Shrinking Philadelphia

Philadephia predicted rapid urban growth. It turns out that residents are fleeing to the suburbs. What does this mean for planning?

1 minute read

February 7, 2001, 6:00 AM PST

By Chris Steins @planetizen

"The planner fights plans for shrinkage," according to renownedPhiladelphiaplanner Ed Bacon. If you say the city is shrinking, "you completelyinvalidate yourself." But the Washington Post reports thatPhiladelphia'splanners are beginning to talk about the city "shrinking gracefully."Thepaper reports that the city's "beleaguered" City Planning Commission isattempting a comeback and mulling ways to remake the city, this timesmaller. With an estimated population of 1.4 million in 2000, the cityhaslost 168,000 residents since 1990 and 654,000 since its 1950 peak __morethan any other U.S. city. The Post reports that the city is creating amaster framework for redevelopment that includes adapting neighborhoodsforfewer people in smaller households. According to former APA board memberMaxine Griffith, AICP, the commission's new executive director: "We'vegotto plan for the city we have."

Thanks to Dateline APA

Read the full story: Remaking Philadelphia: As Population Drops, Planners Think Small

Sunday, February 4, 2001 in The Washington Post

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