What is Philadelphia's most beautiful neighborhood? (York, Oxford: best neighborhood, income, to live)

[wndsofchng06]

Originally Posted by gwillyfromphilly

I think East Oak Lane is underrated for its beauty

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.0551...8192?entry=ttu

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.0587...8192?entry=ttu

Very peaceful looking area!

[Clark Park]

My neighborhood: Spruce Hill. Exceptionally lovely streets include Woodland Terrace, Regent Square, St. Mark's Square, "Little" Osage Ave., and the 4200 block of Pine Street.

[TheProf]

East Oak Lane is very nice, but the truth is, Philadelphia has lots of classic, high-end looking neighborhoods, many with mini-mansions (or just flat out mansions). All with those classic Philadelphia fieldstone houses and lush gardens. Such in-city nice areas obviously exist in places like Chestnut Hill and Mt Airy, but there are also beautiful pockets in Wynnfield, Germantown, Overbrook and pockets in West Philly. Philadelphia, as an old Colonial city has done a great job of persevering green natural areas: public parks (Fairmount Park is the largest muni park in the world, extending all the way out to Chestnut Hill), open valleys and even farmland -- yes, farms with sheep, horses and the like.

There are so many in-city areas of Philly where you'd swear your out in the country ... and yet are in the midst of a 1.6 million person city... Drive out Wissahickon Ave to the end, or wander around the Forbidden trail or Valley Green in Chestnut Hill, and you'll see what I mean.

[Debbie1244]

Chestnut Hill

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by PHILLYUPTOWN

[...]

HM goes to Germantown. You can easily see that if this neighborhood were revitalized it could easily be a top 5 neighborhood with its diverse housing stock, plethora of historical properties, access to the park and generous tree cover, transit access and highly walkable grid; all of which contribute to its beauty.

I read once that one wag referred to Germantown thusly: "It always seems to be one coat of paint away from being the cutest historical neighborhood in the city." And I don't think that wag's too far off the mark. But I also maintain that those who haven't been to Germantown have no idea just how eclectic and diverse (socioeconomically especially) a neighborhood this is.

3- and 4-over-1 apartment buildings (as well as some pure 4- and 5-story apartment plays) are sprouting like weeds in Germantown right now. These are bound to bring in younger and better off tenants.

There's also a development on the retail front that augurs well for Chelten Avenue's future: Weavers Way Co-op is finally opening a Germantown store. It will be housed in a former Acme supermarket at Chelten Avenue and Morris Street. Germantown's more affluent residents have been agitating for this for years. This leads me to conclude that the grocer has concluded that there are enough such residents to keep a store afloat. I'll probably join myself.

[PHILLYUPTOWN]

Originally Posted by PhilliesPhan2013

Many will disagree with me, but Strawberry Mansion (especially west of Ridge) and East Parkside are also two of the prettiest neighborhoods in the city. To this day, I don't understand why people fled from those neighborhoods during the mid-20th Century. Those neighborhoods should be two of the most desirable in the city, not as downtrodden as they've been over the years.

My guess is it has to do with proximity. Those neighborhoods you mentioned are not adjacent to Center City but happen to border some of the more violent neighborhoods in Philly. So middle class residents maybe felt they were targets due to proximity and left leaving all those mansions to be subdivided and the ghetto extended. Upscale neighborhoods like Overbrook Farms and Mt Airy didn’t face that kind of pressure while at the same time having being close to some of the best neighborhoods in the region (Main Line/Chestnut Hill) to ensure they didn’t go down the same route. University City has a similar housing stock and was close to failing but was propped up by Penn Parkside/Mansion had no such anchor so was vulnerable.


Interesting thing about those two neighborhoods is that they were Jewish neighborhoods. Originally built for the professional class; those neighborhoods were essentially suburbia. When the Main Line and other upscale areas were built up (satisfying that classes want of land and distance from working class); these upscale neighborhoods were left to Jewish population; many of whom had the income to sustain those houses but of course were shut out of suburbia. Post War when they were finally accepted, they left for places like Lower Merion and Cheltenham. Since there was no one left of means to support those large (and expensive) houses they were subdivided into apartments; which changed the character of those areas.

[PHILLYUPTOWN]

Originally Posted by TheProf

East Oak Lane is very nice, but the truth is, Philadelphia has lots of classic, high-end looking neighborhoods, many with mini-mansions (or just flat out mansions). All with those classic Philadelphia fieldstone houses and lush gardens. Such in-city nice areas obviously exist in places like Chestnut Hill and Mt Airy, but there are also beautiful pockets in Wynnfield, Germantown, Overbrook and pockets in West Philly. Philadelphia, as an old Colonial city has done a great job of persevering green natural areas: public parks (Fairmount Park is the largest muni park in the world, extending all the way out to Chestnut Hill), open valleys and even farmland -- yes, farms with sheep, horses and the like.

There are so many in-city areas of Philly where you'd swear your out in the country ... and yet are in the midst of a 1.6 million person city... Drive out Wissahickon Ave to the end, or wander around the Forbidden trail or Valley Green in Chestnut Hill, and you'll see what I mean.

Yeah I grew up around EOL. Lack of public space/park space, Business District, overall lack of amenities and lack of highway connections kinda takes it out the running. There are nice properties there; and good value due to its perceived weaknesses, but that’s about it.

[AshbyQuin]

Not a specific neighborhood, but the drive on Pine RD to the BJ's on Red Lion Road is one of my favorites in the city; that area of the Northeast is underrated for its beauty.


https://www.google.com/maps/@40.0865...8192?entry=ttu


https://www.google.com/maps/@40.0971...8192?entry=ttu

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.0807...8192?entry=ttu

[PHL10]

Originally Posted by AshbyQuin

Not a specific neighborhood, but the drive on Pine RD to the BJ's on Red Lion Road is one of my favorites in the city; that area of the Northeast is underrated for its beauty.

Oh wow, beautiful!!! That pavement striping is breathtaking! Don't get me started on the telephone poles!

I find it interesting that many are posting very suburban areas that are like a dime-a-dozen in the suburbs.

[kyle19125]