Reading, PA: Can you believe THIS is the poorest city in America?

beyondtheforest · #1 Posted **Sep 2, 2012, 10:03 PM**

Reading is the fifth largest city in Pennsylvania, with a population of about 88,000 people (behind Philly, Pittsburgh, Allentown, and Erie). It's allegedly the poorest city in America, but it certainly doesn't look like it. I have been to Youngstown, Flint, East St. Louis, Camden, and Detroit. Reading certainly doesn't resemble those places. The historic building stock is intact, and much of it beautifully preserved. Overall, Reading is a pretty city, and has many architectural jewels. The only thing Reading lacks is the vibrancy and young professional scene that can be found in other urban places.

For more historic photo tours, visit my blog: Discovering Historic Pittsburgh

Jonboy1983 · #2 Posted **Sep 3, 2012, 2:34 AM**

Wow, nice thread. My wife and I have been to Reading; we made the trek up to the Pagoda which offers a hell of a view overlooking Reading and its vicinity.

Really? That's the poorest city in the country? Granted, parts of that city are not exactly all that great (as is the case with every large city), but Reading?!! I've driven through Youngstown and Johnstown, and I've seen Altoona. Let's just leave it at that.

Anyway, onto some of the architecture here. It looks like a lot of that has been very well preserved like you said. I noticed one pic where a historic building was blocked off by chainlink fence. I'm guessing that's due to some rennovation work going on. I really liked seeing so many buildings preserved and very well in tact. I also noticed that the architecture is very similar to some of the residential buildings of South Philly.

ColDayMan · #3 Posted **Sep 3, 2012, 2:46 AM**

Well done.

beyondtheforest · #4 Posted **Sep 3, 2012, 5:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonboy1983

Really? That's the poorest city in the country? Granted, parts of that city are not exactly all that great (as is the case with every large city), but Reading?!! I've driven through Youngstown and Johnstown, and I've seen Altoona. Let's just leave it at that.

I agree. I have been to Johnstown. That place is a mess. The whole city is crumbling into dust. Even large sections of Pittsburgh are pretty rough-looking, in terms of the built environment falling apart and being bulldozed away. Reading actually has a more pleasant built environment than Pittsburgh, in my opinion, and not all of that is due to the East Coast architecture. It's just in solid condition, which is inspiring, considering where the city's economy is at!

I was in Center City Philly the next day, and took some pictures. The architecture in Center City is very similar to what's in Reading!

SignalHillHiker · #5 Posted **Sep 3, 2012, 5:29 PM**

Sssooo many beautiful buildings. Bravo!

xzmattzx · #6 Posted **Sep 3, 2012, 8:40 PM**

Nice pictures. You came across a couple places that used serpentine.

flar · #7 Posted **Sep 3, 2012, 10:49 PM**

Incredible!

-Filipe- · #8 Posted **Sep 3, 2012, 11:01 PM**

well it might be the "poorest" at least its not bankrupt

mrnyc · #9 Posted **Sep 12, 2012, 12:15 AM**

its probably the poorest in that nytimes writer's experience. certainly not in america.

diskojoe · #10 Posted **Sep 12, 2012, 1:45 AM**

I think something may be off in this "poorest city" evaluation. Looks awesome to me. What a great place to be poor.

kcexpress69 · #11 Posted **Sep 12, 2012, 3:07 AM**

Wow!! Poorest city?? Never would have guessed by looking at this thread!! Nice one!! Thanks

Lipani · #12 Posted **Sep 12, 2012, 3:33 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by -Filipe-

well it might be the "poorest" at least its not bankrupt

Yeah! Leave that to cities in California!

I went through Reading several years ago and found it quite charming. "Poor" was the furthest thing on my mind.

Wheelingman04 · #13 Posted **Sep 12, 2012, 4:54 AM**

I guess they never heard of Gary, IN (Chicago's beautiful neighbor lol) or Benton Harbor, MI either. Oh yeah the separate OH suburb bordering cleveland, East Cleveland is much worse off too.

LMich · #14 Posted **Sep 12, 2012, 7:42 AM**

Nice bones, but hope that this teaches you the sheer and ridiculous folly of trying to judge the economic health of a city off something as superficial as how it looks. Could I believe that this is one of the poortest cities in the country? I don't know; but I certainly wouldn't judge that factor on a drive-by.

KevinFromTexas · #15 Posted **Sep 12, 2012, 7:55 AM**

Beautiful. Most of the buildings look like they're in good shape.

ShooFlyPie · #16 Posted **Sep 12, 2012, 11:45 AM**

Reading is poor. It is dirt poor. It is very poverty stricken and one of the most volatile cities one can walk around. Yes, the historic preservation efforts in Reading should be applauded. However, it isn't just a journalist making stuff up from his experience. I lived in Reading for 6 months before getting out of there.

Reading is the most poverty stricken and volatile city to walk around for sure. You can buy a house there for less than a car. Yet, I do admit, the rows on many streets stay in great shape. Johnstown may be decaying, but Johnstown's downtown has a collection of amazing churches and civic buildings built in amazing topography, but I feel safe there photographing them.

tdawg · #17 Posted **Sep 12, 2012, 12:26 PM**

It might be poor but it certainly is gorgeous.

circle33 · #18 Posted **Sep 14, 2012, 3:23 PM**

Someone's spent some cash keeping all those building in good shape. Nice thread.

Austinlee · #19 Posted **Sep 15, 2012, 4:26 AM**

It has hella good bones. I always hear bad stories about the economic conditions though.
Most every townhouse and home shown in this thread would be a fortune in the major cities of this country.

Skyscraper.Phanatic · #20 Posted **Sep 15, 2012, 8:02 PM**

Camden never looked so nice. Nor chester or norristown. Or many other cities on the east coast. Reading will come back one day as the philly metro area continues to expand north and westward