Newbold-Point Breeze

Point Breeze is a neighborhood in South Philadelphia, generally bound by 25th Street to the west, Washington Avenue to the north, Broad Street to the east, and Mifflin Street to the south. Point Breeze is divided from Grays Ferry to the west by a CSX railway viaduct over 25th Street.

‘Point Breeze’ was originally the name given to a spot on the west side of the Schuylkill River. Point Breeze Avenue then became the road that cut southwest to provide access to the spot from what was at the time Philadelphia proper. The avenue cuts diagonally through the neighborhood’s rectilinear street grid. The Point Breeze neighborhood suffered from abandonment and population decline throughout the mid 20th century.

Today it is a neighborhood under revitalization. Newbold is bounded by Washington Avenue to Wolf Street, Broad to 18th Streets. Once part of Point Breeze, Newbold only recently separated. As a part of a revitalization effort made by business and home owners in the area, Newbold is now considered an “up and coming” neighborhood, housing some well known restaurants and businesses. The name was chosen by John Longacre, owner of the South Philly Taproom, to better distinguish the area from the ambiguousness of the rest of South Philly. The area continues to grow, attracting young professionals as well as new businesses that see the potential of the area.

Housing stock is exclusively comprised oftwo and three story brick rowhomes. There are many new construction properties on what were once abandoned lots and green sustainable housing efforts entering the marketplace to fit the new demographic.