Quote:
Originally Posted by TempleGuy1000
No vacancies? Where? and how is Walnut, Chestnut, and Market disjointed? Germantown Ave., through the dense parts of the city, is a dump. Baltimore Ave. has interesting restaurants on some blocks and some random things, but 52nd street is under siege from crime and other negative factors and is worse off than it was. 4th Street has been hanging on as South St tries to figure out what it is in 2022. I live feet from East Passyunk. It's "healthy" by Philly standards but lacks very basic things and has vacancies on every block. Let's not even start to talk about Point Breeze, Lancaster, Ridge, Cecil B and other avenues that are not functioning corridors. As someone who has lived in a bunch of neighborhoods, to say "CC has probably the worst commercial offerings out of the city in terms of general momentum and vision" imo is just not true vs. the rest of the city
|
I think you are grossly misrepresenting what I am saying to prove a point. The facts still remain each commercial corridor I mentioned are extremely healthy by national standards and have many retail offerings for their community.
Walnut is not only blighted by empty storefronts, but empty lots and parking lots. The same is true for Chestnut and Market. This doesn't need to be further analyzed. Sure the other corridors have parking lots or gas stations, but they are not the marquee destination for the city and cater to their neighborhoods needs. Again No one with the means to open a shop in Rittenhouse or CC view it like any other highstreet and this is why; it has an image problem.
Also we shouldn't miss the forest from the trees, why in the world would you compare what should be the best commercially performing area in the city to some of the poorest neighborhoods? All of the commercial corridors I listed have similar median incomes if not higher than CC. Of course Cecil B moore, Germantown Ave (North Section) and PB/Grays Ferry Ave will be worse performing than CC they are much poorer.
Lastly, 4th street is extremely healthy, Yowie is expanding on to south st with a second location and turnkey boutique hotel/coworking space. Philly Vintage Bazaar opened last year and Moore Vintage formerly of the BOK building just opened a store which specializes in Vintage High end clothes (Nothing under $200). This doesn't sound like an area "holding on". The same can be said for Baltimore Ave and E.Passyunk (where I live as well)
This is all to say. CC can and should be doing better and making excuses for why it is failing is in no residents best interest. Especially if we want to expand our tax receipts, livability, national/international appeal and create more jobs.