Opinions on Lansdowne?

[gongtuff]

I've lived in Lansdowne for the past 6 years, right on Glentay Ave. The wife and I moved from Germantown... exhausted by high theft and crime rates. 1st thing we learned East Lansdowne and Lansdowne are apparently two different areas and Drexel Hill is simply Drexel Hill.

East Lansdowne is a "historic" area & Lansdowne I believe is the "borrough" and has crazy borrough rules like no parking in front of your own house between 2 & 6 am. Someone mentioned bars but there are no bars in Lansdowne, it's considered "dry" that's East Lans.

So far it's great, Philthy is close by so we can experience the city along with all the garbage on the streets our hearts desire AND LEAVE! I hear the schools aren't that great but most of the folks we know have their kids in private schools. Taxes are high but I can see them working, no blunt guts on the streets-it's very clean and people take pride in their properties.

Although we have had some things stolen-that's what happens, hoods from the hood come to nice areas where nice people have nice things and take them... it's the American way!

[orrmobl]

Sorry but that's not "what happens". It didn't happen in Lansdowne 20 years ago, doesn't happen in Drexel Hill, doesn't happen where I live now. It happens when urban sprawl and the mess the city has become overflows the borders for various reasons, when not only the good people flee the city, but the bad ones flee as well, and bring their friends and old neighbors! Then that suburb merely becomes an extension of the city.

West Philly is a mess, Upper Darby is a mess, East Lansdowne is a mess...hmm what town is next? Lansdowne of course. The fringes of Drexel Hill are getting bad, Clifton and Aldan are not what they used to be.

I wouldn't buy in any of the above except maybe Drexel Hill, maybe Springfield. But they have 10 years and they will butting up against the ghetto, as Lansdowne is today.

As I've said time and time again and as a study of the area pointed out, withought revitalization, a booming business district, lower taxes, better schools...essentially the things that attract families, these areas days are numbered...maybe in 20+ years they will be gentrified like Northern Liberties, University City, Fishtown and the like, but they will probably go way way way down before they go up...

[pphillipp]

This thread is making me a little nervous, because I'm moving to Philly soon, and am in the process of renting an apartment in Lansdowne, on N. Lansdowne Ave. I have no issues with the apartment itself - it seems great, and the landlords also seem like nice people - or with the commute (on the R3 it will take me less than 15 minutes to get to work). The town itself looks very pretty, although yes, some of the properties are a bit tattered. But overall, it seems very nice, very quiet - which is what we were looking for. The price for the rental is also far, far less than anywhere in CC, and in other suburbs.

The thing that concerns me is this mention of crime. Going to the apartment for the first time, I drove through West Philly, and that certainly gave me pause, because it seemed like a rough part of town. Baltimore Ave. up until about Church Lane especially seemed pretty dicey, but after that, while certainly not attractive, it didn't seem too bad. I'm just worried now that we're going to have to worry about this, that coming home after dark might not be so "carefree" - walking from the Lansdowne station to the apartment.

I understand that crime can happen anywhere, but certainly don't want to be in an area where crime is more likely to happen. Overall, I have a good feeling about our choice, and I don't want to fall prey to paranoia. But I also don't want to make a foolish decision.

Any input? Thanks.

[orrmobl]

If its during the rush hour, no problem...later than than that, I'd consider driving. I don't think muggings happen all that often in that area but I do remember maybe 20 years ago a man was shot using the night ATM on Baltimore Pike a block or 2 off of Lansdowne Ave. Most of the criminals are coming to commit property crimes...or to drive through to Clifton Heights/Springfield to commit armed robberies...

There was a rash of those 5+ years ago and the 7-11 right up from KMart was robbed in broad daylight in the spring of 2007. Needless to say, I was glad to be selling my house and moving from the area. And I will say that when the economy goes down, crime goes up.

I would personally move to Secane or Springfield or Clifton Heights...but I'm biased because I know what Lansdowne was once like and how bad it became...the rumors of its Renaissance don't really have me convinced, seeing who has been moving into the area in the past 10 years...its just becoming another section of West Philly, for every 1 good new neighbor you get 3 bad...you do the math...

[Ant$]

i still hate the fact that there are empty storefronts in downtown Lansdowne. i think the only businesses with people inside are WAWA, PNC Bank, that dollar store, and that diner...

[gongtuff]

To compare an area and related crime to that of 20 years prior is simply ridiculous. 20 years ago crack cocain, the internet and high power malt liquor did't exist and people in general weren't so socialy detached from one another. If you want to get technical, crime and the reasons for it have many more attributes and variables than simply the overlap of urban sprawl. It is happening in Drexel Hill, Lansdowne, East Lans and yes where you live as well. Society in general is constantly changing so it only makes sense that both internal and external socio-demographics of various locations constantly change. The true question is aside from relocating or complaining of an area you no longer reside in "What are you doing to improve social relations in any neighborhood or society in general?" and if I commit crime that doesn't get reported, am I one of your "good people" What is your definition of "the ghetto"? You sound like one of those people that thinks that racism no longer exists just because people have gotten better at hiding it.

Originally Posted by orrmobl

Sorry but that's not "what happens". It didn't happen in Lansdowne 20 years ago, doesn't happen in Drexel Hill, doesn't happen where I live now. It happens when urban sprawl and the mess the city has become overflows the borders for various reasons, when not only the good people flee the city, but the bad ones flee as well, and bring their friends and old neighbors! Then that suburb merely becomes an extension of the city.

West Philly is a mess, Upper Darby is a mess, East Lansdowne is a mess...hmm what town is next? Lansdowne of course. The fringes of Drexel Hill are getting bad, Clifton and Aldan are not what they used to be.

I wouldn't buy in any of the above except maybe Drexel Hill, maybe Springfield. But they have 10 years and they will butting up against the ghetto, as Lansdowne is today.

As I've said time and time again and as a study of the area pointed out, withought revitalization, a booming business district, lower taxes, better schools...essentially the things that attract families, these areas days are numbered...maybe in 20+ years they will be gentrified like Northern Liberties, University City, Fishtown and the like, but they will probably go way way way down before they go up...

[orrmobl]

Originally Posted by gongtuff

To compare an area and related crime to that of 20 years prior is simply ridiculous. 20 years ago crack cocain, the internet and high power malt liquor did't exist and people in general weren't so socialy detached from one another. If you want to get technical, crime and the reasons for it have many more attributes and variables than simply the overlap of urban sprawl. It is happening in Drexel Hill, Lansdowne, East Lans and yes where you live as well. Society in general is constantly changing so it only makes sense that both internal and external socio-demographics of various locations constantly change. The true question is aside from relocating or complaining of an area you no longer reside in "What are you doing to improve social relations in any neighborhood or society in general?" and if I commit crime that doesn't get reported, am I one of your "good people" What is your definition of "the ghetto"? You sound like one of those people that thinks that racism no longer exists just because people have gotten better at hiding it.

Ridiculous huh? If someone was shot at an ATM in a bad area. And the area is getting bad again, crime on the rise, etc. is it wrong to warn someone that using that ATM at night or walking in its vicinity may not be the best idea?

Crime in good areas is usually attributable to people from neighboring bad areas. Criminals typically commit crimes in their own back yard. Is it really that big of a stretch to think that they drive or walk to the next town over to commit crimes upon unsuspecting people? Come on man, wake up!

Where do you think those armed robbers were coming from? West Philly of course.

Believe it or not I'm a fairly liberal Democrat. But I am tired of all the political correctness and absolving criminals for their environment. Not everyone who grows up in the ghetto is a criminal just as not everyone who grows up in an affluent area is a saint - Andy Reid's kids, for example. Or do you pardon them because of their upbringing as well?

The only thing you can do is be a good neighbor and call the cops when the ***** get out of hand. And that's what I did. And I'm pretty sure you know what a ghetto is. Doesn't matter what color the people are, its how they live their lives and its impact on their neighbors that makes a place a ghetto.

I KNOW racism is alive and well today, a lot of my family and friends espouse it. I do not. The bad neighbors I had were white, not black. Just goes to show that you can be liberal and narrowminded at the same time.

Stop reading all those textbooks and try putting your money where your mouth is. I will bet you will move away before you can change the oncoming tide of social decline where you live.

And you're wrong about the high power malt liquor. Schlitz had a product planned called "Power Master" and it had more alcohol than St. Ides, Colt 45, etc. It was pulled after protests in hmm, socially disadvantaged African American inner city communities due to the name implying that one could attain power and be a master by getting even drunker than they were off the regular stuff which was already considered a scourge in those neighborhoods.

[Ant$]

i was reading an article online...

Campaign will market older towns | Philadelphia Inquirer | 07/28/2008

and it referred to Lansdowne.

it said...

Originally Posted by The Philadelphia Inquirer

Maley said last week that the decision to put up the $2,500 fee for Classic Towns was a "no-brainer."


That opinion is shared by Jayne Young, mayor of Lansdowne, a Delaware County community of 10,861 residents, with a downtown that in 2004 was determined to have met the state's definition of blight.


Town leaders have fashioned a redevelopment plan for the business district and adjacent neighborhoods. The plan calls for converting many of the tired shopping centers along Baltimore Avenue into mixed-use complexes of retail on the street level, topped with apartments and condominiums.

what? we're considered a blighted community? like North Philly? Damn...

[orrmobl]

Some months ago I published a comment by a Swarthmore town official in regards to not developing a business district. He said "people are afraid we're going to become a slum like Lansdowne." Sorry but perception is often reality.

Until schools improve or conditions in Lansdowne and surrounding areas decline far enough that the only people willing to live there are starving artists, Philly Mag's prediction of a Renaissance in Lansdowne is a pipe dream. I give it 20 years to happen. If Starbucks won't come to your town, that's saying something...