South Street West is HOT, HOT, HOT...

**Lolly** · 07-09-2012, 09:50 AM

South Street west of Broad is taking off as hot neighborhood

**RittenhouseGirl** · 07-09-2012, 10:49 AM

This is good to know. For people who like to walk around, I feel safer knowing this.

I remember I once walked from 20th and Delancey Sts. to a friend's house near Watts St. in South Philly. I think I walked all the way down 20th St. at first. When I got to my friend's house she told me how dangerous the route was that I took. I should have known because the area became desolate and ever-so-slighty thuggy.

I normally keep my walking between Northern Liberties and Center City, so I should have known.

When I feel like saving gobs of cash, I will still walk to Save-a-Lot on Broad.

I hope the area keeps going up and up!

**Giavella Water** · 07-09-2012, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by Lolly

South Street west of Broad is taking off as hot neighborhood

Wait until some of these people who want to spend $700,000 on a house in the ghetto get popped. That and the massive RE tax increase that our mayor imposes, then you'll see that market cool off.

**BarryG** · 07-09-2012, 12:29 PM

Originally Posted by RittenhouseGirl

This is good to know. For people who like to walk around, I feel safer knowing this.

I remember I once walked from 20th and Delancey Sts. to a friend's house near Watts St. in South Philly. I think I walked all the way down 20th St. at first. When I got to my friend's house she told me how dangerous the route was that I took. I should have known because the area became desolate and ever-so-slighty thuggy.

I normally keep my walking between Northern Liberties and Center City, so I should have known.

When I feel like saving gobs of cash, I will still walk to Save-a-Lot on Broad.

I hope the area keeps going up and up!

Watts runs parallel to 20th.

**Sharkfood** · 07-09-2012, 12:34 PM

Now for the $64,000 question: Why can't South Street East have a normal mix of neighborhood shops and restaurants like South Street West (as opposed to condom shops, tattoo parlors, etc.)?

**RittenhouseGirl** · 07-09-2012, 12:53 PM

Originally Posted by Sharkfood

Now for the $64,000 question: Why can't South Street East have a normal mix of neighborhood shops and restaurants like South Street West (as opposed to condom shops, tattoo parlors, etc.)?

It's also interesting to see South Street East's transition from day to night. It is nice to go there in the morning before 11 a.m. It's quiet and you can enjoy walking down the street. You can walk to Penn's Landing or Society Hill in peace too.

But in the late afternoon and night, it can get insane. Though once I saw a plethora of cops waiting on a corner around 6th and South at 3 p.m. (This was about ten years ago.)

... though I usually stay away from South St. in general.

A few blocks from South St. are those large townhomes with garages. I was thinking that the area couldn't be too dangerous with people who invested so much close by living there ... but we know the stories.

**TonyDanza** · 07-09-2012, 01:53 PM

as someone who lived at 15th and Lombard 13 years ago, I can attest to the changes in South St. West. It was frightening to walk west of 15th Street then. Driving down South a few weeks ago, I hardly recognized a lot of the blocks.

**torts** · 07-09-2012, 02:43 PM

But you probably still recognized the crappy Royal Theater.

Kenny. Universal. Ackerman. Greene. Blight. Drugs. Filth. Yucky.

**londoner** · 07-09-2012, 04:22 PM

i'm surprised, and slightly disappointed, by the thoughtfulness in this thread thus far. A couple other breaking stories the inquirer is hot on: plastic is catching on, the Beatles are popular, and wall street may be corrupt.

**InYourVacancies** · 07-09-2012, 05:41 PM

Originally Posted by Sharkfood

Now for the $64,000 question: Why can't South Street East have a normal mix of neighborhood shops and restaurants like South Street West (as opposed to condom shops, tattoo parlors, etc.)?

Because it actually developed into an interesting neighborhood before cookie-cutter lovin suburban transplants moved in.

**BarryG** · 07-09-2012, 05:45 PM

Originally Posted by londoner

i'm surprised, and slightly disappointed, by the thoughtfulness in this thread thus far. A couple other breaking stories the inquirer is hot on: plastic is catching on, the Beatles are popular, and wall street may be corrupt.

Aren't you relieved to learn that it is safe to walk south of Lombard St?!

**five apples** · 07-09-2012, 07:29 PM

Originally Posted by Giavella Water

Wait until some of these people who want to spend $700,000 on a house in the ghetto get popped. That and the massive RE tax increase that our mayor imposes, then you'll see that market cool off.

Do you even live in Philly? Calling that area a ghetto would say that you do not.

**annelizabeth90** · 07-09-2012, 08:41 PM

Right?! I'm a single female and never feel scared around here. The people here are my neighbors. This neighborhood is definitely non-ghetto; it's the city, but it's not ghetto.

**darthsinatra** · 07-09-2012, 09:17 PM

Originally Posted by Giavella Water

Wait until some of these people who want to spend $700,000 on a house in the ghetto get popped. That and the massive RE tax increase that our mayor imposes, then you'll see that market cool off.

"Crime happens."

**Hospitalitygirl** · 07-10-2012, 05:10 AM

Originally Posted by InYourVacancies

Because it actually developed into an interesting neighborhood before cookie-cutter lovin suburban transplants moved in.

This in spades.

**Hospitalitygirl** · 07-10-2012, 05:11 AM

Originally Posted by RittenhouseGirl

It's also interesting to see South Street East's transition from day to night. It is nice to go there in the morning before 11 a.m. It's quiet and you can enjoy walking down the street. You can walk to Penn's Landing or Society Hill in peace too.

But in the late afternoon and night, it can get insane. Though once I saw a plethora of cops waiting on a corner around 6th and South at 3 p.m. (This was about ten years ago.)

... though I usually stay away from South St. in general.

A few blocks from South St. are those large townhomes with garages. I was thinking that the area couldn't be too dangerous with people who invested so much close by living there ... but we know the stories.

How do you ever leave the house?

**RittenhouseGirl** · 07-12-2012, 03:15 PM

Originally Posted by Hospitalitygirl

How do you ever leave the house?

I don't know. How do you?

**LUCas** · 07-12-2012, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by darthsinatra

"Crime happens."

A murder 5 years ago 200 miles away vs. a couple murders a week a few blocks away.

**LUCas** · 07-12-2012, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by five apples

Do you even live in Philly? Calling that area a ghetto would say that you do not.

It's not the ghetto. It's also not worth $700,000 to live in any houses in that area. The prices are insane. Not Crazy Eddie insane low prices. But real estate bubble, overinflated on hype insane. $700,000 on the main line gets you a very nice 3,000 sqft. house with a half plus acre within walking distance of a train that gets you to Suburban Station in under 15 minutes with good schools, no trash, and nearly no crime.

I'm not saying there aren't good reasons to live in the city instead of the main line. But one of them needs to be cheaper prices. Especially with the impending AVI which will create property tax equality between the two (if not higher in Philly).