Where do you see philly in 20 years (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: condos, school)

[Clark Park]

Where do I see Philly 20 years from now?

I see a huge surge in population ... over 2.25 million people living here - posing a threat to Houston as the 4th most populous city in the US (because everyone is driving electric cars now and Houston's oil industry has gone bust). Pennsylvania as a state has overtaken Illinois in population and is in 5th place. I see at least 4 or 5 new "super-tall" (over 1,000 feet in height) skyscrapers completed here, making Philly's skyline third only to NYC and Chicago. I see large regions of northeast Philly being revitalized and gentrified - places like Mayfair, Tacony, and Bridesburg are fashionable residential neighborhoods the way Northern Liberties and University City are now.

Well I can dream can't I?

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by Clark Park

Where do I see Philly 20 years from now?

I see a huge surge in population ... over 2.25 million people living here - posing a threat to Houston as the 4th most populous city in the US (because everyone is driving electric cars now and Houston's oil industry has gone bust). Pennsylvania as a state has overtaken Illinois in population and is in 5th place. I see at least 4 or 5 new "super-tall" (over 1,000 feet in height) skyscrapers completed here, making Philly's skyline third only to NYC and Chicago. I see large regions of northeast Philly being revitalized and gentrified - places like Mayfair, Tacony, and Bridesburg are fashionable residential neighborhoods the way Northern Liberties and University City are now.

Well I can dream can't I?

What a dream. I think PA will overtake IL in population though.

[2002 Subaru]

Originally Posted by Clark Park

Where do I see Philly 20 years from now?

I see a huge surge in population ... over 2.25 million people living here - posing a threat to Houston as the 4th most populous city in the US (because everyone is driving electric cars now and Houston's oil industry has gone bust). Pennsylvania as a state has overtaken Illinois in population and is in 5th place. I see at least 4 or 5 new "super-tall" (over 1,000 feet in height) skyscrapers completed here, making Philly's skyline third only to NYC and Chicago. I see large regions of northeast Philly being revitalized and gentrified - places like Mayfair, Tacony, and Bridesburg are fashionable residential neighborhoods the way Northern Liberties and University City are now.

Well I can dream can't I?

Bridesburg is part of the River Wards, not NE Philly.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by Clark Park

Where do I see Philly 20 years from now?

I see a huge surge in population ... over 2.25 million people living here - posing a threat to Houston as the 4th most populous city in the US (because everyone is driving electric cars now and Houston's oil industry has gone bust). Pennsylvania as a state has overtaken Illinois in population and is in 5th place. I see at least 4 or 5 new "super-tall" (over 1,000 feet in height) skyscrapers completed here, making Philly's skyline third only to NYC and Chicago. I see large regions of northeast Philly being revitalized and gentrified - places like Mayfair, Tacony, and Bridesburg are fashionable residential neighborhoods the way Northern Liberties and University City are now.

Well I can dream can't I?

Yeah, dream on... although, being a native, I like your dream.

However I simply do not see that kind of surge in population. You're suggesting that it could be as large(or larger) than it was 60 years ago. But without the jobs materializing, no, it won't happen.

I could see Philly maybe getting to 1.8 million. That's a stretch too without the jobs.

[TheWiseWino]

This is of course would happen right after the Eagles win the Superbowl and the 76's win the NBA Championship and the Phillies win the World Series in the same year or there about! Either way it is all fine with me but what's going on in NY or DC while all this gold is dropping down to Philly?

Rizzo's head of HUD and who is president again??? Tomey.. right!

That's about the only way that this would come about and the federal indictments would have to be chasing them right up to inauguration day! Oh well.

[Duderino]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Yeah, dream on... although, being a native, I like your dream.

However I simply do not see that kind of surge in population. You're suggesting that it could be as large(or larger) than it was 60 years ago. But without the jobs materializing, no, it won't happen.

I could see Philly maybe getting to 1.8 million. That's a stretch too without the jobs.

Agree that economic factors are crucial, but I think we're all under-estimating other factors like climate change that will cause a need, or at least a strong desire, to shift living patterns pretty substantially in the next 20-50 years. Severe flooding, drought, hurricanes, earthquakes--none of us can predict how bad these things may become in much of the world, but the trajectory is not looking good.

Income inequality also shows no signs of stopping, and the imbalance in the income to cost-of-living ratio I suspect will create more and more "refugees" from metros in the coastal Northeast and the West Coast.

Not that Philly is immune to all of this, nor do I at all desire any city's demise, but Philly, being as stable as it is, appears to be fairly buffered by a lot of potentially dooming scenarios compared to many other cities/metro areas and thus a very good long-term bet for growth.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by Duderino

Agree that economic factors are crucial, but I think we're all under-estimating other factors like climate change that will cause a need, or at least a strong desire, to shift living patterns pretty substantially in the next 20-50 years. Severe flooding, drought, hurricanes, earthquakes--none of us can predict how bad these things may become in much of the world, but the trajectory is not looking good.

Income inequality also shows no signs of stopping, and the imbalance in the income to cost-of-living ratio I suspect will create more and more "refugees" from metros in the coastal Northeast and the West Coast.

Not that Philly is immune to all of this, nor do I at all desire any city's demise, but Philly, being as stable as it is, appears to be fairly buffered by a lot of potentially dooming scenarios compared to many other cities/metro areas and thus a very good long-term bet for growth.

Some of the predictions I've read indicated that rising sea levels will impact Phila. river and creek systems enough that portions of Center City, S. Philly or Kelly Drive could be under water. But I don't think Phila. will face what Miami will.

[civis]

Phila will become even more dirty and dangerous, newer generations will be wanting more but willing to do much less, and diversity will eventually force all decent people to leave to burbs.
Basically Phila will become a giant jail, but with a lot of diversity.

[PhillyPhan95]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Some of the predictions I've read indicated that rising sea levels will impact Phila. river and creek systems enough that portions of Center City, S. Philly or Kelly Drive could be under water. But I don't think Phila. will face what Miami will.

I've actually read the opposite, that Philly is actually pretty well situated for rising sea levels. At the very least, it will be easier and cheaper for us to mitigate the effects as compared to Miami, NYC, Boston, and Baltimore.

[thedirtypirate]

Originally Posted by civis

Phila will become even more dirty and dangerous, newer generations will be wanting more but willing to do much less, and diversity will eventually force all decent people to leave to burbs.
Basically Phila will become a giant jail, but with a lot of diversity.

nah