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Philadelphia’s “Loft District” is still going strong

Philadelphia’s self-proclaimed “Loft District” is a small, ex-industrial section just north of Center City in the 19123 zip code. Right next door to the southern end of Northern Liberties and the northern end of Old City.

Once known as a semi-rough, working class neighborhood filled with opportunities in manufacturing (as well as housing both a brewery and a circus), it has since changed into a creative class paradise. Large factories have been transformed into luxurious lofts for both buyers and renters, while also having studio space and businesses on the lower floors. With its easy access to Center City, as well as trendy neighborhoods like Fairmount and Northern Liberties, it’s no wonder why people are still moving to this small section in North Philadelphia.

Its boundaries are not set in stone, but they basically run from Spring Garden St to the north / Vine St to the south, Broad St to the west / N 8th St to the east. In other words, it’s not very large but very dense and full of opportunity. To top it all off, CCD’s proposed Reading Viaduct Project would be a huge anchor and could keep its momentum going in an upward slope.

Trendy restaurants/bars and artist venues are popping up left and right, and will most likely continue for the foreseeable future. Remember, most people moving to Philadelphia want to be in Center City; they just do what they can to avoid paying Center City prices.

Philadelphia ranked “#1 US City for Green Schools”

Huh?

This seems like a random survey, but we’ll take the positive news for our public school system. With all of the negative news out there about failing public schools and heated arguments on union contracts, it’s good to hear that strides are being made in other areas; especially here in Philadelphia.

For me, it’s kind of ironic that I’m writing about this post today after just watching the movie “Waiting For Superman.” If you have not seen this movie yet, you need to give it a watch; whether you like documentaries or not. Personally, I’ve always been a fan of documentaries (i.e. “Supersize Me,” “An Inconvenient Truth,” etc.), so my standards for a decent documentary are relatively high. “Waiting For Superman” was very well done.

The story focuses on why US public education has not made any progress in test scores since the mid-1950s, and more specifically why urban areas are performing the worst. No matter which side of the fence you sit on, it’s an eye opener to say the least; especially when you see the facts on how the US currently stacks up against developing countries around the world.

Now that Philadelphia has gained some recognition for its public school system, the next step is to start getting positive press on improving student performance.

One thing at a time…

Philly is a bargain!

So, what exactly about Philadelphia is a “bargain”? Almost everything in comparison to other major, coastal cities. Rent, art/culture events, etc.

… And it all starts with Center City.

This is an excellent article about why Philadelphia is becoming a premium choice for transplants, as well as how our housing market has held up so well (in comparison to other major cities) during the last half decade.

Good stuff.