Some of these posts are rather exaggerated.

Not going to change for a long while?

Well, you've got Spring Arts Point under construction right now, you've got the Liberties West Development on the other side of the Reading tracks, you've got the Divine Lorraine perhaps on the verge of starting construction, not to mention ongoing rehab activity.

What is true is that the area is a bit desolate and has relatively little pedestrian traffic.

As for the projects, they're no closer to this area than they are to Northern Liberties.

Up to 5th and Spring Garden looks okay, although it is usually not crowded.

The German Society is around 7th, which is nice, but then there are those crummy projects, so even there is a no-go.

How is it that Poe and those projects came to be next to each other?

Don't give me that crap that rap is poetry. It sucks!

Well of course the Poe house was there first.

Yeah, everywhere's the "next hot neighborhood". Either be very careful around there or look elsewhere. Why put your pretty little self in harm's way?

I agree and I wonder whether some of the posters are actually familiar with that area. I have walked around there at night several times no problem. However, I'm not petite or female, but then again there are many areas where one should be careful about walking alone at night if one is a petite female. And yes, there is a lot of near by development happening that will make the area better in years to come.

Which is while I said a while..not going to be center city tomorrow.

And yeah if you stay on Spring Garden itself, you are fine, but the rest of the area south of Spring Garden? It's not exactly filled with hipsters.

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The area south of Spring Garden from 10 to the west is not a problem. I would feel more uncomfortable going north of Spring Garden after dark.

I wouldnt walk the area at nite. I have reservations about some blocks durring the day. I cant understand why people choose to live there. The area is mostly deserted. I get bad vibes on all of Spring Garden. Go to center city where there are more people around.

I have lived at 11th and spring garden for about 5 years now. I am female and 125 pounds. I have never been mugged in my life, and these are the neighborhoods I have lived in:
Germantown
5th and Reed
19th and Christian.

I usually get around by bike, but I also walk and use the bus. I have walked from center city to my house, from my house to northern liberties, many times at all times of day and night with no incident.

Here is the crime that will affect you in this neighborhood:
Your car will be broken into, and your cds and spare change will be stolen.
Your house may be be broken into. Although if you are careful to make sure all of the doors and windows are locked or protected by bars at night and when you are not home, you will probably be ok.

Housing projects do not represent a significant source of crime in this area. All PHA housing projects have their own police force, making them safer than the surrounding areas.

What sucks about this neighborhood is that there are no good coffee shops or cute stores. What is nice about this area is that it is near center city and cheaper than the neighborhoods north east and west of it.

I don't know, I have never understood what the big deal is re: empty lots and crack smokers. Even weirdos are just people, and most people, most of the time, aren't dangerous. No animals are usually dangerous. If you are murdered or raped, it will most likely be by someone you know.

crack heads want crack and money for crack. don't be alarmed when they ask you for money, shrug and say, "nah, I'm ****ed up too." lol, sometimes I ask them for money, sometimes I ask them where I can can buy crack too. That is the best, then they get excited cuz you are suddenly buddies.

The drug dealers and degenerates hit on me when I walk by, and I am polite in response. They are just dudes, we all know dudes, all men are the same. There used to be a beer store on 12th and Poplar where a lot of people would hang out all the time. Beer was a dollar, and then you could hang out out front and chat with the other customers. I hung out there like once a week on my way home from school.

It's a perfectly fine neighborhood. Most of your neighbors will be 19 year old students or working adults, some of your neighbors are homeless. I reccomend in any neighborhood to chat up everyone you meet on the street. If you are too freaked out to have a normal conversation with a non-assimilated black person, than you really should work on that issue before you move to a center city neighborhood that has a lot of black people in it.

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in other words

most people wouldnt want to live there