Tourist Trade: Threatens Neighborhoods or Promotes Investment?
“The city is changing, we are getting bigger fast,” says Allen Reynolds, a Center City resident. “More tourists everyday, more people buying homes and condos. WE have to plan for the future.”
Tourism in the city, and region, has grown immensely over the past decade. Philadelphia’s hospitality and tourism industry accounts for big business. The region attracted 27.3 million visitors last year, according to the Greater Philadelphia Tourism and Marketing Corporation (GPTMC). The largest tourist draw in the region continues to be the Independence Historic Park, with 2.3 million visitors. The Philadelphia Zoo, the Franklin Institute, and the National Constitution Center were closely behind with around 1 million each. Meanwhile, with many of the labor disputes resolved at the Convention Center, Convention business is once again climbing. Big conventions mean big hotel stays, and while it is not the heyday of the late 90s, overnight stays at hotels are up from 2 years ago.
At the same time, Center City is welcoming carloads of new residents every day. CPDC date indicates that residents complain about the lack of parking, the traffic congested, overburdened sidewalks, noise, and pollution. But investors and lawmakers say tourism is a burgeoning industry that is brining money and jobs to our fair city. Locals want the city to focus on neighborhood and civic improvements, not new tourist traps.
“Out of town travellers account for 177,000 indirect and direct jobs,” says Deborah Diamond of the GPTMC. “Direct jobs would be in the hospitality industry, such as waiters, hotel staff, tour guides. Indirect jobs are those not in hospitality, that are created due to economic run-off. An example would be a IT person who does contract work for hotels in the area.”
The Street administration believes in economic prosperity through tourism. Mayor Street has authorized 2.5 million for a new marketing campaign to promote Philadelphia. The campaign will target a younger demographic, Generation X and Generation Y. While hoping to convince people to visit the City of Brotherly Love for a vacation, the GPTMC has a secondary goal as well.
“The idea is that marketing to tourists and marketing to business is intertwined,” says Diamond. “If a person visits Philadelphia and has a great vacation, they might be inclined to send there child to school here, to move there company here, to send other businesses and travellers here.”
Working closely with city government and the CPDC, the GPTMC is launching an iniative called “Branding Builds Business.” The idea is to brand Philadelphia as a great city for shopping, the arts, restaurants, and culture. The GPTMC maintains that tourists and citizens enjoy the same attractions and benefits in a city.
“Anything that might be considered a development or benefit for our out of town travellers is almost always a benefit to the resident population,” says Diamond.
One example of a multi-use development is the proposed redevelopment of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. As originally envisioned by its designers, the Parkway was to be a pedestrian friendly avenue between the Philadelphia Museum of Art and City Hall. The Parkway would have given Center City access to the massive Fairmount Park system, and the Schukyll River. But when completed, the Parkway was instead a tree-lined highway, granting commuters access to the city. Currently debated plans would limit the traffic on the Parkway, expand the Philadelphia Public Library, build a new Museum, and expand the greenway and bike paths.
Diamond reiterates that any citywide improvements or investments are good for the nieghborhoods of Philadelphia, and travellers visiting the city. “Philadelphians and travellers are going to be able to enjoy these attractions,” says Diamond. “Anything that makes the city more pleasing to outsiders is going to improve quality of life for citizens.”
“It’s not an issue about tourism development. It’s about what the city does and doesn’t do. The city talks and talks and talksâÂ?¦but doesn’t do anything,” says Judith Applebaum.” The Civic Associations are really the only organizations looking out for individual neighbourhoods.”
Applebaum is the president of the Washington West Civic Association. Bordering Society Hill to the west, the area is traditionally known as the “gayborhood” for its numerous gay and lesbian businesses. It is also home to the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital System, popular shopping area Antique Row, and hundreds home and apartments of mixed-income residents. The streets in Wash West are always busy, with a mixture of locals and out-of-towners
“We don’t need flashy development; we need investment into our neighbourhoods,” Applebaum says. “Flashy development could be a dud! It could lead to more crime, and a bunch of hideous buildings that nobody wants to use. I’m not convinced about any of it. People come to Philadelphia to see our neighbourhoods, our local color and flavor. That’s what needs to be protected.”
Applebaum is convinced that the city needs to make wise investments into its neighbourhoods ‘We have a minor problem with prostitution and drug sales,” she says. “Increased lighting of our streets would help battle this. It’s not the police’s fault. We aren’t a terrible neighborhood. We are an easy target for criminals, and easily forgotten by the city.”
Responding to similar criticism, City Council pledged a 5 million dollar increase to the police department. Aiming to put more cops on the streets, the money should allow for 500 new officers in the city within the next year. “If you have a tourism industry,” says Applebaum, “you better have the safest streets in the world.”
Charles Roberts, a retired grandfather and 30-year resident of the neighborhood agrees. “This is a spectacular neighborhood with many wonderful people,” Roberts says while walking with his grandson one morning. “I’m very happy to live here, but it’s a little scary at night.”
Roberts believes that the influx of visitors to the neighborhood sometimes bring unwanted elements. “I have no problem with the restaurants and bars, and no problem with their patrons. But the bar and club scene can draw in a nefarious crowd with them.”
While most Washington West residents are completely at ease with the gay and lesbian businesses, most agree that having any active nightlife, gay or straight, can lead to an assortment of small crimes in a neighborhood. Along with 5 popular gay venues, the neighborhood boasts several popular ‘straight’ waterholes, including a strip club. The popular nightlife in the area draws in visitors from all over the city, and the Mainline and New Jersey suburbs.
“Honestly, the gay men and women are always polite and nice. There are just few bad apples,” says Roberts. “But you have several gay bars, a couple college bars, and strip club all within a few blocks. That’s a lot of people trying to get in trouble.”
One of the oldest neighbourhoods in Philadelphia, Society Hill officially encompasses the area between South Street to Market Street, and Front Street to 7th. In the morning sunlight, the bricks of 200 year old buildings appear as rosy as they did when they were first laid. Birds chirp in ancient and respected trees, parents wheel toddlers to pre-school in a synagogue that dates back to colonial times. Society Hill is an active thriving family neighborhood, but one living in around giant antique
Living in a piece of Americana has a price. Beyond the sky-high real estate prices, Society Hill is one of Philadelphia’s premier tourist destinations. Thousands of travellers wander through Society Hill weekly. Many are polite, quiet, and respectful; but some are loud, obnoxious, and boisterous.
“Tourism, and visitors, are a fact of life in Society Hill,” says Karen Hill. Hill has lived in the neighborhood for 4 years. While she wants to buy a home soon, she can’t bear to move away from her neighborhood. “I love it here,” she says.
Hill has mixed opinions on tourism in her neighborhood. While she loves the historic walking tours and home showings, she finds the increased traffic to be annoying and dangerous. “You can never find parking on the weekends. It’s impossible. Every spot has a car with a [New] Jersey plate. And the traffic on Lombard is very dangerous.”
Hill is referring to the problems with Lombard Street traffic. Lombard runs through Society Hill going west, and is a popular part of the “South Street loop”. As vehicles move off the slow moving South Street, they turn onto Lombard. Once on Lombard, both cars and motorcycles race down the quiet street to Broad, to pick South up again. On the weekends, as people cruise down South to people watch, traffic on Lombard dramatically increases.
“They need to have police on Lombard, to enforce the speed limit,” Hill says. “It’s becoming a drag race every weekend. You can’t have that in a neighborhood of families.”
Matt Dejulio of the Society Hill Civic Association agrees with Hill’s statements, but notes that the neighborhood is tourist friendly. “We welcome tourism. We are proud of our historic homes, churches and synagogues,” explains Dejulio. “The [Society Hill] Civic Association fully supports tourism in and around our neighbourhood.”
While the SHCA does endorse walking tours and historic offerings; the main focus of the organization is to better the lives of its residents. The SHCA feels that moderate, maintained tourism is necessary for any economy; but that the needs of the citizenry should be addressed first. “We are at heart a family neighborhood. We want to have parks for children and animals, and safe streets for everyone. Parking has to be feasible. We want to retain a village-like feel.”
Dejulio admits that the neighborhood residents do cringe occasionally at raucous behavior on South Street, or increased traffic from the Independence Mall area, and that street parking is always a strain on weekends. The SHCA has worked tirelessly with members of city council and the South Street district to find solutions to serious issues. DeJulio noted that the police have scheduled more officers for patrol on Lombard, Pine, and Spruce Streets during busy weekends, and that the SHCA is studying alternative ideas to curb speeding on all there streets.
The SHCA is actively opposed to further condominium development. Further condominium development will diminish the neighbourhoods character, and adds a greater burden on parking and street traffic. “We would prefer to maintain the family dwellings we have now,” says Dejulio, “and not see anymore development in the neighborhood. The SHCA thinks that over-development is a greater threat to the neighborhood then minor tourism problems.”
DeJulio believes that those issues aside, Society Hill has grown used to being a tourist destination. “It’s all part of living in this neighborhood,” says DeJulio. “Most of us don’t have any deep resentment towards tourists. We hope there patronage will benefit our neighborhood. “
Paul Levy and the CPDC agree with Dejulio. Reaffirming this at the Union League forum on April 11th, Levy believes Philadelphia’s leaders should move beyond the false choices of downtown versus neighborhoods or business competitiveness versus municipal services. He advises a focus on a diversified strategy for economic growth, leading to expanded employment opportunities, enhanced public services and revitalized neighbourhoods. “The riverfront, Independence Mall, and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway are all incredibly important factors in Philadelphia’s future,” Levy explains. “These projects aren’t just necessary to winning the tourism dollar, they are necessary in improving the quality of life in Philadelphia.”
Echoing Deborah Diamond’s statements, Levy cites the development on the Parkway as growth good for everyone. “As Center City residency continues to climb, we need to grow our park and recreation system. The Parkway and Riverfront projects are beneficial to our tourist trade, but are in the long-run going to be used primarily by our citizens.”
Levy does believe the city must remain vigilant about retaining office jobs while pursuing a service-based economy. The downtown district, the heart of Center City, where most white-collar office jobs are located is responsible for paying for over 70% of city services. The many hospitals and universities in Philadelphia are mostly tax exempt, the city budget is more dependent on office jobs and the hospitality industry to support basic services. Office jobs have declined 19.5 % over the last 15 years.
“The city’s business retention strategy is starting to work,” says Levy. “We are beginning to see corporations return to downtown from the suburbs.” Levy cited the Cira Center, a recently built office highrise in University City; and the currently under construction Comcast Tower in Center City as examples of business growth. “These projects wouldn’t have been approved or funded if corporations and businesses weren’t interested in working in Philadelphia,” says Levy.
Levy also vehemently stated that increased tourism and a greater hospitality industry do not adversely affect Philadelphia neighborhoods or infrastructure; outlining that the CPDC’s goals were to create a healthy and viable Center City to work, live-in, and visit. “We don’t believe these goals are conflicting,” Levy says.
The CPDC is a major proponent of strengthening mass transportation, as well as creating network of linked greenways. Pedestrian driven, high-density development of cities is an important factor making a city attractive to both visitors and residents. New York, Boston, and San Francisco are excellent examples of this type of development. “Increased public transportation, greater greenways, a focus on pedestrians, and increased police presence – all are beneficial to neighbourhoods and tourists,” Levy says.
Levy believes that the city needs to make more strong proactive decisions similar to police recruitment. “It can’t be about reacting; it has to be about predicting. We have to continue to meet he demands and needs of our residential population. Making our citizens happy and our visitors happy is not mutually exclusive.”
Noting that “pie-in-the-sky” development would be dangerous, Levy wants the city to work with the neighbourhoods and businesses to chart a course to the future. “I’m a huge supporter of the Riverfront project. If the city, the neighbourhoods, and the universities all work in tandem; you’re really going to see an incredible opportunity on the banks of the Schuylkill.”
General sentiment to Levy’s comments appeared positive. Levy closed the forum by assuring the assembled that everyone within City Hall and the CPDC was fully commited to the best Philadelphia possible, especially himself. “I just moved to Society Hill,” said Levy. “Obviously, I’m committed to the health of its neighborhood and all the others in Philadelphia.”
