Philadelphia 2035 (Washington, Franklin, Penn: hipster, music, visiting)

[PhilliesPhan2013]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Some of this may actually happen this time. Ideas about capping it go back to at least the 80s or maybe before.

I sure hope so! Seeing all of this change occurring in Philly is so exciting to me! The Philadelphia that I visited last Wednesday looks almost unrecognizable to the Philly I knew when I was growing up in West Philly from 2001/2002-2006. The city is going to change for the better so much in my lifetime. I won't be as young as I am now when this happens (I'm 19 now), but to see this happen in my lifetime is amazing.

P.S. I am VERY optimistic about this, which is why I'm saying things like "will happen".

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Some of this may actually happen this time. Ideas about capping it go back to at least the 80s or maybe before.

If Drexel is "running" this project it will get done.

You can always county on Penn, Drexel and Toll Brothers to get a job done as quickly as possible even of this magnitude.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by PhilliesPhan2013

I sure hope so! Seeing all of this change occurring in Philly is so exciting to me! The Philadelphia that I visited last Wednesday looks almost unrecognizable to the Philly I knew when I was growing up in West Philly from 2001/2002-2006. The city is going to change for the better so much in my lifetime. I won't be as young as I am now when this happens (I'm 19 now), but to see this happen in my lifetime is amazing.

P.S. I am VERY optimistic about this, which is why I'm saying things like "will happen".

Sorry but LMAO. In your lifetime... Hmmm... I'm not being mean. Listen , hon, I'm so old I remember when ALL of West Phila was nice. When Frankford was nice. When there were buzzing factories in Kensington; the first real job interview I had was at the Philco-Ford plant in Kensington. I remember when N. Philly was not primarily ghetto. I remember when the Divine Lorraine was a working hotel. I remember when Ridge Ave. was nice. I remember when city public schools were fine.

I remember Connie Mack Stadium. I remember the Eagle playing in Franklin Field. And not to go on too long with what was... but, I remember when NO ONE would have tried to build anything taller than City Hall tower.

Then... The 1964 riot happened. Then deindustrialization happened. Then white and middle class black flight happened. The city was dying and the decay was everywhere even in Rittenhouse Sq.

So to see what's going on now is beyond a miracle to me... places that I thought would never recover, have.

[2e1m5a]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Sorry but LMAO. In your lifetime... Hmmm... I'm not being mean. Listen , hon, I'm so old I remember when ALL of West Phila was nice. When Frankford was nice. When there were buzzing factories in Kensington; the first real job interview I had was at the Philco-Ford plant in Kensington. I remember when N. Philly was not primarily ghetto. I remember when the Divine Lorraine was a working hotel. I remember when Ridge Ave. was nice. I remember when city public schools were fine.

I remember Connie Mack Stadium. I remember the Eagle playing in Franklin Field. And not to go on too long with what was... but, I remember when NO ONE would have tried to build anything taller than City Hall tower.

Then... The 1964 riot happened. Then deindustrialization happened. Then white and middle class black flight happened. The city was dying and the decay was everywhere even in Rittenhouse Sq.

So to see what's going on now is beyond a miracle to me... places that I thought would never recover, have.

You've given some great insight and advice on this site!

[PhilliesPhan2013]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Sorry but LMAO. In your lifetime... Hmmm... I'm not being mean. Listen , hon, I'm so old I remember when ALL of West Phila was nice. When Frankford was nice. When there were buzzing factories in Kensington; the first real job interview I had was at the Philco-Ford plant in Kensington. I remember when N. Philly was not primarily ghetto. I remember when the Divine Lorraine was a working hotel. I remember when Ridge Ave. was nice. I remember when city public schools were fine.

I remember Connie Mack Stadium. I remember the Eagle playing in Franklin Field. And not to go on too long with what was... but, I remember when NO ONE would have tried to build anything taller than City Hall tower.

Then... The 1964 riot happened. Then deindustrialization happened. Then white and middle class black flight happened. The city was dying and the decay was everywhere even in Rittenhouse Sq.

So to see what's going on now is beyond a miracle to me... places that I thought would never recover, have.

I understand what you're saying, and I don't think it's mean; it's more of a point to show that I used something similar to a superlative when I didn't need to compared to older generations. There's simply no way that I could have seen and experienced all of the things you have. Being born in 1995, I'm simply too young.

However, I have seen a lot change since I was a kid growing up and traveling to the city. I remember when Penn Park was nothing more than a former rail yard with a few active Amtrak tracks. I remember waiting for the El at the old West Philly stations and traveling along the old viaduct. I remember when Market Street west of where the viaduct begins seemed that it would never reopen to traffic. I remember the skyline before the Comcast Center, Cira Center, and Murano. I remember when the area around 30th Street Station was a lifeless, auto-centric nightmare, as well as attempting to cross Market at that point. I remember when the IRS building was the U.S. Post Office and the construction of the new complex off of Lindbergh Avenue. I remember when service on the 15 trolley was reintroduced and being so excited to ride the vintage PCC trolley cars. Finally, I remember when University City was constructing some of its first tall buildings, creating the skyline that we see today.

I admit that what I said was a little extreme; however, I am just very excited about all of the energy that the City has right now. If Philly looks this different to me in a matter of 10 years, then I imagine it is nothing short of a miracle for you. After all, you have witnessed the Columbia Avenue riots of 1964, seen Center City in decline in the 70s and 80s, the Meridian fire in the 90s, and everything in between. One day, when the rail yards are capped, Mantua and Powelton Village are as premier of neighborhoods as Society Hill and Fitler Square, and there are a collection of supertalls and high rises north and west of 30th Street, then I'll be able to say "in my generation ". Now is just not the time since I'm so young. The Philadelphia 2035 plan won't even be complete until I'm 40.

[MikeNigh]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Sorry but LMAO. In your lifetime... Hmmm... I'm not being mean. Listen , hon, I'm so old I remember when ALL of West Phila was nice. When Frankford was nice. When there were buzzing factories in Kensington; the first real job interview I had was at the Philco-Ford plant in Kensington. I remember when N. Philly was not primarily ghetto. I remember when the Divine Lorraine was a working hotel. I remember when Ridge Ave. was nice. I remember when city public schools were fine.

I remember Connie Mack Stadium. I remember the Eagle playing in Franklin Field. And not to go on too long with what was... but, I remember when NO ONE would have tried to build anything taller than City Hall tower.

Then... The 1964 riot happened. Then deindustrialization happened. Then white and middle class black flight happened. The city was dying and the decay was everywhere even in Rittenhouse Sq.

So to see what's going on now is beyond a miracle to me... places that I thought would never recover, have.

Do you think the city is rebecoming what it used to be or it is more like a new city?

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by PhilliesPhan2013

I admit that what I said was a little extreme; however, I am just very excited about all of the energy that the City has right now. If Philly looks this different to me in a matter of 10 years, then I imagine it is nothing short of a miracle for you. After all, you have witnessed the Columbia Avenue riots of 1964, seen Center City in decline in the 70s and 80s, the Meridian fire in the 90s, and everything in between. One day, when the rail yards are capped, Mantua and Powelton Village are as premier of neighborhoods as Society Hill and Fitler Square, and there are a collection of supertalls and high rises north and west of 30th Street, then I'll be able to say "in my generation ". Now is just not the time since I'm so young. The Philadelphia 2035 plan won't even be complete until I'm 40.

It does feel like a miracle to me. But there were glimmers of change that were apparent even in darker times. The restaurants that we take for granted today? The start of it began in the early 70s. No matter his massive ego, G. Perrier, is a hero. He, along with others who came along a bit later, like Jean Marie LaCroix and Susanna Foo, basically laid the ground work for the Starr empire, Jose Garces and Mark Vetri and every one else who's come along since.

We always had great art and music here. We had winning sports teams in the 70s too. Gamble and Huff were creating all their hits.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by MikeNigh

Do you think the city is rebecoming what it used to be or it is more like a new city?

It's a bit of both to me.

[asiandudeyo]

Originally Posted by kyb01

It does feel like a miracle to me. But there were glimmers of change that were apparent even in darker times. The restaurants that we take for granted today? The start of it began in the early 70s. No matter his massive ego, G. Perrier, is a hero. He, along with others who came along a bit later, like Jean Marie LaCroix and Susanna Foo, basically laid the ground work for the Starr empire, Jose Garces and Mark Vetri and every one else who's come along since.

We always had great art and music here. We had winning sports teams in the 70s too. Gamble and Huff were creating all their hits.

If you could pick some elements from the old Philadelphia during its "glory days" back then and "plug them in" into all the developments we have currently, what would you pick and why?

[PhilliesPhan2013]

I hate to interrupt the current direction of the conversation of this thread, but here's some development news. Hopefully this will finally get off the ground!

PlanPhilly | Blatstein plans at Broad & Washington to get nudge in Council