“Yes, the schools are still a problem, crime is still a problem, gun violence is still a problem,” said a statewide elected official who has watched the city evolve over several decades. “But people have much more optimism about the future now.”

“While its public school system remains a mess, its crime rate elastic and its poverty rate high,” adds the reporter, “Philadelphia has been revitalized over the last decade and a half, with celebrity chefs, a vibrant technology sector and thriving art scene, all boxes to check for cities on the move these days.”

Could the same be said about Baltimore? If not, what needs to happen for that to be the case?