The Future of Norristown (Philadelphia, Chester: real estate, broker, houses)

[kyb01]

To answer the OP, no.

If it was going to turn around it would have by now.

[Pennsport]

Originally Posted by chessimprov

Norristown seems very mixed depending on which section you live in. Bridgeport is interesting because it certainly gets affected from Norristown's prospects, yet is also part of Upper Merion School district.

A big issue with Bridgeport, Trooper, etc... and all those rural towns out west near Norristown is there aren't any major pockets of business nearby. Collegeville is probably the closest, but it only houses a couple of satellite pharma company offices. Bucks county a couple decades ago was similar in a lot of ways, but because that area is commutable to Philly, Princeton, northern NJ and even NYC, it's a much different scenario today. Western Montgomery county just doesn't have much of a draw. It's a terrible drive to Philly. It's not near the beach or mountains. It's not commutable to any other city and there is nothing of note neighboring it. Sadly, I think Norristown's time has passed...

[TownDweller]

Originally Posted by Pennsport

A big issue with Bridgeport, Trooper, etc... and all those rural towns out west near Norristown is there aren't any major pockets of business nearby. Collegeville is probably the closest, but it only houses a couple of satellite pharma company offices. Bucks county a couple decades ago was similar in a lot of ways, but because that area is commutable to Philly, Princeton, northern NJ and even NYC, it's a much different scenario today. Western Montgomery county just doesn't have much of a draw. It's a terrible drive to Philly. It's not near the beach or mountains. It's not commutable to any other city and there is nothing of note neighboring it. Sadly, I think Norristown's time has passed...

I see it differently. Like population, 60-70% of the jobs in the metro area are in the suburbs. This area has direct access to I76, 276, 422, 476 and 202. And high speed rail.

The communities you cite, including Norristown, border KOP, a commercial powerhouse. Conshohocken will soon be the international HQ for Amerisource Bergen, which is #12 on the Fortune 500 list. The new development will include a 430,000 sq. ft. office tower, a 165 room hotel and 1,500 parking spaces.

Transportation access, amenities and riverfront make this area more desirable than you might think.

[Pennsport]

Originally Posted by TownDweller

I see it differently. Like population, 60-70% of the jobs in the metro area are in the suburbs. This area has direct access to I76, 276, 422, 476 and 202. And high speed rail.

The communities you cite, including Norristown, border KOP, a commercial powerhouse. Conshohocken will soon be the international HQ for Amerisource Bergen, which is #12 on the Fortune 500 list. The new development will include a 430,000 sq. ft. office tower, a 165 room hotel and 1,500 parking spaces.

Transportation access, amenities and riverfront make this area more desirable than you might think.

You may be right. AmerisourceBergen Corp. (ABC) will be a nice addition to the area. Although, having been in the pharma industry for 15 years, I can say with a level of confidence that massive changes are coming soon which will substantially impact profit of all pharma/biotech companies. Regardless, ABC has always been local. They're currently headquartered in Chesterbrook, so I'm not sure how many employees are actually going to have to relocate. Anyway, I hope I'm wrong. I would love to see Norristown take a similar path to Conshy and realize its potential. BTW, good point about the river. That's a really nice draw that a lot of more rural towns further west don't have...

[TownDweller]

Originally Posted by Pennsport

You may be right. AmerisourceBergen Corp. (ABC) will be a nice addition to the area. Although, having been in the pharma industry for 15 years, I can say with a level of confidence that massive changes are coming soon which will substantially impact profit of all pharma/biotech companies. Regardless, ABC has always been local. They're currently headquartered in Chesterbrook, so I'm not sure how many employees are actually going to have to relocate. Anyway, I hope I'm wrong. I would love to see Norristown take a similar path to Conshy and realize its potential. BTW, good point about the river. That's a really nice draw that a lot of more rural towns further west don't have...

I hope it does, too. Conshy is a sweet little town.

[Fireshaker]

Originally Posted by kyb01

To answer the OP, no.

If it was going to turn around it would have by now.

That seems awfully short-sighted. Who are we to say an area will *never* get better? A lot of the "hot" areas people flock to now were once as bad, or worse, than Norristown is now.

Yeah, it may not be a quick or easy change, but I

Originally Posted by TownDweller

I see it differently. Like population, 60-70% of the jobs in the metro area are in the suburbs. This area has direct access to I76, 276, 422, 476 and 202. And high speed rail.

The communities you cite, including Norristown, border KOP, a commercial powerhouse. Conshohocken will soon be the international HQ for Amerisource Bergen, which is #12 on the Fortune 500 list. The new development will include a 430,000 sq. ft. office tower, a 165 room hotel and 1,500 parking spaces.

Transportation access, amenities and riverfront make this area more desirable than you might think.

This is 100% the correct answer. The KOP / Valley Forge / 202 corridor is home to one of the largest--if not THE largest--concentration of employers in the region. It's a major employment center, and Norristown could be primed to take advantage of that. Heck, even the "rural" towns mentioned upthread already do. Trooper, for example, is only 17 minutes from KOP.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by TownDweller

I see it differently. Like population, 60-70% of the jobs in the metro area are in the suburbs. This area has direct access to I76, 276, 422, 476 and 202. And high speed rail.

The communities you cite, including Norristown, border KOP, a commercial powerhouse. Conshohocken will soon be the international HQ for Amerisource Bergen, which is #12 on the Fortune 500 list. The new development will include a 430,000 sq. ft. office tower, a 165 room hotel and 1,500 parking spaces.

Transportation access, amenities and riverfront make this area more desirable than you might think.

So? None of this will help Norristown. Again, if Norristown and Bridgeport were going to revive( or be more than what they are )they would have already.

[bigfish1]

Originally Posted by kyb01

To answer the OP, no.

If it was going to turn around it would have by now.

I'm surprised that you would have this generally bleak mentality towards Norristown considering how you have posted on other forums. I am currently in Norristown, i'm usually here once every month and a half for a haaircut because my favorite barber is here. There are new cafes on Main street and I don't think it will be too long that people who want an urban experience that work in KOP might choose Norristown over the city to save time and stress on commuting. Norristown has easy driving access to KOP, Conshy, and Blue Bell which has a lot of jobs.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by bigfish1

I'm surprised that you would have this generally bleak mentality towards Norristown considering how you have posted on other forums. I am currently in Norristown, i'm usually here once every month and a half for a haaircut because my favorite barber is here. There are new cafes on Main street and I don't think it will be too long that people who want an urban experience that work in KOP might choose Norristown over the city to save time and stress on commuting. Norristown has easy driving access to KOP, Conshy, and Blue Bell which has a lot of jobs.

I have family( they're a millennial couple who are expecting a baby soon) living in Brideport right now. So, tbh, I would love to be wrong about both Norristown or Bridgeport.

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by Fireshaker

In my experience, Norristown is a good deal better than a lot of people think it is, but you're right in that's not a "destination" in the way the other neighboring county seats (Media, Doylestown, West Chester) are. It's the most bedraggled of the bunch, which is especially curious considering the amount of wealth and industry in Montgomery County.

Norristown is stunted thanks to its own inept government and by the county government, which years ago made the conscious policy to locate the bulk of the county's social services, group homes, and public housing vouchers in Norristown. I'm the first person to tell you that the average person driving through the average neighborhood wouldn't know - and shouldn't be able to tell - an owner-occupied home from a rented home from a group home, but in Norristown it's not only the concentration of the rentals and group homes, it's also the local government's inability to make sure the property owners stay up to code so that you can't tell the difference.

The schools aren't the best and, although housing prices are more affordable in Norristown, taxes are high. The Norristown school board is infamous for raising taxes annually with no real benefit to the children.

But access to public transportation is fantastic. There are neighborhoods on the north, west, and east sides of the city that are safe and attractive. I live within walking distance of the zoo and the Elm Street train station and it's great.

Another positive is that crime is down, and the police department has turned around nicely with a new chief. Sure hope he'll be a positive influence on the rest of the borough government.

I'm not as well versed in its history as others are, so I can't speak at length about why Norristown is the way it is, but I do believe you're right that King of Prussia probably played a pretty big role in the decline of their local economy.

True, for the commercial economy. The stores and businesses that were here 40 years ago have moved out. I drive down Main Street and don't see one business I'd make a point of stopping at. I shop mostly in KOP, Audubon, and Blue Bell.

Originally Posted by Pennsport

A big issue with Bridgeport, Trooper, etc... and all those rural towns out west near Norristown is there aren't any major pockets of business nearby. Collegeville is probably the closest, but it only houses a couple of satellite pharma company offices.

Ummm ... King of Prussia? Exton and Malvern? And I'm guessing you haven't been to Collegeville in at least 15 years or so.

Western Montgomery county just doesn't have much of a draw. It's a terrible drive to Philly.

Most people who live in Norristown aren't driving into the city on a daily basis anyway; they work locally, in King of Prussia, Conshohocken, Blue Bell, Collegeville, etc., or Norristown itself. And if they do work in the city, they take public transportation. Perhaps you missed that part of the discussion that more than one poster has mentioned. The abundance of public transportation is one of Norristown's positive features and one of the reasons why I stay put.