Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Allentown's West End Theater District offers affordable and safe housing for young professionals

Two thirds of Americans ages 25 through 34 say they’re deciding first where they want to put down roots, and then looking for a job in that place, according to a report by CEOs for Cities, a national network of urban leaders. The main attributes young professionals seek in a place to live are cleanliness, access to excellent schools, parks and green space, and affordable housing.

Affordable housing has been difficult to find in the Lehigh Valley in recent years, with escalating housing costs.

However, all is not lost. The Lehigh Valley does posses character-authentic, human-scale traditional neighborhoods of a kind they aren’t making anymore. In these areas, like Allentown's West End Theater District (WETD), lie an abundance of closely built historic neighborhoods prized by the nation’s best-educated young workers according to economic expert and author, Richard Florida.

WETD is not only a great place to have dinner or see a show, it is also a great place to live. Within the theatre district's boundaries there are a number of homes available at any given point in time that offer the perfect balance between, character, convenience and affordability.

Many young professionals and families have recently discovered these positive characteristics of this section of the West End making it the perfect place for more to follow suit.

Damien Brown lists several homes on his blog that are currently available in the West End Theatre District, the neighborhood bounded by 17th, 22nd, Washington, and Liberty. Most shown are priced well under $200,000 but the price range is limitless in the neighborhoods to the north and east if you have higher tastes.

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