Last word (from me at least) on Center City v. Neighborhoods (The Next Mayor)

Commenter Zach provided an answer to my question from yesterday regarding the decades-old debate about whether the interests of Center City are at odds with the interests of the surrounding neighborhoods.

He says:
This issue of Center City vs. Neighborhoods is a myth that needs neither further coverage nor propagation. It is clear to see (to most reasonable people at least) that Center City and the various Neighborhoods outside of it, should complement one another rather than compete with each other. The market is the ultimate decider, and in Philadelphia's case it points to centralized growth. Center City is a natural place to incubate the city's economy and expand tax revenue in order to improve public education, services, and amenities for all city residents. The neighborhoods are equally integral because they should provide the resources, human and otherwise, which fuel the economy.

I think that puts the question to bed for me. Anyone else wanna chime in?

Comments (1)

Dave

I thought it was pretty much right on the money. The outlying neighborhoods of the city are excellent places to live if you work in Center City, but not so much if you work in the suburbs.

While Center City has been undergoing a huge revival as a place to live, the same can't be said of it as a place to work. Many of us lucky enough to have jobs downtown are able to live in a city neighborhood and commute fairly quickly and comfortable on public transit. It's very different for people who must commute to the suburbs and, having done so myself for a year, I'm not sure that lifestyle is sustainable in the long-term, especially for families (which many young people who have moved to the city will be starting soon, or are in the process of starting now).

If you ask me, Philadelphia's neighborhoods aren't going to see the kind of revival Center City has been seeing until the city makes itself more business-friendly in order to attract more jobs that are easily accessible from the neighborhoods. In order to do this, the city will have to streamline and clarify its horrible bureaucracy (zoning, L&I, permits, etc), and reduce the disparity between its tax burden and that of the suburbs.

Posted by Dave | December 5, 2006 5:39 PM

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