The Atlantic: It's Official: Downtowns are Booming

[JakeL]

An article posted in The Atlantic Cities yesterday shows the massive upswing that cities are seeing:
It's Official: Downtowns Are Booming - Neighborhoods - The Atlantic Cities

The researchers used a 2 mile radius from City Halls to define 'Downtown.' Philadelphia grew by 10% in this region, adding 20,769 residents. However, if you look even more closely, the numbers are even more impressive.

First off, what does the 2 mile radius consist of? Here is a 2 mile radius from City Hall: Radius Around a Point on a Map

Looking at this map shows us that regions in this sample selection includes neighborhoods that experienced significant declines, such as Sharswood, Mantua, Grays Ferry, and Point Breeze from 2000 to 2010. Many of these regions experienced ~10% declines, as you can see from the NYTimes Census Map Mapping the 2010 U.S. Census - NYTimes.com

So what are your thoughts? Will we be able to hold a 10% growth rate in the same region from 2010 to 2020? Perhaps even higher now that many of these areas are now growing?

[John Goodman]

Yes and it misses areas of growth around temple, west Philly and fishtown

Something very special is happening in Philly and I'm very excited to be in town to see it

[eldondre]

Philadelphia's growth has been very solid but chicago is just shocking, it grew by over a third!

[Giavella Water]

An article posted in The Atlantic Cities yesterday shows the massive upswing that cities are seeing:
It's Official: Downtowns Are Booming - Neighborhoods - The Atlantic Cities

The researchers used a 2 mile radius from City Halls to define 'Downtown.' Philadelphia grew by 10% in this region, adding 20,769 residents. However, if you look even more closely, the numbers are even more impressive.

First off, what does the 2 mile radius consist of? Here is a 2 mile radius from City Hall: Radius Around a Point on a Map

Looking at this map shows us that regions in this sample selection includes neighborhoods that experienced significant declines, such as Sharswood, Mantua, Grays Ferry, and Point Breeze from 2000 to 2010. Many of these regions experienced ~10% declines, as you can see from the NYTimes Census Map Mapping the 2010 U.S. Census - NYTimes.com

So what are your thoughts? Will we be able to hold a 10% growth rate in the same region from 2010 to 2020? Perhaps even higher now that many of these areas are now growing?

Cities always experience a growth spurt in hard times. It's cheaper to live in the city (unless you have a mayor like Nutter who is about to change that).

[OffenseTaken]

Cities always experience a growth spurt in hard times. It's cheaper to live in the city (unless you have a mayor like Nutter who is about to change that).

That's exactly right, except cities don't experience a growth spurt in hard times and it's not cheaper to live in the city. Nor should it be.

[mixiboi]

Plus we aren't talking about North Philly or West Philly or even the NE..We are talking about Downtown which is way more expensive then it is outside of that circle....

[eldondre]

Plus we aren't talking about North Philly or West Philly or even the NE..We are talking about Downtown which is way more expensive then it is outside of that circle....

exactly right, it IS cheaper to live in the city than many suburbs but that isn't true of downtown. plus, hard times ain't going anywhere