What Is the Best Neighborhood for Walkability in Center City Philadelphia?

A WALKER’S PARADISE, BY THE NUMBERS

Walk Score and Transit Score aren’t marketing terms — they’re standardized, third-party ratings used across the real estate industry to measure how easily daily life can be lived on foot. Arthaus scores a 99 out of 100 on Walk Score, placing it in the “Walker’s Paradise” tier, where nearly every errand can be accomplished without a car. Its Transit Score of 100 reflects world-class public transit access, anchored by the Broad Street Line subway station just steps from the lobby. According to Walk Score, the Avenue of the Arts South neighborhood — where Arthaus sits — has a Walk Score of 99.

EVERYTHING, ABOUT 1,500 STEPS AWAY

Numbers tell the story better than adjectives can. From the front door of Arthaus:

—  Midtown Village — 1 block

—  Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts — across the street

—  Broad Street Line — 1.5 blocks

—  Dilworth Park — 4 blocks

—  Jefferson Hospital — 4.5 blocks

—  Reading Terminal Market — 6 blocks

—  Giant Heirloom, Sprouts Market and Target — 6 blocks

Whatever is on the agenda — a show, a doctor’s appointment, a coffee, the farmers market — it’s rarely more than 1,500 steps from home when living at Arthaus.

WORLD-CLASS PERFORMING ARTS, OUT YOUR FRONT DOOR

Arthaus sits in the heart of the Avenue of the Arts, widely recognized as the nation’s second-largest theater district after Broadway. Just outside the front door are more than 10,000 seats across:

—  Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts — across the street

—  Academy of Music — 1 block

—  Miller Theater — ½ block

—  Forrest Theatre — 3.5 blocks

—  Wilma Theater — across the street

—  Suzanne Roberts Theatre — 1 block

—  The Philadelphia Film Society — 3 blocks

Broadway touring productions, the Philadelphia Orchestra, ballet, opera, jazz, comedy and contemporary theater become part of everyday life, with artists strolling the street before shows. By seat count, the Avenue of the Arts is one of the largest performing arts districts in the country, second only to Broadway, according to Avenue of the Arts, Inc.

A TASTE OF PHILADELPHIA, A SHORT STROLL AWAY

Whether it’s an impromptu dinner or a special celebration, some of Philadelphia’s most celebrated restaurants are a short stroll from Arthaus:

—  Loch Bar, for fresh seafood — elevator ride away, located on the ground floor level of Arthaus

—  Vetri Cucina, for handmade pasta — 1.5 blocks

—  Steak 48, for classic steakhouse dining — across the street

Along the Avenue of the Arts and throughout Center City, dozens of acclaimed restaurants, cafés, wine bars and cocktail lounges make every evening feel like an occasion. The restaurants of Midtown Village add even more to the list:

—  Barbuzzo, for Italian small plates — 3 blocks

—  Double Knot, for Asian fusion and craft cocktails — 3 blocks

—  Middle Child, for celebrated sandwiches — 3.5 blocks

—  Vedge, for inventive vegan fine dining — 3 blocks

—  El Vez, for modern Mexican — 3 blocks

Centered on 13th Street between Locust and Chestnut, Midtown Village has become one of Philadelphia’s most acclaimed restaurant rows, all within an easy walk of Arthaus.

EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS AND PHILADELPHIA’S FAVORITE MARKET

Luxury living also means convenience. Within about 1,500 steps of Arthaus, residents find:

—  Giant Heirloom Market and Sprouts Farmers Market, side by side on South Broad Street at the corner of Broad and Washington — 6 blocks

—  Target — 6 blocks

—  CVS and neighborhood pharmacies — 1 block

—  Banks, salons and everyday services — 1.5 to 3 blocks

—  Walnut Street’s premier shopping district — 5 blocks

A short walk further, Reading Terminal Market offers one of America’s great public markets, an iconic home to more than 80 merchants selling fresh produce, meats, seafood, baked goods, flowers, specialty groceries and many of Philadelphia’s most iconic local foods, according to the Reading Terminal Market merchant directory.

MUSEUM MILE AND AN OUTDOOR GALLERY

Some of America’s finest cultural institutions are within walking distance from Arthaus along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, including:

—  Philadelphia Museum of Art – 30-minute walk

—  The Barnes Foundation – 24-minute walk

—  Rodin Museum – 27-minute walk

—  Calder Gardens – 25-minute walk

—  The Franklin Institute – 22-minute walk

—  The Free Library of Philadelphia – 20-minute walk

Philadelphia is often called one of America’s largest outdoor art galleries, and many of its most recognizable public artworks are steps from Arthaus, including LOVE by Robert Indiana, Claes Oldenburg’s Clothespin, Alexander Milne Calder’s City Hall sculptures including the William Penn Statue topping the building, the Octavius V. Catto Memorial at City Hall, and dozens of murals along the Mural Mile from Mural Arts Philadelphia.

HEALTHCARE, MINUTES AWAY

The city’s and the world’s leading medical institutions — including Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Wills Eye Hospital are a short walk from Arthaus.  The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and Pennsylvania Hospital are also located within a short ride from Arthaus. Together these medical institutions provide convenient access to the world’s top doctors and the groundbreaking treatment of renowned research and teaching hospitals.

SPORTS WITHOUT THE PARKING

When it’s time to cheer on Philadelphia’s home teams, residents can leave the car at home entirely. The Broad Street’s Orange Line runs directly beneath the Avenue of the Arts, with a station just steps from Arthaus, arriving at the South Philadelphia Sports Complex — home to the Phillies, Eagles, Flyers and 76ers — in minutes.

EAST COAST CORRIDOR, A SHORT RIDE AWAY

The SEPTA’s B Line aka the Orange Line also connects Arthaus to Philadelphia’s gateway for regional and long-distance rail. A short ride on the subway to City Hall connects to Suburban Station (regional train lines) and Amtrak’s hub at 30th Street Station. From 30th Street Station Amtrak’s Acela and Northeast Regional trains run express and local service the length of the Northeast Corridor, connecting Philadelphia to New York City and Boston to the north, and Washington, D.C. and points south.

AND WHEN YOU’D RATHER RIDE

Not every day calls for walking. On a rainy afternoon, or when the evening calls for arriving faster than your feet can carry you, Arthaus offers a luxury few buildings can match: a complimentary chauffeur-driven town car, ready to take residents wherever the day — or the evening — takes them.