No Gentrifying graffiti on a No Trespassing sign on the Metropolitan Branch Trail, adjacent to redevelopment of a derelict shopping center
One of the problems of the word "gentrification" is that it is over used. This redevelopment replaces a derelict shopping center. Yes, better retail will attract higher income demographics. But in this particular case, nothing is really being displaced.
It reminds me of this graffiti in the Station North district, criticizing arts based initiatives as gentrification, but this was in an area where half or more of the houses were vacant, or the buildings had already been demolished, leaving vacant lots. Is stoking demand in a place of underdevelopment gentrification by definition?
posted by Richard Layman @ 10:16 AM&Permanent Link
4 Comments:
From the looks of Station North since the last riots, it seems potential tenants, residents, and businesses got the message.
Damn. I think I'm going to be away during Artscape, which would have been an opportunity to check it out.
Is Station North hurting these days, post-riots?
I know that hospitality is down, Harborplace is in "administration", etc.
I have not been there recently, but I google street viewed areas that I was familar with from a planning studio several years back. You can select different time periods. The increased graffiti, trash, condition of what had been landscape improvements, lack of parked cars on the street, and closure of businesses I remembered were all apparent. I don't recall seeing anything that had improved. Doesn't look good. This was north of North Ave. South might be a different story.
The north side has always been tough. I haven't been up there for a couple years though. Plus, I haven't been over more by the Remington side, where at least pre-riots there had been some new developments.
I checked my schedule and I will be able to go to Artscape...
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