Walnut Street (Philadelphia)

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highway_name=Walnut Street
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length_mi=5.57
length_round=2
length_ref=DeLorme Street Atlas USA 2007, Toggle Measure Tool. Retrieved 2007-12-20.]
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direction_a=West
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direction_b=East
ending_terminus=Front Street in Penn's Landing
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cities=Philadelphia
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Walnut Street is located in downtown Philadelphia and extends from the city's Delaware River waterfront through Center City and West Philadelphia. Walnut Street has been characterized as "the city's premier shopping district". [Harris, Linda JK. [http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-8822498_ITM "Philadelphia Shopping District Gets Messy Makeover."] , "The Philadelphia Inquirer", July 31, 2002. Accessed December 16, 2007. "Walking down the 1700 block of Walnut Street, a visitor might conclude that the city's premier shopping district has hit on hard times."] The street was ranked 12th 2005 by "Women's Wear Daily" among its list of the most expensive retail streets in North America, with rents of $90 per square foot and "over 200 upscale dining, retail and cultural" establishments. [Hall, Cecily. [http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-11584976_ITM "THE WWD LIST: STREETS OF CASH; THE MOST EXPENSIVE RETAIL STREETS BY RENT PER SQUARE FOOT IN NORTH AMERICA."] , "Women's Wear Daily", October 13, 2005. Accessed December 16, 2007. "*12 Walnut Street, Philadelphia Rent per square foot: $90 Walnut Street is home to Rittenhouse Row..."]

Running parallel to Walnut Street, one or two blocks to the north (depending on whether the side street Sansom Street is counted), is Chestnut Street. Pennsylvania Route 3 westbound follows Walnut Street from 38th Street (U.S. Route 13) to its western terminus at the Cobbs Creek Parkway.

Points of interest

It is most known for its upscale shopping district in the high end neighborhood of Rittenhouse Row. The majority of shops, restaurants and art galleries located on Walnut Street are situated between Broad Street and 18th Street, which is anchored by Rittenhouse Square Park. Walnut Street features a variety of shopping and dining destinations.

The Walnut Street Theatre, located at 825 Walnut Street, is the oldest continuously-operating theatre in the English-speaking world.

Among the many attractions and historic sites along Walnut Street are Independence National Historical Park and Society Hill on the east, followed by Washington Square, Washington Square West, St. James Hotel (1226-1232), Witherspoon Building (1319-1323), Philadelphia Stock Exchange (1419-1411), Sun Oil Building (1608-1610), 1616 Building, Rittenhouse Square (also known as Center City West Commercial Historic District), Estey Hall (1701 Walnut Street), Church of the Holy Trinity, Philadelphia, and the Walnut-Chancellor Historic District (at 21st).

The Walnut Street Bridge, completed in 1949, crosses the Schuylkill River. On the west side of the river, the street crosses over the Schuylkill Expressway.

Further west, Walnut Street bisects the campus of the University of Pennsylvania.

References