Retail coming to Philadelphia (Washington, Ardmore: new home, enrollment, borough)

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by cpomp

Bala never had a small town, walkable vibe like Ardmore or Media, so you think people would applaud development, but it all comes down to cranky neighbors who do not like change.

No, but it did have a neighborhood business strip along Bala Avenue. It even had a theater, and there are fitful efforts to reopen it.

But thanks for reminding me that I should pay a visit to the NoBa project sometime soon.

[Hannah5555]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

No, but it did have a neighborhood business strip along Bala Avenue. It even had a theater, and there are fitful efforts to reopen it.

But thanks for reminding me that I should pay a visit to the NoBa project sometime soon.

They are in the process of renovating that strip right now but I didn’t see a movie theater.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by Hannah5555

So I’ve been driving around Bala Cynwyd / City Ave lately because my care dealership is up here and I needed to get recalls on my car resolved. Wondering who goes to Saks and Lord and Taylor? The area doesn’t seem large enough to support two huge stores like these and I noticed the parking lots are pretty empty. I may go to L&T when the car is done though. St. Joseph’s has a nice campus .

Once upon a time, back in the 70s, there was a developer(southbound may remember this person's name) who speculated that that area would be the perfect spot to put very high end shopping. This was years before KoP was anything but a strip mall/shopping center. It made sense, in a certain respect, for many of the same reasons that KoP became what it is now: next to the Main Line( including one of the most affluent towns in the entire Phila. region(Gladwyne)) and the convergence of major traffic arteries(City Ave/Belmont Ave and the Schuylkill Exp). End result though: Saks was built and nothing else was.

L&Ts predates everything said above( as does Bala shopping center) and has been there for 50+ years.

I didn't know you had a car, btw. Since you do if you go out there again drive west on Belmont Ave and take any side street. Or any side street off of Montgomery Ave, westbound. It will give you an idea of why those stores have been there and continue to be there.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by cpomp

I am actually surprised that Lord & Taylor hasn't closed yet. That is the only Saks in the area and there are a lot of wealthy people who lived not too far from it, which is why it is still around.

Other posters can chime in, but I think Bala had a plan or becoming a more dense shopping districts decades ago, and that never really materialized.

I am glad those stores still there though, spreads the retail a bit rather than have it solely at KoP. But those stores could use some sprucing up.

Correct. There were plans to beef out the shopping in that area. Basically an extension of Bala shopping center, northward, along City Ave/City Line toward NBC10(which was originally a CBS affiliate). Too bad it didn't happen.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by Hannah5555

I’m in LT right now and it’s surprisingly busy. At least in the shoe dept 😀. There’s a lot of construction on Bala Ave. Guy at the dealership said they’re renovating that whole street so maybe there’s more to follow.

Oh, that's very good news!

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by KansastoSouthphilly

No sales tax on clothes.

Plus being just past the city border, with MontCo, Hannah would only pay 6%. on other stuff.

[Hannah5555]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Once upon a time, back in the 70s, there was a developer(southbound may remember this person's name) who speculated that that area would be the perfect spot to put very high end shopping. This was years before KoP was anything but a strip mall/shopping center. It made sense, in a certain respect, for many of the same reasons that KoP became what it is now: next to the Main Line( including one of the most affluent towns in the entire Phila. region(Gladwyne)) and the convergence of major traffic arteries(City Ave/Belmont Ave and the Schuylkill Exp). End result though: Saks was built and nothing else was.

L&Ts predates everything said above( as does Bala shopping center) and has been there for 50+ years.

I didn't know you had a car, btw. Since you do if you go out there again drive west on Belmont Ave and take any side street. Or any side street off of Montgomery Ave, westbound. It will give you an idea of why those stores have been there and continue to be there.

I had the car shipped earlier this summer. Too many weekends when I waited till the last minute and rentals weren't available, buses were full and trains prohibitively expensive. I have done that drive btw. Homes are awesome .

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Correct. There were plans to beef out the shopping in that area. Basically an extension of Bala shopping center, northward, along City Ave/City Line toward NBC10(which was originally a CBS affiliate). Too bad it didn't happen.

The land next to WCAU originally belonged to the station, when the station belonged to the Bulletin. I worked with men who moved with the station from the original site in Center City. That land is where they did Action in the Afternoon.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by southbound_295

The land next to WCAU originally belonged to the station, when the station belonged to the Bulletin. I worked with men who moved with the station from the original site in Center City. That land is where they did Action in the Afternoon.

Lol.... You and I are the only ones here who remember Action in the Afternoon!

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Lol.... You and I are the only ones here who remember Action in the Afternoon!

I know. I worked with guys who were near retirement who had worked on it as techs when they were young men. They did it live, long before satellites. It went out to the country via phone lines. I imagine young people will be surprised that a western was done across the street from Philadelphia.