Some photos from my recent trip to Killadelphia, er Philadelphia.

 

I took a walk and thought I would take you kids along.  My walk started Liberty place.  I proceed east down Market to Old City/National Parks.  I then turn south toward Washington Park, then west on Locust and Spruce t0 13 Street.  I turn north on 13 to Chestnut, then proceed west to Rittenhouse Square.

 

I took a ton of pictures (thank you very much mrnyc) so I must break this up into various parts.

 

We’ll start out with the Boss.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9L9_8vwx2w8

 

I have no clue, why I didn’t take a single photo of city hall as I walked around it.  AGH!  So my tour starts on 13 & Market at Macy’s.  As we know this Macys was formerly the John Wanamaker Co. and is one of the most beautiful stores ever built in the States.

 

 

 

Like many downtown stores, the selling space here has been reduced, about 60 of the store has been converted to office space.

 

 

 

I step out onto Market and shake the stench of Macy’s off, I cross the street  to take a picture of City hall and notice in the lower level of the South East Philadelphia Transportation Authority [sEPTA] HQ and look down and see a PCC car.  I've walked past this building numerous times and have never noticed this.

 

 

I went in and a walk up to the car and a wave of child hood memory’s washed over me.  These are the same cars that ran on the Shaker Rapid, prior to the renovation.

 

 

 

I haven’t been this close to one of these cars since Junior High, with the exception of when RTA runs the historical cars.

 

 

The drivers Seat.  Notice the funky pedals.  It’s been described as driving a “stick”.  Notice the row of bells and whistles.  Notice there is only a curtain that separates the driver from passengers.

 

 

 

Looking toward the rear of the car

 

That was my favorite seat, the first double seat in the back.  I could stretch my legs.

 

The back of the car.  You never sat here, as there was no heat or AC on these cars.  You either rolled the windows up or down for ventilation.  That is if they worked.

 

View from the rear of the car

 

You ALWAYS exited via the read door no matter what.  That is why the Shaker Trains are always Pay when you get on going East (when there was local and express service, you fare was determined on where you boarded) and pay when exiting going west.

 

Some history on the PCC

 

 

 

Ahhh, the memories.  I really wish these cars could be renovated/overhauled and put in service on a street.  Has anyone noticed that many cities "hybrid" low rise buses have similar seating as PCC cars? 

 

Over my trip down memory lane, I exit SEPTA (thanks Mr. Franks for letting me have my own private tour and keeping the little people out)  LOL

 

I cross the street and there is the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

 

Hopefully what has been done here will be replicated in Cleveland.  Before this was renovated and expanded, there was really nothing on Market or the area’s behind the Reading Market.  Since then they have had 12 hotels, (namely the Loews, Marriott and Sofitel) open.  They have a good representation of hotels within a few blocks of the space.  Unfortunately they don’t have any good restaurants, but there are EVERYDAY needs and familiar chains.

 

Another shot of City Hall as I cross the street

 

The Loews hotel.  This is formerly the Philadelphia Savings Fund Society [PSFS].  This was one of the most fabulous and a leading design of modern architecture when built.

 

 

Into the Market we go.  This place is open on Sunday…hint, hint, Cleveland City Hall!

 

 

The chocolate “money shot” for MayDay.  I tried so much chocolate, I thought I would puke.

 

 

Philly is seriously one of my favorite East Coast cities .. possibly after NYC. It just has so much fantastic character and history. I, too, really like what they did with their convention center.

 

Looking forward to your other pics.

I love Philly too!  I need to get back.  Is the Macy's what was Lord & Taylor a few years ago?

I love Philly too!  I need to get back.  Is the Macy's what was Lord & Taylor a few years ago?

 

No that was Wanamaker's department Store. 

^That's too bad...I was there about 4 years ago, and L&T Downtown was going out of business in a beautiful building that looked similar to your pics.  Do you know which one I am talking about?  I wonder what happened to that building?

^That's too bad...I was there about 4 years ago, and L&T Downtown was going out of business in a beautiful building that looked similar to your pics.  Do you know which one I am talking about?  I wonder what happened to that building?

 

I'm sorry Wannamakers was L&T, now Macy's I was confusing it with Strawbridge & Clothiers. 

 

Typical of all big city department stores.  Macy's bought the building and at the same time L&T left the market.

more more more....thats what I want to see.  I would love to go to Philly some time. 

I'm sorry Wannamakers was L&T, now Macy's I was confusing it with Strawbridge & Clothiers. 

 

Thanks, It's good to know that building is being used as something I guess...even though it's a Messy's.

 

These great pics really make me want to book a flight!

My love affair with Philadelphia began in 1963, and although we've been estranged for several years, my feelings have never diminished.

 

By the way, one of the first sights that greeted me on my first arrival in Philadelphia was this:

 

I believe the first operational demonstration of a PCC was in Cleveland in 1937.

In all honesty, Philadelphia probably has the second best downtown in this country, behind the island of Manhattan.  The human-scale, mixture of local and "chain," the architecture, and the intimacy is quite remarkable.  Pity you step outside the "island" of Center City and *bam* Sheneda's Chinese & American Food & Waffles.

In all honesty, Philadelphia probably has the second best downtown in this country, behind the island of Manhattan.  The human-scale, mixture of local and "chain," the architecture, and the intimacy is quite remarkable.  Pity you step outside the "island" of Center City and *bam* Sheneda's Chinese & American Food & Waffles.

 

I like the fact that there are so many rail transportation options that run thru the heart of the city.

 

Yeah, I had a meeting at temple and it's like a third world country.  After you pass Spring garden, (there is another Muses mural there) it's "different", real "different"!!!

 

I also went to North Philadelphia.  Don't go...stay away!

I've been to North Philly many times and love the "Black Times Square" (Germantown @ Broad).

In all honesty, Philadelphia probably has the second best downtown in this country, behind the island of Manhattan.

 

What about Chicago? San Francisco?

Neither is as mixed-use, personable, old, or architecturally interesting as Center City.  Plus, both are dead after 5pm (Loop and Financial District) while Center City keeps going due to the proximity of those 100,000+ people living downtown.  Again, like a mini, human scaled-Manhattan.

Center City was massively improved by the removal of the Chinese Wall in the mid-50s, though they are growing the Convention Center entirely out of scale of city.

Neither is as mixed-use, personable, old, or architecturally interesting as Center City. Plus, both are dead after 5pm (Loop and Financial District) while Center City keeps going due to the proximity of those 100,000+ people living downtown. Again, like a mini, human scaled-Manhattan.

 

I can see that about the Loop, but Union Square is pretty much right in the Financial district, or at least directly adjacent to it.  And I would say SF is pretty mixed use and personable, too. But this is just a minor debate, both cities have awesome center cities.

Union Square is kinda off the Financial District (along with the back of Chinatown) though it's connectivity to the Financial District is MUCH closer/easier walk than, say, the Loop to the Near Northside.

Philly's convention center is one of the best urban examples I've seen.  Very well done, and I definitely agree with CDM's thoughts about center city Philadelphia.

Have you seen the massive expansion that it is currently being worked on? They took down five or six highly historic buildings for the expansion.

^Nope, I was there a couple of years ago.

Good article on Philadelphia in last Sunday’s New York Times Travel section:

 

Full article: http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/05/10/travel/10hours.html

 

36 Hours in Philadelphia

By JEFF SCHLEGEL

Published: May 10, 2009

 

PHILADELPHIA’S evolution from day trip to destination city is such that you can spend a long weekend there without visiting any 18th-century sites, and not even miss them. Restaurant openings reinforce the city’s growing culinary reputation — though an obligatory cheese steak still hits the spot. Neighborhoods in transition provide hot spots for shopping and night life, while other areas keep dishing out some old-school Philly “attytood.” The city is on a roll these days, from basking in last year’s World Series title to exclusive museum exhibits this year featuring Cézanne and Galileo.