Fairmount

The Fairmount Neighborhood is a residential area with a thriving business corridor, just northwest of Center City.

Bordered by Girard Avenue to its north, Broad Street to its east, Spring Garden Street to its South, and the Schuylkill River to its West, the area is a convenient commute to many of the city’s cultural attraction.

The neighborhood has been increasingly drawing a crowd of young families, students, and professional singles,

drawn in by the evolving restaurants, bars, cafes, and green spaces. Historically anchored by the Philadelphia Water Works, the Eastern State Penitentiary, and Girard College, Fairmount has since built upon those institutions to transform into a charming hub for residents and tourists alike.

Share on social

Since its year-round opening in 2002, the Eastern State Penitentiary has drawn much tourism to the area, greatly contributing to its growing local business scene. The heavy tourism that streams from the Museum District further supplements the area’s growing foot traffic. Fairmount is located at the end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, a heavily populated stretch filled with Philadelphia’s prominent cultural attractions and museums such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Franklin Institute of Science.

A vast number of city-wide events, such as the Philadelphia Marathon and the “Made in America” Festival often take place in front of the Art Museum Steps. For this reason, the neighborhood is also often referred to as the “Art Museum Area” for its proximity to and association with the Philadelphia Art Museum.