I'm looking at moving to Philly next summer. Yes, I know things can change between now and then, but I'm hoping someone could give me some insight into the area around 1730 N. 5th St. The Sewing Factory. I have been to the Temple campus, and if all goes as planned my husband will be attending school there. When we were there a year ago we stayed in the city and took the subway up to the campus...which was nothing like taking the subway when I lived in NYC. I'm interested in safety, and what the neighborhood is like around there. Anything I should watch for, and does Septa run from the Center City to this area 24 hours. I will probably try to work within CC. Has anyone had any experience with the Sewing Factory or any property owned by Daniel Lasdon.
TIA

That's not Northern Liberties.

Funny, that is what the website says for that apt. building. Although I know from reading various posts that lines blur to make properites more appealing. If is not Northern Liberties, could you give me some idea what neighborhood it is consider, so I can post in the correct area of the board. Thanks

That would be Kensington, I believe. This is probably the right forum, but you may want to change the thread title. Calling that Northern Liberties is certainly a stretch. Sorry, I'd give more info related to your questions but I'm not too familiar with the area.

I will comment, though, that not much of Septa runs 24 hours. What type of rent are they looking for out there? If you're going to work in CC, it would probably be easier to live closer to that area and have your husband take the subway or regional rail right to Temple.

I'm not really set on rent...I just happened to like the sewing loft because it was like a $1000 plus utilities for 1400sq ft. But even that is a lot of rent for us right now. My husband will be attending Temple and I will be finishing up my grad. work online for Mental Health Counseling, so I'm not sure what the job market will look like. We will have one car, but I would like to use it more for traveling, we have family in upstate ny and baltimore and the trips to IKEA and Wegmans. So I was hoping to find someplace with parking. I've been to Philly many times, but I'm so not familiar with the various areas. I liked living in NYC, I was located in Midtown, and I was able to walk to almost everything, and take the subway to everything else. So to be honest I'm not really sure where to even start looking. Any advice would be wonderful. I would love a loft, but I know how pricey they can be, and I've consider buying a condo loft, but they all seem to be WAY out of my price range. Thanks for the info.

hmm...
some bus lines run all night like the one on 7/8th st. the subway runs all night (sort of...it turns into a bus and then poof back into a subway around 5am like a pumpkin). there's
lofts640.com which go for as little as $1330/mo which includes cable/internet, utilities, a secured parking spot and is right on broad st. your husband coudl actually walk to temple from there. there's
there's thi s place
http://philadelphiamanagement.com/srch_detail.asp?ID=10

or this place
http://www.edge-avenuenorth.com/interface.htm
...
you coudl live in cc and give up your car..relying on SEPTA, phillycarshare.com and a car rental place (depending on how much you really travel). it saves a bundle if you don't need a car for more than a weekend per month. there's also towerdev.com in northern liberties

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Calling this Northern Liberties is a total marketing move.

Seems a bit pricy for 5th street north of Girard, plus you will want offstreet parking in that neighborhood. Id say if you are north of Girard, you probably want to be East of 2nd street. You can find value in the pocket between front and second north of girard. Granted that won't truly be northern liberties either, but its less of a strecth, and certainly more gentrcation is happening than in the 5th st area. Id keep looking around.

As a realtor (an occupation usually to blame for blurring the neighborhood lines), I can confirm you're wayyyy out of Northern Liberties there. You can rent a house in Fishtown that size for about that price probably (or perhaps a tiny bit smaller). You'd be in an area further gentrified. That said, there are plenty of people renting over there. But it's definitely Kensington, or as some people are calling it now, "Old Kensington."

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It's not a terrible area, but it is a bit off the beaten path. The 1700 block of north 5th Street would be between Cecil B. Moore Ave. and Montgomery. It is a very easy walk from there to the Temple University campus, which begins around 9th Street. The walk from 5th to 8th would take you through a sort of transitional area - - a mixture of newer affordable housing developments and older houses gradually being fixed up. Between 8th and 9th is the headquarters of PGW, the gas company. Then you would cross under the SEPTA tracks and be at the Temple campus, where things improve dramatically. It would be very easy for you to walk from your apartment to the Temple University Rail Station (at 9th & Berks) and pick up a train to Center City. The only thing I would caution you on is that the area (meaning your immediate area) is not a pleasant place to take a stroll or walk a dog and, particularly after dark, it will feel deserted. The nearest restaurant of good repute is Taco Riendo at 1301 N. 6th St., a few blocks south.

The other posters, I think, are focused on how far north of Girard you are; but they are forgetting that you are only 4 blocks east of Temple.

Taco Riendo is 5th and Thompson. Great place and they just redid their menu (was there yesterday).

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