OK... New Thread - Best Urban living area in City Center

[cwdanley]

Let me give this another try..... I think I get the idea that commuting from Wilmington may not be the best option. So.....

Background:
I am transferring up to the area from Atlanta and know absolutely nothing about Philly.

I am interested in a vibrant urban area, close to good restaurants / pubs.

Something with good access to a fitness area, biking would be a bonus.

I will be working at the Naval Yard area so anywhere between City Center and The Naval Yard would be good.

Any suggestions

Thanks

Carl

[luchobucho]

Do you plan to take the subway to the Navy Yard or drive there?

Let me give this another try..... I think I get the idea that commuting from Wilmington may not be the best option. So.....

Background:
I am transferring up to the area from Atlanta and know absolutely nothing about Philly.

I am interested in a vibrant urban area, close to good restaurants / pubs.

Something with good access to a fitness area, biking would be a bonus.

I will be working at the Naval Yard area so anywhere between City Center and The Naval Yard would be good.

Any suggestions

Thanks

Carl

[five apples]

Why the hell this isn't a sticky I am not sure. But here are some good questions to answer so we can help.

DETAILS:
When are you moving?

Where are you coming from?

Why are you moving?

Where will you be working?

Have you been here yet?

Will you buy or rent?

If renting, are you looking for an apartment, a townhouse or loft?

Do you prefer hi-rise or walk up?

Are you married or single? Do you have children?

Do you prefer public or private schools?

Do you have pets?

Do you want or need a yard?

Are you keeping a car?

Do you prefer bustling activity or calm and quiet?

What do you want to be closest to?
Work-
Shopping -
Basic services (supermarket, drugstore, etc.) -
Nightlife-
Train or subway stations-

Do you want to live with people of a similar age, race, religion or sexual preference or do you prefer a diverse neighborhood?

[OffenseTaken]

I am interested in a vibrant urban area, close to good restaurants / pubs.

Something with good access to a fitness area, biking would be a bonus.

OMG seriously, you should have moved to Philadelphia years ago if that's the case!

Do you plan to take the subway to the Navy Yard or drive there?

It'd be a ten-minute walk from the Pattison station, maybe fifteen. Depending on the weather, that's either nothing or way too far. Good thing there's either option. Just an FYI.

[phillycat]

If you are planning to drive to the Navy Yard and you like to bike, Fairmount is ideal - there are great 10, 20, 30 mile bike trails right out your front door. People are serious about their biking here. Good restaurants and pubs. It is easy to get on 76 and then it is a short drive on 76 to the Navy Yard area - I would think about 20 minutes without traffic, 30 with.

Cons: not so easy to park, unless you can afford a garage or are in an apartment building with a garage, in which case you are golden. 76 traffic can be tedious depending on what time you go/come, but that's pretty much the case wherever you drive if you drive at rush hour.

Closer to the Navy Yard with your specifications would probably be the Passyunk Square area or maybe Graduate Hospital.

Definitely not Wilmington. Most younger people who have to work in Wilmington live in Philly and commute there because it is so boring. Good luck!

[BarryG]

Anywhere in Center City is urban and vibrant, and only a few minutes from the trails in Fairmount Park. Navy Yard is an subway ride (and you don't need to walk the last leg, there is a bus that covers it). For more specific recommendations, need budget.

If you want to commute by bike, Passyunk Square is a great neighborhood.

[cwdanley]

thanks for the great info guys!

[3rd&Brown]

OMG seriously, you should have moved to Philadelphia years ago if that's the case!

+1. And let me add. NOT Wilmington (you should have your friend's sanity checked).

It'd be a ten-minute walk from the Pattison station, maybe fifteen. Depending on the weather, that's either nothing or way too far. Good thing there's either option. Just an FYI.

I'm sure there is a shuttle, so a walk wouldn't even be necessary.

Generally, if you want to be near the Schuykill River Trail/park, you want to be on the west side of Broad Street. Think Graduate Hospital/Fitler Square/Rittenhouse Square/Logan Square (my least favorite of the lot)/Fairmount. But, I'd also consider Passyunk Square (super hip up and coming area...lots of buzz and the easiest amongst them from a commuting standpoint) or Bella Vista, which is still walkable to the BSL, but probably the best location of all of the neighborhoods in terms of it's centrality. Walkable to all the great stuff in Center City and South Philly (Washington Avenue, the Italian Market, Passyunk Avenue), but still cozy and more established than say, Passyunk Square.

Hope these responses help. Oh, Bella Vista and Passyunk Square are east of Broad. The others are all west. As a newcomer, I'd avoid living in the areas of South Philly west of Broad between roughly Snyder and Christian. There are many attributes to these up and coming areas, but they're still pretty darn rough, I presume especially to a newcomer who just five minutes ago was thinking about Wilmington. They're the types of places I might recommend one buy as an investment, but never as an introduction to the city (i.e. renting), particularly from a far away place.

Otherwise, I think you're gonna like it here. Atlanta has it's charms, but the urbanity, liveliness, walkability, transit, and food here BLOW it out of the water.

Welcome!

[BarryG]

r Bella Vista, which is still walkable to the BSL, but probably the best location of all of the neighborhoods in terms of it's centrality. Walkable to all the great stuff in Center City and South Philly (Washington Avenue, the Italian Market, Passyunk Avenue), but still cozy and more established than say, Passyunk Square.

This isn't really true... most of Passyunk Square has been stable with responsible homeowners for generations.

[phillycat]

It's actually a good thought that a moderately dedicated biker could probably set up a very reasonable bike commute to the Navy Yard from some of the southeast CC neighborhoods. The ability to bike to work is one of the best things about living and working in Philly, IMHO.

[Gladys]

If money is not a huge issue I would go to center city, personally i like rittenhouse square area. There are a wide variety of prices and units available. Also if it were me i'd try and go as close to my subway stop as i could get a nice place. Rittenhouse is close to kelly drive.

I like SWCC and fairmount which are both adjacent,but fairmount is the other side of a highway and dead area to walk but very gorgeous, especially green street in the 20s. But east of broad, old city, society hill is great to live. Old city especially if you are young. There are great lofts in Old City.

Generally it's a great city. Nothing's perfect but you can have a great life here.

Good luck and welcome.

[MarketStEl]

It'd be a ten-minute walk from the Pattison station, maybe fifteen. Depending on the weather, that's either nothing or way too far. Good thing there's either option. Just an FYI.

Specific info on the shuttle mentioned upthread:

The Route 71 Navy Yard shuttle bus operates every 20 minutes during the day from AT&T (formerly Pattison) station on the Broad Street Line. As of now, I don't believe it offers more frequent service at peak hours, and it does not operate when the main gates to the Navy Yard are closed and access restricted to tenants.

I don't know how comfortable you are using mass transit; I know Atlanta has rapid transit (as well as the unfortunate ethnic joke on its acronym), but even though ours is skeletal relative to our city size and territory, when combined with the extensive surface bus, trolleybus and streetcar network, SEPTA can get you just about anywhere you want to go in the city if you don't feel like biking or walking. (What's more, it can get you to a lot of places in the 'burbs too; I'd say that SEPTA's suburban service is among the better provided by any large US transit agency.) I encourage you to check out the stickies on the Philadelphia Transportation and SEPTA board here for additional information about getting around town, including a glossary of local usage so that you don't scratch your head when someone tells you they're going downstairs to catch the El.

The only resource more useful than these: SEPTA

I'm somewhat partial to my former stomping ground of Washington Square West as a place to live in Center City - it has a good bit more diversity of incomes, ethnicities, ages, etc., than most other Center City neighborhoods. It's also a smidge less expensive than Rittenhouse or Society Hill - but not by so much that you'd be able to live there if you have to hold to a budget. The South Philly neighborhoods mentioned so far are all better in that regard.

Good luck finding a Philly neighborhood you'd be glad to call home!