The Gallery at Market East in Philadelphia’s Center City is an odd piece of urban design. Built in the late 1970s to compete with shoppers and stores flocking to the city’s suburbs, it sits on East Market Street with its bare concrete walls facing the street, taking up several blocks between the heart of the city’s downtown and one of the country’s most important historic sites, Independence Hall.
Here’s the thing though- it does rather well. It was constructed on a vital rail transit hub, connects to the convention center, vacancy rates are typically low and the profits are amongst the highest for its management company’s shopping centers. It may be a poorly-designed piece of the urban fabric, but it serves its purpose- it’s a place to shop that lots of people use.
Many in Philadelphia, however, do not see it that way, as an article in the Daily News points out. Of course, the attendant comments section is cram-packed with the type of intelligent discourse that’s the hallmark of Philly.com commenters.
A big part of the problem is that there are virtually no stores that attact an upscale shopper. K-mart, gamestop, and payless do nothing to draw the shoppers who frequent the numerous stores on chesnut and walnut street. Even a target or a best buy would do a lot to improve the shopping there. Its a fair point that the subterranean atmosphere of the Gallery hurts it. Most of the store entrances don’t really give a sense of whats inside. There are too many blank walls and wide open escalator banks, limiting store space. Too much closes early, making it more difficult to accomplish its goal of having city workers shop before getting on the train.
Okay, nice- thinking about it from somewhat of a planning perspective. Maybe this won’t be so bad, after-
Let’s just be honest. The problem is “urban” teens running wild through the Gallery.
Alright, then. See if you can read through there and count how many times “urban” is used as a code word for another word that is in these folks’ heads, hm?
the world’s worst mcdonalds is located in that place…on second thought, it’s the second worst after the one at 30th street station. it’s good to see im busy on a monday morning rating mcdonalds restaurants…sincerely myspace.com/dannyozark
When I moved to CC in ’79 I found the Gallery depressing and dirty. Now, I am older and fearful of the youth crowds and lack of perceived security presence. I live 5 blocs away and wouldn’t shop there if it was the last place on earth. And, now with the Internet, I can get anything I need online with a delivery charge that is often less than the cab ride to the Gallery and that means Macy’s too. I do, however, still shop and eat at the Reading Terminal Market.
The gallery is your typical ‘urban’ mall. Nothing but baby clothes and sneaker stores!
Just let the cops put a few beatings on the teenagers, who should be in school,loitering down there. A few broken facial bones will set them straight. Police brutality…. WORKS!!!!
I can sort of imagine the PSA with that tagline from the early 80s.
Take the subway to gamble and leave (supposedly) with winnings in your pocket. I hope they’ll be handing out signs for people to wear coming and going: PLEASE MUG ME!
Oh- did I mention that there are plans to maybe turn part of it into a slots casino? Well, there are.
What is so funny is the people who agree here as to what the problem is tend to vote for the same people that the parent(s) of these thugs vote for. WAKE UP will you!!!!!!
Its a mall for the gangsta’s and their Ho’s…nothing more…wouldnt dream of entering that building again…ever..
The Gallery is just a huge toilet. And what can you find in a toilet ? Time for a courtesy flush.
What this article is trying to say is that the Gallery has too many young Black ghetto people that shop there. Lets not pretend that Phila isn’t segregated along class and racial lines. ‘Certain’ people only shop and live in ‘certain’ areas. End of story. I don’t like shopping in malls at all. With the Gallery none of the stores attract me, parking sucks, and I can’t stand teenagers (of any race).
The Gal-ree is the laughing stock of all the “malls” within 25 miles of it. Can it even be considered a mall? It’s a shame that people walking through there from the regional rails have to witness the decadence and despair of the people that populate that area. From the crack-moms to the homeless to the downright nutty. After experiencing that kind of sadness who in their right mind would want to spend their money there? Nobody wants to shop there for fear of getting mugged. Really, the only people not afraid to shop there are people who are used to being in a “dangerous” area.
I have to say- the only reason I’m able to shop at the Gallery is because of my years on the mean streets of Webberville, Michigan. Also- “downright nutty?” That makes me think of Thorny, the neighbor on Ozzie and Harriet.
Philly has to become more like NYC, where shops are privately owned and operated. The experiment of having government owned properties provide stores and shopping to the masses is too Soviet to be workable.
Brief aside: The city’s Redevelopment Authority (RDA) owns the property, which is then leased to a management company who oversees the mall. Very Soviet. What with the large private real estate developer running the thing and all.
The city of Philly tried to be a shopping mall provider using CC to service the inner city, but the RDA as owner of all this property like the Gallery is not practical. The RDA simply has shops and stalls that cater to the lowest common denominator, creating a creepy vibe like t-shirt stalls where you can get a death memoriam t-shirt airbrushed, aka “RIP RASHEED.”
No, the NBA rescinded those last two technicals. He’s fine.
the only problem with wiping out the gallery is where will all those sorry people go if there’s nothing there? that’s right, the real malls.
Dun-Dun-DUNNNNN.
Let’s end on a positive note, though. RowingMan seems to have his hand up. Perhaps he has a suggestion about how the retail mix at the mall could be diversified, or perhaps some sort of plan to rebuild the building’s facade to open it up a bit more, or maybe he’s been reading up on Jane Jacobs and her theories about continuity of the street-
There was a women who shot up the Delco Springfield Mall with multiple weapons in the mid 80′s. If she’s still around, why don’t we let her out (of prison) and she can patrol the Gallery – it’s gotta work better than today’s situation.
