Safety and walkabaility in Philly...what's your opinion as a Philadelphian? (Somerset: best neighborhood, neighborhoods)

[2002 Subaru]

Originally Posted by kyb01

No, I told him too.

Anyhow he'll find out soon enough.

He'll be fine.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by 2002 Subaru

So, native Philadelphians are lining up to spend big bucks near a development with low-income housing? I don't think so.

Most of the people at that HEC meeting weren't transplants. Some were from outside the city, but even most of them had grown up somewhere near here.

Now, I will grant that this makes them not "native Philadelphians." But they are probably more familiar with the city than you are giving them credit for.

Most of the born-and-raised-here people in attendance lived there when the towers were in place, which means they're already of more modest means than the more recent arrivals. Don't get me started on the virtues of income diversity. We're working on that very subject in Germantown too.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by 2002 Subaru

Don't kid yourself.




BTW, y'all need to get off the "At least we're not Chicago!" Like it makes our mess OK.

It doesn't.

But you were saying it's worse when it isn't. You can get called on that legitimately.

[2002 Subaru]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

It doesn't.

But you were saying it's worse when it isn't. You can get called on that legitimately.

The hard-core ghettos/barrios are all bad, 'worse' is a matter of opinion. You never heard "Kensington and Somerset is the worst drug area in the country"?

[2002 Subaru]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

Most of the people at that HEC meeting weren't transplants. Some were from outside the city, but even most of them had grown up somewhere near here.

Now, I will grant that this makes them not "native Philadelphians." But they are probably more familiar with the city than you are giving them credit for.

Most of the born-and-raised-here people in attendance lived there when the towers were in place, which means they're already of more modest means than the more recent arrivals. Don't get me started on the virtues of income diversity. We're working on that very subject in Germantown too.

You'd have to be a damn fool then to pay that kind of money to live near low-income. Or have a mental disorder.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by 2002 Subaru

The hard-core ghettos/barrios are all bad, 'worse' is a matter of opinion. You never heard "Kensington and Somerset is the worst drug area in the country"?

Yes, I have.

But I've gotten off the El there on three separate occasions recently, and I can tell you that it's not as awful as it was when I got off there to WALK to Tacconelli's a decade ago.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by 2002 Subaru

You'd have to be a damn fool then to pay that kind of money to live near low-income. Or have a mental disorder.

And that's where I part company with you.

I don't consider that a sign of mental illness. Courage maybe, disease no.

I also don't think the agents selling the homes, or the builders building them, disordered. I know several of them, and a few buyers. They all strike me as very well adjusted.

Edited to add: Actually, I can think of an example of what I mean from about 25 years ago: a middle-aged gay white male and his partner, both colleagues of my ex at CCP, who bought a house in a rather nondescript block of newish row homes then known as "Fort Bainbridge." It was located on the site of the old Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Most of the older row houses across the street from their home were in various states of disrepair and decay, and I don't think I need to tell you about the safety of the area, or its reputation for same.

I'm sure you know how well that area's doing now. The ball has to start rolling somewhere.

Remember my position on fear. I live it. Granted, I live where I do because the rent's cheap, but if I could afford better, I'd still look in Germantown first now.

[2002 Subaru]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

And that's where I part company with you.

I don't consider that a sign of mental illness. Courage maybe, disease no.

I also don't think the agents selling the homes, or the builders building them, disordered. I know several of them, and a few buyers. They all strike me as very well adjusted.

Edited to add: Actually, I can think of an example of what I mean from about 25 years ago: a middle-aged gay white male and his partner, both colleagues of my ex at CCP, who bought a house in a rather nondescript block of newish row homes then known as "Fort Bainbridge." It was located on the site of the old Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Most of the older row houses across the street from their home were in various states of disrepair and decay, and I don't think I need to tell you about the safety of the area, or its reputation for same.

I'm sure you know how well that area's doing now. The ball has to start rolling somewhere.

Remember my position on fear. I live it. Granted, I live where I do because the rent's cheap, but if I could afford better, I'd still look in Germantown first now.

I do. I'd rather not have to worry about it.

[2002 Subaru]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

Yes, I have.

But I've gotten off the El there on three separate occasions recently, and I can tell you that it's not as awful as it was when I got off there to WALK to Tacconelli's a decade ago.

Walk west ... You know we're talking about overall quality of life and not just murders, right?




BTW, take that walk now and you'll see it isn't any better. There's a ton of cops hanging around the El stop, but the neighborhood is still crap.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by 2002 Subaru

God bless them all! I'd rather not have to worry about it.

Which is perfectly all right by me. I'd just ask that you not deem them crazy for either not worrying about it, stats be damned, or being willing to take their chances on the future rather than dwell in the past.