Center City East vs Center City West - Which is better for a 20/30 something? (Chester: apartments)

[Pete2010]

Young professional looking for a hip neighborhood.
Which neighborhoods CCE or CCW should I consider? Should I also consider Univ City?

[newmarlig]

Center City is such a small walkable area, you will be fine anywhere.

[FindingZen]

Nightlife in Old City/Northern Liberties (Center City East) might lean slightly towards 20somethings but overall I agree that you'll never be far at all from anything in Center City.

University City isn't a bad choice to save some bucks... unless you choose to live along the riverfront apartments that are going at Center City rates. If you prefer low-rise apartments and renting out space in someone's house, then you'll find more of that in UC. The 40th Street Corridor between Chestnut and Spruce offers a lot of choices. A lot of great ethnic restaurants (especially on Baltimore Ave.) at more affordable prices as well. My personal rule of thumb is to stay west of 43rd (to avoid rowdy off-campus students), east of 48th, south of Walnut St. and North of Chester Ave.

[rainrock]

IMO Center City West(Ritten house Square area) is the place to be. University City is quite vibrant during school sessions but slows down quite a bit around holidays/summer. Center City East is also quite vibrant especially during tourist season.

Good luck

[newmarlig]

Also consider Queen Village and Bella Vista. Both are just south of center city, but easily accessible.

[solibs]

It depends on what you mean by hip. West of Broad, to me, is a lot more uptight. Lots of young lawyers, meds, financial types who live around Rittenhouse or at least wish that they did. Also a lot of young suburbanites grabbing a few drinks and catching a later train home. They certainly think it's all hip. Most of the activity is concentrated between Race and Pine and 15th & 20th. There are a dozen or so spots north and south of that box.

East of Broad, IMO, is less pretentious. It's also more spread out. The nightlife is certainly clustered in strips but they're spread out from Girard Ave. in Fishtown/No Libs down to 13th & Mifflin in East Passyunk Crossing. Old City only really gets bad on the weekends around the intersection of 2nd & Chestnut/Market. Some of those establishments aren't worth a visit at any time but the annoying Northeast/DelCo/South Jersey crowd (and creeping North and West Philly crowds) only show up in force on Friday and Saturday nights. There are definitely gems there . . . just as there are plenty of gems on and around South St.

[thekish]

Originally Posted by Pete2010

Young professional looking for a hip neighborhood.
Which neighborhoods CCE or CCW should I consider? Should I also consider Univ City?

Manayunk.

[solibs]

I meant to agree with Tone that it really doesn't matter where you live. You won't be far from any of it.
Even in U. City, as long as you're close to a trolley or the el it's only 10-15 minutes to the action in Center City and there's plenty in U. City to keep you busy for Sunday-Wednesday

[pman]

Originally Posted by Pete2010

Young professional looking for a hip neighborhood.
Which neighborhoods CCE or CCW should I consider? Should I also consider Univ City?

both could be considered hip I suppose. you get more for your money east of broad (CCE is really washington square to broad). UCity's cool, but I'd take center city over it. from cc it's easy to get everywhere else too, like Ucity, NL, south philly, etc.

[bryson662001]

I agree with the other posters that East or West of Broad isn't much difference. East of Broad is a little younger, less affluent with more renters. West is more affluent, somewhat older with more owners in condos and co-ops. However there are plenty of 20-30 somthings on both sides with plenty of things to amuse them. I don't recomend UCity. True U City near Penn, Drexel and the hospitals is expensive and overpriced compared to Center City. If it isn't expensive it's on the fringe and shady. Oh and a lot of people will recomend the little one street party town of Manayunk a few miles to the west but it's a pale imitation of Center City and gets old fast.