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Old 03-30-2012, 03:01 PM
 
2 posts, read 4,562 times
Reputation: 10

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Hello,

We are a family of 6 (kids 1,4,6,9) who are thinking of relocating to the Philadelphia area so our son can attend the HMS School for children with cerebral palsy.

It's hard to judge the neighborhood around the school by the real estate listings, there seem to be everything from Detroit-like abandoned areas to blocks more like our own in Chicago, with nice row houses. The housing seems to be relatively inexpensive, which also throws up flags as far as how safe the area is.

Can anyone recommend a good neighborhood near 4400 Baltimore Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19104 for a family with small children to live?
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Old 03-31-2012, 02:14 AM
 
Location: Philadelphia, PA
8,700 posts, read 13,900,105 times
Reputation: 3655
That is Clark Park... that is a good neighborhood. Very beautiful. Stay around Clark Park and Spruce Hill neighborhoods and you'll be fine. It is mostly UPenn/Drexel Professors and Doctors living in the area. Very family oriented. Students live in some areas too who attend UPenn or Drexel. It's a very lovely neighborhood and UCity has a downtown feel in the core of it. You'll Love it.

Pictures of Spruce Hill and Clark Park

http://www.wpre.com/wp-content/uploa...4795178475.jpg


http://www.wpre.com/wp-content/uploa...5409762153.jpg


http://phillyskyline.com/photo/fall/..._greenline.jpg


http://phillyskyline.com/photo/joemi...SpruceHill.jpg


http://www.universitycityhousing.com...s/picture5.jpg

University City, Philadelphia - YouTube

Community Video: University City, Philadelphia - YouTube

Philly Neighborhoods: University City (Neighborhood) - YouTube

Here is a map of UCity and Center City



You can see where Clark Park is. The Spruce Hill neighborhood is just north of that. As long as you avoid the upper Northwest corner around Chestnut St and Market Street you will be fine (that is the area where it starts to turn ghetto).

Hope this helped.
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Old 03-31-2012, 07:58 PM
 
Location: University City, Philadelphia
22,634 posts, read 14,243,747 times
Reputation: 15881
It is my neighborhood.

I live near 42nd and Baltimore Ave.

It is a registered historic district of many styles of Victorian and Edwardian homes: Queen Anne, Second Empire, Italianate, Flemish Revival, Victorian Eclectic, American Arts & Crafts, etc.

The neighborhood is relatively safe. Only DON'T leave valuables or GPS systems in your car. Always lock the door.

We have some good shopping and restaurants in the neighborhood, including Indian, Thai, Chinese, Greek, Mexican, Ethiopian, Vietnamese, "Mediterranean", etc.

The prices of houses are NOT cheap. I looked at a c.1905 Edwardian "Twin" (semi-detached) house on 46th Street just off Baltimore Ave. and the asking price was $550,000. The "Twins" in this neighborhood go for as little as $350,000 to as much as $750,000 depending on size and condition.

A bit of trivia: HMS stands for "House of the Merciful Savior."



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Old 08-17-2015, 04:37 AM
 
6,438 posts, read 6,443,583 times
Reputation: 8736
I spotted this old thread while looking for pics of West Philly. How did your relo work out?

I think Spruce Hill and Cedar Park are among the most beautiful areas in any U.S. city. However, they are not completely safe. It's not Winnetka…more like Wicker Park, but with even more money.

As far as it being cheap, Philly is a bargain.
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Old 08-17-2015, 06:12 AM
 
10,787 posts, read 7,833,241 times
Reputation: 3966
Quote:
Originally Posted by WirelessJoe View Post
Hello,

We are a family of 6 (kids 1,4,6,9) who are thinking of relocating to the Philadelphia area so our son can attend the HMS School for children with cerebral palsy.

It's hard to judge the neighborhood around the school by the real estate listings, there seem to be everything from Detroit-like abandoned areas to blocks more like our own in Chicago, with nice row houses. The housing seems to be relatively inexpensive, which also throws up flags as far as how safe the area is.

Can anyone recommend a good neighborhood near 4400 Baltimore Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19104 for a family with small children to live?
As someone likely has mentioned, it's part of University City one of the great areas in Phila. It's institutional neighbors are the University of Pennsylvania and University of the Sciences in Phila. Just further east of them is Drexel University.

Right next to the HMS School is the wonderful Clark Park. The area is filled with academicians, staff from the universities and students(of course). Lots of people with families and young children. Penn, in particular, has done a tremendous job helping to make the area more attractive and safe.

The specific neighborhoods are Spruce Hill, Cedar Park, and Walnut Hill
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Old 08-17-2015, 06:17 AM
 
10,787 posts, read 7,833,241 times
Reputation: 3966
Quote:
Originally Posted by RightonWalnut View Post
That is Clark Park... that is a good neighborhood. Very beautiful. Stay around Clark Park and Spruce Hill neighborhoods and you'll be fine. It is mostly UPenn/Drexel Professors and Doctors living in the area. Very family oriented. Students live in some areas too who attend UPenn or Drexel. It's a very lovely neighborhood and UCity has a downtown feel in the core of it. You'll Love it.

Pictures of Spruce Hill and Clark Park

http://www.wpre.com/wp-content/uploa...4795178475.jpg


http://www.wpre.com/wp-content/uploa...5409762153.jpg


http://phillyskyline.com/photo/fall/..._greenline.jpg


http://phillyskyline.com/photo/joemi...SpruceHill.jpg


http://www.universitycityhousing.com...s/picture5.jpg


University City, Philadelphia - YouTube


Community Video: University City, Philadelphia - YouTube


Philly Neighborhoods: University City (Neighborhood) - YouTube

Here is a map of UCity and Center City



You can see where Clark Park is. The Spruce Hill neighborhood is just north of that. As long as you avoid the upper Northwest corner around Chestnut St and Market Street you will be fine (that is the area where it starts to turn ghetto).

Hope this helped.
Good advice about the Chestnut/Market points but even that is better than it was. You do know that ICE moved from 16th and Callowhill, to the new office building 41st and Powelton, right?
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Old 08-17-2015, 06:46 PM
 
2 posts, read 4,562 times
Reputation: 10
Default quick update.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry Siegel View Post
I spotted this old thread while looking for pics of West Philly. How did your relo work out?

I think Spruce Hill and Cedar Park are among the most beautiful areas in any U.S. city. However, they are not completely safe. It's not Winnetka…more like Wicker Park, but with even more money.

As far as it being cheap, Philly is a bargain.
We ended up not moving as far as Philly. We found an excellent district closer to home in Naperville, IL that, despite not having a special school or having the same charm or density that we enjoyed in Oak Park, has been excellent at working with us to educate our son.
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