Lawncrest - Philadelphia, PA

Lawncrest's history dates at least as far back as 1698, when Trinity Oxford Church opened its doors. During the late 1800s, residents referred to Lawncrest as Marburg. Once a small German farming community, Lawncrest evolved from expansive farmland to a busy urban neighborhood that boomed from the 1920s until the 1950s.

Although Lawncrest lacks museums, residents can choose from two located just outside of the neighborhood: Ryerss Museum and Library in neighboring Burholme Park and the Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library located just south of Lawncrest on Griscom Street. Every year, the neighborhood comes together to celebrate July 4th with a parade, live music, fireworks and activities. Other nearby festivals include the West Oak Lane Festival, a summer music festival at the Keswick Theater and the Bach Festival of Philadelphia on North American Street.

From fast food to Portuguese cuisine, residents of Lawncrest can choose from a diverse selection of culinary options. El Balconcito on East Godfrey Avenue serves Portuguese and Peruvian specialties such as crab in a special sauce, fried boneless beef steak, and paella valenciana, which contains rice, seafood, beef, chicken and chorizo. Crabby Cafe on Castor Avenue specializes in flavorful seafood and Vietnamese cuisine. Order whole seafood by the pound and select your spice level for a fun, although messy, seafood meal. This BYOB restaurant serves a creamy Vietnamese flan that ends the meal on a sweet note.

A lack of nightclubs and music venues leaves residents of Lawncrest spending their nights traveling to hipper neighborhoods or frequenting dive bars such as Bodan's Pub, which sits in the area around Rising Sun Avenue. These small, local bars provide a fun and casual spot to hang out and grab inexpensive drinks. Nearby notable hot spots include Grey Lodge Pub on Frankford Avenue, which has been named among the best beer bars by publications such as Draft Magazine and Beer Advocate. In addition to an extensive selection of local and national craft beers, Grey Lodge also hosts events such as Quizzo every Wednesday. The first floor houses a fun bar scene, while the second floor provides quieter space for dinner. The walls display artwork from local artists.

Access to major roadways, public transportation and bike lanes makes getting around Lawncrest both easy and convenient. Like other areas of the city, the neighborhood features well-marked pedestrian crossings and walkable sidewalks. Rising Sun Avenue, which serves as the main thoroughfare, and smaller roads such as Tabor, Summerdale and Whitaker Avenues connect residents with the rest of the city. U.S. Route 1, a major highway that extends from Maine to Florida, runs thorough Lawncrest, making traveling outside of the area convenient and fast.

Although Uber doesn’t service the area, residents can call to arrange taxi service or hail a cab on the street. SEPTA operates Regional Rail service from its Lawndale Station on Devereaux Avenue and Cheltenham Station on Hasbrook Avenue. SEPTA buses serve Lawncrest with the Route 18 bus, which runs along Rising Sun Avenue from Cedarbroom Mall to Fox Chase. Other buses, such as Route 19 and 24, connect residents in the eastern part of the neighborhood to Fern Rock, Olney and Frankford Transportation Centers.

Other than the lot at Cheltenham Station, Lawncrest lacks major parking lots. Instead, most residents take advantage of coveted on-street parking spots or off-street parking. Residents can apply for residential parking permits through the Philadelphia Parking Authority.

A general lack of green space shapes this urban neighborhood’s recreational scene, although many residents make use of the Lawncrest Recreation Center on Rising Sun Avenue. This 14-acre facility generally provides free services, although it can charge a nominal fee for some activities. The rec center features organized activities and amenities such as a pool, basketball courts, sports fields, tennis courts and a hockey rink.

Other options include Houseman Playground on Summerdale Avenue and Max Myers Playground on Hellerman Street. Max Myers rests on more than 12 acres. It also has sports fields, basketball and tennis courts, and a pool. Tacony Creek Park, a 302-acre watershed preserve, features open green spaces, native trees and lovely flowering shrubs. The portion of the park near Rising Sun Avenue has been the focus of invasive species removal. Local volunteers from AmeriCorp and nearby high schools donate time to maintain parts of the park.

Living in Lawncrest generally carries a lower cost of living than living in Center City Philadelphia and runs roughly 41 percent lower than the average for the state of Pennsylvania. Rental rates for a one-bedroom apartment average $721 a month. Residents can expect to pay around $5 for a pint of beer, although some of the dive bars along Rising Sun Avenue feature cheaper prices.

A single trip on SEPTA costs around $2.25, and a one-day convenience pass, which entitles you to eight rides on any transit route in a single day, costs $8. Gas prices in Lawncrest hover 12 to 13 percent above the national average.

For chain-store shopping, The Northeast Tower Center, located toward the southern end of Lawncrest, features Ross, Raymour and Flanagan, and Walmart. Small shops line Rising Sun Avenue, providing residents with discount shopping at Dollar General, convenience items at 7-11 and diamonds in the rough at thrift stores such as Beehive Too. The selection at this small thrift store may be hit or miss, but the large selection of home furnishings makes this a worthwhile stop.

Shopping for something special requires a trip outside of the neighborhood. For hip, funky clothing and gifts, check out the Delicious Boutique on Girard Avenue. This specialty store features clothing and accessories for men and women, including steampunk styles, leather handbags, sunglasses and more. Bags and Bling on Cottman Avenue in the nearby Rhawnhurst neighborhood provides fantastic customer service and a diverse selection of products ranging from Chanel to prom dresses.

Residents can choose from two main grocery stores in the neighborhood, Shoprite and Acme Markets on Oxford Avenue. Lawncrest lacks farmers’ markets, but residents only need to travel a short distance for fresh produce at markets such as Reading Terminal Market on North 12th Street.