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Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,544 posts, read 56,054,732 times
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I mean it's such an important city, both historically and economically, yet it seems ignored and overshadowed in the midst of DC, NY and Boston. I often hear boring cities like Atlanta mentioned more than Philly. To me it looks like a really cool city so why is it not booming as you'd expect? It seems to have lost alot of people and has a high crime rate. Is it because NYC and DC just overshadow it too much? Is it too ghetto? Is it on the road to becoming one of the top 5 cities in America again, not only in population but in influence.etc?
Philadelphia actually gained population since 2000 (though lost alot since its peak)
I figure because its generally viewed as a "grimey" "cold" and Blue collar city and alot of people are not necessarily fond of those qualities but that makes it more interesting to me.
Having lived in the city for 7 years up until this past December, I would say Philadelphia's biggest issues are it's crime rate, anti-business political climate which contributes to few jobs in the city itself (the actual city unemployment rate rivals Detroit), grime and decay, and brain drain. The city also possesses a provincial attitude which hinders it's growth. Given it's geography (halfway point between DC and NYC) it should thrive more. The fact that it can be avoided while driving through the Northeast Corridor kind of lessens it's presence in my opinion. Out of sight, out of mind. Lastly, the outside perception of it's residents as boorish is largely accurate and doesn't serve to heighten the appeal.
Atlanta is boring? Never heard that before, but I've never been so can't say. Anyway, nothing is wrong with Philadelphia. There are very few cities that could retain such a strong identity and economic base being 45 miles SW of the largest city of the most important country in the world and 130 miles NE of the capital of that country. Outsider ignorance and presumptions are not the cities fault. Maybe YOU should check out the city for yourself..or not. That's the great thing about Philly. We don't really care what anyone else thinks of our city. We know what we have and that is all that matters. I suppose America is only allowed 3-4 great cities and they better not be too close together
To much to to describe but on the whole all is fine. the 5th largest metro, city and a huge economic base coupled with some of the best cultural institutions in the country
Location: Cleveland bound with MPLS in the rear-view
5,509 posts, read 11,877,648 times
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In my opinion, people around here see Philly as an old, tired, run-down city with lots of crime and little optimism.......however, this isn't entirely accurate, and it's not Philly's fault. I think it's portrayed in this light on TV and such and always seems to be typecast this way (Rocky, Philadelphia, etc.). That's just perception though. Maybe Philly could market itself as a place to be, not unlike what Michigan and some other states have been able to accomplish....shine a new light on the city...
Is it on the road to becoming one of the top 5 cities in America again, not only in population but in influence.etc?
Yeah, right it's on the road..LOL. Do you realize that Philadelphia has remained in the top 5 in population throughout the history of the USA? Not many cities can say that.
And influence? Historically Philly has been the most influential city for our country-there really is not a debate there. For 2011, It is somewhat debatable but The Philadelphia-New York urban area is probably the most influential and important region of the country STILL.
US Cities GDP
1. New York City
2. Los Angeles
3. Chicago
4. Philadelphia
US Master Card Centers of Commerce Index
1.New York City
2. Los Angeles
3. Chicago
4. Philadelphia
US Urban Areas
1. New York City 2. Los Angeles
3. Chicago
4. Philadelphia
Yes, all these lists suit Philly well but they're pretty important categories.
I will be the first to admit that Philadelphia is not a utopia. The city has a lot of issues to tackle, including entrenched poverty, blighted neighborhoods, violent crime, building a more educated workforce (city wide, not just in affluent neighborhoods), etc. These issues, of course, are not unique to Philly, but they are definitely more entrenched here than usual due to historic economic misfortunes, and city officials/civic leaders need to work twice as hard as more fast-growing cities to address them.
That being said, it's hard not to be optimistic about the city's future. I don't expect people from outside the region to be too familiar with the city, and I am therefore not surprised when they cling to over-dramatized stereotypes and cliches they see/hear via internet, television, movie media. Nevertheless, Philly is a city that is definitely re-defining itself. It has one of the most vibrant urban cores in the country, world-class educational/cultural institutions, a real public transportation system, strong character and sense of place, committed and engaged citizens, and plenty of progressive visions for urban revitalization. Being located in the middle of one of the most powerful economic regions in the world certainly doesn't hurt, either.
To provide a shorter answer to this question, there are, indeed, things that are wrong with Philadelphia, but there is so much more that is right, and even more that is slowly but surely getting "righter."
Last edited by Duderino; 05-07-2011 at 08:49 AM..
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