What if Philadelphia and Pittsburgh were one city? (Houston: real estate, movers)

[RightonWalnut]

I don't know why I thought of this, but what if Philadelphia and Pittsburgh were one city?

City population would be 1,843,955 (still 5th largest in US), but both are growing

Metro population would be 8,321,628 (4th largest in US)

We would have one killer skyline...

There would be 42 buildings taller than 400 feet, 6th most in the US behind NYC, Chicago, Miami and just slightly behind Houston and San Francisco.

With the 500+ foot PNC Tower under construction and the 450+ foot Cira South and now 700+ foot W Hotel about to begin construction in Philadelphia, we would likely surpase Houston and San Francisco.

Also, we would undoubtedly and unarguably have the 3rd largest and 3rd best downtown in the nation.

We would easily be the best area in the country for college.

Add in all the great neighborhoods in both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia and it would make one awesome city.

It's interesting to think about.

[pman]

go steagles!

[RightonWalnut]

Originally Posted by pman

go steagles!

Lol i forgot about sports... we would have 2 baseball teams, 2 football teams, 2 hockey teams.

[Toure]

That would be awesome!

[mancat100]

Of course, the city would be 300 miles from end to end. That's a big city.

[PacoMartin]

Originally Posted by mancat100

Of course, the city would be 300 miles from end to end. That's a big city.

Philadelphia and NYC are 80.5 miles apart. Los Angeles and Palm Springs are 100 miles apart. Tell me why LA is one metro regions, and the other is two.

[BTA88]

Originally Posted by PacoMartin

Philadelphia and NYC are 80.5 miles apart. Los Angeles and Palm Springs are 100 miles apart. Tell me why LA is one metro regions, and the other is two.

80 miles from Center City to Midtown, it's less than 60 miles from The Far Northeast to Staten Island.

BUT, the reason for LA to be one metro region and NYC/Philly to be two is time and history. Los Angeles grew up in the 1900s, with nothing else around. NYC and Philly grew up in the 1600s and 1700s, with Baltimore and Boston breathing down their necks and many powerful Englishmen divvying up relatively small tracts of land. Could NYC and Philly be one metro area? easily. Will they ever be? Likely. Certainly, they will be one CSA eventually. Will it change the way either city is perceived by locals, Americans or the world? Not at all.

On topic, I do like the thought of sticking Pittsburgh in Philadelphia. Just slide their downtown in on Market East, put the residents somewhere in between North and Northwest Philly. Bring on the Pittsburghers.

[SteelCityRising]

I actually wish both cities would work more collaboratively to share revitalization strategies. Mayor Nutter and Mayor Ravenstahl are overseeing exciting periods of growth in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, respectively, but there are certain things that each city has a comparative advantage in that the other could stand to benefit from emulating.

For example, I believe I read somewhere recently that Center City has a population of roughly 100,000 (not sure if that includes University City). Downtown Pittsburgh has a fraction of that population, which has led to it feeling somewhat like a ghost town after 6 PM on weekdays and on weekends. Ironically Pittsburgh has just started to see a Downtown housing boom ignited by PMC, a Philadelphia real estate developer, but it would serve Mayor Ravenstahl well to send some of his representatives, along with those involved in the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, to Philadelphia to chat with some of Center City's movers and shakers to find out what Downtown Pittsburg should be doing to attract more residential development and to court more Downtown residents.

Pittsburgh is consistently ranked amongst the safest large cities while Philadelphia has a reputation for violent crime. It seems like Pittsburgh's violent pockets are very tightly concentrated and generally don't bleed (pun intended) to adjacent neighborhoods. Random violent crime is nearly non-existent in Pittsburgh. I live blocks from the city's most dangerous ghetto and have never felt unsafe. Can those living blocks from the worst part of Philadelphia say the same? Could Philadelphia's police force benefit from shadowing what, if anything, Pittsburgh's police force is doing differently to keep our streets safe?

[BTA88]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Pittsburgh is consistently ranked amongst the safest large cities while Philadelphia has a reputation for violent crime.

Why do you think I stuck Pittsburgh's residents next to North Philly? In 10 years, after you guys have chased out the trash in the North, we'll relocate you down between West and South West.

[pman]

Originally Posted by BTA88

80 miles from Center City to Midtown, it's less than 60 miles from The Far Northeast to Staten Island.

BUT, the reason for LA to be one metro region and NYC/Philly to be two is time and history. Los Angeles grew up in the 1900s, with nothing else around. NYC and Philly grew up in the 1600s and 1700s, with Baltimore and Boston breathing down their necks and many powerful Englishmen divvying up relatively small tracts of land. Could NYC and Philly be one metro area? easily. Will they ever be? Likely. Certainly, they will be one CSA eventually. Will it change the way either city is perceived by locals, Americans or the world? Not at all.

On topic, I do like the thought of sticking Pittsburgh in Philadelphia. Just slide their downtown in on Market East, put the residents somewhere in between North and Northwest Philly. Bring on the Pittsburghers.

so you think Philadelphia will cease to exist as it's own city?