In seeing this term-Negadelphian. Has Philly gotten past it yet? What will improve it yet besides just genrtrification? (Philadelphia: 2013, city hall)

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by toobusytoday

I have to say that this is not unique to Philadelphia. I live close to Allentown and I can't tell you how many people that have lived here their whole lives talk about how wonderful Allentown was when they were growing up. Since we moved here at maybe it's lowest point, we tend to just just see how far it's come, and it's core has really gotten nicer in the last five years. Many of those same people have the same thoughts about Philadelphia - thinking it's still stuck in the 80's- because they haven't visited in the last decade. People just need to get out more.

I hear the same thing with Media. It has become a hotspot for high-end development and I see all these ridiculous comments on Media's Facebook page about "bringing back the good ole days" and "we don't want to be Philadelphia" -- Yet these are the same people who complain about small businesses and restaurants struggling, but never thought about how just maybe the dozens of families paying $500k for a home in the borough might actually shop and eat in town! Who knew!?

[ionlyused59]

I disagree that "nobody wants to see the city remain a cesspool." There are people that would rather continue living in their dirty, trash strewn neighborhoods than open up and allow for change. They like it just the way is.

By the way I am not referring to the blue collar workers who I have much respect for.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by cpomp

I hear the same thing with Media. It has become a hotspot for high-end development and I see all these ridiculous comments on Media's Facebook page about "bringing back the good ole days" and "we don't want to be Philadelphia" -- Yet these are the same people who complain about small businesses and restaurants struggling, but never thought about how just maybe the dozens of families paying $500k for a home in the borough might actually shop and eat in town! Who knew!?

Do you have any clue what "good ole days" they are talking about?! The old Media I remember from years back was getting " stuck" with jury duty(yeah, I lived in Delco for a while)going to the court house and leaving immediately once you were done for the day. Nothing to keep you there to explore.

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Do you have any clue what "good ole days" they are talking about?! The old Media I remember from years back was getting " stuck" with jury duty(yeah, I lived in Delco for a while)going to the court house and leaving immediately once you were done for the day. Nothing to keep you there to explore.

I think maybe they enjoyed their small town, lack of anything to do atmosphere? Now these cranky people see new apartments, snazzy restaurants, millennials, people wearing lululemon clothes with their Starbucks lattes, and they think its attack of the yuppies and hipsters lol.


And of course people complain about too much traffic due to the influx of residents. If you don't like people and traffic you probably shouldn't live in Delaware County, which is one of the most densely populated counties in the state.

[2002 Subaru]

Originally Posted by MB1562

The fact remains, it is some (not all) Negedelphian natives who hold this city back, not the transplants who have brought about the revitalization of the city.

Don't pat yourself on the back too hard, you might bruise.

[briantroutman]

Originally Posted by toobusytoday

I have to say that this is not unique to Philadelphia. I live close to Allentown...

Originally Posted by cpomp

I hear the same thing with Media...

I’d go further and say that the phenomenon isn’t unique to the 215 and 610 area codes. In my sleepy hometown in central PA, downtown has made a remarkable comeback since I was a child in the ’80s and ’90s. And yet a lot of natives over 50 reminisce about how wonderful downtown “used to be” and still lament how far downhill it’s gone since then—as if the turnaround never happened.

In part, the dichotomy seems to be a matter of perspective. I think some Baby Boomers and their elders remember downtown (in whatever city) being a busy, bustling place back in the ’50s or ’60s, and they watched as time-honored businesses folded in the following decades. And in their minds, downtown is forever frozen at it’s nadir—in the ’70s, ’80s, or ’90s (depending on the city)...whenever they finally moved out to the suburbs or stopped going downtown.

On the other hand, many people my age remember growing up at a time when you almost never went downtown—only if you had government business of some kind. The few businesses downtown were anachronistic, unfashionable lunch counters and staid retailers like stationery stores, many of which had been there for decades. In recent years, those aging lunch counters and stationary stores have bitten the dust, and local espresso bars and microbreweries serving braised tofu wings have taken their place.

And I think that gets at the other source of resentment: Some people’s discontent is perhaps more rooted in how the world has changed since downtown’s earlier glory days. The people they see on the street are different; they aren’t dressed as nicely. Some of the new businesses and cuisines are alien to the long-timers—reiki, vegan...what are these? And the stores and restaurants are perhaps more representative of a yuppie class at leisure—not a working class carefully spending an honest day’s wages. I think my father summed up the attitude in a recent disagreement about downtown’s revitalization “Well...those aren’t real businesses,” he said.

Just one person’s observation.

[timeEd32]

Originally Posted by cpomp

I think maybe they enjoyed their small town, lack of anything to do atmosphere? Now these cranky people see new apartments, snazzy restaurants, millennials, people wearing lululemon clothes with their Starbucks lattes, and they think its attack of the yuppies and hipsters lol.


And of course people complain about too much traffic due to the influx of residents. If you don't like people and traffic you probably shouldn't live in Delaware County, which is one of the most densely populated counties in the state.

There's at least some of this in every town/city that's changing in some way - every time a new complex is announced in Ardmore a group of people freak's out about how "their" town is changing, traffic, etc. The same thing happened in the suburban towns we lived in and around in North Jersey. It's even more pronounced when people feel like they are being displaced or priced out.

[MB1562]

Originally Posted by 2002 Subaru

Don't pat yourself on the back too hard, you might bruise.

Like it or not, the city started to improve as new people moved in and outside money began to be spent in the city.

[2002 Subaru]

Originally Posted by MB1562

Like it or not, the city started to improve as new people moved in and outside money began to be spent in the city.

As long as my property value increases I'm happy ... I'm only asking you to be a little more open-minded and understanding.
BTW, SOME of the city started to improve, while other parts of the city began to decline. And the public schools are generally still rancid.

[DavePa]

Originally Posted by briantroutman

I’d go further and say that the phenomenon isn’t unique to the 215 and 610 area codes. In my sleepy hometown in central PA, downtown has made a remarkable comeback since I was a child in the ’80s and ’90s. And yet a lot of natives over 50 reminisce about how wonderful downtown “used to be” and still lament how far downhill it’s gone since then—as if the turnaround never happened.

In part, the dichotomy seems to be a matter of perspective. I think some Baby Boomers and their elders remember downtown (in whatever city) being a busy, bustling place back in the ’50s or ’60s, and they watched as time-honored businesses folded in the following decades. And in their minds, downtown is forever frozen at it’s nadir—in the ’70s, ’80s, or ’90s (depending on the city)...whenever they finally moved out to the suburbs or stopped going downtown.

On the other hand, many people my age remember growing up at a time when you almost never went downtown—only if you had government business of some kind. The few businesses downtown were anachronistic, unfashionable lunch counters and staid retailers like stationery stores, many of which had been there for decades. In recent years, those aging lunch counters and stationary stores have bitten the dust, and local espresso bars and microbreweries serving braised tofu wings have taken their place.

And I think that gets at the other source of resentment: Some people’s discontent is perhaps more rooted in how the world has changed since downtown’s earlier glory days. The people they see on the street are different; they aren’t dressed as nicely. Some of the new businesses and cuisines are alien to the long-timers—reiki, vegan...what are these? And the stores and restaurants are perhaps more representative of a yuppie class at leisure—not a working class carefully spending an honest day’s wages. I think my father summed up the attitude in a recent disagreement about downtown’s revitalization “Well...those aren’t real businesses,” he said.

Just one person’s observation.

Isn't this EXTREME? People definitely have to acknowledge how downtowns seeing reviving are improving. They know the new is by new generations and NEVER going to be as they knew. They surely know why they knew WAS LOST FIRST TOO.
It is always hard to see improving that changes, removes or does NOT restore it as they remember. The response is not then a - resounding hurray, yippy and amazing. But they surely know it was better then decay, neglect and full removal.

I remember my hometown downtown fully yet vibrant in the 60s as a kid. The 70s erased so much and the 80s killed much with malls and big outlying department sores becoming King. But even the 80s had aspects of much vibrancy in areas that even thy is gone. Cruising downtown was big even where people still congregated nights. That even is long gone.

I remember my fathers stories of what was. I can now tell stories to of what was. New things can happen now and come back to thy downtown. But des not mean I'm leaping in the great new addition? I know aspects of what was and maybe to me it was still superior. BUT I KNOW YOU CAN'T GO BACK.

When I lived in Chicago in the early 80s leaving PA. Its downtown still was knocked down from its glory days of my relatives stories. The shopping the crowds before White-Flight took a toll. My relatives NEVER AGAIN were interesting in going downtown. It was a No-Go Zone to them a product of White-Flight.
They were not alone. Few boasted of downtown even though it gained the tallest building in the world. Especially suburbanites. TODAY that is 100% more Pride in their Core. But far less remember the gory it once held, some totally lost and restored or re-purposed differently many times. Some things replaced too.

Philly should be no different. They all know its Core is reviving and renewing. The level may or may not be different? But even the worst Negadelphian knows the cores improvements despite no - resounding hurray, yippy and amazing.

Their neighborhoods may be another story.....

Transplants generally ONLY have the new improvements and replacements to rejoice in. They we hear most from on C-D it seems (not all). Those new transplants did not know the Old Philly or were there for its downturn and decay. So only a resounding - hurray, yippy and amazing story they tell on C-D.