Philadelphia 2035 (Lancaster: substitute, neighborhoods, theater)

[thedirtypirate]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

I pass through that intersection quite often, for it's where I transfer between the buses that serve my part of Germantown and the Broad Street Line.

I feel your pain. it's depressing to look at the former Church's with all the signage still on it.

Yes, it is.

There are some big headwinds philadelphia may face soon: the closures of VA hospital, the IRS facility, Macy's, and the Fashion District mall. Center City was already institutionally weak and it just keeps on getting weaker. A thriving city gives people reasons to go downtown.

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by thedirtypirate

Yes, it is.

There are some big headwinds philadelphia may face soon: the closures of VA hospital, the IRS facility, Macy's, and the Fashion District mall. Center City was already institutionally weak and it just keeps on getting weaker. A thriving city gives people reasons to go downtown.

I agree with your at large point, but some of these closures are big "ifs".

The IRS lease is thru 2030 and Macy's lease is thru 2027, both are a while away. And an article today reported that local officials are already working the the General Services Administration to keep the IRS there for the long run.

The Fashion District is a dinosaur though. I wish it would be completely leveled (along with the South side of Market) and National Real Estate Trust or Post Brothers takes control of the plots.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by thedirtypirate

Yes, it is.

There are some big headwinds philadelphia may face soon: the closures of VA hospital, the IRS facility, Macy's, and the Fashion District mall. Center City was already institutionally weak and it just keeps on getting weaker. A thriving city gives people reasons to go downtown.

Have you forgotten that a sizable number of Philadelphians live downtown?

They contribute a lot to the vibrancy it does have.

I've been to a weak downtown recently. Kansas City is doing okay overall, but downtown KC is bereft of activity on the street during the day. You will find some at night in the Power & Light District and some of the clubs and restaurants next to Quality Hill, but it might also be worth noting that these two areas are where just about all of the people who live in Downtown KC live. The rest of downtown is moribund, though I don't know whether activity picks up at lunchtime around City Hall and the Jackson County Courthouse.

And tbh, the downtowns of most Midwestern cities not named Chicago aren't as bustling as Philadelphia's. Yet I wouldn't call any of them moribund, though the years haven't been kind to St. Louis.

[Muinteoir]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

Have you forgotten that a sizable number of Philadelphians live downtown?

They contribute a lot to the vibrancy it does have.

I've been to a weak downtown recently. Kansas City is doing okay overall, but downtown KC is bereft of activity on the street during the day. You will find some at night in the Power & Light District and some of the clubs and restaurants next to Quality Hill, but it might also be worth noting that these two areas are where just about all of the people who live in Downtown KC live. The rest of downtown is moribund, though I don't know whether activity picks up at lunchtime around City Hall and the Jackson County Courthouse.

And tbh, the downtowns of most Midwestern cities not named Chicago aren't as bustling as Philadelphia's. Yet I wouldn't call any of them moribund, though the years haven't been kind to St. Louis.

To your point, Center City's residential population is actually at 126% of its pre-pandemic level. In my mind, that's extremely impressive considering all of the doomsday talk about the downfall of American urban life in the post-pandemic USA.

Center City ranks fourth amongst US downtowns for foot traffic, and we've recently achieved 83% of 2019's foot traffic activity.

Most news for Center City has been positive as of late, and so I don't think there is much cause for major concern in the immediate future.

https://6abc.com/things-to-do-in-cen...ants/14087443/

[Hermit12]

Originally Posted by Muinteoir

I'm sorry you feel so negatively, Hermit. A healthy diet and consistent exercise do me wonders.

LOL! Believe what you need to to you get through the day.

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by Muinteoir

To your point, Center City's residential population is actually at 126% of its pre-pandemic level. In my mind, that's extremely impressive considering all of the doomsday talk about the downfall of American urban life in the post-pandemic USA.

Center City ranks fourth amongst US downtowns for foot traffic, and we've recently achieved 83% of 2019's foot traffic activity.

Most news for Center City has been positive as of late, and so I don't think there is much cause for major concern in the immediate future.

https://6abc.com/things-to-do-in-cen...ants/14087443/

Surprised Boston is higher. I wonder if that has always been the case or just in recent years?

A bit OT, but the "downtown" areas of DC are definitely behind NYC, Philly, and Boston in terms of general activity (per my visits), a lot of reasons for that. Still a nice clean city though.

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by cpomp

Surprised Boston is higher. I wonder that has always been the case or just in recent years.

A bit OT, but the "downtown" areas of DC are definitely behind NYC, Philly, and Boston in terms of general activity (per my visits), a lot of reasons for that. Still a nice clean city though.

I feel like that's always been the case to a degree. DC has never been crazy busy to me. Love it tho.

[Duderino]

Here's the thing about all downtowns/CBDs moving forward: they all need to become as mixed-use as possible to buttress against the "unknown." Downtowns can never put all of their eggs in any one basket.

There's always going to be concerns about what happens after a long-term lease expires and the viability of any large-scale retail operations over time. That's life in any city. Times, industries, and tastes change all the time, and they will continue to do so ad infinitum.

It's kind of comically ironic for Philly in a way: for decades, Center City was so criticized for failing at employment growth, and it wasn't maintaining or attracting corporate/office jobs at the rate you saw with other large urban cores like Boston, NYC, Chicago, DC and SF. The explanation was that Center City was still vibrant in spite of underperforming with office-using employment, mostly due to hosting such a high residential population in the core.

Well, here we are in 2024, and the idea of the urban core serving as the principal employment hub for major metro areas is, for all intents and purposes, for the history books. In a very much accidental way, I'd argue Philly is already ahead of the game in learning to adapt and promoting vibrancy in the absence of a super-robust corporate office sector, precisely because that's how it's already operated for decades.

Philly already has the right ingredients for vibrancy, but one factor is the most critical: residential density. As long as "Greater Center City" can keep densifying (in a historically sensitive way), adding restaurants, entertainment, and everyday retail for daily living, all while continuing the laser focus on quality-of-life issues like crime, cleanliness, and functional public transportation to draw in people from the rest of the city and suburbs, Center City will continue to get back on track and thrive.

[Muinteoir]

I found this article interesting. Keeping Philly's unique flavor does not have to be antonymic to quality development. The abundance of murals is one of my favorite things that makes Philly Philly. I think more people need to employ a "yes and" kind of mentality. We can have our cake and eat it too, henny!

"“As a city, we can hold both these things in our hands: public art and development.”

---Jane Golden

On that note, I think it's over and out for me. Love to all City-Data-ers. I am truly wishing all of you a positive and prosperous 2024. And remember, everyone you encounter is just a human. A little kindness not only fills up their cup, but it'll fill yours too.

xoxoxoxo,

Muinteoir (did you know my great great grandfather was a Munteoir?! That's why I chose this handle years ago! )

https://www.inquirer.com/news/philad...-20240120.html

[Hermit12]

Stay safe out there, Muinteoir!

I wouldn't care if all the murals disappeared, I've never felt represented or a connection to any of them. Seems like a lot of woke crap to me.