Graduate Hospital Neighborhood

**Giavella Water** · 07-16-2012, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by WillABro

I assume you mean well, but this is the type of post that is really not helpful unless you can quantify why the area is that bad and disprove the folks who are saying it's changing rapidly for the better. Otherwise, I just take it with a grain of salt and move on.

And I could fully understand if you were talking about the center of Point Breeze at say Morris and PB Ave.

Oh, one more thing. Go to Nakedphilly.com and look up the zoning hearings concerning Point Breeze right south of Wash. Ave and you will see the mentality of some of the residents in the very area you are looking at. There are some nice YouTube postings of some of these meetings linked to the Nakedphilly posts.

**WillABro** · 07-16-2012, 02:31 PM

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**WillABro** · 07-16-2012, 02:35 PM

Originally Posted by Giavella Water

do your own homework

Why do you think I am here posting and asking questions? I live in Cincinnati at the moment, how the hell am I supposed to walk around Philly. I will have one opportunity to come there and secure housing next spring and I want to have my potential areas mapped well in advance and learn as much as I can between now and then. If you don't want to help don't, I don't care.

**Lolly** · 07-16-2012, 02:55 PM

Originally Posted by Giavella Water

Go to Nakedphilly.com...

That's actually a really good idea.

For all sorts of more recent development stuff about both Point Breeze and G-Ho.

**WillABro** · 07-16-2012, 03:02 PM

Originally Posted by Giavella Water

Oh, one more thing. Go to Nakedphilly.com and look up the zoning hearings concerning Point Breeze right south of Wash. Ave and you will see the mentality of some of the residents in the very area you are looking at. There are some nice YouTube postings of some of these meetings linked to the Nakedphilly posts.

Thanks.

**OffenseTaken** · 07-16-2012, 03:10 PM

PB wouldn't have been my first recommendation for you or even 2nd or 3rd, but in its defense, keep two things in mind.

1: This is tame as far as anti-gentrification fights go; you might recall much worse from LA, if you lived anywhere near downtown.

2: You can almost literally count on one hand the people throwing all the sh¡tfits in PB. I wish Green and McCormick would just fall off the face of the earth, but we really shouldn't overestimate their power and influence. They will lose the fight they've picked, sooner or later.

**WillABro** · 07-16-2012, 03:14 PM

^^ I left LA in 93. I was there for the riots though..hehe.

**thoth** · 07-16-2012, 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by Giavella Water

I DID mean well and if you want me to quantify,well........do your own homework. Walk around the area both day and night and not just one or twice to get a taste of the area and talk to older people in the neighborhood because they are probably long time residents and will be much more honest than a newcomer who may BS you just to get you to move into the area.

I love the mythology that there all these newcomers who, upon realizing the grave mistake they made in moving to THE CITY, try to trick other people into moving to their crappy neighborhood. Who is that duplicitous and who moving to Point Breeze with any illusions about that neighborhood? I mean these are the first couple of pictures that show up when I google "Point Breeze Philadelphia":

Doesn't exactly scream urban paradise. I'm not knocking the 'hood, just saying that there's no grand illusion here.

**WillABro** · 07-16-2012, 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by OffenseTaken

PB wouldn't have been my first recommendation for you or even 2nd or 3rd, but in its defense, keep two things in mind.

Well, keep in mind I am not really interested in PB either. However, I don't want to rule out the edge of the neighborhood in an affordable, newly renovated place. But that is only if it's a decent block. My main priority is school catchments, family neighborhood with lots of kids, short walking distance to a corner pub and/or other amenities.

**WillABro** · 07-16-2012, 04:19 PM

Originally Posted by thoth

I love the mythology that there all these newcomers who, upon realizing the grave mistake they made in moving to THE CITY, try to trick other people into moving to their crappy neighborhood.

Doesn't exactly scream urban paradise. I'm not knocking the 'hood, just saying that there's no grand illusion here.

Ya, I already get it. Most of the neighborhood is a dump.

**Lolly** · 07-16-2012, 04:21 PM

Originally Posted by thoth

Which is now...

American Sardine Bar

**Malloy** · 07-16-2012, 04:34 PM

Originally Posted by Lolly

(And, have you looked around the area between Washington & Federal, 20th-ish to Broad, lately? Amazing.)

OK, I'll bite. What exactly is 'amazing' about this part of Point Breeze?

**thoth** · 07-16-2012, 04:39 PM

Originally Posted by WillABro

My main priority is school catchments, family neighborhood with lots of kids, short walking distance to a corner pub and/or other amenities.

As are most people. for 1-1.2k a month you will likely have to compromise.

**thoth** · 07-16-2012, 04:42 PM

Originally Posted by Lolly

Which is now...

American Sardine Bar

I'm familiar with the building. My point is that even a cursory look online at the neighborhood does not project the image of some glamorous area.

**Giavella Water** · 07-16-2012, 04:46 PM

Originally Posted by WillABro

Why do you think I am here posting and asking questions? I live in Cincinnati at the moment, how the hell am I supposed to walk around Philly. I will have one opportunity to come there and secure housing next spring and I want to have my potential areas mapped well in advance and learn as much as I can between now and then. If you don't want to help don't, I don't care.

OK, I can appreciate you live in Ohio but are you really trying to do something so very important by computer only? If you are than maybe PointBreeze or further south is the right place for you.

**andrewd** · 07-16-2012, 05:02 PM

Originally Posted by WillABro

Ahh, that was the main attraction as far as my wife is concerned. We are planning on finding a good catchment for public schools and should that fail, resort to private schools.

As for amenities, they don't need to be at my back door. I live in a noisy area as it is. Some quiet would be welcome. I do need to have a corner pub within walking distance though.

This is exactly what we were looking for. We moved from the northernmost border of the neighborhood (Bainbridge) down to the southernmost (Carpenter) and we are only minutes further from the amenities but it's a lot quieter, a lot less congested, parking is a piece of cake and we got a much bigger place. And we are closer to the arguably better bars/restaurants now anyway.

I know people are talking about the eastern side being a little better if you plan to go below Washington and I think that is dead on. However, I think the western side above Washington is really picking up the fastest with all the money that Toll Brothers are putting into Naval Sqaure and the forthcoming 2400 South St (like it or not) and the new U Penn Development at the far western edge.

**Lolly** · 07-16-2012, 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by Malloy

OK, I'll bite. What exactly is 'amazing' about this part of Point Breeze?

Um. The pace of the changes taking place. Duh.

Originally Posted by thoth

I'm familiar with the building. My point is that even a cursory look online at the neighborhood does not project the image of some glamorous area.

No one ever said it was glamorous. I think all of us (including the OP) appreciates a bit of grit.

**WillABro** · 07-16-2012, 05:56 PM

Originally Posted by Giavella Water

OK, I can appreciate you live in Ohio but are you really trying to do something so very important by computer only? If you are than maybe PointBreeze or further south is the right place for you.

Can you read?

Originally Posted by WillABro

Why do you think I am here posting and asking questions? I live in Cincinnati at the moment, how the hell am I supposed to walk around Philly. I will have one opportunity to come there and secure housing next spring and I want to have my potential areas mapped well in advance and learn as much as I can between now and then. If you don't want to help don't, I don't care.

Computer is my starting point, which obviously is what I am doing here. I am familiar with Philly, have traveled through many times by car and train. One of the main reasons I am moving there is to get back to the east coast after a decade in the mid west, which I deplore. My first choice is to move back to New York, but am unwilling to downsize to fit into NY housing and NY prices. So Philly is my next choice and frankly it has edged NYC out of view. So it's not like I am throwing darts at a map, and asking questions on an internet forum, loading a U-haul and showing up to find an place to stay.

You have been helpful and I appreciate that. If you have nothing else to add then leave me alone.

**WillABro** · 07-16-2012, 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by andrewd

This is exactly what we were looking for. We moved from the northernmost border of the neighborhood (Bainbridge) down to the southernmost (Carpenter) and we are only minutes further from the amenities but it's a lot quieter, a lot less congested, parking is a piece of cake and we got a much bigger place. And we are closer to the arguably better bars/restaurants now anyway.

I know people are talking about the eastern side being a little better if you plan to go below Washington and I think that is dead on. However, I think the western side above Washington is really picking up the fastest with all the money that Toll Brothers are putting into Naval Sqaure and the forthcoming 2400 South St (like it or not) and the new U Penn Development at the far western edge.

Thanks for the info. Carpenter seems like a decent street on Google Maps. Did you mention if there are a lot of kids on your street? of do you guys network in with other families nearby? We have had to network in with other families. There are a lot of kids around where I live but not nearly enough considering the size and density of my neighborhood.

**WillABro** · 07-16-2012, 06:06 PM

Originally Posted by Lolly

No one ever said it was glamorous. I think all of us (including the OP) appreciates a bit of grit.

Yep, keep the white picket fences far away. Should I find the right place with the right combination of what we are after I would be a fool to let it go, or not consider it. Even if it's....gasp....a couple blocks south of Washington, or a couple blocks north of Snyder, or in Newbold, etc.