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Old 08-25-2013, 11:26 AM
 
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$1000 for a two-bedroom is a little low but not undoable outside of Center City. Check out the Septa website for a map of the transit system. Some areas of the city are better served by the two subway lines (Broad Street Subway and Market-Frankford Line, "the El"), some by buses, some by trains, some by trolleys. Suburbs more so by train and some light rail.

Quote:
Originally Posted by aforrester72 View Post
Lastly, what neigborhoods could you define as "rough around the edges" but with plenty of character and personality? A vague question, I know. For me, Austin has a serious lack of such places.
If those are your criteria then you would like it here, lol

The whole city has character and personality. And much of the city is rough around the edges...except most of Center City and upper-middle class areas near the edge of the city limits like Chestnut Hill. Sounds like you want a fringe neighborhood. There are lots of areas like that, like Kensington, Point Breeze - depends how fringe-y or how much on the front edge of the gentrification wave you want to be. It also depends if you want to be in more traditionally black areas, white areas, latin areas, asian areas.
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Old 08-25-2013, 11:36 AM
 
8,975 posts, read 21,061,280 times
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Originally Posted by lmcf View Post
Thank you for your advice rofl3cat. I'll probably be looking within Philadelphia, as well as the suburbs, since I don't know where I'd be working yet. What are the suburbs around there? What's the subway system like there in Philadelphia?
SEPTA is the main public transportation system which includes commuter rail, light rail trolleys, subways/elevated heavy rail and buses. If you commute from New Jersey, you may find yourself using PATCO. Although some locals complain about the cost, it does provide more coverage than most larger cities.

The metro is pretty vast and, by some definitions, can span four states. You will most likely be looking at opportunities in Bucks, Montgomery and Delaware Counties in PA as well as Camden County in NJ. With rare exceptions - e.g. Camden (City), Chester and Norristown - the suburbs are generally regarded as desirable places to live for convenience to the preponderance of jobs as well as a quieter atmosphere.

Note that Philadelphia is rare in that the city and the county are one and the same. You might hear "Philadelphia County" mentioned for statistical purposes but everyday people tend to think of it as the city.
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Old 08-25-2013, 02:53 PM
 
3 posts, read 4,153 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by souphil View Post
$1000 for a two-bedroom is a little low but not undoable outside of Center City. Check out the Septa website for a map of the transit system. Some areas of the city are better served by the two subway lines (Broad Street Subway and Market-Frankford Line, "the El"), some by buses, some by trains, some by trolleys. Suburbs more so by train and some light rail.



If those are your criteria then you would like it here, lol

The whole city has character and personality. And much of the city is rough around the edges...except most of Center City and upper-middle class areas near the edge of the city limits like Chestnut Hill. Sounds like you want a fringe neighborhood. There are lots of areas like that, like Kensington, Point Breeze - depends how fringe-y or how much on the front edge of the gentrification wave you want to be. It also depends if you want to be in more traditionally black areas, white areas, latin areas, asian areas.

What neighborhoods would be considered on the edge of the gentrification wave? Are places like Kensington, Fishtown, and Richmond currently gentrifying or are they still the same traditional communities?

For what it's worth, I am white and try my best to not be labeled as a gentrifier. I lived in New Orleans for four years (a city that will never gentrify) and fell in love with the sense of community, I feel the same is true for Philadelphia. Would that be an accurate statement?
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Old 08-25-2013, 03:30 PM
 
8,975 posts, read 21,061,280 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aforrester72 View Post
What neighborhoods would be considered on the edge of the gentrification wave? Are places like Kensington, Fishtown, and Richmond currently gentrifying or are they still the same traditional communities?

For what it's worth, I am white and try my best to not be labeled as a gentrifier. I lived in New Orleans for four years (a city that will never gentrify) and fell in love with the sense of community, I feel the same is true for Philadelphia. Would that be an accurate statement?
While Fishtown is relatively gentrified, it still maintains its white ethnic roots along with Port Richmond. Kensington is rather diverse with a significant Hispanic (primarily Puerto Rican) and Black population.

I've been to New Orleans a few times, including a visit last month. One thing that will be familiar is the accent among Italians. One difference you may see is that while it's fairly easy to strike up a conversation in NOLA, it's a little tougher in Philly. But hang in there a little while and the places that you frequent will start to look at you like "family", not unlike New Orleans. Our passion for pro sports is definitely just as strong if a bit dispersed through five teams.

Last edited by FindingZen; 09-27-2013 at 08:55 AM..
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Old 08-25-2013, 03:32 PM
 
Location: Philadelphia
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We only have four pro teams.
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Old 08-25-2013, 03:37 PM
 
Location: Phila & NYC
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Originally Posted by Larry Bowa View Post
We only have four pro teams.
No, we have 5.
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Old 08-25-2013, 03:54 PM
 
Location: Philadelphia
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There's four that count - Phillies, Eagles, Flyers and your 76ers.
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Old 08-25-2013, 03:54 PM
 
Location: Cumberland County, NJ
8,631 posts, read 12,924,145 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jazzy jeff View Post
No, we have 5.
Indeed, he forget to mentioned the Philadelphia Union(MLS).


http://sportsun.org/wp-content/uploa...lphiaUnion.png
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Old 08-25-2013, 03:56 PM
 
Location: Philadelphia, PA
4,453 posts, read 3,981,806 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aforrester72 View Post
What neighborhoods would be considered on the edge of the gentrification wave? Are places like Kensington, Fishtown, and Richmond currently gentrifying or are they still the same traditional communities?

For what it's worth, I am white and try my best to not be labeled as a gentrifier. I lived in New Orleans for four years (a city that will never gentrify) and fell in love with the sense of community, I feel the same is true for Philadelphia. Would that be an accurate statement?
In other words you don't want a neighborhood of transients and transplants, but instead a neighborhood of locals? I think most of philly is this way. I'm pretty sure most of the gentrifiers here are either from the surrounding burbs or have integrated with the locals. If you wanted the opposite then you might be looking for areas near the colleges.

Although most philadelphian's I've met are well traveled of some sort, they are all very much philadelphian (now atleast).
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Old 08-25-2013, 04:31 PM
 
3 posts, read 4,153 times
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.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeNigh View Post
In other words you don't want a neighborhood of transients and transplants, but instead a neighborhood of locals? I think most of philly is this way. I'm pretty sure most of the gentrifiers here are either from the surrounding burbs or have integrated with the locals. If you wanted the opposite then you might be looking for areas near the colleges.

Although most philadelphian's I've met are well traveled of some sort, they are all very much philadelphian (now atleast).

Pretty much what you just said is what I want, as far as not wanting to be surrounded by transients and transplants, kind of like it is here in Austin. It feels like Los Angeles here, with no true sense of city identity.

It sounds like I can't really go wrong with any of the neighborhoods (excluding the suburbs, just not for me). And it seems like even for a true southerner like myself (born/raised in SC, New Orleans, then Texas) that I'd have no problem being integrated into whatever community I settled in.

And the large number of pro sports is a big draw (save for the Phillies - ugh. I'm a Braves fan).
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