An Overview of West Philadelphia as a District Text Highlights Educational and health care institutions are defining features of West Philadelphia.
Institutions account for most of the area's jobs and much of the non-residential land.
West Philadelphia's retail sector faces a continued erosion of neighborhood buying power, aging and often obsolete buildings, and stiff competition from popular shopping facilities located just outside the district. Private investment in housing, including new construction and rehabilitation, has had an immensely positive impact on West Philadelphia's neighborhoods. The public sector's commitment to West Philadelphia's neighborhoods is demonstrated by ongoing investment in housing, community development, redevelopment, commercial revitalization and economic development. General Characteristics West Philadelphia is located between the Schuylkill River and Cobbs Creek. Its northwestern boundary is City Avenue.