Rosemont

Surrounded by prestigious colleges, leafy green trees and classical architecture, Rosemont is one of the many unforgettable communities on Philadelphia’s Main Line, the historic suburban rail corridor renowned for its magnificent homes and charming village-like town centers.

Hugged between Interstate 476 and Lancaster Avenue, the main highway paralleling the SEPTA Paoli/Thorndale train line, Rosemont marks where the main trunk of the train route ended before contemporary in-fill development expanded the city’s suburbs farther west through the mid-to late-20th century. When you get off at the Rosedale train station between Villanova and Bryn Mawr, you’ll walk down a small hill and find a park surrounded by a low-slung stone wall and a small mixed-commercial center with an apartment building, a performing arts center, a locally owned pharmacy, an organic grocery store and a mix of restaurants and shops along the busy Lancaster Avenue corridor.

South of Lancaster Avenue, the community becomes much more residential, with spectacular Colonial Revival and Victorian-era homes with brick and stone exteriors set on curvilinear streets and spacious lots surrounded by trees, giving residents space and privacy. For these fabulous homes, expect to offer somewhere between $750,000 and $3 million. If that’s outside your price range, contemporary townhouse and apartment condo units have sold for between $1500,000 and $500,000. At similar price points below $800,000, prospective homebuyers can also find smaller single-family homes, including split levels and ranch-style properties with less than 2,000 square feet on more densely crowded suburban streets, trading off additional bedrooms and extra space for more widely affordable prices.

The Radnor Township School District is highly regarded, with Niche ranking it the No. 1 school district in Pennsylvania. Children typically learn to read and write at Radnor Elementary School. Most students then enroll at Radnor Middle School and Radnor High School. Alternatively, families can apply to the prestigious private institutions and parochial schools in the community, including the Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy, Archbishop John Carroll High School, Friends School Haverford, St. Aloysius Academy and The Shipley School. At any grade level, kids in the neighborhood can aspire to higher education by visiting the stately and picturesque campuses of Villanova University, Bryn Mawr College and Rosemont College.

On Saturday mornings, folks throughout the community shop for fresh fruit, vegetables, eggs and meat from local growers and vendors at the weekly farmers market in the heart of Bryn Mawr nearby. During the rest of the week, folks can choose from many places to shop and eat along Lancaster Avenue. Here, folks can shop for non-GMO produce and other high-grade goods at MOM’s Organic Market or the ACME Markets grocery store. Eateries such as the Juice Pod, El Limon, Pho Street and Surreal Creamery cater to all sorts of tastes and moods, whether you’re craving a refreshing, healthy green drink, a sweet treat or something savory and filling.

Housed in the historical Seville Theater, the Bryn Mawr Film Institute features four state-of-the-art theaters, a café and classrooms. Throughout the year, the theater screens independent movies and hosts discussions with guest speakers to inspire and motivate cinephiles and up-and-coming moviemakers. Whether you’re looking for a green space to shoot scenes for your new motion picture or want a relaxing spot to walk your dog, Clem MacRone Memorial Park’s paved walking trail courses through a small, wooded creek past the children’s playground, the green hard-surface sports courts and the baseball diamond.

While many folks in the community work at corporate offices in nearby business parks, university campuses or the nearby Bryn Mawr Hospital, the community’s proximity to I-476 and two different train lines provides excellent convenience for commuters. In addition to continuing the legacy of the Main Line, the SEPTA Paoli/Thorndale train route connects locals to jobs in Center City Philadelphia, about 10 miles away. Alternatively, folks can board trains on the Norristown High Speed Line to reach offices and other destinations in the city of Norristown or the bustling suburban King of Prussia community for work or pleasure.

Written By

Christopher Suarez

Photography Contributed By

Joe Pulcinella

Video By

Michael Voyack