Philadelphia Development (Girard, Belmont, Parkside: real estate, apartments, houses)

[N.Y.C.H]

I was wondering is there any development/gentrification going on around the zoo or girard ave? I go to the zoo and center city often, but did notice that near the zoo seems pretty run down until u cross the river, is there any development happening or going to happen in the area?

Also is there a thread of strictly development news or pictures of construction etc like the wired ny forum page has? Any pages like that for philly? Thanks!

[Clark Park]

In my opinion - and this is only an opinion - the immediate area near the zoo is pretty rough and I don't see signs of "gentrification" going on.

If an investor is looking to buy a property in West Philly the best area is University City. University City itself has become fairy expensive now, but the savvy investor will look to the border areas of this district: a block or two (only!!!) into Mantua near Spring Garden, the western part of Powelton Village - those few blocks just west and north of Penn Presby Hospital, and the "corridor" between 50th and 52nd Streets (but not west of 52nd!) between Walnut and Baltimore. West Philly real estate is iffy and much of it is "Da 'Hood."

I'm told some of large "mansions" - now apartments - directly on Parkside are being renovated, but I'm not so sure about that.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by N.Y.C.H

I was wondering is there any development/gentrification going on around the zoo or girard ave? I go to the zoo and center city often, but did notice that near the zoo seems pretty run down until u cross the river, is there any development happening or going to happen in the area?

Also is there a thread of strictly development news or pictures of construction etc like the wired ny forum page has? Any pages like that for philly? Thanks!

If you mean the stretch between Belmont Ave and 34th St, on Girard, no, there's nothing happening there. A real shame because along Parkside Ave, from 52nd and 40th, there are terrific houses, most in fine shape, particularly the massive Victorian "mansions" across from Memorial Hall(Please Touch Museum).

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by Clark Park

In my opinion - and this is only an opinion - the immediate area near the zoo is pretty rough and I don't see signs of "gentrification" going on.

If an investor is looking to buy a property in West Philly the best area is University City. University City itself has become fairy expensive now, but the savvy investor will look to the border areas of this district: a block or two (only!!!) into Mantua near Spring Garden, the western part of Powelton Village - those few blocks just west and north of Penn Presby Hospital, and the "corridor" between 50th and 52nd Streets (but not west of 52nd!) between Walnut and Baltimore. West Philly real estate is iffy and much of it is "Da 'Hood."

I'm told some of large "mansions" - now apartments - directly on Parkside are being renovated, but I'm not so sure about that.

Thanks. Keep labeling Overbrook, Overbrook Park, Overbrook Farms or Wynnefield "Da Hood" as much of those are west of 52nd and by, inference, drop kicking" some wonderful people who live in those communities including my 98 year aunt, her daughters(my cousins) and my older sister. Try getting out of your UC bubble a bit more.

The mansions along Parkside were renovated something like 15-20 years ago. They still look fine at least on the outside.

[N.Y.C.H]

Is it safe to say, from a visual stand point, that west philly is far better compared to north philly? I have never been in the area but based on streetview you have more intact blocks, with row homes with flowers etc and maybe a few blocks that are a little more run down, especially on the northside of west philly it loosk like near the zoo? Is this a safe guess for me to make or am i totally wrong

[thedirtypirate]

Originally Posted by N.Y.C.H

I was wondering is there any development/gentrification going on around the zoo or girard ave? I go to the zoo and center city often, but did notice that near the zoo seems pretty run down until u cross the river, is there any development happening or going to happen in the area?

Also is there a thread of strictly development news or pictures of construction etc like the wired ny forum page has? Any pages like that for philly? Thanks!

oh boy you mean before you cross the river? Up ridge ave or girard? That is the way the gps tells me to get on 76 most of the time. It makes me sweat. And it is ground zero for the largest public housing authority project of all time in the city.

Sharswood Blumberg

Hopefully one day whole stretch can be revived from decay. I really hope this succeeds. It is worth noting that more gentrification is coming to girard.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by N.Y.C.H

Is it safe to say, from a visual stand point, that west philly is far better compared to north philly? I have never been in the area but based on streetview you have more intact blocks, with row homes with flowers etc and maybe a few blocks that are a little more run down, especially on the northside of west philly it loosk like near the zoo? Is this a safe guess for me to make or am i totally wrong

Yes, W. Philly is generally better than N. Philly although there are gentrified/gentrifying neighborhoods in N. Philly west of Broad St.

As I pointed out in my rebuke to Clark Park, neighborhoods further west(near the border with Montgomery Co) in W. Philly: parts of Cobbs Creek, most of Overbrook, all of Overbrook Farms and Overbrook Park plus Wynnfield/Wynnfield Heights are very intact. They are pretty much, majority black. But too many people in, say, University City, think that no one but criminals live in these places.

The area I think you mean near the zoo is Mantua.