Philadelphia growing faster than its suburbs! (Girard: stats, population, Asian)

[rotodome]

To Frank's credit I guess, the part of Philly that he lived in for so very long is a part of Philly that I never really saw the point of living in, vs the suburbs anyway. It's no more convenient to anything than the burbs, you need a car like the burbs, but you don't get the good schools and whatnot that you would get in the burbs. It is, one might argue, the worst of both worlds. I understand that people have friends and family who live there, and no disrespect meant to them, but I would definitely live in several suburbs of Philly before I would live in the NE (esp the far NE). Easily.
But luckily, not all of the city is like that!
The thing I (and i think many others) like about Philly is that I didn't have to drive hardly at all, and the fact that it wasn't suburban, and I could walk to work, and have a chill urban pedestrian lifestyle. It's a different city to different people, for sure. I think if people really want to have a suburban lifestyle, and many do, those people will naturally do better in the suburbs.

BUT don't act like this eventual move to the suburbs and complete car dependence is just the natural order of things that ignorant urbanites will grow to realize in time, because that's just not true. And all the masses of empty nesters who have been retiring to Center City lately are perhaps testament to the fact that it's not.

[frankgn87]

Originally Posted by rotodome

Ah, car people.

yea, us 90% of the people in the US. You know the ones that can actually get around to the places they want to go at their convenience. Like a day trip to the mountains or the shore.

[rotodome]

Originally Posted by frankgn87

yea, us 90% of the people in the US. You know the ones that can actually get around to the places they want to go at their conveience.

Hi, I have a car. I am not car dependent though, and walk or take the subway the vast majority of the time. "Best of both worlds!"

[Marius Pontmercy]

Originally Posted by frankgn87

yea, us 90% of the people in the US. You know the ones that can actually get around to the places they want to go at their convenience. Like a day trip to the mountains or the shore.

How do the Germans live I wonder?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...les_per_capita

America is a car centered country, but there are a few places that are convenient without one. Cities like New York and Philadelphia are some of them. I think most of us here have cars, but don't often use them in the city or instances where we find it more convenient to walk or use another form of transportation like the train. I know I'd rather take the train to NYC than drive there. I'd also rather take the trolley downtown than bother with finding parking. However if I had to go to King of Prussia for some reason, the built environment out there basically necessitates that I use my car.

[checkmatechamp13]

Originally Posted by frankgn87

That's why all the outer city rings are busting at the seams with people.

...and so is the inner city (and by inner, I mean the whole Center City area)

[jtom605]

Each person will have a different perspective. If you live in an up-and-coming neighborhood or nice/affluent area (like most people on this board seem to), you probably believe the city is improving by leaps and bounds. If you live in the ghetto or NE Philly, you probably think the city is getting worse or not changing at all. In addition, I would assume that most people on this forum are very interested and invested in Philadelphia, and therefore are more likely to be postive about the future of the city.

Philly should be improving. Over time, cities are supposed to make advances and improve. The trend to shun the suburbs in favor of the city is a movement across America, so maybe Philly is simply improving at the same rate as most other similar cities.

High crime and low quality public schools are clearly holding our city back. Even if you never have to venture into places like Hunting Park and Southwest Philly, that doesn't mean you shouldn't care about the crime in those places. First of all, the murder rate of our city reflects poorly on Philadelphia as a whole, especially when the national media start pumping out reports about it. And not all crime is confined to the ghetto. Just the other day, there was a shooting in Center City and a shooting in Society Hill on the same night. Thugs can get around...

[Duderino]

Originally Posted by rotodome

BUT don't act like this eventual move to the suburbs and complete car dependence is just the natural order of things that ignorant urbanites will grow to realize in time, because that's just not true. And all the masses of empty nesters who have been retiring to Center City lately are perhaps testament to the fact that it's not.

Exactly. In fact, it's pretty insulting to suggest that someone's choice to live where they do is based on "ignorance" of reality. Everyone has their own reasoning to live where they do, which is based on their own prior experiences, preferences, and current life situation. Neither the suburbs nor the city will ever be the best choice for everyone.

[TomJones123]

Originally Posted by frankgn87

because when you live in an outer city ring you can still get the things a city offers by driving a few minutes in to it and then leave to peace and quiet, safety and great schools of the burbs. Its clearly the best of both worlds that you cannot get if you live in the city..

If it's so great and you have found your little slice of paradise, why the need to rip other's choices? Why the need to tout the supposed superiority of suburban living?

Could it be that you are trying to convince yourself it's as great as your real estate agent told you it was before you moved?

In all seriousness. If you are happy then that's great. That in itself would eliminate the need to come through and slam folks who love city living. I am a former New Yorker and you couldn't pay me to move to any suburb. It just isn't for me. Every place a person lives will have positive and negatives. They exist in the suburbs too.

[frankgn87]

All very valid points... At least you know where I am coming from.. The point I am making is that the thugs travel to section where people have $$ to rob.. Be carerful

Originally Posted by jtom605

Each person will have a different perspective. If you live in an up-and-coming neighborhood or nice/affluent area (like most people on this board seem to), you probably believe the city is improving by leaps and bounds. If you live in the ghetto or NE Philly, you probably think the city is getting worse or not changing at all. In addition, I would assume that most people on this forum are very interested and invested in Philadelphia, and therefore are more likely to be postive about the future of the city.


High crime and low quality public schools are clearly holding our city back. Even if you never have to venture into places like Hunting Park and Southwest Philly, that doesn't mean you shouldn't care about the crime in those places. First of all, the murder rate of our city reflects poorly on Philadelphia as a whole, especially when the national media start pumping out reports about it. And not all crime is confined to the ghetto. Just the other day, there was a shooting in Center City and a shooting in Society Hill on the same night. Thugs can get around...

[Tone509]

Let's return this thread to its original intent of celebrating the city's growth relative to the suburbs. We've already confirmed that the growth is due to positive reasons.