A developer wants to build three apartment buildings housing 67 units on the 1100 block of Delaware Avenue between Shackmaxon and Allen Streets.

Meeting will be held at the Fishtown Recreation Center.

I have heard rumors that the buildings are going to be 12 stories high. I don't live close to this location, however I would not want to be in the building shadows.

Unfortunately I think the mayor is going to shove this project down our throats like he did with fishy chicken crap fastfood joint at front & girard.

Well, there's nothing over there right now except drug dealers so anything would be an improvement, IMO. Plus, I think a high-rise has already been approved for across the street. In my mind, this type of thing is exactly what will get the waterfront developed: private funding. It's clear our mayor isn't willing to address anything except what his friends request and pay him for...

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Resident of Fishtown, Moderator of Fish/No. Libs/Kenzo forum, Real Estate Agent-Prudential Fox & Roach

Where's the dealers? I live pretty close to that area and walk my dog often and I've never notice anybody dealing anything, except used office funiture.

I don't know if I mind the new development, if they're rentals, yes I do mind, but maybe not as much if people own them. I guess I'll form a better opinion after the zoning meeting.

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Teahead215
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At Penn Treaty. Forgive me--there's also a bunch of warehouses over there, housing DHL, among others.

You can't tell me you've never seen people dealing drugs in your neighborhood no matter where you live. Are you sure you live in Fishtown?

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Resident of Fishtown, Moderator of Fish/No. Libs/Kenzo forum, Real Estate Agent-Prudential Fox & Roach

so long as they ain't (wow...i just said "ain't") low income housing or projects ... i'm all up for it

Hell I got a dealer on my street! I can see the shadiness all the time.

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/prettieworld

I thought you were talking about where the new apts/ condos are going to be. Thats where my question about dealers was aimed. I know penn treaty very well. I walk my dog there and work right next to it, so I see it every day for at least 8 hrs, but I don't see anybody dealing on the riverside (where I live) of Fishtown. I do see some kids smoking jays and obvously messed up, but I don't really see anybody selling. I thought they all just hung around Palmer Cemetry.

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Teahead215
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You don't see anyone dealing in Penn Treaty? Perhaps you don't know what to look for. I've been there twice now and saw a tremendous amount of drug activity there.

And trust me, the riverside gets drug sales. A quick nightly walk down Montgomery (especially in front of the great Rec Center), Berks (especially near Belgrade and Tulip), Norris (Memphis and Tulip areas)...etc., will prove that drug activity goes on even in our nicest blocks.

Regardless, I don't particularly care if they're dealing or simply doing drugs or high on them...or even selling food stamps or smacking the crap out of one another, condos with taxpayers are an improvement. When one considers what is proposed versus what we have now, I think sometimes an idyllic notion of what Fishtown is gets confused with what Fishtown actually has. People are so quick to shoot down plans for abandoned warehouses, and at the same time these warehouses sit vacant as eyesores, havens for drug use, loitering and prostitution. They bring in no tax revenue to the city through property taxes or income taxes. Although I don't agree with the 10 year tax abatement, I must say that at least new residents are paying income tax.

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Resident of Fishtown, Moderator of Fish/No. Libs/Kenzo forum, Real Estate Agent-Prudential Fox & Roach

I used to go to Penn Treaty when I was younger to 'party' but no one ever sold anything out of there. ...suppose I could be wrong but I don't think its changed all that much.

A seller would have to be pretty brazen to sell at the rec right across the street from the 26th police station but I guess it's not out of the question. I certainly don't think its happening there on a consistent basis.

There is drug activity in Fishtown but your depiction is rather overstated. I'm curious to know your criteria for drug activity? Is it a bunch of teenagers just hanging around or have you seen drugs and money exchange hands? I hope I'm not that naive to miss all this but I also do nightly dog walks around the neighborhood. I come across somthing shady every once in a while but you make it sound like it's happening on every other block 24/7. Berks and Belgrade was always the hot bed but it seems to have dissipated with the demise of the "variety" store there. I think the rag flats are going to make a huge difference too. It's also generally alot better in the neighborhood today than it was just 4 or 5 years ago.

Larry, I had a kid offer me drugs through my front window. There's drug trading regularly in suburban schools. I've seen cars pull up, money exchange hands and cars pull away. Maybe it's Inquirer delivering money but I doubt it.

When you're at Penn Treaty next time, check out how many cars sit in the lot with sketchy people in them. Take a walk around and look at the ground and see how much drug remnants you see. I am somewhat oblivious to the drug trade/use but when I actually stop to pay attention, I notice quite a bit of it.

Obviously we're not the Mexican border, but we have a fair share of drug activity going on in our neighborhood. My point, again, is that taxpayers replacing these people is a good thing--and not that Fishtown is overrun with drugs. Increasing the amount of people over there decreases the "safe haven" factor for drug sellers, buyers and users.

Plus, it's obvious that private investment is the only way our waterfront is going to get developed.

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Resident of Fishtown, Moderator of Fish/No. Libs/Kenzo forum, Real Estate Agent-Prudential Fox & Roach