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NW Philly? West Mount Airy, Andorra,East Falls,Roxborough,Manayunk? Chestnut Hill rated the 3rd best urban enclave in the US(Forbes) behind Park Slope NY and Beverly Hills.
How about #5? Far Northeast Philly . A couple hundred thousand middle class residents? Did you forget about them or not realize these areas existed?
Fairmount Park/Wissahickon Gorge? 11,000 acres of parkland? Like dropping a sliceof interior New England in the middle of Philadelphias urbanity .
Did you make it out of Center City?
Philly is a big city geographically. Yes, the raggedy look of much of the city I encountered was striking. Parts of West and North Philly looked like war zones. Parts of South Philly looked shabby and depressed as well. Not to mention the extreme industrial look off of 95 and into NJ.
Why would I spend a lot of time in NE? I lived there for a year in Center City. The times I went out there to Sam's Club, it seemed kinda lower middle class and shabby as well.
Chestnut hill is nice. W Mt Airy is pretty nice in parts. But both along with Manayunk are so far out they barely seem like part of the city. Definitely a more suburban vibe out there.
Center City, and the areas directly surrounding it seemed like Philly's jewels. NoLibs, Old City, Passyunk, UPenn, Art Museum, Society Hill, etc.
Philly just doesn't compete with DC imo. Especially the DC of the next 5-10 years.
Last edited by jeremyw90; 03-15-2014 at 12:25 AM..
Urban Feel: Philly
People: DC
Better life: DC
Entertainment: DC
Architectures: Philly
Economy: DC
Downtown: DC (Only bc downtown DC development has FAR more potential in the coming years)
Suburbs: DC
Future possibilities: DC
Public transportation: DC
Shopping: Philly (Hard to beat Walnut St)
Open mindness: DC
Schools: DC
I moved to Philly from DC for a year to work at a corporate HQ's for a Bank in S Jersey. Lived right in the heart of Philly at 21st and Market.
When I was searching for a place, I met a guy who summed Philly up perfectly: "One third of the city is great and livable and walkable and nice. The other 2/3's...not so much".
When I got to Philly I was struck by a few things:
1) How GREAT much of the city core seemed,
2) How underrated the city is,
3) The stark urbanity that can actually be quite beautiful,
4) How raggedy, trashy and ghetto much of the city looked,
5) How socially segregated it seemed (primarily a Black and White population. People stay in their own lane for the most part),
6) How ghetto the Black people are, as well as a lot of the Whites (if I hear that ignant azz phrase 'jown' one more time..).
Philly is a combo of 3 different cities:
1) Upscale center city and the decent satellites of NoLibs, S Philly, UPenn area, etc
2) Functional super working class row house areas (NE, Richmond etc), and
3) Bombed out ghetto.
DC on the other hand:
1) Wealthy,
2) Expensive,
3) International,
4) Developing at a breakneck pace (I call it crane city cause of all of the cranes in the skyline) Check out 14th St, wow!
5) Great job market (no longer dependent on just fed jobs. Big tech and a smaller financial sector in the burbs),
6) Excellent near in suburbs (which Philly has as well. Although DC's seem newer and wealthier),
7) Relative social and work life integration of most folks,
8) Attracts the best and brightest of the African diaspora similar to Atlanta (I get spoiled by so many accomplished Black folks. Yea, I know ward 8 is hood as hell. But not talking about the ghetto DC natives here).
In short, I'd say if you somehow combined Brooklyn and Baltimore, it would spit out Philly! I did really enjoy the NE vibe and pace in Philly though. Seems to me like the first city with that NE attitude.
DC on the other hand, is teetering on entrance to 'A' level city status.
On the East Coast I'd rate NY as #1, DC and Boston as a tie for #2 (with DC about to pull ahead), Philly as #3, and Bmore as #4.
"The Ghetto DC natives" ??? I bet you won't say that to our face. And don't bother moving here we have run out of room for elitist A- holes here. All this city needs is another out of town bandwagon chump btw There is literally a ghetto in every ward in DC with the exception of Wards 2 and 3 so please stop acting like Ward 8 is the only hood in the city. You had better learn this city quickly if you want to survive.
"The Ghetto DC natives" ??? I bet you won't say that to our face. And don't bother moving here we have run out of room for elitist A- holes here. All this city needs is another out of town bandwagon chump btw There is literally a ghetto in every ward in DC with the exception of Wards 2 and 3 so please stop acting like Ward 8 is the only hood in the city. You had better learn this city quickly if you want to survive.
And what difference does that make? You still don't know what you're talking about. I can name at least one bad area in every quadrant of the city so why single out Ward 8?? You have probably never even stepped foot over there before. And the Ghetto DC natives comment is just plain disrespectful as far as I'm concerned. I bet you don't say that in the street now do you?
Why would I spend a lot of time in NE? I lived there for a year in Center City. The times I went out there to Sam's Club, it seemed kinda lower middle class and shabby as well.
I dont really care where you do or dont spend time. But when you-an outsider - lectures us about the sociology and makeup of Philadlephia make sure you get it right. If you dont know what you are talking about then dont lecture us.
Obviously you dont know what you are talking about in regards to the city of Philadephia.
WRONG WRONG WRONG Philadelphia is so much more than this stereotypical outsider view.Instead of making uninformed disparaging comments get your but off of 95 Center City and explore the entire city
Quote:
Originally Posted by jeremyw90
Philly is a combo of 3 different cities:
1) Upscale center city and the decent satellites of NoLibs, S Philly, UPenn area, etc
2) Functional super working class row house areas (NE, Richmond etc), and
3) Bombed out ghetto.
And what difference does that make? You still don't know what you're talking about. I can name at least one bad area in every quadrant of the city so why single out Ward 8?? You have probably never even stepped foot over there before. And the Ghetto DC natives comment is just plain disrespectful as far as I'm concerned. I bet you don't say that in the street now do you?
Youre right, that was disrespectful. I should have thought that one out before I wrote it
I dont really care where you do or dont spend time. But when you-an outsider - lectures us about the sociology and makeup of Philadlephia make sure you get it right. If you dont know what you are talking about then dont lecture us.
Obviously you dont know what you are talking about in regards to the city of Philadephia.
WRONG WRONG WRONG Philadelphia is so much more than this stereotypical outsider view.Instead of making uninformed disparaging comments get your but off of 95 Center City and explore the entire city
Glad you feel so passionately about your city! Enjoy it.I know I do when I'm there.
I think you have had pretty fair comments here - glad to see you kept your head up here.
Think all Philadelphians could take something (even small) from your points
I love Philly warts and all but it is no utopia (nor is DC but DC is changing in different ways than is Philly no doubt)
Seemed like jeremy was pretty heavy on pointing out Philadelphias flaws which I am perfectly fine with. I do it myself quite often. But when you do that you must have a firm grasp on the entire city and not make blanket statements like the one below. There is some truth to the below statement but its a partial and therefore inaccurate viewpoint of the city.
Now if he/she also said
4. Philadlephia has a tremendous collection of stately historic neighborhoods in the NW section of the city.
5. Philadlephia has a middle class population almost the size of Pittsburgh in Northeast Philly .
I wouldnt have had any problems with his/her statement.
Originally Posted by jeremyw90
Philly is a combo of 3 different cities:
1) Upscale center city and the decent satellites of NoLibs, S Philly, UPenn area, etc
2) Functional super working class row house areas (NE, Richmond etc), and
3) Bombed out ghetto.
Last edited by rainrock; 03-16-2014 at 10:37 AM..
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btw There is literally a ghetto in every ward in DC with the exception of Wards 2 and 3 so please stop acting like Ward 8 is the only hood in the city. You had better learn this city quickly if you want to survive.
