West Philadelphia/Penn Gentrification - Calling all opinions - Page 3 - PhillyBlog

tmcgee · #21 (**permalink**) 09-23-2004, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by philasaFE1

My partner and I bought a house on St. Bernard for 63K in 2000 and happily dumped it for 158K last fall. We paid 54K in Port Richmond for a better house. Ended up with better neighbors, the El to get to work and about a zillion cops that appear the second you hit 911. No more $800 PGW bills heating a "minimansion" no more being called bigots when a kid breaks a window and you yell at him, no more slumlords owning bigger homes paying less taxes while they rent to month-to-month sleaze.

Cedar Park and environs are beautiful, architecturally, but face neighborhood associations which are basically pointless. Topped with a Councilwoman more into collecting from slumlords than serving constituents. I sat on the zoning board for Cedar Park, there was much noise, but all Baltimore Avenue got was a bakery.

The populace there tries to turn everything into a racial issue. No, it is a class issue. Most African Americans do not want fat slobs promising them murder for no reason, most people of any race don't care to have people screeching on their porches drunk and leaving beer cans on the front porch. Most of us need no fat sow screeching and bellowing at 3:00 a.m. when we face work at 6:30.

Most Americans don't need to walk out the front door and be called a "faggot honkey" or "faggot Spic" but when you reply in kind you are destroyed as a bigot.... guess whites and Latinos have no right to anger?

Was cute as a kid when we all felt "aw make up for such abuse", now the abused stands on top of the heap and the raking will never stop.

It really has gotten better from even a few years ago. Not to say that some of what you say still doesn't go on -- I remember there was some neighborhood protest of Abraccio, for no discernable reason that I can figure out -- but the quality of life is better, and I think it'll continue to improve.

Don't get me started on PGW.

The councilwoman sucks here, but in time the old guard will leave. Inevitable.

tmcgee

Dave · #22 (**permalink**) 09-23-2004, 11:14 AM

Councilwoman? Are you referring to Jannie Blackwell? :lol:

I know someone who's renting on St Bernard and that street appears to be right on the edge of what's "nice." Go a block down to 50th St and it's a complete dump.

odragon · #23 (**permalink**) 09-23-2004, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmcgee

The councilwoman sucks here, but in time the old guard will leave. Inevitable.

Is there a term limit to city council?

niel · #24 (**permalink**) 09-23-2004, 02:27 PM

Well, her hope is to exchange her Council office for the Mayor's Office. That's the only term limit she's looking for, it would seem.

Just say...NO!

odragon · #25 (**permalink**) 09-23-2004, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by niel

Well, her hope is to exchange her Council office for the Mayor's Office. That's the only term limit she's looking for, it would seem.

Just say...NO!

If I weren't so white, I might run against her!

Walnut · #26 (**permalink**) 09-27-2004, 07:30 PM

I find that the discussion around "gentrification" is usually way, way oversimplified -- and this is a trap for journalists.

Some articles to peruse:
(Planetizen Query) http://tinyurl.com/5mz7o

http://www.zmag.org/content/showarti...mp;ItemID=5907

Anyway, with regards to Penn, revitalization of the neighborhood means increasing housing prices, at least for home ownership. This means that existing owners (who are mostly black, I think) reap substantial windfalls when selling, but it also means that the neighborhood is changing -- new faces and new attitidues. Change is threatening to many people -- who may long for stasis or a certain vision of utopia.

I do worry about long-term affordability, but there are only two ways around that issue: 1. is to match supply to demand 2. is to lock-in low-cost housing for people of modest means through government policy. The goal is to allow for a diverse, more or less stable neighborhood.

UCity was in a bad way in the past, if I understand correctly. Blight, crime, and awful neglect. These are on the mend, and that is a wonderful thing.

Malloy · #27 (**permalink**) 09-27-2004, 09:40 PM

UC does not include Drexel now?

Quote:

Originally Posted by archaeologist

Now that UC refers to the entire area from the river to 50th, Market to Woodland, it's become about as useful as West Philadelphia in characterizing the neighborhood.

lawmummy · #28 (**permalink**) 09-27-2004, 11:36 PM

Ironically, Temple is experiencing some of these same "growing pains" right now. So much *good* has happened in just a few short years, but it's been a struggle. And I understand on a number of levels that Temple is its own worst enemy...

fivetonine · #29 (**permalink**) 09-28-2004, 06:59 AM

Well in that case, I guess I juuuuuuuust made it into the boundaries of UC by a hair by being at 48th and Pine, huh? ;-)

eldondre · #30 (**permalink**) 09-28-2004, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by archaeologist

oops

what's the deal arch?

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