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Featured Neighborhood: Phoenixville


I have a new listing in Phoenixville, and as I do with all new listings, I've been spending a lot of time there. I've always loved this neck of the woods and my clients who move here often like to stay here.

But if you've never ventured this far West or even heard of Phoenixville from your Center City seat, then let me introduce you!

Indoor/Outdoor 
Photo courtesy of the Phoenixville Historical Society 

 Phoenixville is such a wonderful outdoor town. Its a quaint steel town sandwiched between the Schuylkill River and two branches - the Pickering and French Creeks. Its surrounded by lovely farms to the West and Valley Forge Park and Valley Forge to the South. So its a mecca of outdoor fun, including...

Port Providence Paddle - A lovely little kayak rental spot with low-key restaurant where you can paddle up and down the canal.

Black Rock Sanctuary - Over 100 acres of wildlife refuge and trails on the North end of the borough. Also home to the boat launch onto the Schuylkill and nearby is the Upper Valley Schuylkill park, an animal park.

Schuylkill River Trail - This long trail runs from Phoenixville west to Pottstown, but the initial section runs through the heart of the borough and hugs the river for a great weekly walk or bike ride.

Also nearby are the John James Audubon Center, Valley Forge and several golf courses within a few minutes drive.

Walkable Downtown

Probably the biggest draw for homeowners, renters and visitors is the huge walkable downtown. Not a particularly large borough, Phoenixville's main street, Bridge St, offers approximately a mile of shops, restaurants, bars and event spaces. Bridge St has exploded in recent years with breweries/distilleries such as Iron Hill, Steel City, Bluebird Distilling, Crowded Castle, Root Down, Conshohocken Brewery's Rec Room and more. But Phoenixville has long been home to some great restaurants like Black Lab Bistro, three Irish pubs (Molly McGuires, PJ Ryans and Great American), and Sips Bistro. One of the star features of Bridge St, though, is the Colonial Theater, a turn of the century theater steeped in history, including playing a staring role in the cult-classic The Blob. 

Housing Options 
Photo courtesy of Bright MLS 
Phoenixville is an old town, so that means a large amount of older housing stock. There are some stunning examples of Victorian and Edwardian architecture and a smaller amount of Craftsman style homes, which are rarer to the greater Philly area. The majority of homes are rows, twins and singles in a brick or stone style. However, larger farms have been converted into new communities by home builders over the years making for a variety of newer homes in suburban-style communities that are still walkable or bikeable to downtown.
According to MLS data for 2019, the average sale price for the borough of Phoenixville was just under $264,000 making it a relatively affordable community.

Quick Pros and Cons

 Pros: Lots to do in a small area, affordable, easy access to 422, easy access to shops and restaurants plus chains like Wegmans and HomeGoods in Collegeville, tons of outdoor fun and a multitude of parks and playgrounds, close to some major employers like GSK and Vanguard.

Cons: A little secluded from the Main Line and Center City with no train access. Like West Chester, if Septa added a rail line to and from Center City, Phoenixville would burst. However, for current travelers in and out of the city or Main Line, it can be a hike.
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