Why is it that the “east side” of a city seems to be the yucky part?

[Lady Pi Phi]

Originally posted by CutiePie2000
I think in Seattle, as you head in an easterly direction, there is a yucky pocket called "Factoria". But there is also Bellevue which is chi-chi and very nice. I don't know Seattle like a local though.

I'm also noticing that yucky neighbourhoods are quickly becoming gentrified and are getting turned into nice neighbourhoods, b/c people don't want to live too far out in the suburbs and would be closer to the city. Vancouver's Yaletown was yucky warehouses and yucky industrial land and it's all nice and 'purty' now.

Parkdale in Toronto is like that. The residents are trying to fix it up by welcoming new restaurants and art galleries (it's all arsty-farsty in Parkdale now) and driving out the hookers and the crack addicts. It's still pretty run down though.