Official Greater Philadelphia Area Crime Thread (Reading, Meridian: affordable housing, Amtrak, builder)

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by Hedonism

Center City -


https://6abc.com/man-dead-following-...ter-/10530874/

How is this area nowadays? I hope the city has this area under control once conventions re-open. The visitors bureau and marketing organizations are ready to promote the heck out of Philadelphia (including bringing in conventions).

[moneymkt]

Originally Posted by cpomp

How is this area nowadays? I hope the city has this area under control once conventions re-open. The visitors bureau and marketing organizations are ready to promote the heck out of Philadelphia (including bringing in conventions).

The Reading Terminal area is one of my least favorite sections of the city. My favorite is Franklin square and Washington Square

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by moneymkt

The Reading Terminal area is one of my least favorite sections of the city. My favorite is Franklin square and Washington Square

This is very useful information.

It seems you have a preference for quiet and tranquility over hustle and bustle. The Reading Terminal Market area is filled with the latter.

I'll wager your favorite Center City residential neighborhood is Society Hill and that you're not all that keen on Washington Square West.

I need tranquility every so often, and I can appreciate Washington Square's charms, but by and large, I'm just about your opposite number.

[Hedonism]

Originally Posted by cpomp

How is this area nowadays? I hope the city has this area under control once conventions re-open. The visitors bureau and marketing organizations are ready to promote the heck out of Philadelphia (including bringing in conventions).

Pretty much the same as always - a lot of bums hanging around because of the nearby missions. You know what comes with that.

[Hedonism]

Originally Posted by AshbyQuin

It's legit, but all the homicides in center city i've read over the years are targeted and usually happen between the homeless.

Yes, it is legit.


Thank you. I'm not posting lies.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by Hedonism

Pretty much the same as always - a lot of bums hanging around because of the nearby missions. You know what comes with that.

During the day, the tourists and shoppers far outnumber the bums.

If there's a "problem area" for that, it's the streets the Convention Center passes over — 12th and 13th. The underpasses beneath the building make for good sleeping sites because there's very little foot traffic through them; the Convention Center doesn't offer any reason for people to walk along them. You may note that the guy they found dead in that news item was found in the 100 block of North 13th. That's the block under the Convention Center.

Contrast this with the 50 block of North 11th (under one of the Gallery parking garages, between Filbert and Arch), the same block of North 8th, or the stretch of Filbert that passes under the Reading Terminal trainshed. You'll find fewer bums there because the underpasses are lined with activity that draws foot traffic.

The designers of the Convention Center apparently failed to design in natural defenses against this sort of thing, namely, ground-floor retail. The rents could have also subsidized the center's operation. And before anyone chimes in that this is no defense, consider where the encampments are and where they aren't underground. The activity may not eliminate the loitering and sleeping under bridges, but it does reduce it significantly. The PATCO concourses wouldn't have become homeless shelters if PATCO ridership hadn't cratered the way public transit ridership has plummeted everywhere thanks to COVID.

—MSE, onetime Reading Terminal Market poster boy during a marketing campaign featuring regular RTM shoppers in the mid-2000s

[JamesJay64]

Originally Posted by cpomp

How is this area nowadays? I hope the city has this area under control once conventions re-open. The visitors bureau and marketing organizations are ready to promote the heck out of Philadelphia (including bringing in conventions).

It's great for the most part. I live a block away and can literally see down the 13th street tunnel from my bedroom window, and walk through it at all times of day to get to my car. There are always a few homeless people in that tunnel but they keep to themselves mostly. I don't love walking through alone after dark though.

[rowhomecity]

Originally Posted by cpomp

How is this area nowadays? I hope the city has this area under control once conventions re-open. The visitors bureau and marketing organizations are ready to promote the heck out of Philadelphia (including bringing in conventions).

It is pretty much the same it has always been.

A homeless encampment was starting to settle in directly at Reading Terminal but the city recently cleared it out.

The covered area around the Convention Center has always been sort of a homeless refuge. I personally have not been over there in a while to know its condition currently.

The rest of Center City is actually pretty normal in terms of homeless and most of it is not really visible or bad.

They cleared up the parkway.

The big homeless problem is really up in Kensington. That is a mess. They closed down a SEPTA station in Kensington for about 3 weeks to do a deep clean and try to control the problem because there were so many needles and homeless. It was bad. It has reopened since but I know the condition is just as bad as ever up there....

I will say that due to the PATCO homeless encampments from 16th and Locust to 12th and Locust there is a noticeable homeless population, and especially at night, that area is no longer safe as they target you. I would say this area is the biggest problem spot in Center City at the moment....

Ive lived in the city a long time and I have never seen the homeless as violent as they are currently on Locust St.

Apparently though the homeless encampment will be cleared in about two weeks at the PATCO stops I guess??

I will say that the WaWa closing at Broad and Walnut did a lot to stop the soliciting in Center City.

The WaWa at 13th and Chestnut honestly sees little to no solicitation and the larger WaWa at 12th and Market, given its prominent location sees little to no solicitation either.

My guess is because the developer of that project at 12/Market, also still owns the property and manages it and is continuing to develop that whole area.... has made solicitation illegal on its property so the police will be called if you try to solicit someone passing by or fall asleep/camp out in front of its stores.

Totally unrelated to Philadelphia.. but Cpomp because I know you live there. The homeless situation in Midtown NYC shocked me recently. I have never seen so many homeless in NYC. They were also very aggressive with panhandling and approaching people for money.

[Hedonism]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

During the day, the tourists and shoppers far outnumber the bums.

Yes, right on Arch and below ...


There's no shopping or anything for tourists north of Arch between 11th and Broad.


When I go to the Reading Terminal Market I usually park on Callowhill and there isn't much foot traffic on my walk. Lotta bums hanging, laying and staggering around.


Most times, Race Street, between 12th and 13th is loaded with freeloaders, waiting for their free meal. We call it the 'gauntlet.'


It's been like this since I've been shopping at the RTM.


- Hedonism, patronizing the Reading Terminal Market since 1993, with family in Chinatown since 2012.

[thedirtypirate]

Just to say my piece of on the subject:



IMO, it's unfortunate the convention center sits where it does. I work for a big company that has offices all over. I have had several co-workers over the years say some variation of 'I was in Philly for my daughter's xyz event. A lot of bums!'. I ask them where they stayed and what they did. 'Marriott next to city hall. Went to the Convention Center. Saw the Rocky Statue'.

There's not many reasons for residents to walk over in that direction so it's always pretty dead. What that area does have is like 6 homeless shelters which is why people hang out over there.