Favorite Pennsylvania Mid-sized city (Erie, Scranton: neighborhood, schools, college)

[Wolfman89]

Originally Posted by Stephanie P

I just don't understand how Reading can be so full of crime. It's not that big, but seems to have as much crime as Houston (which has about 2 million people.)
Can't the police take control of it? Everything I hear about Reading is negative, and often times scary.
We will be in the surrounding area, Sinking Spring. Is it safe there?
Thanks!
Stephanie

Sinking springs is park of the suburbs so for the most part..yes. it is safe.

Reading is dangerous because when Giulliani chased the crime of NYC..the majority came here.

It is quite small but that is the problem. We are not equipt to deal with the amount of crime we have.

The constant flow of illegals and the proximity to Philly only makes it worse.

The population is mostly young(teens) So they outnumber the adults and tend to cause a great deal of trouble.

Most of the people here are sick. A middle school kid was recently stabbed with a steak knife on the way to school.

The mayors solution is to clean up the touristy area..an I mean the immediate touristy area..if you walk off course from there you better watch your back..and let the city rot.

The crime is slowly starting to spill over in to the burbs but sinking springs has some proximity and the cops in the suburban areas are reffered to as "nazi like" by the troublemakers..but all this means is they do their job and dont screw around.

[rubydi]

you can always go visit the Harley factory.

[GuardianSensor]

TABLE 3

MUNICIPAL POPULATION CHANGES
1900 - 2000


Erie City 108,718 103,717 -5,001 -4.6%



Millcreek Township 46,820 52,129 5,309 11.3%


Erie lost the third largest city designation to Allentown in 2000 because PA law makes it impossible for Cities to annex leaching suburbs!!

Every person who left the city moved to Millcreek....actually that is what has happened since the 60's, if we could have swallowed up the land that the city residents spread to as their incomes increased, Erie wouldn't have seemed like it shrunk.

See, Millcreek is an RESIDENTIAL suburb of 52,000+ people add that to the Cities 103,717 you get 155,846. Since all those people (with some exceptions) are city residents, who made some great money and moved into those neighborhoods, it's only right Erie is allowed to incorporate Millcreek into the city limits to reflect the actual increase and exceptional retention of residents we have had.

It is misleading to people to see a population decrease on paper when in fact the population has never gone down!

Millcreek isn't like Bethlehem is to Allentown, it isn't a city it has no fire department, it's water/sewer system is Erie's 90% of the people work in the city, it has no downtown of it's own....in fact is indistinguishable from Erie to the point that there is no point in keeping them seperate any longer!


PA need to do this in it's urbanized areas, one it will reflect just how big these urban areas are! Giving them the prestige they deserve!

Just think about it, instead of a list looking like this:

1. Philadelphia 1.4 Million
2. Pittsburgh 310,000
3. Allentown 107,000
4. Erie 104,000

it would look like this:

1.Philadelphia 6.3 Million

2. Pittsburgh 2.4 Million

3. Allentown 800,000 (Commercial Real Estate Information and Construction Data | Emporis.com)

4. Erie 300,000


Of course Erie would be knocked down a few pegs, seeing as Eastern Pa has small cities with LARGE metro areas that if incorporated would reduce Erie to like 5th or 6th largest!


Vote for Urban Incorporation!!

[PeterRabbit]

^^^ Would the people who left the city for Millcreek still have moved there if it had been a part of Erie? Or would they have moved to some other suburb(s)?

[BevoInPA]

State College is not a city. It is a borough.

[GuardianSensor]

Originally Posted by PeterRabbit

^^^ Would the people who left the city for Millcreek still have moved there if it had been a part of Erie? Or would they have moved to some other suburb(s)?

Yes. The reason why is that there are 3 neighborhoods in Erie, quite large ones, that are some of the most expensive upscale places you can find....and most people just can't afford to live there, Millcreek while it has some awesome neighborhoods, still is cheaper to buy a house in.

The people here in Erie don't think of Millcreek as being a "different" place to be they KNOW it is but they don't see the difference.

People in Allentown can visually tell the difference between Allentown and Bethlehem, but People here can't do that with Millcreek, Lawrence Park, and Wesleyville.


The State needs to allow Cities the power of annexation!

[W-B proud]

No love for Allentown! They didn't even get one vote yet!

[pj3000]

Originally Posted by GuardianSensor

Yes. The reason why is that there are 3 neighborhoods in Erie, quite large ones, that are some of the most expensive upscale places you can find....and most people just can't afford to live there, Millcreek while it has some awesome neighborhoods, still is cheaper to buy a house in.

Prime example of why I usually shy away from this forum...

Only 3 neighborhoods in Erie? What are you talking about? I can name 6 right now that only either myself or family lived or live in: Chestnut Hill, Glenwood Hills, Marvintown, Lower West Side, Elmwood, Kahkwa

There is not a single neighborhood in the city of Erie that would qualify as among "the most expensive upscale places you can find". Not even close. Erie has some beautiful areas with wonderful old homes in the Frontier/Kahkwa neighborhood and the Glenwood/Glenwood Hills neighborhood. Still, those homes are relatively inexpensive compared with just about any other urban area in the nation. Erie is a housing bargain. These neighborhoods are classy, but far from upscale overall. They are both a mix of middle, upper-middle, and upper class income levels.

[GuardianSensor]

I was refering to 3 CITY NEIGHBORHOODS, not that the city only has 3 neighborhoods!!

And while it is true the spectacular houses we have are WAY BELOW the national average incomes here also reflect that difference, which is why a $50,000 salary is worth 90-100,000 in places like...Cleveland OH.

"the most expensive upscale places you can find" WAS IN REFERENCE to the Erie Metro Area....geez LOL!!!!

My top three picks would be South Shore Drive/Frontier Park....I recently built a 5,000 Sq. Ft. house on the corner of South Shore Drv, and Frontier Plc.

Glenwood Hills, which is my favorite.

Mansion Row....REALLY BIG, REALLY OLD CLASSIC MANSIONS....and very inexpensive to buy!! 300 to 500,000, only a couple for a Million$.

Now to brag about my most recent job....a 15,000 SQ Ft house in Millcreek by the ERIE INT Airport....right on the bluffs a hundred feet above the Lake shore with some of the best views you could ever dream of!

And now I'm braving the icy winds off the Lake building an addition to a beach house....would be awesome if it was summer when I could appreciate the location!!

Originally Posted by pj3000

Prime example of why I usually shy away from this forum...

Only 3 neighborhoods in Erie? What are you talking about? I can name 6 right now that only either myself or family lived or live in: Chestnut Hill, Glenwood Hills, Marvintown, Lower West Side, Elmwood, Kahkwa

There is not a single neighborhood in the city of Erie that would qualify as among "the most expensive upscale places you can find". Not even close. Erie has some beautiful areas with wonderful old homes in the Frontier/Kahkwa neighborhood and the Glenwood/Glenwood Hills neighborhood. Still, those homes are relatively inexpensive compared with just about any other urban area in the nation. Erie is a housing bargain. These neighborhoods are classy, but far from upscale overall. They are both a mix of middle, upper-middle, and upper class income levels.

[pj3000]

^ ^ Sorry, I misunderstood you. I don't frequent this forum too often, as it seems there is nothing but bickering and A LOT of false information. I read your post and assumed the worst... with your clarification, I see what you're saying. But people have generally moved into Millcreek from the city over the years not because they can't afford to live in those particular neighborhoods, but due to the reasons the entire nation shifted to suburbia over the last 50 years (more property, lower taxes, perceived safety, better schools, etc.).
I agree that Erie should annex Millcreek (it's ridiculous that they are separate municipalities, but that's PA for you). Lawrence Park and Wesleyville should also be included in the city of Erie (those are two completely urban municipalities that border Erie... at least Millcreek is suburban in structure and layout). Maybe Harborcreek eventually too.