SW Philly memories (Lansdowne, Colwyn, Penn: apartments, to rent, new house)

[lititzman2003]

I'd still like to hear from other former Philly residents who came back to visit their old neighborhoods and would like to share some of the changes, good or bad, that they've discovered.

Thanks.

[otters21]

Originally Posted by otters21

The 1990s along with Section 8 that came along with that nasty ugly decade ( as far as white and/ or middle class flight from solid blue collar neighborhoods in Philly and in other cities across America are concerned) were a true scourge. (The casualties of the 90s- Grays Ferry , the Snyder Ave. area- west of 17th /18th Sts. in South Philly; almost all of southwest Philly ;Harrowgate, Kensington -above Lehigh Ave. north to the railroad tracks and from Front St. east to Aramingo Ave.; Juniata Park ; Overbrook west of 63rd St. and large swaths of the Lower Northeast, particularly Frankford , Summerdale and Oxford Circle. Also Wissinoming, Lawncrest, Castor Gardens and Tacony are not doing that well.) IMHO the !990s brought much more severe damage to the good hard working class folks and their neighborhoods that the original blockbusting from the 50s to the 70s which in itself was pretty bad. It makes my blood boil that Philly is almost all ghetto or what decent areas that still remain are becoming very pricey for the hardworking blue collar folks and they end up moving out to the sprawling, carcentric, bland ,cookie cutter house ,strip mall suburbs and Jersey where they are forced to drive and driving ( insurance, car payments , gas prices , maintainence etc.) can really take a hit on their finances.

This may be an old thread I forgot to mention white flight to areas where one has to drive everywhere also increases the risk of being seriously injured ( or worse ) in a car wreck on the traffic clogged highways especially today where there is a prevalence of cell phone use and texting while driving.

[PennKid]

I grew up (and am still living at) 28th and Moore in South Philly, and my situation is a mixed bag- while my surrounding neighborhood of maybe 4 blocks in any direction has gotten somewhat worse, the neighborhood 8 blocks away is the fringe of gentrificatiion, and with it, all the amenities (but few of the problems) that come with it. I live on the border of dense rowhome Grays Ferry to the north, and the more Air-Lite Northeast type construction in Southbrook Park. Both neighborhoods have seen an influx of newcomers since 2000, with more blacks in GF proper, and more Asians in Southbrook Park, although the biggest problem is the seeming collapse of the traditional working-class white communities. Guys who once aspired to solid union laborer jobs now sit on their butts and claim disabilities, while the girls are getting pregnant at 14 and the guys take Xanax all day.... It seems that many of the more respectable whites moved to Packer Park, Pennsport, or Jersey, and left their houses to some less-noble kin. Grays Ferry, especially is hard hit- white flight and accompanying section 8 has brought with it some disreputable new residents of color, certainly, but many (not all) of remaining whites do more than their share to ruin the community. Southbrook Park has remained a bit more stable, and it seems to be rapidly developing into a lower-middle class haven for Asian families that dont want to live in the 7th street corridors or black families that dont want Point Breeze.

Meanwhile, gentrification has reached as far south as Ellsworth/Federal to the north, 17th to the east, and even has crept up north from Passyunk up to Snyder between Broad and 25th. It's possible that the newcomers have displaced many of the traditional minority residents into my enclave, but for the most part, there is little of the wholesale ejection of working-class minorities you might hear of in DC. It's crazy for me to imagine that there are trendy bars and restaurants opening in places I wouldn't have walked through 10 years ago- the Resurrection Ale House to the NEast, the Wander Inn to the Northeast, SPTR to the East, and Cafe con Chocolate to the South. It does make me feel like I'm living in a bit more cosmopolitan part of town.

So there's the story of my neighborhood- moderate decline mixed with more distant resurgence...

[GraysFerryB4]

I think it is therefore inevitable that positive change will creep into Grays Ferry proper which is and has always been better those areas that you mentioned. They are already doing new constructs and rehabs just north of King of Peace so, it looks like good things are in the making. Its our turn for a change?

[PennKid]

Ha! Who would have thought that this could happen on Myrtlewood Street? I always walk at a brisk pace when I have to pass it on the way home- it does not strike me as a beautiful block (understatement of the year)

Still, as housing rehabs and construction begins on Grays Ferry's northern edge, and Center City extends its finely-manicured hands towards South Philly- is this a what the future has in store?

Here goes the article, slightly outdated:

August 10, 2010
By Helen Kunda
For PlanPhilly


Right Sized Homes began rehabilitation of the 1331 Myrtlewood Street property in the winter of 2009, building to current energy savings practices with high efficiency heating, cooling and water heating, new low-e windows, and newly insulated reflective roofing. Midway through construction, we were able to acquire the adjacent abandoned lot. This inspired us to think differently, exploring how this typical rowhouse rehab could be redesigned, in a cost-effective way, to a higher standard of sustainability that could be replicated throughout Philadelphia. The lot was designed to include a kitchen garden, renewable fence screening, and a storage area for bicycles and scooters in order to encourage non-auto commuting. Inside the house more sustainable materials were obtained: ceramic tile replacing vinyl tile, bamboo and carpeting from recycled materials replacing standard carpeting, ultra-low consumption toilet replacing standard fixture, motion sensor exterior lighting and solar house numbers added.

Due to copyright concerns, we cannot post complete articles. Referring members to a link was a good idea.

[Jpoppa]

Grew up across from 73rd Street Lanes. Playing wiffle ball, street hockey, *****. Taking change and putting it on the trolley tracks. Times have changed. Lived there from 1980-late 90's...neighborhood has changed. People used to mow thier lawn and take pride in thier neighborhood. I remember hot summer nights sitting on my friends front steps. Playing manhunt...good old days

[GraysFerryB4]

LOL...my freinds talk about that all the time..Massey St. with the McCann's n Grugans...

[mikeheth]

-Playing any type of game involving a pimple ball in Patterson schoolyard or the GE parking lot at 70th & Elmwood

-Spending a Saturday at Finnegan's playground and never being bored

Yep.. played baseball for CWV!

- The Water Ice truck that drove through the neighborhood

TONY"S - best pretzels in the world.. and for 5 cents, water ice for 10 cents!

- Taking an hour to walk to my aunt & uncle's house on Carroll Street. It was a five minute walk but there was always someone I met on the way to stop to talk to

I actually had a friend named Billy Carroll who lived on, you got it...Carroll Street..lol

- The charter buses that would take us to West Catholic High School
That's right... I took the charter from 70th and Dick's freshman year, but found the 36 and 47? bus to be a more efficient ride (albeit a bit more dangerous.)

- Walking around Elmwood Park with a girl and considering that a good date
-True, but a dinner a GINO's was a real high class evening..lol

- Taking the "J" bus to Upper Darby and hanging out at the stores on 69th Street on a Friday night

Yep.. 69th ST. was the easy access center city..first date with my wife was at the TOWER... twin bill...the GETAWAY and THE STING

- The Bonner High School dances on Saturday night
THE best Saturday night entertainment ever! Take the J bus and walk or catch the trolley.

- Walking up to the Library on Paschall Avenue with some friends to work on a project for school

One of the first rights of passage in OUR old neighborhood was getting a "library card" from the Paschalville library... you had to stand on the stool to reach the countertop to sign for the card.

-- We obviously are from the same neighborhood, probably grew up there during the same time period, and possible even know each other. Thanks for bringing back some GREAT memories!

[lititzman2003]

Originally Posted by mikeheth

-Playing any type of game involving a pimple ball in Patterson schoolyard or the GE parking lot at 70th & Elmwood

-Spending a Saturday at Finnegan's playground and never being bored

Yep.. played baseball for CWV!

- The Water Ice truck that drove through the neighborhood

TONY"S - best pretzels in the world.. and for 5 cents, water ice for 10 cents!

- Taking an hour to walk to my aunt & uncle's house on Carroll Street. It was a five minute walk but there was always someone I met on the way to stop to talk to

I actually had a friend named Billy Carroll who lived on, you got it...Carroll Street..lol

- The charter buses that would take us to West Catholic High School
That's right... I took the charter from 70th and Dick's freshman year, but found the 36 and 47? bus to be a more efficient ride (albeit a bit more dangerous.)

- Walking around Elmwood Park with a girl and considering that a good date
-True, but a dinner a GINO's was a real high class evening..lol

- Taking the "J" bus to Upper Darby and hanging out at the stores on 69th Street on a Friday night

Yep.. 69th ST. was the easy access center city..first date with my wife was at the TOWER... twin bill...the GETAWAY and THE STING

- The Bonner High School dances on Saturday night
THE best Saturday night entertainment ever! Take the J bus and walk or catch the trolley.

- Walking up to the Library on Paschall Avenue with some friends to work on a project for school

One of the first rights of passage in OUR old neighborhood was getting a "library card" from the Paschalville library... you had to stand on the stool to reach the countertop to sign for the card.

-- We obviously are from the same neighborhood, probably grew up there during the same time period, and possible even know each other. Thanks for bringing back some GREAT memories!

Wow! Did you live on the bridge across from the GE plant? Check my PM to you. Nice to hear from an old friend.

-I played for the Falcons. Gene Brady was the coach but some guy named McDonald seem to overrule him all the time. Remember Doc?

-When the Trolley debut caught fire at 49th & Woodland we all had to "rough it" and take buses that ran along Elmwood and Woodland Avenues that morning. Most of us still made first period on time. Go figure.

[GraysFerryB4]

Don't you all ask yourselves: "HOW did it get so bad?" Not like any of our parents had any sort of money. My dad made $24K when he retired in 1989. We always had food, a clean house, cheaper clothes and enough money to do all the things you guys did. You could leave your doors open any time of year and your neighbors walked in. Just goes to show, you can still be "poor" or of lower means and maintain a standard of living. Obviously, when most people around you do the same, you get a safe neighborhood, clean parks, nice schools and mom n pop stores. I'm tired of hearing that criminals are the victims of poverty when my parents were "poorer" then than they are now.