Philly’s nightlife can coexist with new residential development | Editorial
Noise complaints from newcomers have forced a few music venues to close and events to be canceled. Compromise and leadership from the city can help.
For the last few years, the neighborhoods in and around Center City have been experiencing something many Philadelphians had forgotten about: growing pains. Old City, home to barely 3,000 people back in 2003, now has a population approaching 7,000. By the end of next year, Northern Liberties is expected to have nearly twice as many residents as it did in 2022.
At a time when suburban communities build little to no housing, these neighborhoods are soaking up much of the regional demand for housing.
In many ways, downtown’s shift from a nine-to-five office-oriented business district into a mixed-use cultural center that combines nightlife, the arts, and a growing residential population has made Philadelphia a more vibrant and resilient city. It is hard to imagine how Center City could have weathered the pandemic without it.
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However, the new arrivals have not only brought along increased economic development, but they have also upset the uneasy status quo between longtime residents and business owners and the city’s haphazard approach to public services and enforcement.
Case in point, many of the new Center City residents don’t want their rest interrupted by noise. For the city’s bars, clubs, and DJs, that can be a problem.
Even long-established venues such as Johnny Brenda’s, located on Frankford Avenue in Fishtown, have been targeted by noise-averse neighbors. In a recent Inquirer article, DJ Dave Pianka cited the residents of a new apartment building as a factor in the cancellation of many scheduled outdoor events.
Pianka is part of a group hoping to see City Hall restrict development to protect the nightlife industry. He’s certainly not the first business owner to feel targeted by the residents of a new nearby building. The Jamaican Jerk Hut at 15th and South Streets fought a yearslong battle with residents of Symphony House for the right to play reggae music outside on the patio. In July, Fishtown’s Terra Philly said it was closing down for the season because of noise complaints.
New development and nightlife don’t have to be enemies. Ideally, they can have a symbiotic relationship. Some residents move to these neighborhoods specifically for the proximity to nightlife, and having a multitude of potential customers within walking distance is good for businesses of every kind. The ability to walk home after a night out is also an invaluable benefit considering the thousands of lives lost to drunk driving every year.
There are also ways to help the nightlife industry that don’t include impeding development.
Other local DJs have cited the high cost of a state liquor license — which can be hundreds of thousands of dollars and is a key requirement for any legitimate nightclub. It is less likely that DJs would seek out open-air locations such as Bok Bar, Cherry Street Pier, or La Chinesca if there were more permanent, indoor venues available.
Another issue cited is the city’s lack of uniform rules and the uneven enforcement of existing guidelines. After all, no one tried to shut down the Taylor Swift concert at outdoor Lincoln Financial Field, even though the music could be heard as far north as Tasker Street almost two miles away.
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Noise isn’t the only place where the city could take a more consistent approach to enforcement. Construction projects, illegal dumping, and other code violations are often randomly enforced, with different officials often having different standards. This can be frustrating for residents and business owners alike. A key task for the next mayor is getting all of the city’s various enforcement agencies working cohesively.
The city has already appointed a night mayor, whose office should be helping to resolve conflicts between neighborhoods and nightlife establishments. Sometimes, something as simple as giving neighbors a little bit of prior notice can help parties avoid complaints.
Philadelphia’s trendy neighborhoods have room for both nightlife and residential development. As is often the case with most things in a large city where people live close together, many challenges can be overcome with some leadership and reasonable compromise.