Another thing that can help an area are cheap housing and easy access to transportation. The Lower NE has the housing, but not the best transit options. I think if the roads and public transit are improved the Lower NE would be a viable option for working people who care about their communities, but can't afford other areas.

Hence why they fought tooth and nail to keep a subway out. But that battle's lost so might as well make it accessable to the poor so they can finish off what's left.

It will be a community....just not the community you had before.

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My neighborhood has good transit. Two bus lines pass one end of my block and go to the Frankford terminal in 10 minutes. Just past the opposite end of my block are 2 or 3 bus lines that go to Broad and Olney or Fern Rock and there are literally 3 R8 stations in walking distance, the closest one being the Cheltenham station just across from Presentation BVM church. The streets are tree lined, the architecture is very nice and there are two parks that are very accesible (Burholme and Tookany in Cheltenham) This neighborhood and Summerdale and East Frankford have very little in common physically despite their proximity. Zur's explanation of what liabilities lower NE neighborhoods have fits some, but not all areas. People in Northwood or Lawndale/Burholme, Mayfair etc don't have to panic just because Summerdale is a dump now. Even Castor Gardens isn't all bad. The rowhouse blocks in the lower end are a bit dicey with all the rentals etc, but the sections with singles and twins (generally NW of Castor & Knorr) are quite nice. There are many new residents of other races and immigrants etc but they tend to be middle class homeowners, not transients.

Those big houses in Northwood, near Frankford Stadium.Oh - what a waste.I'd be afraid to leave the house, and I'd hardly sleep at night.My uncle owned a big house on Dyre Street years ago.I miss it so much.

A waste?! When was the last time you were there? I've been in that very area for about 5 years and it's been great.

I lot of people who actually live in Northwood seem to like it. Despite the fact that people who do not live there keep saying how far gone it is.

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Now-a-days, men wear a fool's cap, and call it a liberty cap.
Thoreau from Slavery in Massachusetts

Because it used to be much nicer than it is now. Parks, streets, stores homes...everything was in better shape 10 years ago. It may still be nice but it WAS better.

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