The Umbrella Factory

01Feb08

All I wanted was a simple image of an umbrella for a rainy day…

“Buildings left gaping open to the elements. Factories abandoned and the vestiges of a once prosperous time when Philadelphia was home to manufacturing everything from locomotive engines and radios to Stetson hats. Just about anything you could think of was once manufactured in Philadelphia. Now, Philadelphia is now the home to a huge population of impoverished or destitute which stand in stark contrast to the amenities afforded those able to afford the gleaming new condos and office towers of Center City. In a city that’s home to ‘Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness’; the desparity between those just getting by and those with more wealth than they can count is enormous…”

North Philadelphia photoset- wondrous architecture and ruins unlike any other in the city (by the multitalented chrisinphilly, also the author above)
Philly Weekly article- a chronicle of events from crescendo to eventual denoumount
Phillyblog thread- one resident speculates on the future

Filed under: Architecture, Photography, Real Estate, Urban Planning   |  1 Comment