Oh, Philly

Philadelphia is a bust and a boom. Block to block, there are vibrant shopping districts tucked throughout the city. Your eye wanders from one posh looking restaurant to the next and then to a designer store. When you glance across the street you see a Tiffany's, and see the hints of diamonds and well designed window displays. You remember exactly where you are: standing next to a hole in the ground.

So, Philly has so many has amazing restaurants, living here has me spoiled for choice (Terekawa Ramen is a favorite  and its home to a vibrant city of neighborhoods that have their own distinct culture. There is also something about having a city between two rivers that makes it feel less like a concrete jungle and more unique. I can’t help but feel that Philadelphia has so much potential. With minor tweaks, moderate investment, and a serious talk about how we treat trash in the city, it could be a major powerhouse of a city. 

The hole, spanning 30 feet or so, sits on a large lot that stretches back past the stores around it. In some respects it seems oddly placed, but walking through the city streets it starts to feel oddly in place. Philadelphia, packed with potential, seems to build some areas very well, shooting up 30 or 40 stories even, while others remain a hole in the ground.

-Austin Church