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Old 05-10-2011, 12:48 PM
 
Location: Here&There
2,209 posts, read 4,206,714 times
Reputation: 2438

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I've been to Philly several times, though only for specific things so my knowledge of the neighborhoods is limited and it has been a while since I last visited (3yrs). Looking to move to an art studio (live/work type spaces, not those really spruced up ones where everything is new -- basically a raw loft) so it would be nice to be around like minded individuals.

Not sure how prices range from neighborhood to neighborhood but I'm looking at 1000 max. Plausible?

Also looking for:

-Close to shops (food, banks, grocery markets, everyday stuff)

-Close to public transportation

-Safety (I don't mind some grit)

Cheers.

Last edited by BVitamin; 05-10-2011 at 01:06 PM..
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Old 05-10-2011, 02:11 PM
 
Location: Boston Metrowest (via the Philly area)
7,246 posts, read 10,480,726 times
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Traditionally, the Old City/Northern Liberties areas are considered the artsy neighborhoods, although it is increasingly hard to find something something on a $1,000/month budget. Not impossible, but the northern area of Northern Liberties, Fishtown, and Kensington would be your best bets. There's increasing investment in those neighborhoods in terms of amenities (a full-service grocery store is in the works in NL, for example) and you'd be relatively close to public transportation (light rail, elevated rail).
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Old 05-10-2011, 06:58 PM
 
Location: Here&There
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Thanks Duderino, I actually found a couple of places in those areas.
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Old 05-10-2011, 07:04 PM
 
Location: Boston Metrowest (via the Philly area)
7,246 posts, read 10,480,726 times
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You're very welcome. Please let us know if you need more specific information. It's also important to note that a some parts of these areas, particularly Kensington, are definitely in "transition," and you're definitely going to find the grit of which you speak. However, they look a lot worse off than they actually are; they're just in desperate need of some TLC. In that sense, I think you're going to find many like-minded artists in those areas that are working to re-purpose neighborhoods that are ripe for renewal.

Good luck!

Last edited by Duderino; 05-10-2011 at 07:18 PM..
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Old 05-13-2011, 11:49 PM
 
Location: Here&There
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Found several places just above what I'm budgeting -- I may starve it out for a bit, these places are tempting.

Also, is the Metro/Subway safe to use? When I walked by most of them they seem to reek of urine somehow that equates to unsafe for me although it doesn't really make sense since I find NYC subways to be safe -- mostly. I don't know, maybe because a lot of people use it so crime is less likely to happen, is it a popular mode of transportation in Philly?
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Old 05-14-2011, 06:41 AM
 
Location: Midwest
1,283 posts, read 2,211,754 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BVitamin View Post
Found several places just above what I'm budgeting -- I may starve it out for a bit, these places are tempting.

Also, is the Metro/Subway safe to use? When I walked by most of them they seem to reek of urine somehow that equates to unsafe for me although it doesn't really make sense since I find NYC subways to be safe -- mostly. I don't know, maybe because a lot of people use it so crime is less likely to happen, is it a popular mode of transportation in Philly?
Daily ridership is 180k on the Market Frankford Line or 136k on the Broad Street Line. The Market Frankford Line runs about every 5 minutes most of the day (in fact, the days I take the MFL home from work, if I just miss one I can usually see the lights coming from the next one almost immediately). You'll find similar wait times if you utilize express stops of the BSL. So in short - yes, it's very popular. Even for people who don't live directly along the lines, many buses terminate along the subways and then people use them to get into Center City.

My dad, who spent most of his life in NYC, says the Philly subway smells "just like" the NYC subway - and he didn't mean it as a compliment to either one. I personally think it just smells like a subway, and I'm not sure there's a way to make it smell nice. Some of the more offensive smells come from the concourse (the pedestrian walkways underneath Center City connecting rail service and buildings) as opposed to the subway stations themselves, IMO.
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Old 05-14-2011, 07:28 AM
 
Location: back in Philadelphia!
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Well, the subway in Philly is definitely a little more raw than the NY subway, especially the concourses, but I never had any issues on it. Many people do take it. I commuted daily on it for years and it was certainly crowded during rush hours (not PACKED like rush hour NY subways, but pretty full).
And one thing about the fact that it stops running late at night is that late nights are the times when it probably would be more unsafe to use.

Another thing about the Philly subway vs the NY subway is that the Philly subway is FASTER. There are only a few lines so the system is much less complicated, and as a result there is virtually no train congestion, and less construction and other diversions to slow things down. The BSL express trains hit 60-70mph going straight down broad street, which is fantastic.

As FamousBlueRaincoat mentioned, the subway in Philly functions sort of like a spine for the bus network, as opposed to a standalone system like NYC. Using the buses & subways in tandem makes for a good & quick way to get to and from most areas of Philly. SEPTA is a good system that I don't think people appreciate nearly enough.
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Old 05-14-2011, 08:46 AM
 
Location: Kennett Square, PA
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If you are willing to go a little further south, right over the line to Arden, DE, you would find a very unique and historically artistic community who are highly committed to the arts: Artists of Arden, Delaware
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Old 05-14-2011, 09:39 AM
 
Location: back in Philadelphia!
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Here's a link to info on artsy developments in Fishtown & Kensington that you may also find interesting:

Frankford Ave Arts Corridor
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Old 05-14-2011, 04:07 PM
 
Location: Here&There
2,209 posts, read 4,206,714 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by soulsurv View Post
If you are willing to go a little further south, right over the line to Arden, DE, you would find a very unique and historically artistic community who are highly committed to the arts: Artists of Arden, Delaware
I'll keep that in mind, though for now, I'd like to be in the mix of urban things.

Quote:
Originally Posted by rotodome View Post
Here's a link to info on artsy developments in Fishtown & Kensington that you may also find interesting:

Frankford Ave Arts Corridor
My hero, I've read about that a while ago and didn't save the link -- a gasguzzillion thanks. I was thinking of buying property but ditch that idea seeing how property, for what I could afford, were never built the way I want it, for artistic purposes -- I'll have to revisit that possibility. Seriously though, you are my sun and stars.
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