White in Kensington?? (theatre, to live, shop)

[BridgetHussein]

Originally Posted by rraC ynnaD

Bridesburg is as safe and as quiet as it gets. 19137, the east side of Aramingo.

Thanks so much!

[MsChelle]

Originally Posted by mark2741

Harrowgate Park used to be a place to play. By 1988 it was a campground for junkies and the homeless, and the once green grass that as a kid I played football on with friends, was then brown and riddled with used syringes. In the early 80's the factories all closed up. Devon Apparel, etc. all screwed their employees (typical "strong" unions at work fleecing their employees!) and lots of people were laid off. In the summer of 1991, my parents sold the house and moved into an apartment. They sold everything - the furniture included, for $17,000 cash to one of those 'We Buy Houses With Cash' guys. At the time I figured they got ripped off. But in fact, after moving they told me that numerous times since around 1990, burglars/junkies/whatever had tried to break in and rob the house while my parents were sleeping. My parents moved to an apartment in the Northeast. I drove through Kensington a number of times during the late 90's and it got worse and worse.

Was the area around Harrowgate Park ever known as Harrowgate in local vernacular? Or has that always been Kensington? Kensington just seems like such an amorphous area. St. Michael Church at 2nd & Jefferson is in Kensington (Olde Kensington) and Harrowgate Park at Kensington Ave & Tioga St is in Kensington also?

[rraC ynnaD]

Originally Posted by MsChelle

Was the area around Harrowgate Park ever known as Harrowgate in local vernacular? Or has that always been Kensington? Kensington just seems like such an amorphous area. St. Michael Church at 2nd & Jefferson is in Kensington (Olde Kensington) and Harrowgate Park at Kensington Ave & Tioga St is in Kensington also?

HAHA! I was baptized at St. Michael's in 1969 and on a regular basis used to buy excellent weed at Harrowgate Park in the mid to late 80's. My dad grew up at 5th and Jefferson and worked in Harrowgate at Tioga and Collins. He said 2nd and Jefferson was known as North Philly and Harrowgate Park was simply just Kensington. Harrowgate was closer to Frankford and Tioga.

[boxercrew4]

Originally Posted by Fern Rock

Think of the movie "Rocky" and you have the picture of white Kensington back in the day. Parts of it still exist, such as the areas around Frankford and Amber streets, but for the most part, it is over. In the late 80's I watched the neighborhood around St. Hugh deteriorate into a horrible place. You can't blame them for leaving.

There are many nice people from Kensington, but my experience is that most of the "Kenzo" types tend to be ill-mannered. They will only acknowledge you if you are introduced to them by another one of them. At house partys they will sit around a table and play cards, ignoring everbody else, just like in jail. Quite a mentality, probably built over years around an insular neighborhood and way of life. Again, just my experience and viewpoint. It was always a rough neigborhood.

Keep in mind that Fishtown and Port Richmond are two completely different and distinct areas apart from Kenzington.

There was a family of the type mentioned that moved into (and ultimately lost) a house a few doors from us. They would have parties that started in their yard on Fridays and go until Sundays around the clock.

[boxercrew4]

Originally Posted by BridgetHussein

Thanks so much!

I live in Bridesburg and would disagree. Lots of drugs and domestic disputes. Plus many clubs, bars and caterers that don't have lots, so parking is a nightmare. I've been here for 5 years and can't wait til next year when I will be moving.

[Debbie1125]

The streets and area around Norris Square are ripe for gentrification. However that won't be happening any time soon, as the civic association is doing everything in their power to prevent it.

It really is too bad. There are many rowhouses and brownstones that are in great shape, especially around the park.

[boxercrew4]

Originally Posted by taha-nj

This is not necessarily directed at you, but I've never seen this many "but there is X in every neighborhood/city" comebacks on any other forum.

I sure as hell hope there is NO heroin (I assume the ODs were junkies) at least in some Philly neighborhoods...

Heroin is big in Bridesburg. Since I've been here, 5 years, there have been 4 OD deaths from it on my block.

[Urban Spaceman]

Hopefully the contrarian boxercrew4 finally moved to his imaginary urban paradise. Meanwhile Bridesburg is one of the hottest neighborhoods in Philly. There's some crime as everywhere, thanks to the opiod epidemic and the greedy doctors who created it, but statistically Bridesburg residents are much safer and stay put longer than folks in other neighborhoods.

It's the last of the desirable River Wards and one of the best family neighborhoods in the city, a fifteen minute drive into center city and with the Betsy Ross bridge it's convenient to the nicer shopping areas and theatres in Cherry Hill. With only a few streets in or out, it's an enclave, and when the new 10 acre park is completed it will be the best place to live in the city. The new road and bikepaths near the river are a huge plus and the best is yet to come.

[thedirtypirate]

I guess olde or south, whatever they call it, kensington didn't really exist when this thread was made 8 years ago.

[Calvert Hall '62]

I guess Frankie Avalon and Fabian don't live there.