# What are similar world cities to Philadelphia?



## Astralis (Jan 28, 2007)

monkeyronin said:


> It might have been fairly typical a century ago, but contemporary Philadelphia exhibits a culture, built form, and architectural styles not seen in the vast majority of North American cities. I'd say it is something of an archetypal American city, but not a typical one.


Look at Boston... these 2 cities are really much alike. I can add Baltimore, MD as well.


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## monkeyronin (May 18, 2006)

Astralis said:


> Look at Boston... these 2 cities are really much alike. I can add Baltimore, MD as well.


Baltimore, yes. Boston, slightly. Either way, those are two cities, amounting to about 1.2 million people out of 300 million in the nation. By the fact that these three cities amount to house less than 1% of the US population makes them atypical.


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## philadweller (Oct 30, 2003)

"Montreal seems to me like a more vibrant Philly"

What? Both cities are very vibrant. Philadelphia is slightly larger though. Montreal may be sexier and more decadent but trust me Philadelphia is every bit as vibrant as Montreal.
Montreal does have colonial buildings as well. Maybe not as many as Philly but definitely more than Toronto.


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## bayviews (Mar 3, 2006)

philadweller said:


> "Montreal seems to me like a more vibrant Philly"
> 
> What? Both cities are very vibrant. Philadelphia is slightly larger though. Montreal may be sexier and more decadent but trust me Philadelphia is every bit as vibrant as Montreal.
> Montreal does have colonial buildings as well. Maybe not as many as Philly but definitely more than Toronto.


It wasn't too long ago, up thru the early 90s, that Montreal suffered many of the same challenges as Philly. Montreal was seen as being much less vibrant than Toronto, much as Philly is often seen as less dynamic than Boston. Montreal's made a big comeback over the past couple of decades, & Philly's starting the same climb up.


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## Spoolmak (Aug 4, 2007)

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say Montreal. I always kind of thought Philly and Montreal were alike... then again I have never been to either.


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## philadweller (Oct 30, 2003)

"It wasn't too long ago, up thru the early 90s, that Montreal suffered many of the same challenges as Philly. Montreal was seen as being much less vibrant than Toronto, much as Philly is often seen as less dynamic than Boston. Montreal's made a big comeback over the past couple of decades, & Philly's starting the same climb up." 

I could see that parallel but Philadelphia has been on the up since the early nineties and it has reached a level higher than you give it credit for. Boston is dynamic because it is a small, tidy, professional rich city. Philadelphia is nearly twice the size of Boston with a dense healthy core and frayed outer rings. I would say that Boston is economically healthier than Philadelphia instead of being more dynamic. I think Philadelphia has more a "buzz" personally than Boston. 

Check out this article.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2008/nov/02/philadelphia-holiday?page=all

Boston and Philadelphia certainly have a lot of similarities and I love both cities for their preservation and deep rooted US history.
This is a bit off topic but I think that the relationship between Charleston and Savannah is very much like that of Boston and Philadelphia.
Charleston is more gentrified and smaller and on a saltwater bay and Savannah is bigger and grittier but on a river.

In the US I think the old layout of St. Louis is very similar to present day Philadelphia. Unfortunately, St. Louis destroyed the older fabric of the city when the St. Louis Arch was built. In England maybe Liverpool would be comparable although it is quite a bit smaller.


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## l'eau (Jul 7, 2008)

LtBk said:


> 326 years.


that's a lot:roflhi. is just 5100 years younger than my city:laugh:

but i must admit, phi. is really a great city.


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## l'eau (Jul 7, 2008)

Skybean said:


> :bash:
> 
> Ever heard of the Declaration of Independence? The Liberty Bell?


yeah, i've.so?


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## Slartibartfas (Aug 15, 2006)

philadweller said:


> Well at the very least how about comparing it to other North American cities. I know Philadelphia is not as old as Rome but there are new European cities as Well. Madrid for instance is not much more than 500 years old. Did not expect such a sarcastic response but I guess some people are wittier than others.


Me too. Let me excuse for those descending comments. I have been to Philly and its a truly great city and actually one of the reasons why I liked it most was because it was soaked with history, despite those comments of some others here. 

Of course, you won't find any Roman settlements in Philadelphia, but 326 are a few years and there happened a lot in this time span of large importance. I was fascinated by something not so many know, the medical history of the US that went hand in hand with the other leading centers of medicine back then at the dawn of modern medicine: Paris, Vienna and maybe also London. If anyone visits Philly, I can only recommend the Mütter museum there. 



> I was going to say Dublin in terms of its Georgian architecture


 Maybe, I would guess naturally Philladelphia has most in common with cities from the British Isles. Seen from an architectural point of view. I am aware however that the Philadelphia has been influenced a lot by German speaking immigrants as well.


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## xlchris (Jun 23, 2006)

LtBk said:


> 326 years.


Hmm, it's not much. But it can have a lot of history. But it's nothing in comparison to Amsterdam wich was founded around the year 1000


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## bayviews (Mar 3, 2006)

philadweller said:


> I could see that parallel but Philadelphia has been on the up since the early nineties and it has reached a level higher than you give it credit for. Boston is dynamic because it is a small, tidy, professional rich city. Philadelphia is nearly twice the size of Boston with a dense healthy core and frayed outer rings. I would say that Boston is economically healthier than Philadelphia instead of being more dynamic. I think Philadelphia has more a "buzz" personally than Boston.


Yeah, agree, Philly, like Montreal, has certainly been on the upswing.


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## philadweller (Oct 30, 2003)

Philadelphia has seen a steady boom of skyscraper construction since the early 90's. Montreal had one in the early 90's too but since then just a handful of midrises have sprung up. Are there any plans for Montreal to get any tall ones soon? Philadelphia's Comcast is a supertall.


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## monkeyronin (May 18, 2006)

philadweller said:


> What? Both cities are very vibrant. Philadelphia is slightly larger though. Montreal may be sexier and more decadent but trust me Philadelphia is every bit as vibrant as Montreal.


My opinion is somewhat invalid as I've never actually been to Philadelphia, however, from what I've seen of it, I have a hard time imagining pedestrian crowds or cultural vibrancy in Philadelphia to the extent of Montreal (though I'd be happy to be proven wrong), which in both categories would easily be among the top three on the continent. Its also more "vibrant" in the sense of greater growth - in terms of population, infrastructure development, and construction. 




l'eau said:


> that's a lot:roflhi. is just 5100 years younger than my city:laugh:


Wow, Philadelphia is newer than your city. Hahaha, thats fucking hilarious. I'll repeat for the third time - how old something is does not negate the fact that it simply has a history. It also says nothing of the _relevance_ or importance of that history to the present day, but thats another matter, not related to the original question - that being what city's history is most similar to Philadelphia's.


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## philadweller (Oct 30, 2003)

"My opinion is somewhat invalid as I've never actually been to Philadelphia, however, from what I've seen of it, I have a hard time imagining pedestrian crowds or cultural vibrancy in Philadelphia to the extent of Montreal (though I'd be happy to be proven wrong), which in both categories would easily be among the top three on the continent. Its also more "vibrant" in the sense of greater growth - in terms of population, infrastructure development, and construction."

Trust me. Philadelphia is every bit as vibrant as Montreal and is slightly larger. Maybe you should check out my Philadelphia thread in the Urban Showcase section. 

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=690122

I have been to Montreal 24 times and I lived in Philadelphia for 12 years. You cannot really judge a city unless you've experienced it. Philadelphia has more than a dozen colleges and universities and is second to Boston per capita.


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## LtBk (Jul 27, 2004)

Philly needs to extend last call to 3 or 4 if it wants to compete with Montreal in terms of nightlife.


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## monkeyronin (May 18, 2006)

philadweller said:


> Trust me. Philadelphia is every bit as vibrant as Montreal and is slightly larger. Maybe you should check out my Philadelphia thread in the Urban Showcase section.
> 
> http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=690122


Great pictures, but I still maintain my position. The crowds seemed comparable to Montreal, but what really sets it apart are the likes of the Tam-Tams and random street parties. Also, the music and fashion scene (i.e. cultural vibrance) in MTL is great. I simply haven't seen a comparable quantity come out of Philadelphia (which isn't really something one needs to visit to see, though it would help).


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## philadweller (Oct 30, 2003)

"Great pictures, but I still maintain my position. The crowds seemed comparable to Montreal, but what really sets it apart are the likes of the Tam-Tams and random street parties. Also, the music and fashion scene (i.e. cultural vibrance) in MTL is great. I simply haven't seen a comparable quantity come out of Philadelphia (which isn't really something one needs to visit to see, though it would help)."

These photos barely scratch the surface. Philadelphia has first Fridays in Old City and the Fringe Festival and there is always something going on in Rittenhouse Square in the summer nights.

I love the Tam-Tams in Montreal. I have had some fun times there. Very bohemian. The drum circles in Philly happen around the colleges and in Northern Liberties from time to time.

I think you need to get to Philadelphia. This batch of photos is from August which is the quietest month in Philadelphia. Therefore, I still maintain my position.

Live 8 was in Philadelphia in 2006.









Philadelphia has the Mummer's Parade on New Years day which is like a mini Mardi Gras. There are so many street fairs in Philadelphia in the neighborhoods and along the Parkway. Don't understimate Philadelphia. The foodie scene is among the best in North America. The Italian Market and Reading Terminal Market are so beloved by locals and tourists alike.

Also there are three gay street parades/parties a year and the film festival is always a blast.


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## KGB (Sep 12, 2002)

The similarities that come to mind between Mtl & Philly are that they no longer hold as much national importance as when their nations were young. Less so for Montreal, but I'd say Montreal slants more towards being over-rated, while Philly slants more towards being under-rated (in popular culture).

I can't think of anything that would suggest Toronto as much of a candidate.



KGB


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## Avientu (Jul 12, 2007)

philadweller said:


> Well at the very least how about comparing it to other North American cities. I know Philadelphia is not as old as Rome but there are new European cities as Well. *Madrid for instance is not much more than 500 years old*. Did not expect such a sarcastic response but I guess some people are wittier than others.
> 
> I was going to say Dublin in terms of its Georgian architecture or Lyons. In the US I think that St. Louis and New Orleans have a similar layout to Philadelphia. Also Montreal, although an island, was built during the same period as Philadelphia and has similar architecture.
> 
> Philadelphia is is a city between two rivers... hint hint.


You got it wrong there. Madrid became the capital of modern Spain in 1561 when the Kingdoms of Castilla and Aragón were united. But the city was founded in the 9th century by the moors, and even earlier settlements have been found as well.


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## the spliff fairy (Oct 21, 2002)

Manchester


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## Slartibartfas (Aug 15, 2006)

Avientu said:


> You got it wrong there. Madrid became the capital of modern Spain in 1561 when the Kingdoms of Castilla and Aragón were united. But the city was founded in the 9th century by the moors, and even earlier settlements have been found as well.


Maybe as a village, but Madrid was of hardly any historical importance before that time.


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## philadweller (Oct 30, 2003)

Early St. Louis before it was destroyed. Pay attention to the street names.








The layout of St. Louis was modeled after Philadelphia. Philadelphia 1842.


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## staff (Oct 23, 2004)

Other North American cities or perhaps a medium-sized British city such as Manchester or Birmingham.


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## philadweller (Oct 30, 2003)

"The similarities that come to mind between Mtl & Philly are that they no longer hold as much national importance as when their nations were young. Less so for Montreal, but I'd say Montreal slants more towards being over-rated, while Philly slants more towards being under-rated (in popular culture).

I can't think of anything that would suggest Toronto as much of a candidate."

I agree.


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## railway stick (Jan 16, 2005)

Not mentioned, so far: Philadelphia and Hamburg (Germany). Same size, much history, beautiful architecture, fabulous setting, famous music scene, large harbour, nice people. I`ve visited both cities. Only difference: Philly is a bit more conservative. That`s nice too.


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## TooFar (Apr 6, 2004)

Having lived in Montreal and now the far flung suburbs of Philly. I honestly don’t find that much in common. Yes, both are old and historic by NA standards and both front a large river, but apart from that, I can’t find much else in common. In Montreal’s favour, the downtown is more dense with famed night life, The women are of the highest quality and there is a great sense of urban grittiness. It is also an extremely safe place to live. Unfortunately Montreal is also dirty and run down, with ridiculously cold winters. It appear to be going through a prolonged stagnate period.

Philly on the other hand appears to be dynamic and on the way up (again). It historic area is far larger and better maintain than Montreal. The skyline is of the highest quality. The linear parks along the Schuylkill are a pleasure all year round and the roads are maintained to a much higher standard. I also find people to be more friendly here.

This is starting to sound like a City vs City debate. But Ill finish by saying I live in Philly and I like it.:cheers:


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## philadweller (Oct 30, 2003)

I don't know if Montreal is resting on its laurels but Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver seem to be exploding at the seams. Philadelphia is only 6 hours from Montreal by car but the climate is really quite different. Philly has an extra 2.5 months of good weather and the Winters are kind of mild. I think Montreal's grit has to do with its harsh winters and salt corroded roads. Philly's grit has to do with poor areas bouncing back and certain buildings being leftovers. Montreal has done a much better job with its waterfront by submerging the expressway. Both cities have a lot in common but now that I think of it Montreal may be more like Pittsburgh.


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## philadweller (Oct 30, 2003)

Wow, I never thought of Philly as conservative. I think of it as shy.


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## willo (Jan 3, 2005)

Slartibartfas said:


> Maybe as a village, but Madrid was of hardly any historical importance before that time.


Not true. It wasn't Burgos or Toledo but it was far from being just a village


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## kansas (Jan 15, 2005)

Heres a photo of Philadelphia which looks like it was taken in the early/ mid 20th century. Sadly most of these buildings were raised to make way for Independence National Historic Park. Thats Independence Hall(Where the US Declaration of Independence was signed) in the foreground. Photo courtesy of Life Magaizine images. 










More modern day shot of Philly looking over South Philly, Center City,NW Philly, and the NW suburbs of Montgomery and Chester Counties off in the distance.Distinctly American, especially with the bigger skyscrapers rising in the past 20 years.


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## kansas (Jan 15, 2005)

All the old buildings in the above first pic, replaced by this.Grass. A tragedy of epic proportions. 

The reasoning to rais those buidlings was part necessary neglect and part to give Indepence Hall its own spotlight. Philaldephia still probably has more historic 18th + 19th century buildings in the usa but to lose those buildings in Old City was horrific. Philadlephia would be a much more interesting place to visit with thits original fabric as oppose to a park.


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## Jaeger (May 11, 2006)

Go Philly 

Philly gets its groove back at last

It's just 90 miles from New York, but Philadephia is finally stepping out of the Big Apple's shadow - and its baseball team is better too.

Contd.......

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2008/nov/02/philadelphia-holiday?page=all


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## nouveau.ukiyo (Sep 20, 2007)

First, Center City is not Philadelphia, but rather a small part of the whole. And a very different part at that. A representative neighborhood in say North Philly compares well with other East Coast cities, but that's it. That is more the real Philly, not Comcast Center or some old building in Old City.

I think Philly had a lot in common with Chinese cities or any other industrialized city. It could perhaps serve as a lesson to them as well. Philly was essentially one giant factory. They made everything there. Post WWII, the city went bust. The factories closed, jobs evaporated and the city rotted (I'm especially sad about the loss of the railroads, the Pennsy and Reading). Take the train in or out of the city and you'll see massive evidence of abandon factories, warehouses and brownfields. There are huge spaces in Philly that is taken up by the decaying skeletons of American industry. Also, 2 million people lived in Philly proper in the 60s. Now the population is approaching 1.4 million. Things have gotten better, but Philly is forever a blue collar city and those blue collar jobs aren't coming back. Hopefully Chinese cities won't suffer the same fate when they can no longer compete in manufacturing (if that day comes). But things are happening now because of the crappy global economy, especially in Guangdong, that remind me a bit of Philly and not in a good way.

I also feel that Philly is a very segregated city between black and white. You have to leave Center City to really understand Philly; again, take the train out of CC and see who gets off the first few stops and who gets off after. In the US, it isn't all that uncommon to have ethnic/racial neighborhoods; but Philly being so big, about a 50/50 split white/black, and a large gap between income levels, education and crime between both races, it's quite striking.

Sorry to sound negative, there are lots of great things about the city. But I thought I would a bring a different view of the city to the table. You see, these comparative city threads are very subjective. For one, the Philly in my mind is a completely different place then when think about "Philly." That goes for all of us as well, although the difference varies.


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## LtBk (Jul 27, 2004)

From what I read, most of Philly is relatively a poor city compared to NY outside of the Central City.


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## Astralis (Jan 28, 2007)

LtBk said:


> From what I read, most of Philly is relatively a poor city compared to NY outside of the Central City.


Well actually the whole US is like that what you think of Philly. You can see a huge gap between rich and poor in any city in there. Some cities have more bad parts, some have less but in general all of them have it (I'm talking about big cities with 1 million+). NYC is a city where the rich-poor gap is even more expressed (you can see it right there around Times square where many homeless ppl are or on Penn Station and upstairs in Madison Square Garden where they sleep at night and so on).


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

It reminds me of a combination of Boston and Baltimore.


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## Astralis (Jan 28, 2007)

10ROT said:


> It reminds me of a combination of Boston and Baltimore.


Exactly what I said earlier...


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## philadweller (Oct 30, 2003)

"First, Center City is not Philadelphia, but rather a small part of the whole. And a very different part at that. A representative neighborhood in say North Philly compares well with other East Coast cities, but that's it. That is more the real Philly, not Comcast Center or some old building in Old City."

I totally disagree. This is like saying the Barrio Gothic is not the real Barcelona. Center City is the original blueprint of all of Philadelphia.

North Philadelphia is not the "real" Philadelphia either. South Philadelphia would be more of the "real" Philadelphia. North Philly is one of the poorest parts and Center City is one of the richest parts. South Philly has it all in terms of class.


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## philadweller (Oct 30, 2003)

I would say that Philadelphia is a mixture of Detroit and Boston. The inner ring is Boston and the outskirts are Detroit. I do like the Baltimore/Boston connection but Philly has the infrastructure for a city of 5 million.

Philly is also like Brooklyn with a bigger downtown.


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## philadweller (Oct 30, 2003)

"From what I read, most of Philly is relatively a poor city compared to NY outside of the Central City."

Maybe on paper but the city has one of the highest homeownership rates in the US. Philly has some very rich neighborhoods and also has some of the richest suburbs in the nation. It is mostly a solid middle class city.


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

Astralis said:


> Exactly what I said earlier...


Well, sorry, but I bothered not to read the thread. Just gave my opinion...


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## Astralis (Jan 28, 2007)

10ROT said:


> Well, sorry, but I bothered not to read the thread. Just gave my opinion...


No prob. Glad we agree upon that one. :cheers1:


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## kansas (Jan 15, 2005)

nouveau.ukiyo said:


> First, Center City is not Philadelphia, but rather a small part of the whole. And a very different part at that. A representative neighborhood in say North Philly compares well with other East Coast cities, but that's it. That is more the real Philly, not Comcast Center or some old building in Old City.


You took the exact opposite extreme as Philadweller.In reality Philadlephia is a little bit of Philadwellers cosmopolitan Philly, your apocalyptic Philly and alot more of other things in between.

But you are dead wrong to insinuate most of Philadlephia is a decaying skeleton by your experience of a few deindustrialized neighborhoods running along rail lines. I need to show you around NW Philly,NE Philly,South Philly,Univ City/Cedar Park/Powelton Village.There is so much more to Philadlephia than you are aware of.


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## LtBk (Jul 27, 2004)

I'm glad Philly is slowly growing back to its former glory. It needs better transit however(based on info I read here, it sucks).


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## nouveau.ukiyo (Sep 20, 2007)

kansas said:


> You took the exact opposite extreme as Philadweller.In reality Philadlephia is a little bit of Philadwellers cosmopolitan Philly, your apocalyptic Philly and alot more of other things in between.
> 
> But you are dead wrong to insinuate most of Philadlephia is a decaying skeleton by your experience of a few deindustrialized neighborhoods running along rail lines. I need to show you around NW Philly,NE Philly,South Philly,Univ City/Cedar Park/Powelton Village.There is so much more to Philadlephia than you are aware of.


Yea I went the opposite of Philadweller on purpose to show a different side. Since I'm young, it nice, fun place. If I were to get married, have kids and want a good job, I think I'd rather be outside the city.

I'm from Philly and my family has been here for 100 years. I've seen enough, thanks.


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## LtBk (Jul 27, 2004)

Philly doesn't have good jobs? And what about stuff I read about girls in Philly being ugly and all?


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## Taller Better (Aug 27, 2005)

I'm absolutely speechless that they would rip down those historic buildings for a grass park. Why?!?!


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## kansas (Jan 15, 2005)

Taller said:


> I'm absolutely speechless that they would rip down those historic buildings for a grass park. Why?!?!


That photo was probably taken soon after the great depression.Id say part of the reasoning was that many of the buildings fell into disrepair, the money simply wasnt there at the time to fix up all those buildings, tragically it was probably cheaper to knock them down and thats what they did.Another part of the thought process was to mimick Washington DC's great cultural icons by giving them space and a spotlight. 

In retrospect a Terrible decision but I guess at that time the city was thinking future instead of its past. Today i'm sure there are people in Flint MI that think leveling the whole city would be a great idea. Not comparing 1930 Philadlephia with current day Flint but you get the idea, it was a convenient out at that time for Philadlephia


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## LtBk (Jul 27, 2004)

Do you guys think Philly will have a future?


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## Rumors (Jul 1, 2007)

TooFar said:


> Having lived in Montreal and now the far flung suburbs of Philly. I honestly don’t find that much in common. Yes, both are old and historic by NA standards and both front a large river, but apart from that, I can’t find much else in common. In Montreal’s favour, the downtown is more dense with famed night life, The women are of the highest quality and there is a great sense of urban grittiness. It is also an extremely safe place to live. Unfortunately Montreal is also dirty and run down, with ridiculously cold winters. It appear to be going through a prolonged stagnate period.
> 
> Philly on the other hand appears to be dynamic and on the way up (again). It historic area is far larger and better maintain than Montreal. The skyline is of the highest quality. The linear parks along the Schuylkill are a pleasure all year round and the roads are maintained to a much higher standard. I also find people to be more friendly here.
> 
> This is starting to sound like a City vs City debate. But Ill finish by saying I live in Philly and I like it.:cheers:


Yes it is sounding like a city vs City debate, with a lot of people bashing my city.


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## philadweller (Oct 30, 2003)

"Do you guys think Philly will have a future?"

I am speechless. Of course it will. Philadelphia is a survivor. Aside from having a prospering center city it's location is its biggest advantage. In the past 15 years Philadelphia has completely improved.

With regards to those buildings being knocked down for Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell it had nothing to do with the depression. It had to do with Kevin Bacon's father Edward Bacon. It was his idea to make that mall and what a disaster in urban planning it was. The mall has since been redone and it is a great improvement but nothing will bring back those dear blocks between 5th and 6th, Arch and Cherry. What is worse though is the US mint on the northeast corner of the Mall.

Edward Bacon wanted to make it like the mall in DC since he thought Independence Hall was as important as the US Capitol in DC for the Nations 200th birthday in 1976.

Independence Hall used to be on the water and ships used to pull up to it at one time. Philadelphia had tributaries to the river that have been long since filled in.

Fortunately there s no shortage of old buildings in Philadelphia.


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## Rumors (Jul 1, 2007)

philadweller said:


> "Do you guys think Philly will have a future?"
> 
> I am speechless. Of course it will. Philadelphia is a survivor. Aside from having a prospering center city it's location is its biggest advantage. In the past 15 years Philadelphia has completely improved.
> 
> ...


Don't worry it will have a future and prosper. et: :yes:


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## kids (Dec 12, 2004)

the spliff fairy said:


> Manchester


I've just watched a show on gun crime in North Philadelphia and this comparison really ain't far off.


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## kansas (Jan 15, 2005)

philadweller said:


> With regards to those buildings being knocked down for Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell it had nothing to do with the depression. It had to do with Kevin Bacon's father Edward Bacon.


But if those buildings were in tip top shape they probably would have been saved. It was a combination of wanting Independence Hall to be showcased , part was ridding what was seen at the time as urban blight, part was urban renewal. Alot of those buildings were in disrepair.

But I agree with you 100% it was the wrong move.


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## phillybud (Jul 22, 2007)

*Philly: the good, the bad, the ugly, the beautiful*

I live in Philadelphia and I think a lot of very perceptive and accurate statements were made.

My first reaction was "what are similar world cities to Philadelphia" -- NONE! Philadelphia is unique! But I thought about it a long time and on second thought I came up with: Glasgow, Scotland; Liverpool, England; Melbourne, Australia; and Dublin, Ireland.

Philly really cannot be compared to Boston or Montreal because those cities are prettier and more elegant than Philly. Philly is basically a working class blue collar city with some areas that are lovely and surprisingly elegant. It is a city of brick rowhouses (terraced housing to our British friends) but many of these have a proletarian charm.

Bill Bryson, the travel writer, called Philadelphia "the ugliest city in the United States." But that was in the 1980's, and Philly is making a huge comeback.

I live in University City near the ivy-league - prestigeous - University Of Pennsylvania. I live in a clean neighborhood of Victorian homes ranging from 90 years to 140 years old. My house is about 115 years old. The streets are shady, the parks are well maintained, but there are college students everywhere. There are lots of cafes, pizzarias, bookshops, art galleries, and bars that cater to the university crowd. Houses in my neighborhood generally cost anywhere from $300,000 to $750,000 in most cases (the "mansion" one block from me is going for 1.1 million).

If you are a tourist to my city you will see the old Georgian era streets of "Olde City" and the fountains along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. We have some of the best museums in North America. Montreal, in my view, does have better nightlife, though. But this is where the USA was born, and where we declared independence from Britain on July 4, 1776.


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## Mollywood (May 23, 2007)

The best thing about Philadelphia is the historic homes.


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## Jaeger (May 11, 2006)

Louis Theroux's 'Law and Disorder - Philadelphia' was screened on BBC2 in Britain last night. 

You can watch the full programme here -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00fy4cz/Louis_Theroux_Law_and_Disorder_in_Philadelphia/

Sadly it makes depressing viewing.


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## Jonesy55 (Jul 30, 2004)

I'd say that Manchester, UK is quite similar. Both cities exploded in the 19th century and have lots of nice architecture from that period.

Both are undergoing an urban renaissance but still have pockets of grittiness/shittiness too.


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## Xusein (Sep 27, 2005)

phillybud said:


> Philly really cannot be compared to Boston or Montreal because those cities are prettier and more elegant than Philly. Philly is basically a working class blue collar city with some areas that are lovely and surprisingly elegant. It is a city of brick rowhouses (terraced housing to our British friends) but many of these have a proletarian charm.


Don't let Beacon Hill and gentrification fool you, Boston is very much still a very gritty working class, blue collar city in large swaths. Nothing like Philly though for sure. But what about Baltimore? With the rowhouses, it looks like Philly's little sister to south. :cheers:


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## LtBk (Jul 27, 2004)

Like I said earlier, Philly needs to extend last call past 2am if it wants to compete other world cities in terms of nightlife. They also need to lobby Harrisburg to eliminate the retarded alcohol laws they have.


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