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That street in Allentown looks more like Toronto to me.
What surprises me most about Mahanoy City than the highrise is that it has literally zero suburban areas, and at the same time relatively few obvious signs of decline/abandonment, and few parking lots.
What surprises me most about Mahanoy City than the highrise is that it has literally zero suburban areas, and at the same time relatively few obvious signs of decline/abandonment, and few parking lots.
If you zoom out a bit, and look to the northwest, Shenandoah looks pretty much the same. So does nearby Tamaqua, or Pottsville.
The norm in that part of the state is dense micro-cities with no suburbs for two reasons. One, these areas were built as mining towns or railroad junctions. They built mass worker housing the way it was being built in Philadelphia at the same time. Two, there was no postwar development (hell, little 20th century development), because they were all things considered pretty isolated rural areas.
Still, I'm always surprised that more of the small cities in Pennsylvania haven't been gentrified. They are an urbanist's dream in terms of built form after all.
Still, I'm always surprised that more of the small cities in Pennsylvania haven't been gentrified. They are an urbanist's dream in terms of built form after all.
I don't know how you'd be so surprised, it'd seem to me like to gentrify these areas there would need to be at least decent paying, but more so high paying jobs to attract the gentrifiers...something these areas seemingly lack.
I don't know how you'd be so surprised, it'd seem to me like to gentrify these areas there would need to be at least decent paying, but more so high paying jobs to attract the gentrifiers...something these areas seemingly lack.
The way small isolated towns get gentrified is artists move there, because it's really, really cheap to live, meaning they can get by without having a day job. Once enough artists move in, a few more interesting stores open up. Eventually it could become a tourist trap, as happened to Jim Thorpe. Admittedly, it will likely never go full-on yuppie, but rural small towns which gentrify have their own logical conclusion, as retirees and others who don't have to work for a living edge out the townies.
The norm in that part of the state is dense micro-cities with no suburbs for two reasons. One, these areas were built as mining towns or railroad junctions. They built mass worker housing the way it was being built in Philadelphia at the same time. Two, there was no postwar development (hell, little 20th century development), because they were all things considered pretty isolated rural areas.
Also, because some of them had severe population loss. Many Western Massachusetts towns stagnated in population, but because household sizes decreased, more housing units were added. Usually even without population growth, there's a few that will pay for new suburban-style housing with a larger lot and newer housing. Likely there was little money in the town to make it worth to build new housing. Shenandoah, PA lost 80% of its population, Mahanoy City lost 65% of its population.
The New England town with the largest population loss (at least that I've found) is North Adams, MA, which has lost 46% of its population. It has gentrified somewhat, owing to its scenic location and gaining a reputation as an arts town. It doesn't really any suburban-style development either, or much of any 20th century. Instead of row houses, it has two family (and single family) homes close together.
Still, I'm always surprised that more of the small cities in Pennsylvania haven't been gentrified. They are an urbanist's dream in terms of built form after all.
Maybe. But most urbanists aren't looking for "I want a row house anywhere" but to live in a lively "hip" community. There's little incentive for people to move to an insular, economically stagnant (maybe even deprived) blue-collar community.
Some Hudson Valley and New England towns have turned into arts towns. It helps to be near, though outside, a major metro area or have a college. And there are lots of small towns, only so many can be turned into hip small towns. Artists like flock to where other artists are, especially where well-off visitors frequently pass by to consume their art.
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