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University City, 3131 Walnut St | Philadelphia
Overview
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Amenities
Floorplans

Top Amenities

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  •  Air Conditioning
  •  Bike Storage
  •  Business Center
  •  Cat friendly
  •  Doorman Building
  •  Fitness Center
  •  Granite Countertops
  •  Parking Garage
  •  Resident Lounge  
  •  Rooftop Deck
  •  Stainless Steel Appliances
  •  Washer/Dryer In Unit

User Rating

8.1
Great
97 Reviews

About this Location

Walkable distance to Drexel & UPenn
Schuylkill Banks
8 min walk
Lots of bars and
restaurants nearby

Pricing 

Studio, 1 Bath
$2,077+
1 Bedroom, 1 Bath
$1,350+
1 Bedroom, 2 Baths
$2,324+
2 Bedrooms, 2 Baths
$2,972+
3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths
$3,585+
Schedule Appointment At
(818) 831-6401
  • Building Related

    •  Elevators
  • Convenience

    •  Business Center
  • Entertainment

    •  Resident Lounge  
    •  Rooftop Deck
    •  Theater Room
  • Kitchen

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

    •  Washer/Dryer In Unit
  • Living Room

    •  Air Conditioning
  • Parking & Transportation

    •  Bike Storage
    •  Parking Garage
  • Pet Terms & Amenities

    •  Cat friendly
    •  Pet deposit for cats  
    •  Pet deposit for dogs  
  • Sports & Fitness

    •  Fitness Center
X

Overall rating 8.1/10, based on 97 renter reviews Write a review

9.2
Location
8.2
Amenities
7.3
Management
7.7
Value
7.4
Social
8.7
Safety
Excellent
36
Great
37
Good
20
Average
3
Terrible
1

The Left Bank reviews and highlights

  • Building staff are some of the nicest, most friendly people in the world
  • Great amenities
  • Central air and heat
  • Wonderful building
  • Safe and clean with a 24 hour doorman
  • Decent gym with lots of cardio equipment
  • Gym is very nice
  • Rooftop deck, conference rooms, large gym, and parking
  • Close to 30th street station
  • On the pricier end, but still a good value
  • Well managed
  • Great location
  • Very spacious apartments with very high ceilings
  • Close to Penn's law school
  • Caters to graduate students and young professionals, but still has a fair number of families and elderly residents
  • Building e-mails you when you receive a package and they will store it for you
Filter reviews for
8
Great
Overall score
Location
Amenities
Management
Value
Social
Safety

Nice common spaces, updated appliances, quiet building

The apartment is a nice updated space with tall ceilings and updated appliances. The building is quiet with nice common areas and convenient package pickup.

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  • Couple
  • 1 bed / 1 bath
8
Great
Overall score
Location
Amenities
Management
Value
Social
Safety

Everything you need and super convenient!

I rented a studio here when I was an intern, and I was so happy with it that I moved to a 1 BR when my partner matched in Philly the following year. It has everything I wanted in a home - quiet (we have found some undergrads here, but our neighbors are mostly graduate students and medical professionals), clean (I lived in 2 other apartments in Philly and it's not uncommon to have the occasional pest, but we have only seen 2 roaches and 0 mice in 3 years - and both times we saw the roaches, the property manager had an exterminator in there the next day), and close to the hospital (it's about 10-15 min walk to CHOP/HUP; I think it's the closet apartment building to the hospital other than undergrad housing). It also has perks that have made my quality of life better - we have huge windows with a lot of natural light, a 24 hr gym in the building with a lot of equipment, easy access to the subway/train station, and plenty of street parking on nights/weekends for family/friends to easily visit. We have a ton of space with plenty of room for storage, and a roof deck that has been a life saver during the pandemic for social distanced plans (with the added benefit of a beautiful view of the city).

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

lots of amenities but expensive

really pretty place, upkept, lots of study space, gym, in unit washer/dryer, rooftop, package service. just expensive and a lot of hidden fees (have to pay for package service, rent increases, wifi and utilities not included). awesome to be able to put in service requests if having any issues with the apt. close to 30th street station and PSOM and rittenhouse. sense of community is lacking and walls can be thin depending on who your neighbor is

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  • Roommates
  • Pet owner
  • 2 beds / 2 baths
7
Good
Overall score
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Amenities
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Safety

Solid Overall

Less than 10 minute walk to the law school. Rooms are large, with high ceilings. Plenty of storage. Gym isn't state of the art but will definitely get the job done

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  • Roommates
  • 2 beds / 2 baths
7
Good
Overall score
Location
Amenities
Management
Value
Social
Safety

Left Bank

Solid experience so far. Best: solid gym and amenities and high ceilings, very nice, quick, and responsive maintenance team, nice large vindow

Worst: rent price was reasonable when we moved in and after rent increase is a bit steep, management can be unreliable at times, not many local restaurants nearby, lots of chains. Also be mindful one side of the building is next to the train and the train can be LOUD at times, but the trains are only SETPA so they go quickly

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  • Roommates
  • 2 beds / 2 baths
8
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Amenities
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Good apartment

Good facilities and building, but consistent maintenance issues that take a while to fix. Slightly pricey.

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  • Roommates
  • 1 bed / 2 baths
10
Excellent
Overall score
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Amenities
Management
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Left Bank review

Great location, right near Penn's campus and fairly close to center city. Building and study rooms are great. The apartments are really nice, large, have high ceilings, with plenty of natural light.

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  • Roommates
  • 2 beds / 2 baths
9
Excellent
Overall score
Location
Amenities
Management
Value
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Safety

Decent place, convenient location

This is a great option for those who want to be close to Penn/HUP but also have easy access to public transit (30th street station) and be a reasonable walk from Rittenhouse/center city. The apartments are decently sized, with wood floors, high ceilings, in-unit washer/dryers, walk-in closet. The building recently opened a rooftop deck with great views of the city and there is a gym that pretty nice. Downsides are that the common spaces (lounge, kitchen, theater room) are actually quite expensive to reserve and some of the elevators seem to be constantly out of service.

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  • Couple
  • 1 bed / 1 bath
8
Great
Overall score
Location
Amenities
Management
Value
Social
Safety

The Left Bank

Excellent location for getting to HUP, VA, and Presby. High ceilings, spacious floorplan, great amenities including a clean and well-equipped gym. Close to transportation. Good temperature control. Nice rooftop in the summer. Clean. Main complaint is that the elevators frequently break down - there are only 6 floors, but they should be better maintained for the relatively high rent cost. Overall, however, I am happy with my apartment and renewed my lease this year.

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  • Studio / 1 bath
7
Good
Overall score
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Value
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Safety

The Left Bank Review

Comfortable but pricey

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  • Roommates
  • 1 bed / 1 bath

The Neighborhood

Signature Spots

dining 35 Recs

Walnut Street Cafe
Bridgewater’s Pub
Magic Carpet
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grocery 2 Recs

Trader Joe’s
Whole Foods Market
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convenience 3 Recs

Old Nelson Food Company
Rite Aid
CVS Pharmacy
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fitness 23 Recs

Class of 1923 Ice Rink
The Levy Tennis Pavilion
Penn Campus Recreation
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parks 16 Recs

Cira Green
Penn Park
Schuylkill River Dog Run
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coffee 20 Recs

OCF Coffee House
Saxbys Coffee
Dunkin’ Donuts
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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 The Left Bank

Parking Garage

Parking Near The Left Bank

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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