where did people in their 20s live when the city wasn't so nice?

[John Goodman]

before south philly, center city, fishtown etc got gentrified and filled up with young people, where did young people live?

in the 70s did the middle to upper class young adults live in the suburbs? did they live in another city altogether?

[eldondre]

ardmore was popular

[John Goodman]

interesting. i asked my parents and they both lived in the northeast, doesn't seem as glamorous as the neighborhoods this generation lives in.

[Scoats]

Rittenhouse Square, Society Hill, and Logan Circle were affordable in the 80s/90s and had lots of young people.

[NJbound]

up in the Northeast. it was nice back then

[D-man]

In the 60's and 70's, Powelton Village was the center of the counter culture movement in Philadelphia. Similar to what Haight-Ashbury was in San Francisco. There are some homeowners from that era that still live there.

[desolate]

My grandparents live n apartments in North Philly then moved into homes in North Philly.

The the race riots pushed everyone into the NE.

Now my friends are moving in apt complexes in Far NE, NJ and Bucks then into town homes in bucks and NJ.


Since we lived here forever none of them want their kinds in Philly schools they went to or want to deal with the taxes or parking issues of the city over say a complex in Bensalem

[Bulworth67]

A very cool yuppie hangout in the early 90s.

[amberstreet]

iIn the 80's I lived at 6 & Washington, Fishtown , 21 and chestnut, and NL. all up and coming in their day.

[Lakey]

Adding to the list of places already mentioned - Germantown, Mt. Airy, Spruce Hill.

I lived in CC and Spruce Hill in the 80s and there were plenty of 20 somethings in both neighborhoods. I think the biggest differnces between the 70s and currently are:
1. more people (of all ages really) living within the traditional boundaries of CC, especially at the fringes in areas like SWCC.
2. Areas beyond CC's traditional boundaries, Northern Liberties for example, have taken off dramatically since the 80s. I had friends who lived in NL in the late 80s when it was being touted as an up and coming neighborhood. It was, but it would take another decade for things to really get going there.

Also, like the 70s there are currently many middle and upper-middle class twenty somethings living in the burbs. The majority of the metro areas population and private sector jobs are outside the city. It stands to reason that you'll find a lot of people in their 20s living in the burbs.

This isn't directed at you specifically, but I have to chuckle at the prevalent perspective among under 30s who think they've "discovered" urban living. It never actually fell completely out of fashion.

[Hospitalitygirl]

Adding to the list of places already mentioned - Germantown, Mt. Airy, Spruce Hill.

I lived in CC and Spruce Hill in the 80s and there were plenty of 20 somethings in both neighborhoods. I think the biggest differnces between the 70s and currently are:
1. more people (of all ages really) living within the traditional boundaries of CC, especially at the fringes in areas like SWCC.
2. Areas beyond CC's traditional boundaries, Northern Liberties for example, have taken off dramatically since the 80s. I had friends who lived in NL in the late 80s when it was being touted as an up and coming neighborhood. It was, but it would take another decade for things to really get going there.

Add Queen Village and Bella Vista, to that list.

Also, like the 70s there are currently many middle and upper-middle class twenty somethings living in the burbs. The majority of the metro areas population and private sector jobs are outside the city. It stands to reason that you'll find a lot of people in their 20s living in the burbs.

This isn't directed at you specifically, but I have to chuckle at the prevalent perspective among under 30s who think they've "discovered" urban living. It never actually fell completely out of fashion.

Glad I am not the only one that finds this amusing

[OldCityTans]

Moved to QV in 94, fresh out of college, stayed for 7 years.

[OldMaestro]

Bridesburg, Port Richmond and up.

[DCnPhilly]

I have to chuckle at the prevalent perspective among under 30s who think they've "discovered" urban living. It never actually fell completely out of fashion.

I've got to second (or third) this. I grew up in the country and couldn't wait to move to the city - any city. I blame Muppets Take Manhattan.

[OldMama]

I think there was less concern about living in "hot" areas when I was in my 20s. And I also think we grew up hearing that we should spend no more than 25% of our take home pay on rent or mortgage so we were more careful about where we lived. In the 70s, I lived in a fabulous apartment in a converted mini-mansion in Oak Lane. I had marble floors, stained glass windows, and window sills I could sit in. I had off street parking and a laundry in the basement. We either drove to town or took the train (a five minute walk) or drove to the Fern Rock subway station. The most I paid was $205.00 (and no roommate!)in '79 when I bought a house. Other people my age lived in the house's other apartments and they are still my friends 30+ years later.

[Moonraker]

During WWII, the city allowed rental housing in mixed use blocks. In the 70-80's neighborhoods reviewed the zoning and many of these multi-unit homes were returned to single family use. In addition, existing rental high rises in town saw 3-4 person occupancy, which was also common amongst friends who purchase a 3-4 bedroom home for restoration.

In short there has always been a large amount of rental property, it may not have been obvious.

[jillys]

My parents lived at 23rd and Locust in the early/mid-70s. They describe it as pretty sketchy then (their neighbors were drug dealers) and a ghost town after 5:00 p.m., but seem to have very fond memories of living there. They moved to the suburbs when they started to think about having me...

[TonyDanza]

I lived at 15th and Lombard right out of college (mid-90s) and I was pretty much scared to go any further south or west on that side of Broad St. I know there were worse times to live in that area, but I'm amazed at how much the city has changed as far as younger populations are concerned since the mid-late 90s.

[DCnPhilly]

When I first moved here not even ten years ago I had a nice studio for $450. It's changed a lot very quickly. Philadelphia is still a very reasonably priced city compared to others. You can easily follow the one week pay = rent rule here and still have your own small place or a nice share. Especially if you're willing to live in South or West Philly - which distance-wise would be included as part of any other city's downtown.

[lemko]

...I lived at 45th and Spruce. It was nice then and just about everything I needed was within walking distance. There was an Acme at 43rd and Locust where I did all my grocery shopping. I believe it's now closed.