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Old Posted Feb 13, 2009, 7:54 AM
SoundOfPhiladelphia SoundOfPhiladelphia is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by volguus zildrohar View Post
North Broad Street has its fair share of such establishments but it actually wouldn't make my list of 'places not to be ever'. North of Allegheny, particularly, it's mainly stable working class and North of Olney, Broad Street has changed very little physcially from the time it was a Jewish enclave. Also, North Broad happens to be among the longest retail corridors in the city which, while not glamorous, is there and has kept the stretch from devolving completely. I'd say the worst pockets are at Girard and Erie Avenues. Otherwise, it really isn't that bad.

Same could be said for Kensington Ave (Frankford El). In most cities, it's not the main drag through a hood that falls farthest, but the pocket blocks and side streets that make an area the hood.

Broad itself may not be a total wash, but many of those sidestreets are, and give the whole of North Philly the ambiance it has. Upper North Philly may be somewhat more decent than lower North, but to standard American definitions it isn't middle class or prosperous. Cheltanham Ave isn't a pleseant place to be after 7-8pm most nights and the area around Broad/Olney subway doesn't give off any less of the "vibe" other stops south of there do.
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