SF vs. DC vs. Philly vs. Boston (school, market, neighborhood)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Well , no, Chicago is still pretty affordable. And unfortunately, many of Philly's neighborhoods are still pretty wretched, hence their "affordability". I have seen some nice rowhouse neighborhoods, but they are vastly outnumbered by the less-than-desirable ones..
In some ways, Midwestern cities like Chicago and Milwaukee understand the need for greenery and a little personal space, this their urban neighborhoods are not as densely -populated in terms of space, and they can "breathe" a little, and yet still preserve their walkability. In rowhouse cities like Philly, Baltimore and Wilmington, the housing stock just looks "bleak"...
I agree with the bolded part. Chicago for such a large city (offering more than Philadelphia) is overall extremely affordable, and I could see it becoming more affordable than Philadelphia in the next few years.
I agree with the bolded part. Chicago for such a large city (offering more than Philadelphia) is overall extremely affordable, and I could see it becoming more affordable than Philadelphia in the next few years.
The thing about Philly is that you can live in the upscale parts of Center City with the urban lifestyle and have trivial access to Manhattan and DC. 30th Street Station to NY Penn Station is 73 minutes on Acela and 80 minutes on the quickest regular train. If you want to do it on the cheap, you can take commuter rail all the way with a transfer in Trenton. DC isn't a much longer ride. A regular train is less than 2 hours. Commuter rail to the beach at Atlantic City.
Well , no, Chicago is still pretty affordable. And unfortunately, many of Philly's neighborhoods are still pretty wretched, hence their "affordability". I have seen some nice rowhouse neighborhoods, but they are vastly outnumbered by the less-than-desirable ones..
In some ways, Midwestern cities like Chicago and Milwaukee understand the need for greenery and a little personal space, this their urban neighborhoods are not as densely -populated in terms of space, and they can "breathe" a little, and yet still preserve their walkability. In rowhouse cities like Philly, Baltimore and Wilmington, the housing stock just looks "bleak"...
Agree to disagree on housing stock--Philly, Baltimore and Wilmington still have incredible bones--just a matter of TLC. In other words, it has nothing to do with the inherent built form, but its presentation.
Here's a gorgeous example of a newly-listed restored rowhome on the outskirts of Philly, the size and caliber of which would easily go for twice as much in the comparison cities in this thread: https://www.phillymag.com/property/2...rner-rowhouse/
Will also admit that Chicago has a lot of affordability, too, and certainly a city like Philly could stand to greatly increase its tree canopy, but it's light years more urban/walkable than any Midwestern city outside of Chicago precisely because of its built form.
It's not shocking that a rowhouse city might not be as appealing to those with Midwestern sensibilities about green space and detached housing, but many others, myself included, much prefer the quintessential "East Coast" urban variety.
The thing about Philly is that you can live in the upscale parts of Center City with the urban lifestyle and have trivial access to Manhattan and DC. 30th Street Station to NY Penn Station is 73 minutes on Acela and 80 minutes on the quickest regular train. If you want to do it on the cheap, you can take commuter rail all the way with a transfer in Trenton. DC isn't a much longer ride. A regular train is less than 2 hours. Commuter rail to the beach at Atlantic City.
I got a job offer in Manhattan recently and thought about living in Philly and commuting but I couldn't find any options that were actually humanely doable. I've already lived in Manhattan before so I was hoping to try out Philly.
Agree to disagree on housing stock--Philly, Baltimore and Wilmington still have incredible bones--just a matter of TLC. In other words, it has nothing to do with the inherent built form, but its presentation.
Here's a gorgeous example of a newly-listed restored rowhome on the outskirts of Philly, the size and caliber of which would easily go for twice as much in the comparison cities in this thread: https://www.phillymag.com/property/2...rner-rowhouse/
Will also admit that Chicago has a lot of affordability, too, and certainly a city like Philly could stand to greatly increase its tree canopy, but it's light years more urban/walkable than any Midwestern city outside of Chicago precisely because of its built form.
It's not shocking that a rowhouse city might not be as appealing to those with Midwestern sensibilities about green space and detached housing, but many others, myself included, much prefer the quintessential "East Coast" urban variety.
And actually, Philly’s row-homes are esthetically more pleasing and of more variety than Baltimore’s (I’m not familiar with Wilmington).
The housing stock in Chicago varies. It’s not all detached homes with lawn. Those are very characteristic on the South and SW sides. On the north side, you’ll find many grey-stone/brownstone-type row homes. They are also very common on the near west side.
Will also admit that Chicago has a lot of affordability, too, and certainly a city like Philly could stand to greatly increase its tree canopy, but it's light years more urban/walkable than any Midwestern city outside of Chicago precisely because of its built form.
It's not shocking that a rowhouse city might not be as appealing to those with Midwestern sensibilities about green space and detached housing, but many others, myself included, much prefer the quintessential "East Coast" urban variety.
Philadelphia has tons of park acreage and trees. Like, massive parks.
You'll get Lyme all over Philly as fast as anywhere (unfortunately).
And actually, Philly’s row-homes are esthetically more pleasing and of more variety than Baltimore’s (I’m not familiar with Wilmington).
The housing stock in Chicago varies. It’s not all detached homes with lawn. Those are very characteristic on the South and SW sides. On the north side, you’ll find many grey-stone/brownstone-type row homes. They are also very common on the near west side.
Well, Chicago is laid out with frontage and back alleys a garbage truck can utilize. Some older areas streets were raised. Lost frontage. You know this.
The Bungalow-belt of the 20s 30s. Has the front-lawn effect. It is 1/3 the city. Not counting one 40s thu early 60s neighborhoods.
There are basically no full blocks of solid row-housing in Chicago left like Philly has. But never say never I've learned. Two or three attached is not the same. Sorry. Or a inch apart or half a block etc.
I certainty know there are areas of a group of older rows left in areas. Including greystones and others..... But compared to Philly? It's very small.
I agree with the bolded part. Chicago for such a large city (offering more than Philadelphia) is overall extremely affordable, and I could see it becoming more affordable than Philadelphia in the next few years.
What I fear is that Chicago may become more affordable for the wrong reasons.
Thanks to the chronic mess in Springfield, Illinois is losing residents, and the mess is also taking its toll on Chicago now - I think I read that it has lost population in the last few years.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Duderino
Agree to disagree on housing stock--Philly, Baltimore and Wilmington still have incredible bones--just a matter of TLC. In other words, it has nothing to do with the inherent built form, but its presentation.
Here's a gorgeous example of a newly-listed restored rowhome on the outskirts of Philly, the size and caliber of which would easily go for twice as much in the comparison cities in this thread: https://www.phillymag.com/property/2...rner-rowhouse/
Will also admit that Chicago has a lot of affordability, too, and certainly a city like Philly could stand to greatly increase its tree canopy, but it's light years more urban/walkable than any Midwestern city outside of Chicago precisely because of its built form.
It's not shocking that a rowhouse city might not be as appealing to those with Midwestern sensibilities about green space and detached housing, but many others, myself included, much prefer the quintessential "East Coast" urban variety.
Quote:
Originally Posted by odurandina
Philadelphia has tons of park acreage and trees. Like, massive parks.
You'll get Lyme all over Philly as fast as anywhere (unfortunately).
Philly is home to one of the nation's largest urban parks, but its overall tree canopy is among the lowest of any large American city's - just 20 percent - and the reason this is the case is because large swaths of the city consist of rowhouse blocks with nary a tree on them or in their backyards.
Blocks like the Society Hill block pictured in my Phillymag column on a city program that aims to fix that remain the exception rather than the rule citywide. The only other parts of the city where tree-lined blocks are plentiful aside from Center City's residential belt are University City/Powelton Village in West Philly, Queen Village in South Philly, and most of Northwest Philly above the Wissahickon Creek (Germantown, Mt. Airy, Chestnut Hill). Elsewhere, you will find the occasional shady block surrounded by many more barren ones.
Agree to disagree on housing stock--Philly, Baltimore and Wilmington still have incredible bones--just a matter of TLC. In other words, it has nothing to do with the inherent built form, but its presentation.
Here's a gorgeous example of a newly-listed restored rowhome on the outskirts of Philly, the size and caliber of which would easily go for twice as much in the comparison cities in this thread: https://www.phillymag.com/property/2...rner-rowhouse/
Will also admit that Chicago has a lot of affordability, too, and certainly a city like Philly could stand to greatly increase its tree canopy, but it's light years more urban/walkable than any Midwestern city outside of Chicago precisely because of its built form.
It's not shocking that a rowhouse city might not be as appealing to those with Midwestern sensibilities about green space and detached housing, but many others, myself included, much prefer the quintessential "East Coast" urban variety.
Cobbs Creek, where that listed house is, is not on the "outskirts of Philly". It's IN West Philadelphia, about 10 minutes away from University City and Center City. You know that, of course, but others posters might not.
Well, Chicago is laid out with frontage and back alleys a garbage truck can utilize. Some older areas streets were raised. Lost frontage. You know this.
The Bungalow-belt of the 20s 30s. Has the front-lawn effect. It is 1/3 the city. Not counting one 40s thu early 60s neighborhoods.
There are basically no full blocks of solid row-housing in Chicago left like Philly has. But never say never I've learned. Two or three attached is not the same. Sorry. Or a inch apart or half a block etc.
I certainty know there are areas of a group of older rows left in areas. Including greystones and others..... But compared to Philly? It's very small.
No, my point was not that Chicago has row homes like Philly. If you look at your source from the Post, it also shows NYC with a tiny % of row homes. My point was that in many parts of the city, particularly the North Side and near West side (and even the West side), the Bungalows that you like to always babble about endlessly don't exist. The housing is more brownstone/greystone, which is likely the next icon on the figure you posted. In the SW, South, and parts of NW side, you will definitely find Bungalows, but you won't find them in the North, near West, or parts of the West side. You'll see something more like this (home these links work; using an iPad):
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
