Pleasantly Surprised by Philly...

[loose cannon]

Originally Posted by Tone509

Actually the 46th St El stop has a number of good things going for it within walking distance: two townhouse developments slated for affordable housing; the Enterprise Center, an incubator for small businesses; an Aldi no-frills supermarket, and; an old school building that I believe has been renovated to house a JobCorps program. That's not to say that the area is "heaven on earth" but there are more challenging places further west on the El train.

In the 90's Philly was my playground but not as much these days. So, Im a little off on things. I get there now once or twice a year.

[*Sweetkisses*]

I agree. Philly is a great city and is totally underrepresented. One of the most urban cities in America.

[phillygirl113]

i've lived in philly my whole life..and i guess why all the negative remarks are from the bad parts of town..they can be somewhat tough..but you're right..you have been to the best parts of the city...and a few more to add to your list is manayunk, chestnut hill. the regional rail service is great, and goes to these philly small towns, and the outlining suburbs. also, you're right, northern liberties is up, and coming especially with the art scene.

[fashionista3127]

Me and my husband are relocating to another city....we were concidering philly...and i must say that reading your forum has given me the confidence to come and visit! Thanx

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by fashionista3127

Me and my husband are relocating to another city....we were concidering philly...and i must say that reading your forum has given me the confidence to come and visit! Thanx

You won't be disappointed. I myself am moving to Scranton, PA, but Philadelphia has always impressed me. It has nearly the same "pulse" that NYC has, but it is on a more down-to-earth and friendly level. I love vacationing in Center City.

[BabyBluEyes1122]

Alright, so I have to admit, I am a bit surprised to be reading these posts. I was born and raised in Pottstown PA, a suburb of Philly... about 30 minutes outside of Philly. I have always heard pretty bad things about Philly. My brother lives in Manayunk - he's 33. My other brother who is 23 visits quite often and they generally have pretty fun stories to tell about the bars. When I went to visit my brother for my 21st birthday, I had a blast. The bar scene is obviously great there. Lots of young people having a good time. However, I was in a bank with my brothers waiting for me outside, and within 2 minutes of them standing there a guy walked up to them asking if they wanted to buy some cocaine. This city, from what I understand, can be a fun place to visit, but I'm not so sure about living. I like living near it, not in it. It's a drive away, but out of reach of most of the violence. I wouldn't recommend moving there with young kids. That's about all I've got. =]

[Duderino]

Originally Posted by BabyBluEyes1122

This city, from what I understand, can be a fun place to visit, but I'm not so sure about living. I like living near it, not in it. It's a drive away, but out of reach of most of the violence. I wouldn't recommend moving there with young kids. That's about all I've got. =]

I definitely can understand where you're coming from -- I grew up in and around Pottstown, but I think many suburbanites -- after years and years of horror stories in the Philly media -- are often left with too negative of an impression of the city. After decades of this, the city become more and more regionally isolated, which contributed greatly to an economic decline in our urban core. Are there just plain awful areas? No doubt, and every local will tell you that. However, that's a far cry from the WHOLE city being unlivable, being that there are plenty of wonderful neighborhoods (i.e., Society Hill, Rittenhouse Square, Old City, most of the Northeast etc.) where many families raise children in very safe atmospheres. Thankfully, suburbanites are slowly but surely beginning to rediscover the city and are fueling a dramatic renaissance in Philadelphia -- a genuinely beautiful and historically revered city that many in our region had neglected for WAY too long.

[middle-of-nowhere]

Over the years, I've come to think much greater of Philly. It just used to be the eastern version of Detroit, in my perception. But now, it's like the more manageable version of New York City. I find that more services are more conveniently accessible in Philly than they are in Boston or DC. Of course, it's no NYC. I read somewhere that you can think of it like: "NYC is the most popular kid in school, but Philly can be your best friend."

[thesixth]

[quote=BabyBluEyes1122;3161987]However, I was in a bank with my brothers waiting for me outside, and within 2 minutes of them standing there a guy walked up to them asking if they wanted to buy some cocaine.]

Unfortunately, drugs and drug dealers can be anywhere. And alot of dealing does occur in smaller, rural towns like Pottstown, Reading & York. It's a scourge that is not limited to urban areas.

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by middle-of-nowhere

"NYC is the most popular kid in school, but Philly can be your best friend."

Perhaps that should be our new marketing slogan!