West Philly

I am certain that project based learning is one of the best ways for young people to learn. My experiences with the West Philly Hybrid X-Team and Philadelphia Student Union have taught me this.

By A Concerned Relation

I got a email invite last week for the offices of the State representative network. I stopped by and slide down to Clark park as well, here is some thoughts.

So, now that the brew pub is open at 50th and baltimore it had occured to me that maybe now was the right time to write this letter. When you go and sit around all day outside the satellite coffee shop, do you ever think about your role in gentrification? I cannot help but ask this question because sometimes I pass by and I see what to my eye looks like a white settler occupation beachhead down there across from cedar park, with an increasing number of white homeowners within a one block radius and perhaps more disturbingly, Penn students/employees buying houses up to 52nd street with school subsidies.

I remember a time not that long ago when it seemed like there was a conversation going on in West Philly about gentrification and how to organize against what was about to go down... and then people seemed to stop being engaged, maybe they got busy or something. Well, while you were having fun and going to dance parties, guess what happened?

Wachovia Bank has played a major role in funding 'community planning' in various neighborhoods in Philadelphia. I think the relationship between the city, community development corporations/developers, and community organizations needs further exploration. I know of several community organizations that I feel are being bamboozled in their alliances with CDC's and developers. Especially when this is happening in neighborhoods in the early stages of gentrification, or next to neighborhoods that have already gentrified, I believe that residents should do more research before they enter into agreements to put their names on 'community plans' and therefore imply the community's consent. Here are some things to look out for:

I'd like to share a letter that I was compelled to write to the Mural Arts program. I wrote this letter after attending a meeting along with a few Haddington block captains and residents. There were less than 10 people in attendance. At this meeting the Mural Arts Program discussed a project they will be doing in Haddington. I asked a few questions and aired some of my concerns, but it was made clear that this project was sealed. I left with more questions about Mural Arts and how they operate in some communities. I hope more communites begin to take a closer look at how Mural Arts operates in their neighborhood. So here is my letter......

We don't know much about this other than this link: http://www.nonid.blogspot.com

By SuZQ | 03.27.2007

The Budd Street garden, home to beautiful trees and two greenhouses, which has for years been the site of grassroots neighborhood food distributions and community composting, is being bulldozed this week. It was seized via Eminent Domain from its owners, the gardeners, who bought it at a Sherriff's action and have yet to be compensated for it by the city.

More on this:

http://www.phillyimc.org/en/2005/10/16917.shtml

A list of targeted properties was given out a recent meeting of the Redevelopment Authority. If your property has been targeted and you do not wish to move please call: (267) 861-4900

Carolyn Thomas, featured in the film All For The Taking, after which this blog was named, has been fighting a struggle that hasn't ended over two years after her home was seized through eminent domain.

The city has finally removed the $2,509.92 in back taxes andthe subsequent lienon Carolyn Thomas' new house (back taxes which were owed on the property before she was ever relocated to it), but she is still awaiting notice that the $9,075 demolition bill has also been removed (that's right, she was billed for the demolition of her own house which was seized through eminent domain).

I'm wondering if anyone knows what's going on at Cedar Park (small green space and playground at 49th and Baltimore/Catharine). I live near there and the park has been fenced in and it looks like there is major construction going on. So far it seems like the playground equipment is still intact, but the tables/benches may be gone?

Here Comes the Neighborhood www.philadelphiaweekly.com/view.php?id=12925

"Temple's lack of involvement in off-campus development suggests the area may have trouble matching the accomplishments of the Penn community."

Accomplishments?

I think a lot of the displaced [and soon to be displaced] residents of West Philadelphia would disagree with Jesse Smith's analysis of the merits of Penn's "development" of "University City".