So now that is a total of 3 places that has closed down on Market Street between 11th and 13th (Philadelphia: crime, hotels)

[moneymkt]

There was already two which was the Wawa on 12th and Market and District Taco in between 11th and 12th. Now its another place that has closed which I didnt find out until I decided to buy a coffee cake yesterday afternoon...."Starbucks" I honestly dont even walk down market street anymore between 10th and 13th because its just awful looking in addition to the homeless. I haven't given up on my favorite area yet in center city which is the washington square area........5th and chestnut to 9 and Chestnut.

[PHILLYUPTOWN]

Maybe they should, idk, build some big shiny new anchor there that could be the catalyst for a complete rejuvenation of the area.

I always thought this about NYC; it's just as dense, dirty and has as many homeless as philly....but the density works in its favor; with so much going on, you just don't notice all that other stuff.

A place like Times Square at night simultaneously hosts the local young crowd and tourist crowd with minimal disruption.

And if we know anything from the past, kids will always congregate in Market East (due to the transportation)and homeless will always be there (the main tourist road from the historical stuff to the hotels)...


....so we have to create something that will bring density, massive crowds and a have sense of place. Like an arena. This area could so easily be turned around.

The arena and two or three tall hotels....more lights and more billboards....will create a critical mass....and retail, bars, entertainment functions will follow (All well policed btw).





**It might even take the heat off South Street and it could go back to being a neighborhood strip.

[moneymkt]

Originally Posted by PHILLYUPTOWN

Maybe they should, idk, build some big shiny new anchor there that could be the catalyst for a complete rejuvenation of the area.

I always thought this about NYC; it's just as dense, dirty and has as many homeless as philly....but the density works in its favor; with so much going on, you just don't notice all that other stuff.

A place like Times Square at night simultaneously hosts the local young crowd and tourist crowd with minimal disruption.

And if we know anything from the past, kids will always congregate in Market East (due to the transportation)and homeless will always be there (the main tourist road from the historical stuff to the hotels)...


....so we have to create something that will bring density, massive crowds and a have sense of place. Like an arena. This area could so easily be turned around.

The arena and two or three tall hotels....more lights and more billboards....will create a critical mass....and retail, bars, entertainment functions will follow (All well policed btw).





**It might even take the heat off South Street and it could go back to being a neighborhood strip.

I used to prefer South Street from 3rd and below but even that area now is awful

[PHILLYUPTOWN]

Originally Posted by moneymkt

I used to prefer South Street from 3rd and below but even that area now is awful

I was down there tonight, same as it ever was to me at least. Generally, SS tries to be all things to all people, for many years, and maybe that's caught up to it. I remember when South Street was the only reliable place in town to get some kind of action on a given night, the city was much quieter then...there's many more places now. Both those statements has more to do with the current state of South Street than anything.

South Street was always this (imo, cool) mix of black people and countercultural/punk...like "The Specials" LOL....The countercultural thing is well dead, save a few holdouts...it mind as well be what SS West is, a standard neighborhood strip of cafes, restaurants and boutiques. As for Black ppl, it's one of the only places black ppl feel comfortable and welcome congregating in downtown and it's apart of (our) culture....so that's tricky, does saving South Street mean pushing young black ppl away?

As far as Market East....arguably, the two best shopping strips of CC...Walnut Street and South Street would both benefit from a revitalized Market Street...taking the pressure off them, and allowing them to return to their specialized uses....Market Street should be the catch all, "all things to all people" strip, as said, Market Street can better absorb crowds.

[NewtownBucks]

Originally Posted by moneymkt

I used to prefer South Street from 3rd and below but even that area now is awful

Wawa is closing their Headhouse Square location at 2nd & South due to crime in the area. They had just gutted and totally remodeled it within the last 5 years or so.

[JamesJay64]

Originally Posted by moneymkt

There was already two which was the Wawa on 12th and Market and District Taco in between 11th and 12th. Now its another place that has closed which I didnt find out until I decided to buy a coffee cake yesterday afternoon...."Starbucks" I honestly dont even walk down market street anymore between 10th and 13th because its just awful looking in addition to the homeless. I haven't given up on my favorite area yet in center city which is the washington square area........5th and chestnut to 9 and Chestnut.

Do you mean Starbucks at 1201 Market? If so, I am seeing that it's temporarily closed. There are also signs on it that say it's "currently" closed - did you happen to see them? Did they say why?

There's also another Starbucks at 10th and Market, and the one in Giant.

That said, I'm pro-arena and recognize that this area needs the investment.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by NewtownBucks

Wawa is closing their Headhouse Square location at 2nd & South due to crime in the area. They had just gutted and totally remodeled it within the last 5 years or so.

That's worrisome, as that was one of the pre-expansion Wawas.

That leaves two of those still open: Jefferson Barringer Hall (900 block Walnut Street) and Arch Street across from the Comcast Center.

Is the Wawa in the Philadelphia Stock Exchange building (1900 Market) still open? If so, I think that makes it the only one of the expansion-era Wawas that's still open.

I can remember a time when Center City was lousy with Wawa stores, though.

[moneymkt]

Originally Posted by JamesJay64

Do you mean Starbucks at 1201 Market? If so, I am seeing that it's temporarily closed. There are also signs on it that say it's "currently" closed - did you happen to see them? Did they say why?

There's also another Starbucks at 10th and Market, and the one in Giant.

That said, I'm pro-arena and recognize that this area needs the investment.

All I saw was the world closed and turned around and headed to Reading Terminal because I was looking to buy some dessert.

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by JamesJay64

Do you mean Starbucks at 1201 Market? If so, I am seeing that it's temporarily closed. There are also signs on it that say it's "currently" closed - did you happen to see them? Did they say why?

There's also another Starbucks at 10th and Market, and the one in Giant.

That said, I'm pro-arena and recognize that this area needs the investment.

Darn, even Starbucks closed? That stretch is getting worse by the month...

I'm pro-arena too, but my stipulation is that the Sixers owners invest / implement a plan for that entire stretch, not just plop down an arena and call it a day.

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

That's worrisome, as that was one of the pre-expansion Wawas.

That leaves two of those still open: Jefferson Barringer Hall (900 block Walnut Street) and Arch Street across from the Comcast Center.

Is the Wawa in the Philadelphia Stock Exchange building (1900 Market) still open? If so, I think that makes it the only one of the expansion-era Wawas that's still open.

I can remember a time when Center City was lousy with Wawa stores, though.

Closed.
https://csnews.com/wawa-explores-tur...store-tech-hub

[Redddog]

It seems like Wawa has decided to pull out of Philly altogether.

The only one I can think of that is still around is that huge one next to Indy Hall. When that one closes, that'll be the death knell for Philly. That place was opened to huge fanfare as the largest ever urban Wawa. Headhouse was an FU by Wawa, from what I heard. The Society Hill association demanded that they increase their security after they just did. They complained about the homeless and wanted that "taken care of." Wawa announced the closure shortly after that.

The good thing is that there are guards at Indy hall round the clock so they shouldn't have issues with crime.