Do you think Philly is getting better or worse? (King of Prussia: 2014, homes)

[taha-nj]

better or worse from what? compared to 1890...worse, compared to 1990, better.

[mancat100]

Originally Posted by taha-nj

better or worse from what? compared to 1890...worse, compared to 1990, better.

1890? I don't know about that. Hundreds of thousands of rowhomes with no indoor plumbing?

[rotodome]

Originally Posted by mancat100

1890? I don't know about that. Hundreds of thousands of rowhomes with no indoor plumbing?

And 1990, with no WWW?? The horrors!

[tintin19119]

Like most big cities some parts of Philly is heading in the right direction and other areas are not.

[foo cities]

It is getting better. Downtown is improving with more developments.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Originally Posted by Summersm343

^^ And someone from the San Francisco Bay Area

No, I voted wurst. Weiswurst, knackwurst, bratwurst ...

[Duderino]

I think there is definitely a general consensus that Philly's decades-long decline bottomed out about 10-15 years ago, and it has been slowly but surely improving ever since. It's reached a tipping point where its improvements in livability have positioned the city to enter a new era of an upward spiral. It's a legitimate urban core at the center of a prosperous major metropolitan region. There are very few areas of the country that can claim that.

To be sure, the city is far from a utopia. Too many areas of the city still have abysmal poverty rates, awful crime and just plain desperation. These areas of the city cannot be ignored and left out of the conversation forever, or Philly's momentum will be stunted.

Nevertheless, many of the cities leaders have coalesced to make sure that there are long-term improvements in the city's economy, infrastructure, crime rate, education, cultural institutions, and general development/planning. It really does seem like the city has its act together like never before (debates over property taxes and school closures not withstanding, which while painful now, will eventually help the city in the long-term when they're resolved).

Especially with the newfound realization of the critical importance of our urban centers, I think it's clear that the city's positive momentum will increase even more as the global economy recovers.

[scosm]

Originally Posted by BayAreaHillbilly

No, I voted wurst. Weiswurst, knackwurst, bratwurst ...

and best of all, liverwurst!

[Clark Park]

Well, my neighborhood of Spruce Hill in University City has gotten better in the dozen years since I first moved here. A little safer (my house once had iron bars on the first floor windows), but certainly cleaner and more attractive. Can't say the same for other neighborhoods, though.

[FindingZen]

Whether or not Philly is better or worse, depending on where one tends to spend their time and what quality of life issues are most important. Obviously, that is going to be different from person to person.

Obviously Center City has improved tremendously over the last twenty or so years, the effects of which have radiated out to parts of North and South Philly. Penn and Drexel's investments have helped University City to the point where, like Center City with some North Philly 'hoods, there is some debate about the official boundaries of University and the rest of West Philly.

Of course, gentrification is a double-edged sword. It's great if you're a bit too cash-poor for a "hot" area but are willing to take a chance on an up-and-coming area. It's not so great if you're a current resident whose rent got kicked up out of reach or whose property taxes have soared sky-high due to the structural improvements around you.

Some of the latter end up in areas where resident population has dropped and housing becomes more affordable. It's likely one thing if the new arrivals are buying the homes or at least paying rent from gainful employment. It's sometimes another if they are receiving cash assistance. Some people can be more appreciative of the opportunity than others. Obviously this situation is playing out in the Lower Northeast and perhaps moving upward.

Despite the improvements on and near the river wards, Brewerytown and Temple among others as well as the consistency of Fairmount, there's still a pretty huge swath of despair in North Philly.

In NW Philly, Germantown can be a mixed bag but much of the rest of it is fine IMO.

In terms of the people attracted to the city, present and prospective younger professionals and empty nesters are likely more optimistic than families with school-age children.