Is squirrel hill (southwest philly) safe? (Chester, Springfield: apartment, crime, houses)

[Phillyfinest]

Im moving to west philly near the university city area. The apartment is called the florence flats and its located on s 49th and florence ave. is this area safe?

[Clark Park]

Originally Posted by Phillyfinest

Im moving to west philly near the university city area. The apartment is called the florence flats and its located on s 49th and florence ave. is this area safe?

Squirrel Hill is on a border. It's where University City meets West Philly. It's not the best part of the district ... certainly it is not 42nd and Spruce ... but it's not terrible or the worst either. There is crime in that area though, and typical criminal activity includes armed robberies and muggings. If you're going to be living there I suggest you fine tune your "street smarts" skills and be very careful after dark. Hide your electric devices like smart phones and laptops.

On the other hand you're just a block and half from the #34 Trolley stop (on Baltimore Ave.), a block away from The Gold Standard Cafe, and also Calvary Center (a former imposing church that has evolved into a local community center). Other nearby places worth visiting is the Cedar Park Cafe, Dock Street Brew Pub, Mariposa Food Co-op, and the Bar(n) bar. A lot of younger people of all races live there because properties even a few blocks closer to Penn and USP are pricier.

[Phillyfinest]

Originally Posted by Clark Park

Squirrel Hill is on a border. It's where University City meets West Philly. It's not the best part of the district ... certainly it is not 42nd and Spruce ... but it's not terrible or the worst either. There is crime in that area though, and typical criminal activity includes armed robberies and muggings. If you're going to be living there I suggest you fine tune your "street smarts" skills and be very careful after dark. Hide your electric devices like smart phones and laptops.

On the other hand you're just a block and half from the #34 Trolley stop (on Baltimore Ave.), a block away from The Gold Standard Cafe, and also Calvary Center (a former imposing church that has evolved into a local community center). Other nearby places worth visiting is the Cedar Park Cafe, Dock Street Brew Pub, Mariposa Food Co-op, and the Bar(n) bar. A lot of younger people of all races live there because properties even a few blocks closer to Penn and USP are pricier.

Crime does happen in all of university city tho.you have to be careful everywhere you go.

Well i didnt know crime happened that frequently in that area. Maybe i should choose another location

[Clark Park]

Originally Posted by Phillyfinest

Crime does happen in all of university city tho.you have to be careful everywhere you go.

Well i didnt know crime happened that frequently in that area. Maybe i should choose another location

That's is true, but 49th and Florence is outside the heavily patrolled district served by Penn Police (they don't go west of 44th or 45th Streets and not south of Baltimore Ave.) or the University City Street Ambassador program. As I mentioned before, this is NOT 39th and Chestnut or 42nd and Spruce or even 46th and Pine. You will be moving just outside the border of the University City District. Just 2 or 3 blocks west of there, over the tracks, you're in the South West Philly 'Hood. I know people who live on 48th Street near Springfield and they like their neighborhood. 48th Street south of Baltimore Ave. is actually quite beautiful with stately Victorian "Twin" types houses.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by Clark Park

That's is true, but 49th and Florence is outside the heavily patrolled district served by Penn Police (they don't go west of 44th or 45th Streets and not south of Baltimore Ave.) or the University City Street Ambassador program. As I mentioned before, this is NOT 39th and Chestnut or 42nd and Spruce or even 46th and Pine. You will be moving just outside the border of the University City District. Just 2 or 3 blocks west of there, over the tracks, you're in the South West Philly 'Hood. I know people who live on 48th Street near Springfield and they like their neighborhood. 48th Street south of Baltimore Ave. is actually quite beautiful with stately Victorian "Twin" types houses.

I had friends who lived on 48th,49th and 50th below Baltimore, on Springfield, Chester and Kingsessing. They never had any problems there. And, agreed, some of the houses are huge and amazing.

[thedirtypirate]

Originally Posted by kyb01

And, agreed, some of the houses are huge and amazing.

I don't know much about this area at all but my girlfriend and I went to the last Baltimore Ave. Dollar Stroll and got off the mfl at 52nd. Coming from the other side of the river, I appreciate the different styles of west philly. Really interesting.

I like the looks of the block. I often determine to walk or not down a street by how well taken care of the front stoops are.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9476...8i6656!6m1!1e1

if this were you are thinking about living I doubt you would be an outlier. It isn't like you are trying to move to 20th and Ontario. you are on the edge and appear to already have your wits about you.

[Phillyfinest]

I need more opinions yall

[FamousBlueRaincoat]

Originally Posted by Phillyfinest

I need more opinions yall

I semi-frequently use 49th Street Station on the weekends (as it lines up with the Chestnut Hill East line, where I'm coming from) and walk north towards Baltimore and always thought the neighborhood was fine.

Actually, I looked at an apartment not far from there years ago. I like the neighborhood just fine - but I haven't lived in a college/young person oriented neighborhood since my sophomore year of college, and just didn't want to. That's what a lot of people do want though, and it's a quite nice area to do so.

[Phillyfinest]

Originally Posted by FamousBlueRaincoat

I semi-frequently use 49th Street Station on the weekends (as it lines up with the Chestnut Hill East line, where I'm coming from) and walk north towards Baltimore and always thought the neighborhood was fine.

Actually, I looked at an apartment not far from there years ago. I like the neighborhood just fine - but I haven't lived in a college/young person oriented neighborhood since my sophomore year of college, and just didn't want to. That's what a lot of people do want though, and it's a quite nice area to do so.

Thank you.appreciate your help

[Phillyfinest]

In the apartment review. The neighborhood had 0 stars?