New retail report expected to show comeback in Center City Philadelphia (Ardmore: home search, most dangerous)

[JamesJay64]

Originally Posted by Angus215

Well, I have, many times. And like you I also smell weed throughout the city all the time, and I'm mainly in the Rittenhouse area. The question is, why would we want to permit open-air marijuana use? How is that good for the city? Why is it so important to progressive liberals that people can smoke weed whenever and wherever they want, when it makes the city a less desirable place for decent people to live, work, and visit?

Why is it so important to conservatives to paint all cities in the most negative light possible? Liberals, while often misguided, don't actively root against areas of the country to make a "point" - that's un-American (TRUMP) and one of the biggest differences between the two schools of thought.

Also, addressing your other comments:

"They're not actually smoking on the train, but their clothes are saturated with the vile scent. The wretched stench of gonj permeates the entire train car, to the point where your eyes start to burn" - Is this even possible? I'm pretty sure someone could hotbox a car for 24 hours straight, and their clothes still wouldn't be so saturated that the scent filled a train car and burned one's eyes. What IS an accurate statement is occasionally people smoke in a train car which is quite annoying. I take the BSL 4 days a week and probably experience this monthly.

"the constant stench of marijuana when walking about Walnut or Chestnut Street" - Also not accurate. Yes, I've smelled it before. But it's not a constant, especially on Walnut. I live in CC and am out daily, I don't smell weed every second I'm out, let alone every day.

Try a new angle because this one isn't working for you. And btw - my thread is about retail in Center City.

[Angus215]

Originally Posted by JamesJay64

Why is it so important to conservatives to paint all cities in the most negative light possible? Liberals, while often misguided, don't actively root against areas of the country to make a "point" - that's un-American (TRUMP) and one of the biggest differences between the two schools of thought.

Also, addressing your other comments:

"They're not actually smoking on the train, but their clothes are saturated with the vile scent. The wretched stench of gonj permeates the entire train car, to the point where your eyes start to burn" - Is this even possible? I'm pretty sure someone could hotbox a car for 24 hours straight, and their clothes still wouldn't be so saturated that the scent filled a train car and burned one's eyes. What IS an accurate statement is occasionally people smoke in a train car which is quite annoying. I take the BSL 4 days a week and probably experience this monthly.

"the constant stench of marijuana when walking about Walnut or Chestnut Street" - Also not accurate. Yes, I've smelled it before. But it's not a constant, especially on Walnut. I live in CC and am out daily, I don't smell weed every second I'm out, let alone every day.

Try a new angle because this one isn't working for you. And btw - my thread is about retail in Center City.

Well, maybe you're just numb to it, but I'd say I smell weed about 50% of the time that I walk more than 2 blocks in the Rittenhouse / CC West area, mostly on Market, Chestnut, Sansom, and Walnut St's. I doubt that my experience is unique. And yes, when someone has been smoking weed, they and their clothes reek of it. Similar to cigarettes but an even fouler stench.

It's a problem, and similar to other "quality of life" issues, it's a big turn-off to people who would otherwise spend more time in the city. It's not about portraying the city in a negative light just for the sake of doing so. It's about identifying those problems, most of which of gotten far worse since Kenney become mayor. It's the residents of Philly that enable people like Kenney, because they're the one who voted him into office. Until they realize that these progressive liberal policies have been disastrous for the city, they are the ones causing it to move back in time to the 1970s.

[Von7philly]

Originally Posted by Angus215

Well, I have, many times. And like you I also smell weed throughout the city all the time, and I'm mainly in the Rittenhouse area. The question is, why would we want to permit open-air marijuana use? How is that good for the city? Why is it so important to progressive liberals that people can smoke weed whenever and wherever they want, when it makes the city a less desirable place for decent people to live, work, and visit?

I think that is your opinion, that smoke makes the city less desirable. Others simply ignore. You rather people serve jail time for something so petty?

[Angus215]

Originally Posted by Von7philly

I think that is your opinion, that smoke makes the city more undesirable. Others simply ignore.

I suppose the same could be said of graffiti, panhandling, open-air drug use, rogue packs of ATVs, and stray bullets, but I really do think that these things are turn-offs to normal, decent people. There are certainly parts of the city where such anti-social behavior is tolerated, but it should not be Center City. Just my opinion, I suppose.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by Angus215

I suppose the same could be said of graffiti, panhandling, open-air drug use, rogue packs of ATVs, and stray bullets, but I really do think that these things are turn-offs to normal, decent people. There are certainly parts of the city where such anti-social behavior is tolerated, but it should not be Center City. Just my opinion, I suppose.

I see marijuana as no worse than tobacco, and that can now "stink up a place" since efforts to make cigarette smoking socially unacceptable have met with a good bit of success.

But yes, marijuana smoke is a little more fragrant than tobacco smoke.

However, might you not be more sensitive to its presence, or less desensitized to it? I am living in Wash West right now and go out daily; I don't notice the smell of weed all that much.

However, this really is way OT.

[Duderino]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

I see marijuana as no worse than tobacco, and that can now "stink up a place" since efforts to make cigarette smoking socially unacceptable have met with a good bit of success.

So true. Nothing more trashy than a gaggle of cigarette smokers--that's for sure.

[Duderino]

Originally Posted by Angus215

Until they realize that these progressive liberal policies have been disastrous for the city, they are the ones causing it to move back in time to the 1970s.

I'd argue tha the leadership in today's Philadelphia actually isn't progressive/liberal. It's antagonistic, jaded, and unresponsive. It's "progressivism" that's been hijacked by people who are more interested in their political power than leading meaningful and positive change.

That's not what true progressivism is about in any sense, which is why you find plenty of folks on the left that will be happy to see Kenney and Krasner go, as well.

[Muinteoir]

Originally Posted by Angus215

I suppose the same could be said of graffiti, panhandling, open-air drug use, rogue packs of ATVs, and stray bullets, but I really do think that these things are turn-offs to normal, decent people. There are certainly parts of the city where such anti-social behavior is tolerated, but it should not be Center City. Just my opinion, I suppose.

My guy, if you truly think the stench of marijuana is at all comparable to the city's shooting and ATV problem, you are in a significant minority. This is where it gets to be very hard for anyone left-of-center to talk with a conservative, because comparing a petty "problem" like the smell of weed to violent / dangerous crime is just nonsense. Maybe a big part of it is generational, but I know literally no one who would be as dramatic as you are about having to smell weed on occasion. This, and so many people I know are absolutely livid about our violent crime rates.

Originally Posted by Von7philly

I typically find my commutes on the regional rail to be quite enjoyable.

Yeah. I smell weed on the subway sometimes (oh well), but my regional rail experience is consistently calm, clean, and quiet.

Originally Posted by JamesJay64

https://6abc.com/center-city-philade...Q5rRQ8TIqMJKtw

Key points:

80% of the retail storefronts within the Center City District are open for business, up from 55% in spring 2020, with 42 more retailers with announced openings for this year.

The report states taxable retail sales for the first quarter of this year in Center City are at 94% of 2019 levels and 121% in extended Center City neighborhoods.

Shopper and visitor foot traffic is at 96% of pre-pandemic levels, according to the report.

I'll try to help swing this back on topic. To me, these numbers are staggering! With everything going on (inflation, gun violence, etc.) it is just so cool to see how many people will not give up on participating in Philadelphia's economy. Bad times come and go in any city/country, and even I have felt a bit hopeless lately. So thanks JamesJay for posting some good news.

[Redddog]

I actually like the smell of weed. lol. It's not evidence of criminal behavior like some may think. And weed makes people less aggressive. That's science. I wish the whole damn city would smoke more. Maybe we wouldn't be in this mess.

Sorry, Muin. NOW back on track...

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by Muinteoir

My guy, if you truly think the stench of marijuana is at all comparable to the city's shooting and ATV problem, you are in a significant minority. This is where it gets to be very hard for anyone left-of-center to talk with a conservative, because comparing a petty "problem" like the smell of weed to violent / dangerous crime is just nonsense. Maybe a big part of it is generational, but I know literally no one who would be as dramatic as you are about having to smell weed on occasion. This, and so many people I know are absolutely livid about our violent crime rates.

Not all of them are on the Right, either.

I'll try to help swing this back on topic. To me, these numbers are staggering! With everything going on (inflation, gun violence, etc.) it is just so cool to see how many people will not give up on participating in Philadelphia's economy. Bad times come and go in any city/country, and even I have felt a bit hopeless lately. So thanks JamesJay for posting some good news.

My landlord maintains that both the neighborhood I've lived in for 9+ years (Germantown) and the city as a whole have "strong bones."

I'd say the figures in that article JamesJay64 posted prove the truth of that statement. And I think that they also prove that there are a bunch of people out there who aren't letting the crime spike scare them away from going out and enjoying life.