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The Thee Shop Plaza barbershop on 33rd and Spring Garden streets was opened years ago by Saleem Young, (pictured above) and caters to the Drexel student community as well as other Mantua residents.

Students swarm to Mantua for off-campus housing

By: Michael Stumpo

Posted: 5/30/08

The dimly-lit office was quiet and still, but remnants existed of the changing environment outside. The datebook on the desk was filled with meetings and reminders; post-it notes framed the computer monitor. On the wall hung a poster of an aspen forest with the word "synergize" printed on it. "Each tree draws strength from the others," the caption read. "The grove is more than the sum of its individual parts."

The office is owned by Rick Young, president and CEO of the Mantua Community Improvement Committee. The committee formed in 2002 to coordinate the needs of the Mantua community with the needs of its neighbors, such as the expanding university system to its south.

"As Drexel University continues to grow, we're seeing an increasing number of college-aged renters living north of Spring Garden Street," Young said. "The University now has a stake in the neighborhood. This is a chance to team up with each other to reach our goals."

As Drexel expands, Mantua is experiencing revitalization. The futures of both communities are interconnected, and they are now collaborating to reach their objectives.

Mantua was once a thriving community. Movie theaters, retail outlets and restaurants lined Haverford Avenue, and local residents were proud to call Mantua their home. However, like many industrial cities, the neighborhood spiraled into urban decay during the 1970s and 1980s. Jobs disappeared and the drug trade flourished on the corners.

Nate Frazier, a 41-year resident, recalls the late 70s as a time when Philadelphia seemed to give up on the community.

"City trucks stopped coming through here. They stopped cleaning the streets. You couldn't even find a trash can on the corner. There was no protection," Frazier said. "Sometimes politicians would pretend to do something, start a curfew law or something, but eventually they just moved onto a new hot topic and forgot about us."

But Mantua is no longer ignored.

Drexel is growing at a fast rate. And as enrollment continues to increase, students are looking north for places to live.

Between 500 and 1,000 college students currently live in Mantua - a number that grows as students continue to search off-campus for affordable housing. According to residents, this brings a lot of attention to the area, which could lead to new businesses and opportunities in the community.

Saleem Young has lived in Mantua most of his life and now owns and operates a barbershop, Thee Shop Plaza, on 33rd and Spring Garden streets. He, too, is sensing the revitalization Mantua is experiencing.

"We welcome everybody," Young said, as he was giving a Drexel student a haircut. "We get business from the neighborhood, but we see a lot of Drexel students come through here, too. Ten years ago, you didn't see college students going north of Spring Garden. Now they're living all the way up on Mantua Avenue."

One of Young's employees, Ahmad Abdullah, said he believes the attention Mantua is getting will lead to strong ties with Drexel University.

"With all these students, I expect to see Drexel sponsoring programs for residents in the neighborhood." Abdullah said. "Bridge the gap with community meetings, educational programs, mentor programs, business programs. It helps both communities grow and it opens the door to good communications."

Homeowners in the area are also benefiting from the "college invasion," as some residents call it. Crime rates are falling and property values are rising; some homes are now worth almost $400,000. That's a nice chunk of equity, and development is expected in the near future.

The hundreds of vacant lots that dot the streets are rapidly being bought. New apartment complexes and commercial centers may soon be constructed; residents are in agreement that property values will only continue to rise.

However, in such a diverse community, the optimism is not unanimous. Tim McElroy is a Drexel student who has lived in Mantua for almost two years. He said that although people are generally agreeable, the changes college students bring can be unpleasant.

"The rent out here is always rising because of the demand college students bring," McElroy said. "Back last June I barely saw any college students living in my apartment building. But over the year, especially now, a lot of new college-aged kids have moved in and former tenants aren't coming back."

Andrew Jenkins, a 49-year resident and community activist, said that Mantua residents sometimes fear the influx of Drexel students.

"The students have no conception of where they are and many do not give a damn. There have been fights, broken jaws. Once I counted over 200 people coming out of one house," Jenkins said. "Drexel kids are having bonfires in their yards, having barbeques on the roof - on the roof. They could burn down the whole row."

That is something Rick Young and the MCIC are addressing; they are focused on reaching an understanding with the university community and working together toward progress.

"You don't want to interfere with progress," Young said. "But you should instead get on and help steer."

According to Niki Gianakaris, a spokeswoman for the University, Drexel University has always felt that it has a stake in the local community and is continuing to partner with the MCIC.

For example, the Office of Government and Community Relations brought its "Celebrate Health" Fair to the West Philadelphia Community Center for the third time May 17. This annual event invites Mantua residents to attend for free health screenings, hot food, and family entertainment. With over 500 community residents attending, this year's health fair was a huge success.

The office is also assisting the MCIC with other community events, such as the Annual Family Day Festival in August. Although the MCIC sponsors the event, the Drexel community provides planning and advertising resources.

Gianakaris also said that Drexel's municipal Police Department, which is on track to have 29 sworn officers by the end of 2010, will work closely with the Philadelphia Police Department to safeguard residents living beyond Drexel's boundaries.

As the University and the MCIC continue to synergize, the future looks bright for both communities. After all, as the poster read, the grove is more than the sum of its parts.