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My family and I are scheduled for relocation at the end of the year. This forum has been a great help in the process. We had recently spent a week in the area and I'd like to share my thoughts with the forums and others which probably ask themselves the same questions.
We will be working in the Cheltenham area and center city and we have an infant son. It was important for us to find quality of living, excellent day care (Jewish orientation being a big plus), and some form of local "downtown". We visited Philadelphia, its suburbs to the north and west and South Jersey. Here is my take.
I've submitted this thread both to the Philadelphia and South Jersey forums as it is relevant to both.
Philadelphia
Philadelphia itself is a relatively rough city. It's beautiful but rugged and I believe it has a lot of unused potential. The city, and the area as a whole is characterized (from a week's perspective) by sharp shifts from beautiful areas to some of the worst I've seen. Both in the city and in the suburbs. As far as the city goes I couldn't help but feel the city doesn't do enough to improve. I couldn't understand how some of the best universities in the US cannot transform the areas around them. Very frustrating I imagine. The police doesn't do a lot either, as far as the feeling of personal security when walking down the streets. I imagine that has to do with budget cuts but NYC for example has been able to maintain a cop on every street corner for a long time (which has done wonders).
South Jersey Suburbs of Philadelphia – Cherry Hill, Haddonfield, Moorestown etc.
We drove and explored through Cherry hill and neighboring suburbs – Haddonfield, Moorestown, Voorhees etc.
Driving through Cherry Hill for the first time was very confusing. It had no begging or end, no logic to its form. As I understand now it simply doesn't. It just expanded everywhere it could. I wasn't very fond of the idea but there are nice areas.
I was especially impressed with the JCC (Katz JCC) which seems like a great place to raise a kid and join a community. This center may well take an important part in our decision regarding the area we'd like to live in even though it may require quite a commute to north Philly.
Voorhees feels like an extension of Cherry Hill. It houses very large properties on a lot of land.
Haddonfield and Moorestown are a different story. They both have lovely downtowns which add a lot of character to the town. They are both more tightly packed than the rest of the area but I think the general feeling of the town makes up for it.
Main Line The famed main line suburb of Philadelphia is deserving of its reputation (Although we didn't get the opportunity to experience the traffic on route 30).
In general being close to the city and the commercial area near city avenue and Route 30 enables greater accessibility than South Jersey offers (although huge shopping centers are available in SJ as well).
Bala Cynwyd gradually transforms from a more urban setting, close to the city (with all its influences), to a beautiful suburb.
Ardmore and Haverford both house amazing properties along with apartments along route 30. It seems that every mainline town we visited can be characterized by more commercial/urban properties near route 30 and huge mansions north of route 30.
We visited the Kaizerman JCC in Wynnewood and found it lovely as well, even though it much less developed than the Katz JCC in Cherry Hill.
Abington – Jenkintown – Elkins Park
On the recommendation of members of the forum we included this area, which dramatically improves our commute, into our search. The area is beautiful as well and reminded me of the Main Line area. The Jewish community if developed, although there isn't a developed JCC like in the other areas I've covered.
I got the feeling this area is relatively older, both as far as the population goes and the general feel. It was quite hard to find rental properties around there.
Just my thoughts. I'd appreciate your thoughts/ comments as always.
Thank you for your honest and realistic impressions of our area. I'm glad to see that you're excited about your impending move here. I can comment on the two areas I know relatively well.
No one would disagree that the city itself has room for improvement. As I said in one of your previous posts, many of its challenges are not different than other major American cities. Politics on the macro level and effort on the community/individual level may explain much of Philly's issues. That said, there has actually been a lot of progress in the city, much of it radiating from neighborhoods surrounding downtown. Even the neighborhoods surrounding some of the universities have improved, although more progress has been made by the private University of Pennsylvania than public Temple University.
When I think about it, I have to agree that it's fairly rare that I've seen a cop "walking the beat" these days, especially out in the neighborhoods. I don't know whether budget cuts have something to do with that or if patrol cars are seen as a safer/more efficient alternative. Perhaps we ought to try to emulate more what NYC is doing, at least in Center City. I'd be surprised, though, if New York extended that coverage consistently outside Lower Manhattan.
I'm glad to see that you liked aspects of my hometown of "greater" Abington. It is indeed an bedroom community of older homes. My feeling is that anyone under 30 who currently lives there is in their comfort zone, whether by choice or circumstance, as there is relatively little for younger adults to do there compared to the Main Line area or even parts of South Jersey. But for families, it is fantastic...except there are indeed fewer rentals there, particularly houses.
It sounds like it will come down to what the ultimate priority is between length of commute, convenience to community support and overall walkability.
Last edited by FindingZen; 08-29-2010 at 02:38 PM..
Reason: added thoughts
It sounds like it will come down to what the ultimate priority is between length of commute, convenience to community support and overall walkability.
We visited the Philly metro recently as well. Checked out some burbs in Montgomery/Bucks and S. Jersey. We liked what we saw. (Had been to the city about a year back, and felt that there was enough there to keep us busy. Plus a real city.) As and when we gain employment in the area, we will decide exactly which part to relocate to.
To DorianWales --You may even want to check into a Homewood Suites type place (nice suite with a kitchenete) for the first week or two after you move, and use that time to decide where to settle down.
Abington – Jenkintown – Elkins Park
On the recommendation of members of the forum we included this area, which dramatically improves our commute, into our search. The area is beautiful as well and reminded me of the Main Line area. The Jewish community if developed, although there isn't a developed JCC like in the other areas I've covered.
I got the feeling this area is relatively older, both as far as the population goes and the general feel. It was quite hard to find rental properties around there.
Just my thoughts. I'd appreciate your thoughts/ comments as always.
Well, for the most part, your interpretation of the Jewish community in this area isn't that accurate. If developed? It is seriously developed already in this area. I think possibly you are looking for the title "JCC" and I guess that could lead you to believe there isn't as developed of a community there. Germantown Jewish Centre has the name "center" in it, but its also a synagogue, the ones in Elkins Park have the title of synagogue or congregation, but operate as JCC's as well. They have nursery schools, classes, speakers/lectures, events, fairs, etc., they operate the same as JCC's. So, if that's your concern, it shouldn't be one. Its a very strong, very well established Jewish community, you'd be hard pressed to find an area in Philly, I don't think there is another one, with as much in the same immediate area, there's quite a bit within just a few miles.
You should go with whatever area you think will work best for you, if you like Cherry Hill and are willing to put up with the commute (less than ideal), then go for it, just wanted you to know, this is definitely an inaccurate impression of the Jewish community in Elkins Park/Jenkintown.
Here's a website to explore that can give you more information, it has links to the synagogues and resources in the area - Kehillah of Old York Road
Also, I suggest you subscribe to The Exponent, its the Jewish newspaper here.
As for rentals, yeah, not plentiful, because for the most part, people aren't moving out of the area in droves, they like it, so they aren't renting out homes much, they live in them.
Age of people in the area - There's a ton of senior citizens in the Jenkintown/Elkins Park area, one they raised their families here and like it, though I've known many who live here part time, live in FL during the winter months. You can spot a ton of FL plates in the area. There's a great hospital very nearby as well, which makes it s a better area for senior citizens. Its also not far what's formerly known as Jewish Hospital. But in general, seeing senior citizens, that's an issue in PA, its got the second highest proportionate population of SC's outside of Florida. This area might have a few more than others in the area especially with healthcare closeby, your doctor and the hospital can be within 10 minutes if you want it that way. But that's just one aspect of the area. There's also ton of families in the area, many who are in their 30s and 40s with young kids. I will say, depending on when you visited, I know it was recent but not sure exactly when, but be aware, summertime isn't a great time to get a read on the area - I can't tell you how many people are at the Shore. SC's stick around, families with kids, a good amount are at the Shore or on vacation before school resumes especially in the last couple of weeks and the next week, because camp in large part has ended, so family vacation time definitely is happening right now.
As for a cop on every corner in New York - I'm sorry, that made me laugh - those are the words of a tourist, my friend. There is NOT a cop on every corner of New York City. First, NYC contains more than Manhattan. There is in no, way, shape or form a cop on every corner of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. But let's just take Manhattan, still grossly inaccurate. There is not a cop on every block of Harlem, Washington Heights, or Morningside Heights, and let's move away from where some might assume this is true and say there isn't one on every block of the East Village, Lower East Side, Chelsea, Flatiron, etc., there's just not. So, yes, Philly needs some work, I don't disagree, but its come along way, and for the most part the police's presence can be easily felt in most areas of Center City, which is the equivalent of where NYC has a cop on every block, where the money is basically, but as far as saying NYC has a cop on every block, not even close. Have to keep in mind scale and neighborhoods when comparing the cities if forced to do so.
For what it's worth, I happened to stumble the article below, which happens to refute much of the second and third paragraphs of my response...but I'm happy to be wrong in this case.
Agree with JasmineFlower. There is a huge, and influential, Jewish population in Philadelphia and the suburbs. In fact, Money Magazine, or some other magazine, voted Lower Merion in the Top 10 most important Jewish communities in the country.
If you google "Jewish populations in the US" and you'll see listings by county.
In the burbs alone, in Montgomercy County, Lower Merion, Cheltenham, and Abington Townships have significant Jewish populations, as do Upper Dublin and Whitemarsh Townships. There is also a large Jewish presence in Bucks County.
Agree with JasmineFlower. There is a huge, and influential, Jewish population in Philadelphia and the suburbs. In fact, Money Magazine, or some other magazine, voted Lower Merion in the Top 10 most important Jewish communities in the country.
If you google "Jewish populations in the US" and you'll see listings by county.
In the burbs alone, in Montgomercy County, Lower Merion, Cheltenham, and Abington Townships have significant Jewish populations, as do Upper Dublin and Whitemarsh Townships. There is also a large Jewish presence in Bucks County.
There is also a large Jewish population from Huntington Valley through the Holland/Richboro area in Bucks county but this may be out of the OPs preffered locales due to other criteria
Even the neighborhoods surrounding some of the universities have improved, although more progress has been made by the private University of Pennsylvania than public Temple University.
The work has already started. They're currently renovating McGonigle/Pearson Halls into a $50M multi-use facility, headlined with the addition of men's and women's basketball practice facilities, coaches suites and a state-of-the-art hydrotherapy center. It should be completely done by 2011.
The work to build the new 1500-1700 bed dorm should be underway soon as well.
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...but I'm happy to be wrong in this case. 
