Many places have facetiously been called the sixth borough over the years, spots as far flung as Miami. But according to the New York Sun, Philadelphia could stake a realistic claim to that status if nonstop, high-speed Acela service between Manhattan and the City of Brotherly Love becomes reality.
Such a trip would take about an hour, and if it delivers large numbers of New Yorkers to Philadelphia, could push apartment prices up in Philly. Price per square foot in Philly has a hard time busting above $400, a breathtaking bargain compared to NYC’s average $1,000 and above, the article explains. One could expect a real-estate boom, especially in buildings near 30th Street Station, and nearby across the Schuylkill River, and the revival of a high-end Richard Meier tower, a plan abandoned because it simply didn’t draw the deep-pocketed NYC clientele it had been meant to attract.
OK, here’s the inevitable reality check. Acela, and for that matter plain vanilla Amtrak service is incredibly expensive. To wit, one way on Acela right now is $129. Actual pricing for the non-stop route has not been revealed. Folks who can afford that twice a day probably don’t need to look in Philly for real estate deals.
Robert Yaro of the Regional Plan Association sums up one of the frustrating problems of American transit nicely:
"Every other industrialized country has a high-speed rail system, creating synergy between cities and increasing the size of the marketplace to benefit both cities. We're so far behind, it's ridiculous."
-- Rolando Pujol
Photo: iStockphoto.com
