[Joey D]

I'm trying not to hijack the Philadelphia threads if I don't have to any more than I have.

I am seriously considering moving to the 2300 block of Boston Ave in Fishtown.

For a minute, I was under the impression that the York/Dauphin station of the Market/Frankford El was closer than it is, now I understand it will be about 10 blocks away.

I have been told the walk to this station from my house would deteriorate as I get close to the station.

But, I don't want to put myself in a bad situation if I come home on the el late one night in the summer drunk, and get into a situation where I get shot in Kensington.

Not a pretty picture in my head.

Can anybody tell me the attitude of the area before I jump into things? I don't mind what I drove through that day, which was lots of Puerto Ricans and Mexicans walking around and riding bikes around decrepit housing. However, I don't want to walk through token territorial crack/coke/heroin blocks where I may be heckled, robbed or shot by people desperate for drug money.

Is this area

a> semi-decrepit housing and young immigrant families
b> decrepit housing and light, sporadic drug sales throughout the area
c> rowhome shells, moderate poverty, heavy drug trafficking and violent crime.

Also, does this El station have an area where I might take a bike and lock it up to then return and see the bike there at the end of the day?

Thanks gents

Joey

[volguus zildrohar]

That pocket of town can get a little tough, especially at night. The area is essentially the dividing line between the two neighborhoods although practically they've pretty much meshed around there.

East and particularly north of Girard Avenue is where things get a little further from the new polish of 'new neighbors'. If you want to keep your chances of encountering something unsavory to the bare minimum look elsewhere.

[Eigenwelt]

Honestly Joey, it's a little bit of A, B, and C, plus a futher D and E that you didn't mention. Nice, new, trendy renovations and new construction habitated by the fairly well off. That's what makes this area so interesting... it's character changes literally every block, if not every few steps.

I have alot of friends in the area. I spent most of 2006 intermittantly hanging around the specific area in question. I have not had any problems but then I spent 5 years in some rough areas of Brooklyn with nary a drop of trouble. Maybe I am just lucky.

One of my oldest friends and his new, umm... I guess the technical term is "baby-mama", live in a house about five blocks from the Berks station. They have two children living with them, 6 months and 6 years old. They both use that El station every day. They have not had any trouble so far. Another friend lives up closer to you. He has had trouble. Twice now (I think) he has been jumped walking home from a bar. Juggalo's he calls them. White kids who grew up there, they tend to have a fascination with the Insane Clown Posse. During the day they say hi to him, at night they roll him for his wallet.

Anyway, I would live there but I have never had a problem with rough egdes or a bit of unsavoriness. I kind of like it actually. If this is your first foray into true urban living it might not the be smoothest transition. If you do move in, the later it gets the more you'll want to walk with a friend. And if you're doing the drunken barwalk home, get a cab.

[Joey D]

Thanks alot guys.

I grew up in a rowhome on a block about a block away from crackblocks, but a block away from an alright area. I've gotten a gun pulled on me a couple times, but I don't want it to happen again - then again, I was a kid/teenager then, but I'm sure I'll get used to it.

My landlord told me his girlfriend walks from that station often, so I would guess It isn't as bad as I am thinking (warzone.)

I told the guy I want the room, so any damage is already done. I have also started the beginning process of a transfer to a T-Mobile in Center City.

Thanks Guys

[passdoubt]

At least it's not Somerset. That's the sketchiest stop on the El. I feel like the cops must just look the other way there 'cause the amount of open air drug running there is insane.

[Swinefeld]

OK, my impressions are that it's a tough, hard drinkin', blue collar neighborhood that is now experiencing an influx of new development. Joey, the block that your looking on looked pretty nice to me, if not a bit rough around the edges. At least three bars within a block or two.

Here are some pictures.

2300 E. Boston St.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e388/Swinefeld/Miscellanious/2300E.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e388/Swinefeld/Miscellanious/2300E-1.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e388/Swinefeld/Miscellanious/2300E-2.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e388/Swinefeld/Miscellanious/2316E.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e388/Swinefeld/Miscellanious/2323E.jpg

This are the new townhomes going up on the 2400 block of E. Boston.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e388/Swinefeld/Miscellanious/2400E.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e388/Swinefeld/Miscellanious/2400E-1.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e388/Swinefeld/Miscellanious/2400E-3.jpg

Gaul St. and Boston.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e388/Swinefeld/Miscellanious/BostonGaul.jpg

Cedar St. looking toward 2300 block of E. Boston.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e388/Swinefeld/Miscellanious/CedarSt.jpg

Gaul St. looking towards York
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e388/Swinefeld/Miscellanious/GaulToYork.jpg

Boston at Tulip St.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e388/Swinefeld/Miscellanious/E.jpg

Boston at Cedar St.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e388/Swinefeld/Miscellanious/E-1.jpg

[Joey D]

Thanks Swiney -

I have no doubts whatsoever about the block where the house is, I even think you got one of them in a shot, but more the area around the York/Dauphin el.

However, I talked to a few people, and I got a good comparison with an area of Wilmington that is ethnic, but not the "crack blocks," I had in my head beforehand. The area where the house is really one of the safest rowhome neighborhoods I've ever seen, similar to Trolley Square in Wilmington, which is very Irish/Yuppie.

I'll see on Tuesday when I drop off my 1st month's rent.

Wish me luck on my interview at the T-Mo in CC on Tuesday if ya could.

Thanks guys

Joey

[Joey D]

Just wanted to thank you guys.

I took the apartment, moving in this month, had my interview for the transfer, and unfortunately got to check out the York-Dauphin El.

The York-Dauphin El is very entertaining. On my walk to the El, I walk by a couple brownfields in Kensington, about 30 cars with PR flags, then I push aside the crackheads and hookers sitting on the steps to the El on Dauphin street.

I was thinking it to be a little more gangsta than it turned out to be, but I had no idea how damned sleezy Kensington is, in terms of the white trash, the hookers, the hookers, the hookers, and the hookers.

My, but there are lots of hookers.

Hookers.

Thanks!

[LostInTheZone]

^ever been to Kensington & Allegheny, Joey? If you think that el stop is funny, you'll love it there.

[tower]

k&a is usually fine if you know how to carry yourself there, but if you look out of place you're either going to be shouted at or roughed up, depending

[Austinlee]

It smells like Fishtown in your mamas drawers.

[ntchorba]

k&a is usually fine if you know how to carry yourself there, but if you look out of place you're either going to be shouted at or roughed up, depending

they also try to sell you crack sometimes... or fake rolexes

[passdoubt]

I'm always more surprised by how ugly the hookers on Kensington Ave are. How desperate do their clients have to be... I think I'd rather get with the trannies on 13th Street than the streetwalkers on Kensington.

[LostInTheZone]

so how's it been so far? I imagine this weather has at least kept the worst of the shady types off the street for now.

[Joey D]

Well, it has gone great, Litz, and thank you everybody.

I moved in last week, and the neighborhood is beautiful, and taken care of.

The walk to the El has been uneventful, is shorter (and colder) than I thought it was, and the York/Dauphin stop is no big deal whatsoever. I was thinking crack blocks, but it is just a run down area with sleezy people. I feel totally safe in the area and don't expect to have any problems whatsoever.

I guess I was imagining Camden, or Chester, which couldn't be further from the truth where I walk in Kensington.

Oh, and the Market-Frankford line, how sweet - it runs like every millisecond coming from a Delawarean.

Woot Woot!

[WQ5668]

I'm always more surprised by how ugly the hookers on Kensington Ave are. How desperate do their clients have to be... I think I'd rather get with the trannies on 13th Street than the streetwalkers on Kensington.

And a lot of them are AIDS/HIV carriers, my cousin's husband contracted the HIV virus from them about 12 years ago, unfortunately my cousin got AIDS and died about 10 years ago.

Hubby is still alive and well and still an HIV carrier.

All so these ho's can get cash for their drugs, they don't care if they are killing their clients. :hell:

[LostInTheZone]

if I went down to K & A carrying a sign that said "legalize prostitution and drugs and this will all go away", what would happen to me? Could I become the next Jesus, or would I just get shot?

[PhillyRising]

^You may want to make a stop on the Cheyney University campus as well.....and that campus is surrounded by million dollar homes.

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/16674488.htm

Woman says she is HIV-positive, had sex with students

Police at Cheyney University arrested a woman on prostitution charges last week after she claimed to be HIV-positive and to have had unprotected sex with at least 10 students.

Sakinah Floyd, 36, of Upper Darby was charged with prostitution, solicitation, aggravated assault and reckless endangerment. Police said they had found drugs in her bag commonly used by people with HIV.

Cheyney officials said in a statement that the woman, who is not a student, had visited two dorms. The school urged anyone who had sexual contact with her to report to an emergency room for HIV/AIDS testing and to begin medication.

The statement did not provide any more details, but said the university would cooperate with investigators and offer students whatever services they needed.- Troy Graham

[Joey D]

^drunken post

[LostInTheZone]

turns out Volguus has a pic of your el stop in his pbase (http://www.pbase.com/phillytrax/the_city&page=15):

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/9481/41132010spreadvw5.jpg

edit: rehosted.

[Joey D]

turns out Volguus has a pic of your el stop in his pbase (http://www.pbase.com/phillytrax/the_city&page=15):

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/9481/41132010spreadvw5.jpg

edit: rehosted.

Nice. I am thinking of taking the train up to see the other stops north of York/Dauphin. I am really interested in seeing this "K and A," I keep hearing about. Someone told me at that stop you get off the train and run home if you're white.

Glad I'm Italian, yanno.

lol

[WQ5668]

if I went down to K & A carrying a sign that said "legalize prostitution and drugs and this will all go away", what would happen to me? Could I become the next Jesus, or would I just get shot?

The junkie's might because you may put them out of business.

But I am all for legalizing prostitution and for drugs.

[Joey D]

Well, I have been here for over two weeks.

I have adjusted well to Philadelphia (as have my feet.) My neighborhood feels like I felt about my old neighborhood in Wilmington as I'm starting to recognize the same cars, neighbors, and workers at the corner shops.

I've walked through 3 El stops in Kensington at 3 A. M. I don't know why the hell I was concerned before. It's really not an issue.

I LOVE the EL, but hate Septa. I also hate my tax situation.

Other than that, move well done.