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Philly is definitely less polished and more eclectic than DC or Boston. DC has the most sterile feel of the 3, but I honestly feel that Boston is a happy medium. It's got that white collar feel that DC has, but it's also got some of the NE urban grit that Philly has too. I've always kind of liked that about Boston.
What is the difference between NE grit and grit from other regions?
I lived and worked in the District of Columbia for over 22 years. When I moved to the city in 1978 I was in love with the place. Washington was and is a beautiful city but it is first and foremost a government town--thus in my view very one-dimensional. And while metro D.C is huge, I never got the sense that Washington itself was a "big" city in the way that Boston, NYC, or Philly are big. I worked in downtown Washington and really wanted to live downtown but in the '70s, '80s and 90's the supply of affordable housing was limited and supermarkets non-existent. However, thanks to Washington's excellent Metro, I was able to live near a subway station in a neighborhood not too far from downtown.
My first visit to Philadelphia was in 1980. I was returning home after a trip to Atlantic City and thought I'd drive through Philly just to see what the city was like. My first view of the Philadelphia skyline was crossing the Walt Whitman bridge and I was just stunned by its size. While driving into Center Center on 9th Street through the Italian Market I remember thinking that this was what a "real" city should look like and that one day I'd live in Philly. Well, it's 40-years later and I'm living in Center Center--without a car. I walk to everything from theaters and concert halls to grocery stores. It is the big city experience I wanted but couldn't find in Washington. Plus the people here are great--hard-working and down-to-earth for the most part.
After 22-years in Washington I couldn't wait to leave. I've lived nearly that long in Philadelphia and I love this city more now than ever. I'll never leave.
I lived and worked in the District of Columbia for over 22 years. When I moved to the city in 1978 I was in love with the place. Washington was and is a beautiful city but it is first and foremost a government town--thus in my view very one-dimensional. And while metro D.C is huge, I never got the sense that Washington itself was a "big" city in the way that Boston, NYC, or Philly are big. I worked in downtown Washington and really wanted to live downtown but in the '70s, '80s and 90's the supply of affordable housing was limited and supermarkets non-existent. However, thanks to Washington's excellent Metro, I was able to live near a subway station in a neighborhood not too far from downtown.
My first visit to Philadelphia was in 1980. I was returning home after a trip to Atlantic City and thought I'd drive through Philly just to see what the city was like. My first view of the Philadelphia skyline was crossing the Walt Whitman bridge and I was just stunned by its size. While driving into Center Center on 9th Street through the Italian Market I remember thinking that this was what a "real" city should look like and that one day I'd live in Philly. Well, it's 40-years later and I'm living in Center Center--without a car. I walk to everything from theaters and concert halls to grocery stores. It is the big city experience I wanted but couldn't find in Washington. Plus the people here are great--hard-working and down-to-earth for the most part.
After 22-years in Washington I couldn't wait to leave. I've lived nearly that long in Philadelphia and I love this city more now than ever. I'll never leave.
I also grew up in Maryland, and I felt like the first truly “big city” experience I had was my first trip to Philadelphia as a kid (to see the liberty bell) in the 80s. Baltimore and DC just don’t have the same “big city” feel.
Philly is definitely less polished and more eclectic than DC or Boston. DC has the most sterile feel of the 3, but I honestly feel that Boston is a happy medium. It's got that white collar feel that DC has, but it's also got some of the NE urban grit that Philly has too. I've always kind of liked that about Boston.
Yes, certainly don't mean to undercut Boston. It's actually grittier and more eclectic than its very polished clean-cut image would suggest (a good thing, in my view). And it does indeed fall in the middle of DC and Philly in that regard.
I think where Philly excels more (and I know I've said this in a million threads) is its human-scaled granularity as a narrow rowhouse city, with an almost schizophrenic look and feel in many parts.
Not something Boston is devoid of entirely, but I just find it to be more of a defining feature in Philadelphia due to its built environment.
I also grew up in Maryland, and I felt like the first truly “big city” experience I had was my first trip to Philadelphia as a kid (to see the liberty bell) in the 80s. Baltimore and DC just don’t have the same “big city” feel.
Yes, certainly don't mean to undercut Boston. It's actually grittier and more eclectic than its very polished clean-cut image would suggest (a good thing, in my view). And it does indeed fall in the middle of DC and Philly in that regard.
I think where Philly excels more (and I know I've said this in a million threads) is its human-scaled granularity as a narrow rowhouse city, with an almost schizophrenic look and feel in many parts.
Not something Boston is devoid of entirely, but I just find it to be more of a defining feature in Philadelphia due to its built environment.
DC core is bland. Philly is gritty. NYC and Boston are in-between. Agreed there.
Bostons row homes are just nestled in and just outside of the tourist districts where people visit. So it feels more of that because the placement of it's brownstones and rowhomes
Center City in Philly is only second to Manhattan , well may be third after Chicago downtown in vibrancy but close second . As far as growth there are currently nearly two million sq. ft of new and conversion of bio lab space in construction in the city limits . Neighborhoods I personally thought would be redeveloped decades from know are now be developed in old manufacturing districts . Things are changing much more quickly than anticipated . Philly on a macro level https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwOjBYzqb_0
center city recent housing report https://www.centercityphila.org/rese...-on-resiliency
I don’t really put much stock into people from a certain city claiming their city is this and that as much as I do outsiders. Philadelphia 2nd in vibrancy only to Manhattan is stretching it. I get that can be a personal opinion, but I mean. To me, San Francisco is above Philly. I think DC has one of my favorite cores in the US, but I’m biased. The area labeled “downtown” isn’t the best but most cities are bland in the areas dominated by office space (which Philly and San Francisco do a good job at keeping their Business district pretty vibrant)
And the list of cities that aren’t booming and transforming super fast and unrecognizable is super short compared to those that are.
I’ve even heard New Yorkers going on about how there’s a development boom in NYC - and given how large it is, that’s impressive.
Charlotte, DC, Atlanta, Miami, Austin, Houston, Seattle, Denver, Seattle and many others are all transforming really quickly & rapidly.
Center City in Philly is only second to Manhattan , well may be third after Chicago downtown in vibrancy but close second . As far as growth there are currently nearly two million sq. ft of new and conversion of bio lab space in construction in the city limits . Neighborhoods I personally thought would be redeveloped decades from know are now be developed in old manufacturing districts . Things are changing much more quickly than anticipated . Philly on a macro level https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwOjBYzqb_0
center city recent housing report https://www.centercityphila.org/rese...-on-resiliency
Agree! I think CC Philly is just as vibrant as Chicago's downtown. They are 2 of my favorite downtowns. The development in the core of Center City has been booming over the last decade, and continues to do so. I'm excited about seeing where Philly is in the next decade because it continues getting more impressive each year.
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