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University City, 3900 Chestnut St | Philadelphia
Overview
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Amenities
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Top Amenities

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  •  24-Hour Front Desk
  •  Building Laundry Room
  •  Central A/C
  •  Elevators
  •  Fitness Center
  •  Granite Countertops
  •  Pet Friendly
  •  Stainless Steel Appliances
  •  Surface Parking Lot

User Rating

5.8
Average
52 Reviews

About this Location

CVS Pharmacy
4 min walk
Clark Park
19 min walk
MFL (metro) - 7 min
21 (bus) - 3 min
Lots of bars and
restaurants nearby

Pricing 
updated 1 hr ago

Studio, 1 Bath
$1,156+
1 Bedroom, 1 Bath
$1,401+
2 Bedrooms, 1 Bath
$1,894+
Schedule Appointment At
(786) 403-0330
  • Building Related

    •  Elevators
  • Kitchen

    •  Dishwasher
    •  Garbage Disposal
    •  Granite Countertops
    •  Microwave
    •  Stainless Steel Appliances
  • Laundry

    •  Building Laundry Room
  • Living Room

    •  Central A/C
  • Parking & Transportation

    •  Surface Parking Lot
  • Security & Maintenance

    •  24-Hour Front Desk
X

Overall rating 5.8/10, based on 52 renter reviews Write a review

9.0
Location
4.5
Amenities
5.7
Management
6.2
Value
5.2
Social
7.9
Safety
Excellent
7
Great
13
Good
18
Average
10
Terrible
4

Chestnut Hall reviews and highlights

  • Filled with graduate and professional students from Penn
  • Good location
  • Front desk quickly responds to noise complaints
  • Building feels very safe
  • Kitchen is small
  • Expensive for an older building
  • Good living experience for students in University City
  • Management staff is great
  • Chestnut hall is a safe, clean building that is kept well
  • Leasing office staff is unhelpful
  • Complex is very quiet
  • Strict no pet policy
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9
Excellent
Overall score
Location
Amenities
Management
Value
Social
Safety

Chestnut Hall

Really nice apartment building in the heart of University City.

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Reviewed by
 
  • Studio / 1 bath
9
Excellent
Overall score
Location
Amenities
Management
Value
Social
Safety

Great apartment

Great place to live! I have had no complaints. Apartments are large. Building is quiet.

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  • Couple
  • 1 bed / 1 bath
6
Good
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Amenities
Management
Value
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Safety

Chestnut Hall

Apartment is fine, good location. Rent is too high, and utilities are run by the building’s use, not the apartment’s, so they’re exorbitant. Management is indifferent for the most part. The security (“concierge”) staff are excellent, and so are maintenance staff.

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  • 1 bed / 1 bath
9
Excellent
Overall score
Location
Amenities
Management
Value
Social
Safety

Will live here all 3 years!

I have had a great time in my apartment. I do believe it is pricey for the size (380 sq ft). However, I decorated really well and I can't imagine leaving before finishing school. There are multiple laundry rooms on every floor, and I rarely have to wait for my turn. There definitely needs some updates to be done, but I made the best of what I had. The lobby is really nice and the location is amazing. They are quick and helpful with maintenance requests. Also right next to the 21 bus which takes you into Center City. However, the temperature is weird. I have a heater/AC that only had high/medium/low options, and whether it is set to heat or AC is seasonal. I don't mind it, but someone might care.

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Reviewed by
 
  • Studio / 1 bath
7
Good
Overall score
Location
Amenities
Management
Value
Social
Safety

Chestnut Hall

Pros: quiet, very convenient location (near hospitals, Fresh Grocer, CVS, bus and subway stops), good amount of space, excellent maintenance team

Cons: tenant pays all utilities including a share of common use that is outside of your control, some apts with little sun, relatively student-oriented so not as fancy as some other buildings are now

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  • Couple
  • 1 bed / 1 bath
7
Good
Overall score
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Amenities
Management
Value
Social
Safety

Good Location

The apartment is not "state of the art", but it's proximity to the law school and price makes it a great option for a 1L.

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  • Studio / 1 bath
6
Good
Overall score
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Management
Value
Social
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Chestnut Hall Review

Chestnut Hall Review

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  • Roommates
  • 2 beds / 1 bath
5
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Chestnut Hall Review

great location

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  • Studio / 1 bath
7
Good
Overall score
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Amenities
Management
Value
Social
Safety

Good for students

This apartment, while probably over-priced for the quality, is very convenient for students. I live very close to Penn's campus and can get to class within 10 minutes. The apartment complex is pet-friendly, although they will charge you more. Unfortunately, there is not a ton of natural light and rent does not include utilities or internet, so living here is more expensive than it probably should be. Still, it's convenient, close, with a friendly staff. Also very quiet. Very close to MFL 40th Street station, and buses stop right outside the building.

My one-bedroom has lots of storage, which is helpful. One walk in closet off the bedroom and two other closets in the apartment.

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  • Pet owner
  • 1 bed / 1 bath
8
Great
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Safety

Close to law school

I love living at Chestnut Hall! The apartment is quiet, very close to the law school so I can run back and grab something I forgot easily and don't have to walk too far in the cold, surrounded by great food and convenient shopping, and my 1-bedroom apartment is spacious and cozy. The staff at Chestnut Hall are friendly and there's a donut shop in the building!

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  • Pet owner
  • 1 bed / 1 bath

The Neighborhood

Signature Spots

dining 31 Recs

Zesto Pizza & Grill
Enjay’s Pizza
Bobby’s Burger Palace
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grocery 4 Recs

Aldi
Trader Joe’s
Mariposa Food Co-op
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convenience 2 Recs

CVS Pharmacy
Wawa
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fitness 28 Recs

Fit Gym University City
Penn Campus Recreation
Bikram Yoga West Philly
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parks 10 Recs

James G. Kaskey Memorial Garden
James G. Kaskey Memorial Park
Dilworth Park
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coffee 16 Recs

Capogiro Gelato
Beiler’s Donuts
Winterfell Dessert
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About University City

Sitting west of the Schuylkill River, University City is the scholastic center of West Philadelphia. University City combines the diversity of a college town with the energy of a large metropolitan area. Public parks, farmers markets, restaurants, and theaters, this neighborhood has it all.
Fresh Grocer
College Feel
Very Walkable
Heart of UPenn
Lots of Students
Cheaper than Center City
Solid Restaurants and Bars
Median rents in University City
Studio
$
1,300
1 Bedroom
$
2,200
2 Bedroom
$
2,950

Getting around University City


Parking at Chestnut Hall

Surface Parking Lot

Parking Near Chestnut Hall

Parking rates are for informational purposes only and may vary — for most up to date pricing, please reach out to the garage directly.

University City Reviews

158 reviews
Close enough to campus to walk, but far enough away that you don't feel surrounded by just students. Clark Park is lovely, there's something for everybody - farmers market on Saturdays, regular flea markets, off-leash area for dogs, playground, etc. Several coffee shops within 2 blocks and some good places to eat within 5 blocks. Grocery shopping isn't super convenient if you buy a lot at once, but doable if you're just carrying one or two bags. Street parking isn't too bad but gets competitive on the weekends.
I chose the neighborhood for proximity to the school. If I could choose otherwise, I would be over by Rittenhouse or further West around the Clark Park area. It feels a bit commercial in U City (not so charming or friendly). BUT everything you need is here and it is very convenient. The only real downside is an aesthetic one.
Gentrifying area of West Philly, given Penn's presence and expansion into the neighborhood. Easily walkable. Within several blocks of Clark Park, where there are lots of community events and family-friendly activities in addition to walking paths and dog park. Lots of cute shops and restaurants along Baltimore Ave plus great hole-in-the-wall spots if you want to explore a bit more.
I enjoy living in University City. It is perfect if you want to live in a low key area very close to school. Most people in the area are affiliated with Penn, so the community is generally pretty young and active. You are in walking distance from everything you might need. You do not need a car to get around. Even if you plan on spending a good deal of time in Center City, you can get there easily by rail or by Uber. I wouldn't have chosen to live anywhere else during 1L.
I have developed a sincere appreciation for the lifestyle and restaurants in University City over the last few months. UC is excellent for student budgets: for about $12 per person you get an entire feast at The Greek Lady, a giant cold-banishing soup at the Ramen Bar, or a 15-vegetable salad at Axis Pizza. There's a full grocery store (Fresh Grocer), several nice coffeehouses, and did I mention the 3 block walk to class? In terms of safety it's about the same as Rittenhouse or Center City.
Pros:
- Close to campus (~20 min walk, ~8 min trolley ride)
- Generally safe because University City in general has been highly gentrified.
- Charming and diverse community
- CLARK PARK! (and the Farmers' Market!!!)

Cons:
- No nearby grocery stores (except Fresh Grocer which is gross)
- Can be sketchy after dark
It's hard to pinpoint exactly where University City is right now as a neighborhood, because it's changing so rapidly. It's gone from one of the most dangerous campuses in the country ~5 years ago to incredibly safe. With the new FMC Tower going up at 30th/Walnut, it's hard to say exactly what this area will be like next year... but it's only getting better. It's a nice way to avoid Rittenhouse prices while still being only a stone's throw away from Rittenhouse (and yet at the same time not sacrifice on proximity to campus).
I am right by Clark park which is on the border or UC and West Philly. It is much quieter and more residential. The food scene is incredible with lots of smaller, family-owned restaurants serving food from many different cultures. There have been no major crime issues as well.

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