Villanova, Pennsylvania
Villanova is a suburb of Philadelphia. It straddles Lower Merion Township in Montgomery County and Radnor Township in Delaware County. It is located at the center of the Philadelphia Main Line, a series of highly affluent Philadelphia suburbs located along the original east–west railroad tracks of the Pennsylvania Railroad. It is served by the SEPTA Paoli/Thorndale Line regional rail train and Norristown High Speed Line.
Villanova, Pennsylvania | |
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St. Thomas of Villanova Church, on the campus of Villanova University | |
Villanova, Pennsylvania Location of Villanova in Pennsylvania Villanova, Pennsylvania Villanova, Pennsylvania (the United States) | |
Coordinates: 40°02′14″N 75°20′57″W | |
Country | United States |
State | Pennsylvania |
Counties | Delaware Montgomery |
Townships | Lower Merion Radnor |
Elevation | 394 ft (120 m) |
Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
ZIP code | 19085 |
Area code(s) | 610 and 484 |
The center of the village straddles Lancaster Pike where it intersects Spring Mill. This village center contains the area's post office for ZIP code 19085, an office building, the Wilmington Trust Company's Pennsylvania headquarters, and several smaller shops.
In 2019, Realtor.com named 19085 the Most Expensive Neighborhood in Pennsylvania.[1] Calling it "For East Coast elites,” with a median home list price of $1,370,992.
History
The Bridge in Radnor Township No. 2 and Camp-Woods are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[2]
Education
Colleges
The most notable feature of Villanova is Villanova University, from which the community gains its name. The university campus extends from County Line Road along Spring Mill Road south to Lancaster Pike, US Route 30, and then east to just beyond Villanova Stadium, home of the Villanova University football, men's and women's lacrosse, women's field hockey and men's and women's track teams. The university's indoor arena, the Pavilion - soon to be Finneran Pavilion, is home to the school's NCAA Division I 1985,2016 and 2018 national champion men's basketball teams. In addition to the undergraduate college Villanova University includes a well-recognized graduate school, a nursing school, a school of continuing studies, numerous certificate programs, and Villanova University Law School.[3]
Schools
Public school children in Villanova that live in Radnor Township attend Radnor Elementary School in Radnor, Pennsylvania, Radnor Middle School in Wayne, Pennsylvania, and Radnor High School in St. Davids, Pennsylvania, all part of the Radnor Township School District. Those children who live in the Lower Merion Township portion of Villanova attend Gladwyne Elementary School in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, Welsh Valley Middle School in Narberth, Pennsylvania, and Harriton High School in Rosemont, Pennsylvania.
Other schools in the area include the all-boys Haverford School, located in nearby Haverford. Episcopal Academy called among locals as "EA" in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, all-girls Baldwin School, all-girls Agnes Irwin School, the Country Day School of the Sacred Heart in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, and the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur, and the coeducational Shipley School in Bryn Mawr. Rosemont School of the Holy Child on Montgomery Avenue is a nearby Catholic elementary school.[4]
Hospitals
The Bryn Mawr Hospital, at South Bryn Mawr Avenue and Haverford Road, is one of the three nationally ranked community teaching hospitals that serve the Main Line; it is located less than one mile (1.6 km) from the Villanova district line. The hospital has historically been associated with Philadelphia's Jefferson Medical College for many years. The Bryn Mawr Hospital is the chief beneficiary of the area's preeminent social and sporting event, the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair, which is held annually during the last week of May at the fairgrounds in Devon, Pennsylvania.[5]
Demographics
Villanova is neither an incorporated area nor a census-designated place; all the data is for the ZIP code 19085. As of the census of 2000, there were 9,189 people and 1,932 households residing in the community. The population density was 1,565 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the community was 92.5% White, 3.4% Asian, 3.9% African American, 1.40% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. 2.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
The median income for a household in the community was $159,538, and the median income for a family was $174,511. The per capita income for the community was $50,204. About 1.5% of families and 3.0% of the population were below the poverty line. The estimated median house/condo value in 2009 is $1,435,844.[6]
In 2009, the eastern section of Villanova was ranked the 39th wealthiest neighborhood in America with a median household income of $366,904.[7]
Notable residents
- Kevin Brennan, stand-up comedian and writer
- Neal Brennan, comedian, writer, director, producer, actor[8]
- Colby Cohen (born 1989) – ice hockey player
- Fran Dunphy – Temple University men's basketball coach
- Julius Erving (Dr. J) – former NBA star
- Dikembe Mutombo – former NBA star
- Conyers Read – historian[9]
- Will Smith – actor
- Jay Wright – current head coach of the Villanova Wildcats men's basketball team
- Michael Smerconish - broadcaster, journalist, author[10]
Points of interest
- Villanova University
- Appleford/Parsons-Banks Arboretum
- Arboretum Villanova
- Friends of the Willows Cottage
- Stoneleigh: A Natural Garden
References
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Villanova. |
- "The Most Expensive Neighborhood in Every State in America". Realtor.com. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
- "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- "Villanova University website". Villanova.edu. Retrieved September 24, 2011.
- Jones, Richard Dick, ed. Lower Merion: The First Three Hundred Years. Ardmore: Lower Merion Historical Society, 2001.
- "Main Line Health website". Mainlinehealth.com. Retrieved September 24, 2011.
- "Forbes Magazine zipcode rankings". Forbes.com. August 14, 2009. Retrieved September 24, 2011.
- Stephen R. Higley (January 7, 2009). "The Elite 100: America's Highest Income Neighborhoods". higley1000.com. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
- Eells, Josh (August 7, 2009). "Novice Director, a Veteran of Comedy". New York Times. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
- 'Harvard Alumni Directory (Harvard Alumni Association, 1948), p. 1795: "Read, Conyers... Mt. Moro Rd., P.O. Box 593, Villanova, Pa."
- Michael Smerconish house