Spring Garden / West Poplar / Loft District: Lost in Transition

Peter: 16th Apr 2007 - 14:01 GMT

yeah, these were great... id love to see more of philly...

Jamie: 16th Apr 2007 - 14:26 GMT

Philly looks very... desolate. Is this a true representation of the area?

serlingrod: 16th Apr 2007 - 16:44 GMT

Jamie, this is not a true representation of Philadelphia as a whole. In addition to Center City, Philly is really a collection of neighborhoods. The area I photographed (Vine to Fairmount from Broad to 9th) is in my opinion a non-neighborhood; a buffer zone between several quickly gentrifying areas (Center City/Chinatown to the South, Northern Liberties to the East, Fairmount to the West, Temple University area to the North). This area I've depicted really lacks a true identity, one which local developers are attempting to contrive (hence the signs for "Spring Arts Point"). There are some very nice, economically stable neighborhoods in Philadelphia. There are many blighted, high-crime areas as well. What you see here is sort of a no-man's land.

Peter: 16th Apr 2007 - 17:14 GMT

sounds a lot like brooklyn...

Catherine Penfold-Waxman: 17th Apr 2007 - 12:25 GMT

I like those apartments on Ridge Avenue. They look cool.

joey: 8th Jun 2007 - 05:09 GMT

ridge avenue fell out of an edward hopper painting.
skullphone truckers is one amazing photo.
but with photos like these, you got to love desolate.

it's so make believe

CraigDeco: 26th Jul 2007 - 04:15 GMT

Your photos are awesome, and really catch the feeling of this unusual area. It's really ready to change to the next hip area- it's close to just about everything.
Love 'Ridge Avenue'- is this Ridge,13th and Green Streets? How cool would this building be rehabbed, with a great bar/restaurant and a great neon sign? show us more great Philly areas, and Thanks for the photos!

Ivo: 30th Nov 2007 - 17:58 GMT

I relly like that, people-free urban areas, dilapidated (warehouse-like) buildings.

rick Rock: 1st Dec 2007 - 03:58 GMT

to Peter: Philly and brooklyn are very similar. I spend alot of time in both and I not the similarities daily.

rick Rock: 1st Dec 2007 - 03:59 GMT

and to Ivo. if you like desolate urban areas, you should see detroit.

Nice series of pics Btw

Peter: 1st Dec 2007 - 16:14 GMT

yes, this is a good post. that loft building in pic #5 looks similar to where i live. nice.

adam: 7th Dec 2007 - 01:29 GMT

philly has been working on making their neighborhoods hipper for a few years now. so far it seems to have work in some areas but i cant imagine it will work all over. the city still has no industry