Family Moving to Philadelphia: Recommended Suburbs
Posted 03-02-2018 at 02:30 PM by sares22
Quote:
Originally Posted by MarketStEl
The problem from where I sit is this:
Most of this region's ice rinks, whether or not they have hockey programs or offer hockey lessons, are not located where the Regional Rail stations are.
Montgomery County has a very nice indoor rink complex at Valley Forge Sports near Oaks. Oaks is nowhere near Regional Rail.
Our health and wellness channel at Phillymag, BeWellPhilly, ran a list of great local rinks in December. Remove the outdoor rinks in the city (Blue Cross RiverRink, Rothman Rink), and what you're left with is a bunch of really good indoor rinks, most of which are nowhere near Regional Rail.
You could, however, try to find a house in University City (you have plenty to choose from in your price range, though finding a house with 3k sf of interior space may be a challenge) and use Penn's Class of 1923 Rink, listed here. Pluses: Your hubby's commute to Temple would in all likelihood involve either a trolley and a subway line or two subways (cheaper) or a short jaunt through the Commuter Tunnel (pricier but a little faster). You will also find all the amenities you want for your kids in this area too. Minuses: Good luck getting your kids into Penn Alexander. (Wage tax isn't an issue for you, as the differential between the resident and non-resident rates isn't so great as to make the 'burbs a clear choice.)
Two other rinks on the list are in communities served by Regional Rail. One is in Ardmore, the other in Chestnut Hill.
Chestnut Hill's in the city but is suburban in form, and it has a really cool and urbane business district. (You can read the love letter I wrote to it in the summer of 2016 to get a feel for what that business strip is like.) But: 3k sf for <$625k in that neighborhood? You can find one or the other, but not both. (Check listings in ZIP code 19118 anyway in case I'm wrong.) Chestnut Hill East trains stop at Temple University Regional Rail station on their way into Center City; Chestnut Hill West trains do so after emerging from the Commuter Tunnel. If you don't want to send your kids to the local public school - I'd suggest you give it a try, but (1) I'm a big proponent of choosing integrated schools, and many parents remain resistant to it for reasons that are less valid than they think (2) people get scared off by the generally mediocre-at-best scores Philly public schools get from the rating sites, when the truth is closer to "if the school is clean and well-run, your kid will get a good education in it even if it doesn't get an 8 or better from GreatSchools.org, for the faculty and staff at such schools do put a good deal of time and effort into giving kids a good education"; if you like, I could introduce you to the (openly gay, childless) man who owns half of Chestnut Hill's commercial real estate and is a big financial supporter of Jenks and let him make the case for me - there are several good private and charter schools in and near the neighborhood, and the charters won't cost you a dime.
Ardmore is the Main Line's "downtown," and most of it is located in one of the most highly regarded and honored school districts in this region, Lower Merion. (The part that isn't is in the School District of Haverford Township, which doesn't enjoy LM's exalted reputation but is nonetheless good.) You will be able to find the kind of house you want at the price you want here or in nearby Narberth, the hometown-y borough completely surrounded by Lower Merion Township whose kids also attend LMT schools, but it looks to me like its local ice rink has no hockey programs.
After that, you're SOL in your attempt to find a rink with ice hockey and a Regional Rail station in close proximity.
Most of this region's ice rinks, whether or not they have hockey programs or offer hockey lessons, are not located where the Regional Rail stations are.
Montgomery County has a very nice indoor rink complex at Valley Forge Sports near Oaks. Oaks is nowhere near Regional Rail.
Our health and wellness channel at Phillymag, BeWellPhilly, ran a list of great local rinks in December. Remove the outdoor rinks in the city (Blue Cross RiverRink, Rothman Rink), and what you're left with is a bunch of really good indoor rinks, most of which are nowhere near Regional Rail.
You could, however, try to find a house in University City (you have plenty to choose from in your price range, though finding a house with 3k sf of interior space may be a challenge) and use Penn's Class of 1923 Rink, listed here. Pluses: Your hubby's commute to Temple would in all likelihood involve either a trolley and a subway line or two subways (cheaper) or a short jaunt through the Commuter Tunnel (pricier but a little faster). You will also find all the amenities you want for your kids in this area too. Minuses: Good luck getting your kids into Penn Alexander. (Wage tax isn't an issue for you, as the differential between the resident and non-resident rates isn't so great as to make the 'burbs a clear choice.)
Two other rinks on the list are in communities served by Regional Rail. One is in Ardmore, the other in Chestnut Hill.
Chestnut Hill's in the city but is suburban in form, and it has a really cool and urbane business district. (You can read the love letter I wrote to it in the summer of 2016 to get a feel for what that business strip is like.) But: 3k sf for <$625k in that neighborhood? You can find one or the other, but not both. (Check listings in ZIP code 19118 anyway in case I'm wrong.) Chestnut Hill East trains stop at Temple University Regional Rail station on their way into Center City; Chestnut Hill West trains do so after emerging from the Commuter Tunnel. If you don't want to send your kids to the local public school - I'd suggest you give it a try, but (1) I'm a big proponent of choosing integrated schools, and many parents remain resistant to it for reasons that are less valid than they think (2) people get scared off by the generally mediocre-at-best scores Philly public schools get from the rating sites, when the truth is closer to "if the school is clean and well-run, your kid will get a good education in it even if it doesn't get an 8 or better from GreatSchools.org, for the faculty and staff at such schools do put a good deal of time and effort into giving kids a good education"; if you like, I could introduce you to the (openly gay, childless) man who owns half of Chestnut Hill's commercial real estate and is a big financial supporter of Jenks and let him make the case for me - there are several good private and charter schools in and near the neighborhood, and the charters won't cost you a dime.
Ardmore is the Main Line's "downtown," and most of it is located in one of the most highly regarded and honored school districts in this region, Lower Merion. (The part that isn't is in the School District of Haverford Township, which doesn't enjoy LM's exalted reputation but is nonetheless good.) You will be able to find the kind of house you want at the price you want here or in nearby Narberth, the hometown-y borough completely surrounded by Lower Merion Township whose kids also attend LMT schools, but it looks to me like its local ice rink has no hockey programs.
After that, you're SOL in your attempt to find a rink with ice hockey and a Regional Rail station in close proximity.
Ok. I'll have to look into all of this. What is the commuter tunnel?
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Newtown, Bucks County - Council Rock Schools are excellentPosted 03-07-2018 at 12:42 PM by YankeeNoMore
