Lower North Philadelphia is comprised of several up and coming neighborhoods. The area has seen a boon in housing development, dining and nightlife, and culture in the last several years. Temple University, located in the area, has been responsible for restoring the area around its campus. A new movie theater and several restaurants and bars have opened on or near the campus. A grocery store, the first in the Lower North Philadelphia area in quite some time, is slated to open in Progress Plaza just below Temple in early 2010.
The eastern portion of Lower North Philadelphia is comprised of the Northern Liberties and Poplar neighborhoods. The Piazza at Schmidts recently opened in Northern Liberties where the old Schmidts Brewery once stood. The piazza is an 80,000 square foot open air plaza surrounded by chic boutiques, bars, and yoga studios with luxury apartments making up the upper portions of the buildings. The Piazza hosts many family friendly events for the Lower North Philadelphia community. Across the street from the Piazza is Liberties Walk, another shopping center combined with residences.
To the west, Lower North Philadelphia is made up of the Fairmount, Brewerytown, and Francisville neighborhoods, which have all undergone some form of revitalization in recent years. Fairmount is the site of the Philadelphia Museum of Art as well as Eastern State Penitentiary.
With its mix of exciting culture, shopping, and dining, Lower North Philadelphia is definitely an area on the rise and worth a visit.
