By Aaron Stella

Between the up-market Art Museum district and the burgeoning Delaware riverfront, Northern liberties exists as a magnet for small-business entrepreneurs, budding artists and musicians, young professionals, newly-weds, and of course, newcomers to the city. Row houses comprise the majority of dwellings in the area, and most by this point have been rehabbed: after the spacious kitchens and bedrooms, common structural perks include ornate crown-moldings, aged hardwood floors and roof decks. And like many Philadelphia row homes, artisanal cornices crown their front facing facades. Northern Liberties is also home to several green housing units, like Thin Flats, New Market Flats, and the proposed Stable Flats and Duck Flats. Each is equipped with the latest technology in sustainable living, including solar panel systems, green planted roofs, indoor air quality control, irrigation systems, radiant in floor heating and the option for electric car ports. Rooftop produce gardens with abutting lawns are also becoming a prevalent trend among green units. To complement the influx of new units, quaint restaurants, coffee (tea) shoppes, art galleries, gastropubs, and the occasional specialty grocer provide the necessary shopping and nightlife amenities to make Northern Liberties a self-sustained neighborhood. There are two parks in Northern Liberties: Orianna Hill Park, an off-leash dog run, and Liberties Lands, a 2-acre park and playground (currently under construction). In addition to the bus lines crisscrossing the area, Northern Liberties is serviced by the Market Street blue line—which can transport people to Center City Philadelphia in minutes—located at the intersection of Spring Garden and Front streets. If you’re seeking a neighborhood brimming with creativity, ingenuity, and festivity, then Northern Liberties is for you. Go and see for yourself!