What happened around here?

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by selhars

I do want to answer the question. But not derail the thread.


Philly born and raised. And I actually love this area as far as location is concerned. And praise it to others who don't live here or know it well.
- Perfectly situated between NY and DC (and further north and south Boston and Atlanta)
- Shore to the east, mountains to the north (east/west). They're not the Rockies, but mountains.)
- Some of THE best cultural, educational, medical institutions.
- Major international airport. All kinds of ethnic cuisines. Some major retail in the area.
- And, I'm sure other things that don't come to me.

I just realized going back 10 or 15 years ago that I (or anyone else really) don't need to LIVE in the city (be a city resident) to take advantage of all those plusses and amenities.

Longtime friends (of decades, we met in HS and college) moved out of the city 35 years ago. One to South Jersey, the other, to Springfield, Del Co. And it occurred to me a long time ago -- wait a minute...they come into the city all the time, worked in the city....go to plays and restaurants, fly out through the airport, visit the medical facilities.....and they don't have to deal with (put up with)....any -- any -- of the city's issues -- whatever they may be.

So, the short answer is I'd likely move to either:
First choices: Swarthmore, Springfield, Bala Cynwyd, Wynnewood or Ardmore -- throw in Broomall or Havertown
Second choices: Media area, Rose Tree, Nether Providence
Third choices: Aldan, Glenolden, Woodlyn, Holmes, Crum Lynne, Folsom, Morton

And even if I hit a super lottery jackpot. I'd still remain based in the area.
I don't want to leave the area -- just the city. Culturally I believe those areas are a better fit for me.

I'm not hating on the city. I just don't see an actual tangible, affect-my-life everyday benefit to being a city resident. That's all.

I totally get it. Ardmore would be a top choice for me if I were to live in the burbs.
Another plus, Philadelphia has some of the best suburbs in the nation. Little nodes of walk-ability, history, culture, great food, etc., and relatively easy access to Philadelphia. Only a handful of US cities have comparable burbs.

Although the secret is out, the real estate market in the suburbs these days is crazy.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by selhars

I do want to answer the question. But not derail the thread.


Philly born and raised. And I actually love this area as far as location is concerned. And praise it to others who don't live here or know it well.
- Perfectly situated between NY and DC (and further north and south Boston and Atlanta)
- Shore to the east, mountains to the north (east/west). They're not the Rockies, but mountains.)
- Some of THE best cultural, educational, medical institutions.
- Major international airport. All kinds of ethnic cuisines. Some major retail in the area.
- And, I'm sure other things that don't come to me.

I just realized going back 10 or 15 years ago that I (or anyone else really) don't need to LIVE in the city (be a city resident) to take advantage of all those plusses and amenities.

Longtime friends (of decades, we met in HS and college) moved out of the city 35 years ago. One to South Jersey, the other, to Springfield, Del Co. And it occurred to me a long time ago -- wait a minute...they come into the city all the time, worked in the city....go to plays and restaurants, fly out through the airport, visit the medical facilities.....and they don't have to deal with (put up with)....any -- any -- of the city's issues -- whatever they may be.

So, the short answer is I'd likely move to either:
First choices: Swarthmore, Springfield, Bala Cynwyd, Wynnewood or Ardmore -- throw in Broomall or Havertown
Second choices: Media area, Rose Tree, Nether Providence
Third choices: Aldan, Glenolden, Woodlyn, Holmes, Crum Lynne, Folsom, Morton

And even if I hit a super lottery jackpot. I'd still remain based in the area.
I don't want to leave the area -- just the city. Culturally I believe those areas are a better fit for me.

I'm not hating on the city. I just don't see an actual tangible, affect-my-life everyday benefit to being a city resident. That's all.

Keep your eye out for the June issue of Phillymag. I've got a front-of-the-book article in it about the 53,000 people the city has lost since 2020. (That's a good chunk of the nearly 89,000 residents it gained in the previous two decades. Most of the loss came in the pandemic year, but there have still been losses in the two years since, according to Census Bureau estimates.)

In it, I quote a Southwest Philly resident who recently moved to Upper Darby, She sounds an awful lot like you do in the passage I boldfaced. Well, actually, her comments are a little more critical.

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

Keep your eye out for the June issue of Phillymag. I've got a front-of-the-book article in it about the 53,000 people the city has lost since 2020. (That's a good chunk of the nearly 89,000 residents it gained in the previous two decades. Most of the loss came in the pandemic year, but there have still been losses in the two years since, according to Census Bureau estimates.)

Since it is Kentucky Derby day, I wager the population loss in Philadelphia is significantly less than what the questionable census estimate (not count) suggests.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by cpomp

Since it is Kentucky Derby day, I wager the population loss in Philadelphia is significantly less than what the questionable census estimate (not count) suggests.

I did some nosing around on the subject of Census estimate accuracy while reporting this story, but what I found wasn't enough for me to feel comfortable including the question "But how accurate is this estimate?" in the story.

[selhars]

Even with those losses, though, the city population is still a net plus.

As long as those newbies are -- and yes, I said it -- "the right kind of people" -- that's a good thing.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by selhars

Even with those losses, though, the city population is still a net plus.

As long as those newbies are -- and yes, I said it -- "the right kind of people" -- that's a good thing.

I'll clue you in on one aspect of the story:

In not only Philadelphia but also most of the nation's nine other biggest cities (which as of now also constitute all US cities with 1 million or more inhabitants; there are nine of those) as well as all of the large cities of the Northeast (Baltimore, Boston and Washington all rank below the top 10), net population gains come from one or both of these sources: natural increase (births exceeding deaths) and immigration from abroad.

Net domestic migration has been outward from most of our nation's largest cities for more than three decades (and even longer than that in most cases).

And it turns out that here, as in most of our peers, immigration from abroad has added more residents than natural increase has.

Are those "the right kind of people"? I think your use of that term might lead me to conclude that your answer would be No. But to our restatuants, it's definitely Yes — the same immigrants from Mexico who have revived the Italian Market's lower reaches also keep our restaurant kitchens humming, and one of those immigrants has opened her own highly praised eatery, South Philly Barbacoa (on 9th Street, no less). The Chinese immgrants who no longer find New York within their pay grade have also boosted Mayfair's flagging fortunes in the Northeast. And so on, and so on.

And if I am wrong in my assumption, I apologize in advance.

[selhars]

Please note that I didn't say anything about immigration.
Wherever the person came from before Philly -- the country of Georgia -- or the state of Georgia ....the right kind of person is the best of the best.....

And/or also, I suppose.... one who will law abidingly contribute to society -- not drain its coffers, or use more in social program funding than s/he adds to the economy.

Let's not answer it here, but -- does a U of P researcher bring the city more of a "value-add" than a dishwasher? I won't give my opinion on that. But I do have one.

I just want the best for the city. The rubber always meets the road where people disagree about what that entails. Just saw a story about the area called St. George, which is seceding from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to form its own city....due to a difference of opinion about..... "what is best."

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by selhars

Please note that I didn't say anything about immigration.
Wherever the person came from before Philly -- the country of Georgia -- or the state of Georgia ....the right kind of person is the best of the best.....

And/or also, I suppose.... one who will law abidingly contribute to society -- not drain its coffers, or use more in social program funding than s/he adds to the economy.

Let's not answer it here, but -- does a U of P researcher bring the city more of a "value-add" than a dishwasher? I won't give my opinion on that. But I do have one.

I just want the best for the city. The rubber always meets the road where people disagree about what that entails. Just saw a story about the area called St. George, which is seceding from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to form its own city....due to a difference of opinion about..... "what is best."

Someone has to wash the dishes and feed the researchers and other upper-income folks in NYC, DC, Boston, SF, etc. and they often have to either come from far away from the city or the ever-shrinking affordable neighborhoods within.

I just looked up the story about "St. George" and Baton Rouge. It's essentially if Chestnut Hill succeeded where "Liberty County" could not.

[thedirtypirate]

The last 10 comments are a perfect illustration of 'What happened to this place?' lol..


What kept this place going for a long time was the new posters asking different questions. That's slowed to a crawl with the advent of more social and advanced websites. Now it's the same, 6-12 posters on every board keeping the dream of the 2000s internet forum alive having the same circular conversations over and over. Personally, I had a lot of fun talking about cities on here and it definitely elevated my interest of urbanism, demographics, etc.

The good news is the city survived the pandemic fine. Crime is back down to near 60-year low, unemployment is at a 30-year low, Kensington is being cleaned up. Food scene is still strong. Sports teams are competitive and selling out. Center City West, U City, and Navy Yard are seeing new Class-A office buildings. Bellweather district has broke ground on the first buildings. Building a new park at Penn's Landing. Rebuilding FDR park. Maybe building an arena downtown w/ no taxpayer money.

All in all, things are better around here than they have been for a long time.

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by thedirtypirate

The last 10 comments are a perfect illustration of 'What happened to this place?' lol..


What kept this place going for a long time was the new posters asking different questions. That's slowed to a crawl with the advent of more social and advanced websites. Now it's the same, 6-12 posters on every board keeping the dream of the 2000s internet forum alive having the same circular conversations over and over. Personally, I had a lot of fun talking about cities on here and it definitely elevated my interest of urbanism, demographics, etc.

The good news is the city survived the pandemic fine. Crime is back down to near 60-year low, unemployment is at a 30-year low, Kensington is being cleaned up. Food scene is still strong. Sports teams are competitive and selling out. Center City West, U City, and Navy Yard are seeing new Class-A office buildings. Bellweather district has broke ground on the first buildings. Building a new park at Penn's Landing. Rebuilding FDR park. Maybe building an arena downtown w/ no taxpayer money.

All in all, things are better around here than they have been for a long time.

Great post.