Bella Vista

Bella Vista, Italian for "beautiful sight", is a neighborhood in the South Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Bella Vista was voted 2016 best neighborhood to live in Philadelphia by Niche.com and is undergoing a new residential construction housing boom to meet demand; in some cases adaptively reusing, in other cases replacing existing structures by destroying historic and culturally significant buildings including the Christian Street Baptist Church. The neighborhood is served by the Bella Vista Neighbors Association (BVNA), as the primary Registered Community Organization (RCO) in Bella Vista. BVNA holds zoning hearings, safety awareness, cleanup and beautification, coordinates delivery of city services, provides a public forum, and holds social events. The neighborhood is served by Police Service Area 1 (PSA1) of the 3rd District, operating out of the South Street Mini Station, as well as the main municipal building at 11th and Wharton Streets.

Bella Vista is home to Cianfrani Park, located at 8th and Fitzwater Streets; Bardascino Park, 10th and Carpenter Streets on the former site of Touro Hall and Community Hospital; Palumbo Park, 700 block of Catherine Street; the Palumbo Recreation Center, 10th and Fitzwater Streets, and adjacent to Starr Garden, 6th and Lombard Streets.