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Old 12-27-2010, 05:43 PM
 
5 posts, read 21,427 times
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I'll be starting my new job around the Lawncrest area. Can you please recommend me a good and safe place to live.

I'm willing to drive up to 35 minutes to work. So anywhere south of the Pen Turnpike, but north of the bad area of Temple, as long as I'm not going to be fighting traffic

I'm single and 30 so I'm looking for the excitement/convenience of an urban area and being able to walk to unique stores, interesting coffee shops & awesome restaurants.

If it makes a difference, I'm asian american, so if there are any areas where I might not be welcome, please let me know.

I heard Manayunk is good, I'm looking for suggestions of other towns like that so I can check them out when I go apt hunting.

Thanks in advance.
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Old 12-27-2010, 08:31 PM
 
Location: Philly
10,220 posts, read 16,722,169 times
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hmm...well interesting things to walk to rules out lawncrest and even fox chase though the latter might be worth lookong into. you could lool at mt airy/chestnut hill. further south...northern liberties.
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Old 12-28-2010, 10:15 AM
 
Location: a swanky suburb in my fancy pants
3,391 posts, read 8,736,928 times
Reputation: 1623
Manayunk is highly over-rated. It is one street of bars, resturants and small stores. It depends on what you mean by "urban". Everything north of the bad areas around temple and south of the trnpk along Rt 611 will be suburban but it is very established and highly developed, older and upscale suburban (Abington & Cheltenham townships) with a walkable downtown (Jenkintown)
It really doesn't make a difference but there is an Asian presence in the fanciest part of Abington Township(Meadowbrook, Rydal)
You don't mention why the Turnpike is important but if you went in the other direction you could actually live in Center City and easily commute out to lawncrest via 95 and cottman st providing you can afford the higher cost of living in CC. Otherwise take a ride up Rt 611 as far as Willow Grove and see what you think.
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Old 12-28-2010, 01:45 PM
 
5 posts, read 21,427 times
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I looked into Center City, but couldn't find anything that I could both afford ($1300 after parking, with private bathroom if I get a room mate) and had attached/assigned parking. I'm super paranoid about my car being hit on the street (It's not a fancy car, but I just got it) and don't want the hassle of remembering where I parked in a huge lot every day. I am also too lazy to walk more than a block to get my car from a lot even if I do get assigned parking, so it has to be either an attached garage/lot or across the street/on the same block.

I guess I'm looking for an experience as close as possible to a NW Portland, OR type area where there is parking on the side streets but just huge strips of stores/restaurants/bars on a few streets.

The turnpike isn't important, but from looking at the map it just seems like it'll be more troublesome (added traffic/choke point) if I live north of it and have to cross the turnpike to go to work.

As for the Northern Liberties, I was told that it's getting a lot better, but it's still not that great of a place to wander around at night.

From what I can tell by looking at the descriptions on craig's list and the amount of stores that show up when I look at google maps; Chestnut Hill and Mt Airy do not have much of a downtown. I guess it's Jenkintown and Manayunk for my requirements?

How is Germantown? There seems to be a few very large apartment complexes there. So wouldn;t a large apt complex mean there is entertainment available close by?
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Old 12-28-2010, 03:08 PM
 
Location: Pennsylvania
5,725 posts, read 11,660,380 times
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Germantown doesn't sound like what you want. You can add East Falls to your list, it's just a short hop from Manayunk. I'd suggest Fairmount which sounds like more of the neighborhood you want but your parking demands probably knock it off the list.
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Old 12-28-2010, 03:15 PM
 
8,968 posts, read 21,050,255 times
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Germantown is interesting. Some blocks are better than others, but it's sort of a case-by-case basis. Those high-rises you saw should be fine. Although it's a majority-black neighborhood, I believe it's becoming increasingly diverse. The closest active area would be Chestnut Hill or Manayunk (neither of which BTW is a town but, along with Mt. Airy, a city neighborhood).

Jenkintown is nice and walkable although I see that as more of a family-friendly environment. Over in nearby Glenside, the Keswick Avenue area (aka "Keswick Village") is smaller but perhaps a notch hipper.

The reality is that most of the "happening" spots in the Philly metro are in and around Center City. Other active areas that might intrigue you - e.g. Wayne, Bryn Mawr, West Chester, Media, Doylestown, Collingswood NJ - are beyond your preferred geographical range.
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Old 12-28-2010, 03:17 PM
 
Location: Philly
10,220 posts, read 16,722,169 times
Reputation: 2971
Quote:
Originally Posted by gotsmack View Post
...
As for the Northern Liberties, I was told that it's getting a lot better, but it's still not that great of a place to wander around at night.
From what I can tell by looking at the descriptions on craig's list and the amount of stores that show up when I look at google maps; Chestnut Hill and Mt Airy do not have much of a downtown. I guess it's Jenkintown and Manayunk for my requirements?
there's not a whole lot more in jenkintown than mt. airy (which is adjacent to chestnut hill) to be honest...and not much of what is in jenkintown is quality, though it is a nice, walkable town. may as well live in fox chase just up the road from lawncrest.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gotsmack View Post
How is Germantown? There seems to be a few very large apartment complexes there. So wouldn;t a large apt complex mean there is entertainment available close by?
you'd think so, but there's not. one of the great mysteries of Philadelphia. there's also south philly..north of snyder the parking isn't as bad as advertised. east passyunk ave (beteween washington and broad) has taken off lately and may offer just what you want. I wouldn't write off northern liberties, just don't go north of girard, it's not northern liberties no matter what they tell you. lastly, spring garden may fit the bill. not a ton in the neighborhood but it's very close to center city, decent if tight parking, close to 676, ec. mayeb look up the hill house. a bit dated but a nice location.
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