tuesday’s public hearing will be held in Room 4000 in the City Hall.