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Originally Posted by 1487
Have you been on Market east recently? Doesn't seem like it....
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Probably once every other week. This isn't groundbreaking criticism - Market East isn't very nice. Perhaps, like life, it's all relative?
Quote:
Originally Posted by allovertown
Agreed. It's a really odd time to rag on Market East when its fortunes are the brightest they've been in about a century. The idea that market east has "devolved" since Aramark moved there in the 80s is pretty absurd. Market East was a pile of shit in the 80s... and granted has remained a pile of shit for the majority of the time since, but has recently turned the corner and is experiencing a ton of investment.
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Well - most city's (NYC especially) during the late 70s early 80s were in a period of crazy crime and urban flight.
However, The Gallery I opened in 1977 and Gallery II opened in (i think) 1983 - and anecdotally and promotionally, the whole complex - as hard is it is to believe now - was something of a marvel. Like, it was a popular attraction for about a decade. Also, many of the major department stores were open in all their glory (e.g. Wanamakers, Strawbridges, Gimbels, JC Penney). The CC Commuter Tunnel - a massive infrastructure endeavor - was under construction promising a brand new commuter station and regional access. Also, during this time, the plans to relocate the Convention Center - and renovate the Reading Terminal Grand Hall - another huge investment - were underway.
In other words, there was maybe more investment and optimism in ME during that period than at any other time since it's pre-war department store heyday. So, enter Aramark - which I'm assuming was sold on this area's sizable momentum and they take a financial risk and commit to building a new tower which opens...in 1984. I really don't think it's that much of a stretch to assume that (given what they were expecting in 1982) Aramark probably has been a bit disappointed over the last 30 years at how ME has turned out - and frankly I don't blame them.