Drexel University Main Campus

The University City Main Campus of Drexel University is located just west of the Schuylkill River and is Drexel's largest and oldest campus. It stretches from Chestnut St. in the South to Powelton Ave in the North, and from the Amtrak rail yard in the East to 34th St in the West. The majority of buildings are constructed of orange brick, mostly in the Art Deco style, with many dating from the mid 1960s. North of Drexel's campus lies Powelton Village, a neighborhood of primarily Victorian homes. Drexel's continued efforts to expand the university and the dormitories have brought them into conflict with the [http://www.swarthmore.edu/Humanities/langlab/powelton/pvca.html Powelton Village Civic Association] , which has attempted to block university projects on several occasions.cite web| date = December 9 2005| url =http://www.thetriangle.org/media/storage/paper689/news/2005/12/09/News/Drexel.Pvca.Near.End.Of.Lot.Dispute-1126468.shtml?norewrite200607261142&sourcedomain=www.thetriangle.org| title =Drexel, PVCA near end of lot dispute| publisher =The Triangle| accessdate=2006-05-10]

tudent Life

The main campus is home to several student-life related locations, including the Creese Student Center, the Mandell Theater, and "Lounge 101" in the basement of the main building. The main campus also includes Ross Commons, a remodeled old house converted for students' enjoyment to a restaurant, meeting, leisure, and study space.

On the south end of campus the Creese Student Center has a cafe, information desk, and sitting areas and tables for students. In the basement are the commuter lounge and the Greenawalt Student Development Center, which houses offices and meeting rooms for many student organizations such as the Undergraduate Student Government Association (USGA).

Food

All non-commuting freshmen are required to purchase a gold meal plan which entitles them to unlimited visits to the recently renovated Handschumacher Dining Center on Chestnut Street. They also receive a per-term allowance of meal-plan dollars which can be spent at any of several campus locations including The Grill and Fresh Bytes at Ross Commons, the Creese Cafe, and the North Side Market, a convenience-type store universally called the Kelly Deli by students because it is on the first floor of Kelly Hall. Upperclassmen may purchase meal plans that allows them a limited number of visits and a different amount of meal-plan dollars.Non Drexel-owned food options include more than 10 lunch trucks, some spread out around campus and some on Ludlow St. behind the Main Building. A Starbucks opened in the ground level of the Pearlstein Business Learning Center.

Department of Public Safety

Because of the urban campus, there is a high incidence of crime at Drexel and the surrounding areas.cite web| date = January 15 2006| url =http://www.keepmedia.com/pubs/PhiladelphiaInquirer/2006/01/15/1155484?ba=a&bi=1&bp=97| title =On campus, creating an illusion by crime data| publisher =The Philadelphia Inquirer| accessdate =2006-07-26] The Public Safety department conducts regular patrols on and within a few blocks of campus, both on foot and riding bicycles, automobiles, and even Segways. In addition, there are over fifty emergency call boxes located around campus, which connect students directly to a public safety dispatcher. Through these, or through the phone, students may request a walking escort 24 hours a day, from or to any location on or around campus.

Art galleries

Drexel maintains several art galleries on its main campus. The Drexel Collection is housed primarily in the [http://www.drexel.edu/drexelcollection/ Westphal Picture Gallery] , on the third floor of the Main Building. The collection was established by the university's founder, Anthony J. Drexel, who collected many types of art. The collection continued to receive donations after his death from family, friends, and alumni. The collection has a large variety of artifacts, including porcelains and furniture.

The Leonard Pearlstein Gallery is an aluminum and slate structure connected to Nesbitt Hall (the building for the College of Media Arts and Design) in which art exhibitions are frequently held. The slate side of the building is frequently covered with chalk messages about upcoming events.

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