With a 60% increase in population from 2000 to 2010, it’s safe to say Northern Liberties has arrived as one of Philadelphia’s truly elite neighborhoods. Formerly a manufacturing district of brick warehouses, factories and foundries, today’s “NoLibs” is a certified Historic District that attracts urban professionals, families, and artist types alike with its unique mix of original colonial houses and eco-chic modern development.
With its walkability, vintage boutiques, design-oriented architecture, top-notch nightlife, and some of the best eating in Philadelphia, it’s no wonderNorthern Liberties ranks highly on Forbes magazine’s latest list of “hippest hipster neighborhoods”. Fashionable Second Street is home to chic galleries, high-end decor shops, and the city’s original gastropub, the Standard Tap, while inspired mixed-use developments such as Liberties Walk and the Piazza at Schmidt’s—the latter a 30,000 square foot space inspired by Italian courtyards—serve as community destinations, offering vibrant public spaces alongside luxury housing and attractive retail. And despite the neighborhood’s industrial past, there’s a pair of wonderful green oases in the community-owned Liberty Lands Park—featuring a butterfly garden and playground—and picnic and dog-friendly Penn Treaty Park with spectacular views up and down the Delaware River.