Submitted by MonkeyPanls t3_z54k46 in philadelphia
Comments
The_Amazing_Emu t1_ixuby1k wrote
It’s also more logical. Manhattan doesn’t use downtown for the middle of their city, they use it for the southern part of their city (with uptown being the other side). For some reason, other cities started emulated New York‘s term without copying the reason it exists. Philadelphia didn’t do that, but recognized the middle of the city is center city.
Wuz314159 t1_ixugjmc wrote
Well.... not Philadelphia county. & Old City may disagree. It just seems that way now.
It is inbetween the Delaware & Schuylkill.
0716718227 t1_ixuhr9t wrote
Excited to use this to continue to upset people by saying that the stadiums are “downtown”
[deleted] t1_ixujs48 wrote
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hvacthrowaway223 t1_ixujtod wrote
This is silly. It’s center city because it’s the center of a planned city. Even the article only says “people just referred to it as the Center of the City”. It’s the obvious and correct name. I find it so silly that other cities refer to a “downtown” when there isn’t any obvious “down” (unlike Manhattan). Be
ReturnedFromExile t1_ixuk75l wrote
filtering newcomers
tsarstruck t1_ixunpg8 wrote
It's the entirety of the city planned by Penn, not the center of it.
jmedennis t1_ixunvp3 wrote
Flashbacks to my mom yelling at me as a child, "It's a GRID!"
Von7_3686 t1_ixuon8p wrote
Yeah a lot of actual Philadelphians in the neighborhoods call it downtown still as well.
brk1 t1_ixuox1c wrote
If I can change and you can change, everybody can change.
SBRH33 t1_ixup0pj wrote
Open google maps and simply look at the orientation/ location of City Hall.
Its in the center of the city.
joeltheprocess76 t1_ixurlrk wrote
When you look at the original plans of the city. You’ll see William Penn’s layout of 5 squares with city hall being where the center square lies. It’s all measured in the same distance. In fact. If you stand at City Hall. All the streets reset at 0. So you’ll go 100 South Broad which is one Block away. 200 South Broad is 2 blocks away etc
Mr_Fraunces t1_ixurpo8 wrote
Growing up in the Far Northeast many people called it downtown.
Von7_3686 t1_ixury8u wrote
Shoot North and West Philly. Only the media really said center city when I was younger. It makes more sense why some call it downtown based on the side of town you are on.
Queeb_the_Dweeb t1_ixutfas wrote
It is in the center of the city
Wuz314159 t1_ixuva67 wrote
It's 6 miles from City Hall to City Line Avenue... it's 2 miles to Penn's Landing.
DasBeatles t1_ixuvpfx wrote
Literally
KryptonicxJesus t1_ixuvvwg wrote
DasBeatles t1_ixuvzxu wrote
But we're talking about a time where the city plan had South Street as the southern most part of the city. With city hall being the center. Hence center city.
Wuz314159 t1_ixuw6b2 wrote
No one said that. :(
FordMaverickFan t1_ixuzg4a wrote
huh TIL /s
throwaway4206983 t1_ixv2zlr wrote
Huh, TIL. I guess it complicates it a bit that a lot of people use the phrase "Hey come on down some time" in terms of visiting them from basically anywhere, regardless of the technical direction lol
c4seyj0nes t1_ixv96la wrote
And every block is approximately 1/10th of a mile. So if you need to walk from 3rd St to 8th St, you know it’s 0.5 miles. It works north south too with the block numbers: the 1400 S block is about 1.4 miles south of Market St.
phillysleuther t1_ixvb7ju wrote
I grew up in Bridesburg. It’s always been Center City to me. I was a huge All My Children fan and that was set in the Philly suburbs because the creator of AMC was from Wallingford. It was always called Center City on there, too.
1live4downvotes t1_ixvcigh wrote
can I get a tl;dr of this?
huebomont t1_ixvd1cj wrote
yeah we always called it downtown
1live4downvotes t1_ixvd33j wrote
which still makes me so mad that we have literally 5 subway stops between 2nd street and city hall, and then none between 15th and 30th. Like come on guys... who really though that was the best option?
1live4downvotes t1_ixvd3g7 wrote
flashback to me on the phone with my dad as he was leaving the city and asked me what was the fastest way for him to get home and said he was going to take 9th to spring garden and me having to tell him 9th gets cut off by 676 lol.
Queeb_the_Dweeb t1_ixvdovq wrote
Easy_Humor_7949 t1_ixvec3o wrote
Center city.
APettyJ t1_ixvf992 wrote
Makes since for North Philly, but not for West. Glad I grew up in North, because I can see myself getting into countless petty, time-wasting debates with people calling it downtown if I spent a lot of time in West around people calling it that, much how I challenge people who talk about going "down to New York" while in Philly, or "up to DC".
Master_Winchester t1_ixvfu1k wrote
Yeah I use downtown as a shortcut of saying I'm going into the city (from a suburb or outer neighborhood). I think of it as the dense urban area inclusive of most central neighborhoods. Then center city is literal the neighborhood known as center city. But that's just my personal use
Von7_3686 t1_ixvfvtd wrote
I mean you are literally going downtown , the numbers of the streets are getting lower. So makes sense, people calling areas uptown is a thing as well, not just in North Philly.
APettyJ t1_ixvgw3x wrote
Never looked at it that way, the numbers counting down. Thanks for the perspective!
Von7_3686 t1_ixvh3tc wrote
No problem!
Sir-Jawn t1_ixvi12t wrote
Same w Rochester Ny
Shawna_Love t1_ixvltgk wrote
Only north south blocks start at 0 at City Hall. Market St. is the demarcation for north south blocks. But Broad St. is not the dividing line for east west, Front St is.
So one block north or south of Market is 100, and one block east or west of Front St is 100. Broad st is the 1400 block because it is 14 main blocks west of Front. You only really run into east addresses once you get into Fishtown and Port Richmond because people actually live on the other side of Front St.
What's more is that you only have to address mail east or west if there is a corresponding address. You wouldn't say 200 West Market St because there is no East Market St. But you do have to specify between 200 E or 200 W Girard.
joeltheprocess76 t1_ixvmcdf wrote
Correction but yes . Also before they decided to make 14th street Broad. It was going to be 12th
B-BoyStance t1_ixvn78c wrote
I've always said come on up/down depending on the direction they'd be coming from. If they're West I say over
Which all just further complicates it lol
throwaway4206983 t1_ixvo2s5 wrote
I used to correct an ex jokingly about that and I think it pissed her off haha
Prestonelliot t1_ixvos51 wrote
No, this is what I do so i believe it’s correct
MonkeyPanls OP t1_ixvqp5b wrote
When the MFL was built, there wasn't any reason to walk around there. Behold, the Chinese Wall.
watermelonuhohh t1_ixvqsc0 wrote
Or I’ve heard lots of south Philly people say they have to go “into town” when they mean going to Center City. Like “I have to go into town for this doctors appointment”
Von7_3686 t1_ixvr05d wrote
Yes same I have heard that, after this discussion I just read that some South Philadelphians refer to South Philly as downtown as well.
amanor409 t1_ixvsk4s wrote
I visited Charlotte last spring and found out their call their central business district Uptown because it was on the top of a hill. Everybody has to go up to get there and they said they were going up to town.
As for Philly I like how it’s called Center City. It’s pretty much in the center of the city so it makes sense.
1live4downvotes t1_ixvt6vr wrote
huh...ok that makes sense for why there is such a huge gap. What doesn't make sense is why they put 5 subway stops over a 1 mile stretch of the city lol. 2 probably all we need, 3 I guess would be nice for anyone stuck in the middle... but literally 1 every 1/5 of a mile is bonkers lol.
smarjorie t1_ixvvz5z wrote
I'm not reading all this
Frankjc3rd t1_ixw15bh wrote
I grew up with the definition of Center City being River to River and then Vine to South Street. Going by that definition and living in the Spring Garden area / art Museum I thought I was north of Center City but apparently I live in Center City.
MonkeyPanls OP t1_ixwdwpi wrote
"Cennerciddy"
Proper-Code7794 t1_ixwp91y wrote
East Kensington Jawn - transplants
karenmcgrane t1_ixwtnc8 wrote
Away_Swimming_5757 t1_ixwu6lu wrote
It’s implied. We understand that Philly is an old city that has annexed and grown into areas that were previously not-Philly.
Major_Zucchini5315 t1_ixwyn9h wrote
I grew up in west Philly and everyone called it downtown. If you really want to start a debate ask why there are neighborhoods north of market st referred to as ‘the top’ and ‘the bottom’. 😁
KnightMareInc t1_ixwyt3s wrote
Growing up we called it center city but we would always say we were heading downtown.
bensh_ t1_ixx0u7i wrote
Originally there wasn't going to be a 13th St station, but one John Wanamaker insisted on having a stop right outside his department store.
batmanofska t1_ixx32hr wrote
Reading does as well, see signs on 422
justanawkwardguy t1_ixx7nmq wrote
Well, not every street. Only north-south streets, East-west streeets reset to 0 at front
Zujaz t1_ixx7rbs wrote
Turn off javascript, close browser, reopen browser, load article. Read. Turn on Javascript, close browser, reopen browser, continue with day.
[deleted] t1_ixxdd11 wrote
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[deleted] t1_ixxfd3f wrote
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[deleted] t1_ixxh7kd wrote
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12kdaysinthefire t1_ixxkbsd wrote
When I was little I thought every big city had a “Center City” and was surprised to find out the term is native to our own. After that relaxation I thought it was kind of cool.
thecoffeecake1 t1_ixxmjly wrote
Fuck that, developers don't just get to decide to expand the boundaries of Center City so they can inflate the value of their shitty condos. North Philly starts after Vine and South Philly starts after South.
ell0bo t1_ixxozse wrote
Did you grow up in the north side of town?
bushwhack227 t1_ixxrw5o wrote
Maybe the signs say it, but everyone who lives there calls it downtown
KnightMareInc t1_ixxtc92 wrote
Yup, gotta take the L downtown
cathie2284 t1_ixxumkr wrote
We are showing our age. I always loved the slight Philly references in All My Children and One Life To Live!!
trostol t1_ixxxh2a wrote
i was today years old learning that lol
and_another_username t1_ixyiaqi wrote
And downashore. Even if west to east. Altitude lowers. So down the shore from anywhere inland still passes
Angsty_Potatos t1_ixyo7ci wrote
My mom grew up here and I still yell this at her. 🙄
electric_ranger t1_ixypgqu wrote
John Wannamaker, the first Philadelphian to show off his massive organ outside a subway stop
Prestonelliot t1_iy081li wrote
I see where your heads at. Thanks for validating our phrasings lol. But it’s true
and_another_username t1_iy0sq6t wrote
I always use up/down in relation to direction too. If I’m in south philly it’s come on DOWN. Or UP in Bucks county.
But I’m so used to saying down the shore
Even if I was in South Carolina or something and went straight to the shore it’s still ‘down the shore’.
Always and forever. For better or worse lol
Academiabrat t1_iy2k9ub wrote
I guess Reading and Allentown followed the term the big city used. Rochester though?
Some big city downtowns are in the center of their city, but many are not. Many are at the edge of their city by the water, like in Chicago and San Francisco.
f0rf0r t1_iye7vkw wrote
Speaking of west poplar lol. All the ads telling you it's center city.
f0rf0r t1_iye8azw wrote
You go down to NY bc it sits at the bottom of the cultural gravity well that the entire rest of the world slowly gets sucked in to.
Like black holes bending space time.
beachape t1_ixu5mwg wrote
Paywall. Any chance for a summary?