Ok, Sharrieff, you brought me out of my shell.
First, I applaud you and everyone else who strive to improve our neighborhoods.
Second, I disagree with your stated vision of what we are and what we should become. I didn't choose to live in UC for high property values, but for the mix of people, buildings, and institutions that fill our tree-lined streets and that are so close to Penn and Center City. I could have chosen to live almost anywhere; I chose to live here because it is what it is, not because it is similar to Fairmount, Northern Liberties, Bella Vista, or Fitler Square.
Third, our physical fabric is very different from those early-stage neighborhoods. We are a suburb that transformed into an urban neighborhood. We are free of the heavy density that characterizes those other neighborhoods; physically, we have more in common with Wynnefield and West Oak Lane than CC 'hoods. This is a blessing and a curse. We have the pleasant tree-lined streets, the beautiful twins and a huge neighborhood park, but we have no center, no core whose gravity pulls us in to see and be seen.
I would argue that we have as many quality destinations as those other neighborhoods and we probably attract at least as many as those other 'hoods, but their destinations are clustered and ours are scattered. As you are intimately aware, the planning and development efforts on 40th Street, Baltimore Avenue and Lancaster Avenue are attempts to create a bit more commercial and cultural density to UC on our own terms without requiring a transformation into Fairmount or Bella Vista.
Finally, I agree with you on the marketing failure. We are Powelton, Spruce Hill, Cedar Park, etc.; we are University City and West Philadelphia; we are not now, and I hope will never be merely "Left of Center."
Andy Frishkoff
| "S. Sharrieff Ali" <[email protected]>
Sent by: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 02/18/2005 02:58 PM
|
To: "'Andrew Diller'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> cc: <[email protected]> Subject: RE: [UC] Social life in UC |
Ok..I'll bite...
Andy, let me explain tolerance. Tolerance is recognizing
there are different strokes for different folks.
Urban renewal and design are pretty basic no matter where
you look. Great public spaces, interesting restaurants,
art galleries, surprising retail, you get the drift.
You sound intimidated that anyone would like to see you
where a jacket to dinner at Marigold?
Fairmount, Northern Liberties, Bella Vista, Fitler Square
are all neighborhoods that have similar "fabric" to ours,
looking at people, income, education. The question is how
are we different? Lots of great "see and be seen at the
scene" established restaurants and bars that draw from a
city-wide dweller base for one. The Left of Center campaign
is not catching on citywide. I wonder why?
(I asked some folks in CC where Left of Center was and they
replied "is this a riddle?")
Large groups of our resident base go elsewhere to "play"
and most of all spend! Grad Students, Professors, Artist,
people like me that wear Prada and Rolex. We live here too.
Not enough community focus has been placed on the real
development of culture here, particularly looking at what
will sustain our community long term as we compete with the
growth and development of other communities in the city.
Property value will be determined by amenities, culture,
lifestyle for those who have $300K and more to spend on a house.
S.
-----Original Message-----
From: Andrew Diller [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Friday, February 18, 2005 1:07 PM
To: S. Sharrieff Ali
Cc: [email protected]; 'Clara Flores'
Subject: Re: [UC] Social life in UC
I totally disagree with this statement. One can always move to CC-- I
don't think UC should become another CC, nor can it.
On Feb 18, 2005, at 12:20 PM, S. Sharrieff Ali wrote:
> people being open and tolerant, you need some finishing and worldly
> sophistication, you also should be well dressed from time to time, you
> know...like people live in center city.
>
>
-andy
----
You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the
list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see
<http://www.purple.com/list.html>.
