uCity Square promises retail, technology, opportunities

UNIVERSITY CITY (WPVI) -- In University City, they took the wraps off what promises to be an ambitious new project. It is called University City Square.

uCity Square stretch from Market Street to Lancaster Avenue at 37th Street.

The project includes 4-million square feet of lab buildings, commercial, and retail space.

An urban grocery store, modern fitness center, and ample parking are just a few of the amenities.

uCity Square is being built by the University City Science Center and developer Wexford Science and Technology.

"The hope is we will attract innovators of all types who want to live, work and play here in West Philadelphia," Stephen Tang of the University City Science Center said.

To make room for the development, University City High School was taken down. But to help ease some of the concerns from civic associations, the developer agreed to build a new elementary and middle school at the location.

"We worked really hard with Drexel and Wexford to make sure the community's needs were met," John Phillips of Powelton Village Civic Association said.

Action News spoke with Kim Carter of the Enterprise Center, a nonprofit whose mission is to help cultivate minority businesses. She says Wexford has made sure the local community is part of the new development.

"The first front is to help build the facility and the second opportunity they'll have is to lease space inside the retail development, to showcase their goods and services," Carter said.

"We are trying to do all the pieces that make us part of the community and part of what gives everyone a chance to have a job," Joseph Reagan of Wexford Science and Technology said.

The cost of the project is upwards of a billion dollars.

It'll be completed in phases with the first two scheduled to be done in a little over two years.