Tiny block on the other side of Green Lane from Main St. Any thoughts on it?

I can't picture where that is.

That's not the street that is the little island like place on the other side of the tracks? goin gup Leverington, past the parking lot and before Umbria there is a left hand turn & it's a little street with a bunch of row homes?
Nice little area but gnarly looking people there. I saw some shady people with pitbulls hanging out there.

In the past that street used to have a very bad reputation. In the mid 90's a police officer moved into the house on the corner of St. David's and Hermitage and was harrassed by his neighbors and he moved out after a few months. They just didn't want the police that close.

Tonka Man - I think you're describing Canton Street. This is accessed by making a hard left off of Leverington just above Main Street before you get to Umbria. Definitely a strange world over there. I sometimes drive through there and get strange looks by the locals.

St. Davids is a bit further up the hill between Hermitage and Ripka. The block is a bit run down. It's one of those tight Manayunk streets where the cars barely fit and the sidewalks are maybe 5' wide. There is usually a gaggle of teens hanging out looking suspicious.

Yes, but Canton St. has gotten so much better in the last 3 or 4 years. And Tonka mentioned the pitbulls, this area was known for dog fighting. A police officer from the 5th was arrested a few years ago for attending a dog fight in another part of Philly.

Tonka Man - I think you're describing Canton Street. This is accessed by making a hard left off of Leverington just above Main Street before you get to Umbria. Definitely a strange world over there. I sometimes drive through there and get strange looks by the locals.

OK--that's exactly where I was thinking of. Yeah, it's real creepy back there, like an X file show or something. People have stared at also when I drove up there.




St. Davids is a bit further up the hill between Hermitage and Ripka. The block is a bit run down. It's one of those tight Manayunk streets where the cars barely fit and the sidewalks are maybe 5' wide. There is usually a gaggle of teens hanging out looking suspicious

How odd-I'm on Hermitage and can't picture it. I'l take a peek on the way home today and see exactly where it is.

Saint Davids Street is between Ripka and Hermitage just below Mansion Street - basically between Umbria and Mansion. It turns into Smick Street between Ripka and Leverington. Smick Street hits Leverington right across from "Right Off Main" restaurant.

I lived on the corner of Ripka and Mansion for 2 years and it was a nice little area. Parking can be tough as you're forced to go out to Leverington or down to Carmella's every once in a while. That particular block is very small with very limited parking. It's a mixed neighborhood with some older longtime residents and some younger post college kids. Pretty quiet though.

I think a lot people use Canton St. as a bypass for Umbria, when the morning rush hour has Umbria backed-up. Since Canton St. is an out-of-the-way road, the residents don't like all the through-traffic caused by people who don't live on that street.

I don't know about the 90's, but St. Davids has been a pretty good street, for the last 6 years I've lived in that area. Yes, it is a tiny street, with mostly small 2 story rowhomes, and it does appears a little more gritty than the surrounding neighborhood, but its generally safe. I do frequently see teens hanging on the corner, but I see that everywhere in Manayunk - including Main St. In recent years I have seen more younger residents (probably renters) living on St. Davids, which have replaced some lower-class former residents. The downside to that street is that there is no parking, and the houses lack an alleyway to the backayard. This can be a real annoyance, as you have to drag items through the house if you want to get them to the backyard (or vice versa in the case if trash/recycling).

St. Davids runs on both sides of Green Lane, 3 blocks up the hill from Main St. On one corner is the building of the former St. Lucy's elementry school. That side of Green Lane is the 4500 block, a quirky little street without sidewalks. One side is St. Davids' homes, while the other side consists of the backyards for the Smick St. homes. The street deadends at St. David's Church on Dupont. The homes are three stories and have side access to the back yards. Parking is available, and safe, on surrounding streets.

Because there are no sidewalks, pedestrians are forced to walk in the street. It would be nice if it could be made into a private street... but haven't a clue how to start that process.

The home owners on the street know one another and watch out for each other without being in your business.