Fishtown area (York, Austin, Penn: real estate, houses, neighborhoods)

[tmarino]

I am currently living in Austin, TX. But am a native New Yorker, having grown up on LI and lived in Manhattan for 8 years. I've heard there is an influx of creatives and folks from Brooklyn especially into the Fishtown neighborhood.

I'm looking to get back to the East Coast and buy a town home and hopefully have a good "neighborhood" experience...meaning at least a little sense of community/friendliness with neighbors where I live as well as cool restaurants and coffee houses to walk to, perhaps a park nearby. That kinda thing.

So any intel on Philly and Fishtown in particular would be great. Thanx!

[Tracysherm]

My experience is limited, but since no one else has responded, I'll throw my 2 cents in.

I worked in Northeast Philly for 12 years, and my mental health clients always said that Fishtown was where they went to buy drugs. It was known as a dangerous area with run-down homes and drug-related crime. I heard that in the 40's-60's it was a stable blue-collar family area, but since the 70's it had gone down hill. The famous joke was "what has 6 legs and 3 teeth? Three women from Fishtown." This was all in the late 90's.

Then oddly, I recently went to an Irish pub to see an acquaintance's band play, and it happened to be in Fishtown. I was surprised to see a lot of rowhouses being fixed up. A lot of younger, artsy couples have moved in and are trying to turn it all around. I saw the 20-somethings who ride Vespas, gay couples, and punk/ art-major types, etc. There also seem to be bars and restaurants that are trying to attract the young & hip, and well as old people like me in their late 30's who live in the burbs.

I tend to be a snob about "bad" areas, but I must say, it left me feeling hopeful. Plus I drank Absolut & tonics and they were like $3, not the $9-$12 I'm used to!

[tmarino]

that's great information. thank you! and heck, late 30s ain't old...at least i hope not, for my own sake.

[newmarlig]

Fishtown is definitely on the uprise. You can tell because it is now referred to as "Fishtowne," in many real estate ads.

[From Philly]

Bad area. Plain and simple.

[john_starks]

yeah, i haven't heard great things about fishtown. seems like the long time blue collar residents are not welcoming of the urban hipsters..

[Lucario]

Nor are they welcoming of diversity of any kind..........

[Torresdale]

My friend's dad lives in Fishtwon. His rowhome is gorgeous and HUGE. He and his wife make great money, but they still choose to live there. I don't think it's a bad neighborhood and you probably get better bang for your buck then living in center city.

[NavyBrat71]

Originally Posted by TracySam

My experience is limited, but since no one else has responded, I'll throw my 2 cents in.

I worked in Northeast Philly for 12 years, and my mental health clients always said that Fishtown was where they went to buy drugs. It was known as a dangerous area with run-down homes and drug-related crime. I heard that in the 40's-60's it was a stable blue-collar family area, but since the 70's it had gone down hill. The famous joke was "what has 6 legs and 3 teeth? Three women from Fishtown." This was all in the late 90's.

Then oddly, I recently went to an Irish pub to see an acquaintance's band play, and it happened to be in Fishtown. I was surprised to see a lot of rowhouses being fixed up. A lot of younger, artsy couples have moved in and are trying to turn it all around. I saw the 20-somethings who ride Vespas, gay couples, and punk/ art-major types, etc. There also seem to be bars and restaurants that are trying to attract the young & hip, and well as old people like me in their late 30's who live in the burbs.

I tend to be a snob about "bad" areas, but I must say, it left me feeling hopeful. Plus I drank Absolut & tonics and they were like $3, not the $9-$12 I'm used to!

Sorry, but I beg to differ. I was born and raised in Fishtown and was there most of my life. It was NEVER a run down area nor a popular place for drugs. Fishtown was most of blue collar workers and military folks. I don't know where you have gotten your information from but it is absolutely wrong. I am a person of well pedigree proudly from Fishtown and hold 3 college degrees and a High Honors High School Diploma. I did live on the East side of Fishtown right down the street from Penn Treaty Park.

[byoak]

I find it funny that people that are not from the area bash the area. I do not live in fishtown but I do live in a lower northeast neighborhood and can tell you that Fishtown is a great place to live. To the people on these boards that say Fishtown, Port Richmond and Bridesburg are bad neighborhoods, get a clue they are blue collar, hard working, family oriented neighborhoods and I am proud to be a part of that.