Will Philadelphia ever get back over 2,000,000 in population? (public school, living)

[hawkwnd]

I think the idea of 2 million in at least the foreseeable future is a stretch unless there is some solid economic growth, Too often the city's businesses become the seller rather than the buyer. Perhaps if it can attract some significant businesses and also home grow a few it could gain the momentum. Let's shoot for 1.6 million first.
But I love the positive vibes.
I am also bewildered by all of the vitriol thrown at the city. Why all the resentment.
I agree with the posters who say that, other than some obnoxious sports fans( and almost every city has some of those) the citizens are pretty humble, too much so, about the city. Time to get over it.

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by Gnutella

Then maybe Los Angeles should shrink its city limits so it, too, can join the 1,000,000/10,000 club with New York, Chicago and Philadelphia.

This is not a real response.

[munchitup]

Originally Posted by BajanYankee

You mean this?

Echo Park, Los Angeles, CA - Google Maps

And this? This looks like condensed suburbia.

Pico / Union, South Union Avenue, Los Angeles, CA - Google Maps

And this?

Westlake, Los Angeles, CA - Google Maps

And these are all supposedly in the "core." That would be like Kidphilly posting a link to the densest, most urban parts of Philly and finding the hallmarks of traditional suburbia (lawns, driveways, SFHs) within a few blocks walking distance.

Honestly, all those areas look pretty urban to me... The Echo Park one is a pretty surburban appearing but is still the most dense "suburb" you'll ever see at around 15k ppsm. It is also a 1000 foot walk to this:

Google Maps

and a half mile to this:

Google Maps

To answer the OP question, probably a long way off especially considering that gentrification often lowers the population of neighborhoods. So if Philly is becoming a better and better place to live, chances are some of the household sizes will shrink and offset some of the population growth. But who knows maybe I'm over-emphasizing that phenomena.

[OyCrumbler]

Originally Posted by BajanYankee

You mean this?

Echo Park, Los Angeles, CA - Google Maps

And this? This looks like condensed suburbia.

Pico / Union, South Union Avenue, Los Angeles, CA - Google Maps

And this?

Westlake, Los Angeles, CA - Google Maps

And these are all supposedly in the "core." That would be like Kidphilly posting a link to the densest, most urban parts of Philly and finding the hallmarks of traditional suburbia (lawns, driveways, SFHs) within a few blocks walking distance.

And in those links you sent, you can walk a block or two and then hit businesses and multi-story apartments (save for that area of Echo Park where the apartments are a bit smaller and the businesses a bit further out).

[KoNgFooCj]

Originally Posted by OyCrumbler

This article is about Los Angeles and its metro overall--and it's agreed that overall/in general/on average Los Angeles is dense sprawl/suburbia.

But again, you're missing from the argument that Los Angeles does have large swathes of very urban area that are more urban traditionally and well-served by mass transit with mixed-use development and high density. And in that large swath, though a small percentage in both area and population of the metro (and the article you cited expressly used percentages for much of its comparison), Los Angeles is larger, denser, and more urban than Philly.

As for the topic, Philly will probably get there. It's population just hit an inflection point so it'll probably continue up. I wonder if it'll be possible for Philly to grow by annexation.

I think if that ever happens, the most likely candidates will be the suburbs immediately west of the city, bordering West Philadelphia, which are all actually quite urban, and are highly democratic with a demographic makeup similar to the city. I don't know what could encourage bordering municipalities to join the city. Maybe prosperous economic conditions or great city services/incentives? Idk.

Anyway, Philly is at 1,590,000 now as of 2019, so I think the addition of Upper Darby, Darby, and Yeadon would make it well over 1,700,000.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by KoNgFooCj

I think if that ever happens, the most likely candidates will be the suburbs immediately west of the city, bordering West Philadelphia, which are all actually quite urban, and are highly democratic with a demographic makeup similar to the city. I don't know what could encourage bordering municipalities to join the city. Maybe prosperous economic conditions or great city services/incentives? Idk.

Anyway, Philly is at 1,590,000 now as of 2019, so I think the addition of Upper Darby, Darby, and Yeadon would make it well over 1,700,000.

Not happening wrt incorporating border areas.

You're not even thinking about the insanity of trying to "bring in" into the city a huge school district like UD which right now is bursting at the seams.

[PHL10]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Not happening wrt incorporating border areas.

You're not even thinking about the insanity of trying to "bring in" into the city a huge school district like UD which right now is bursting at the seams.

I think per PA Constitution, you can't incorporate across county lines. So now that Philadelphia County and City are one in the same, no more expansion is possible.

[cpomp]

Philadelphia also has more than enough room to accommodate 2M people within its current boundaries, probably closer to 3M even.

Lets not be like our Southern and Western friends and annex as much land as we can.

[KoNgFooCj]

This got moved from city v city

[DavePa]

Originally Posted by KoNgFooCj

This got moved from city v city

Thread needed two or more cities about probably. More like a Philly hitting 2-million or Chicago 3-million again thread for chances and first .... for C v C.

Gentrification doesn't necessarily increase population. If older tows get subdivided in redo's and lost housing areas ne multi-residential infill in a continuing wider area. It could. But it would be a major boom and over how long? Not sure about the level of vacant land available in Philly either? But it could do more conversions of former industrial mills that past polluting and chemicals .... did not blemish the land. Clearly, seems Philly uses them a bit less then some cities. Just opinion where rehabbing rows are king. And 3-story infill in vacant spots between them.

Families were much larger once. Not as much the case for young professionals. They wait longer to have children and less. Then there is the choice of choosing suburbs for their public schools and more yard space. Bot

But never say never. Could Chicago hit 3-million again too? Clearly has the land with lost industry to housing cleared out. But the lots there for future uses. But will take a boom again for Northern Midwest real winter cities and slowing of the migrations South that Corporate America still stills towards.

I'd say Philly's East Coast location helps chances. Also not losing much overall of its African-American population. But that too in greater gentrification could increase. Lots of things falling into place needed and a economy to support it.