Drexel Law Student again, considering W Philly move.... - PhillyBlog

Luftvier · #1 (**permalink**) 06-07-2007, 07:20 PM

I have been looking and looking. Powellton is simply out of my range. Most of U City is totally out of my range, and RENTS ARE OUTRAGEOUS!!!

This is a place I found that is west of 52nd, but hear me out!

I found a gem on 14xx N 56th Street. Quiet block. Far north, beautiful houses nearby. Easy transit, lots of redevelopment in the area, close to the new El station (but not too close!). The price is fantastic, the blocks around are gorgeous.

It would be a piece of cake for me to get to Drexel, and for my brother and girlfriend to get to Temple.

Anyhow, I figure I would tap your collective expertise. Anything I need to know about the area that would but up red flags? I know a whole lot of you are telling me to stay east of 48th- am I being foolhardy?:bitchslap:

Bryanp · #2 (**permalink**) 06-07-2007, 07:30 PM

Whats your price range? I don't know why you'd want to leave out there. You 're already paying a boat load to go to drexel law. There are a bunch of cheap places that you could live closer if you got a roommate.

OVP_Biker · #3 (**permalink**) 06-07-2007, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luftvier

I found a gem on 14xx N 56th Street.

While there are some good blocks in that area, you're really close to a couple of problem corners. While there are some nice areas west of 52nd, that's not one I'd recomend. Sorry.

TheFuzz · #4 (**permalink**) 06-07-2007, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luftvier

I have been looking and looking. Powellton is simply out of my range. Most of U City is totally out of my range, and RENTS ARE OUTRAGEOUS!!!

This is a place I found that is west of 52nd, but hear me out!

I found a gem on 14xx N 56th Street. Quiet block. Far north, beautiful houses nearby. Easy transit, lots of redevelopment in the area, close to the new El station (but not too close!). The price is fantastic, the blocks around are gorgeous.

It would be a piece of cake for me to get to Drexel, and for my brother and girlfriend to get to Temple.

Anyhow, I figure I would tap your collective expertise. Anything I need to know about the area that would but up red flags? I know a whole lot of you are telling me to stay east of 48th- am I being foolhardy?:bitchslap:

56th and Master?
Two blocks off of Lansdowne Ave.
High crime and drug area.
You are taking a risk moving there.
About the blocks around there being nice.....the next block west is 1400 Ithan St. It is one of the busiest blocks in West Philly for drug sales.
But if you feel comfortable there, dont let me talk you out of it.

seand · #5 (**permalink**) 06-07-2007, 10:20 PM

1400 N. block of 56th is not that close to the El. You are right that it gets nicer north as compared to the section of Haddington in the mid 50's just north of Market but then it gets rough again. Wouldn't your walk to the El take you right through the heart of one of the rougher patches of West Philly? I mean 14 blocks is a long walk at night through that part of town.

You have seen the old, old Inquirer shooting map right?
http://www.realcities.com/multimedia...oot/index.html
For my money its still the best map for a quick overview of an area because it cumulates several years worth of data.

BTW- here's a little political flashback from doing political canvassing in the area you would walk through to get to your apartment on a daily basis for flavor. I also did some up by where you are looking as well.
http://www.phillyblog.com/philly/showthread.php?t=36213

OVP_Biker · #6 (**permalink**) 06-07-2007, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seand

BTW- here's a little political flashback from doing political canvassing in the area you would walk through to get to your apartment on a daily basis for flavor. I also did some up by where you are looking as well.

My son and I canvassed that very neighborhood the weekend before the Primary. Most of the numbered streets were nice enough, with well maintained homes and yards. Thompson was pretty good as well, and Girard was run-down, but unscary. But all those little streets between the numbered streets were another matter. Lots of vacant buildings, and many more in poor repair. It was still a little early in the day for the open air drug markets to be in full swing, but up on Master there was at least one corner open for business. I seem to remember the block the original poster is interested had some nice homes, and wasn't bad overall, which would be okay if he didn't want to walk outside and turn the corner. But does anyone want to live like that?

Dave · #7 (**permalink**) 06-08-2007, 12:04 AM

I estimate that it would take me about 20 min to walk from 56th & Master to the El, and I'm pretty tall. You be better off taking the 15 trolley on Girard if you lived there. As far as whether to live there, I don't really have anything to add to the previous posts.

Luftvier · #8 (**permalink**) 06-08-2007, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave

I estimate that it would take me about 20 min to walk from 56th & Master to the El, and I'm pretty tall. You be better off taking the 15 trolley on Girard if you lived there. As far as whether to live there, I don't really have anything to add to the previous posts.

The trolley is two blocks north and goes right to 30th street, iirc...

Would take that rather than the El.

Am I really just crazy?

And are these crimes based between drug dealers and buyers or just random crimes and violence?

seand · #9 (**permalink**) 06-08-2007, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luftvier

The trolley is two blocks north and goes right to 30th street, iirc...

Would take that rather than the El.

Am I really just crazy?

And are these crimes based between drug dealers and buyers or just random crimes and violence?

The Girard trolley runs across town east to west on Girard i.e. it never goes downtown or into 30th St. You could hike up to Lancaster and Lansdowne to catch the Lancaster Ave trolley. That's about 10 blocks - I might be tempted to go for El at 14 blocks because its faster.

I find it hard to believe that if you are willing to put up with a crappy neighborhood, you are not able to find something a little more convenient to getting to school. You might have actually been better off on 52nd and Walnut actually.

OVP_Biker · #10 (**permalink**) 06-08-2007, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luftvier

Am I really just crazy?

In a word, YES.

Quote:

And are these crimes based between drug dealers and buyers or just random crimes and violence?

That you even ask that question is a pretty good indicator you should not be in this neighborhood. Drug related crime usually doesn't work that way. It's not one guy carefully targeting another....more often than not it's just just firing wildly, with the hope that one of the dozen or more random shots hits its intended target. And, as often than not, some bystander in the neighborhood gets hit instead. That's the risk you take.

Look, I think someone with street smarts might be able to make this location work. But you've got to ask yourself--if you're on a message board, asking a bunch of strangers if this is a good neighborhood, and if that sort of criminal activity poses a danger--does the phrase street smart describe you? And I gotta think the answer is, NO.