As one emerges from the dark depths of the metro and receives a quick breath of fresh city air they are quickly overwhelmed with the sights and sounds of U Street. Depending on where you are, you may smell coffee and an overwhelming aroma of chili and cheese from Ben’s Chili Bowl as cars whiz by. As you are facing Ben’s Chili Bowl and look to your left it is clear that the urban renewal, that began in the mid 1990s, has been effective with many nice new buildings and luxury condominiums. However, as you look to your right, the drastic changes that U Street has experienced become evident. Depending on who you ask U Street could be a great club scene, an African American cultural epicenter, a historic neighborhood, or a very “shady” area. The fact of the matter is that U Street is all of these things, throughout its history many different niches have been created and there is now something for everyone on the U Street Corridor whether you are a history buff, interested in the theatrical arts, appreciative of culture and food, or unfortunately a drug addict. However U Street was not always what it is today, it has experienced many drastic changes over its existence. The demographics, culture, perception, and establishments of U Street have changed and been affected by three specific instances; the 1968 riots, the 1980 metro rail construction, and gentrification circa 1990.
Many people have glorified views of change. Barrack Obama was elected president with the help of his campaign calling for change. People believe that change is good and is always for the better. There will always be a debate of whether change is good or bad, but there is no escaping the necessary fact that change will inevitably occur. C.S. Lewis believes that “...
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Chicago’s Cabrini-Green public housing project is notorious in the United States for being the most impoverished and crime-ridden public housing development ever established. Originally established as inexpensive housing in the 1940’s, it soon became a vast complex of unsightly concrete low and high-rise apartment structures. Originally touted as a giant step forward in the development of public housing, it quickly changed from a racially and economically diverse housing complex to a predominantly black, extremely poor ghetto. As it was left to rot, so to speak, Cabrini-Green harbored drug dealers, gangs and prostitution. It continued its downward spiral of despair until the mid 1990’s when the Federal Government assumed control the Chicago Housing Authority, the organization responsible for this abomination. Cabrini-Green has slowly been recovering from its dismal state of affairs recently, with developers building mixed-income and subsidized housing. The Chicago Housing Authority has also been demolishing the monolithic concrete high-rise slums, replacing them with public housing aimed at not repeating the mistakes of the past. Fortunately, a new era of public housing has dawned from the mistakes that were made, and the lessons that were learned from the things that went on for half a century in Cabrini-Green.
Lance Freeman tackles the issue of gentrification from the perspectives of residents in the gentrified neighborhood. He criticizes the literature for overlooking the experiences of the victims of gentrification. The author argues that people’s conceptions on the issue are somewhat misinformed in that most people consider it as completely deplorable, whereas in reality, it benefits the community by promoting businesses, different types of stores, and cleaner streets. These benefits are even acknowledged by many residents in the gentrified neighborhood. However, the author admits that gentrification indeed does harm. Although gentrification does not equate to displacement per se, it serves to benefit primarily homeowners and harm the poor. Additionally,
Has Bushwick changed for good? I am a Bushwick resident for many years now and have seen the changes that have happened. Yes, I agree some things are in the best interest of all who live in this area however after listening to many long-time residents, my opinion has changed. Over the past several years, Bushwick, a neighborhood spanning 1.3 square miles with a population of over 85,000 residents is the next new spot for white residents. Property owners began renovating old buildings and offering them as "lofts" to white residents who want more space, cheap rent and easy access to Manhattan. Transportations to the city is a must to almost all white residents, because of this the MTA began making improvements on the L train. The reputation of Bushwick was notably “ghetto”, this changed once listings began to pop up for
A review of his methodology shows the time and energy that entering this book. He uses a variety of sources for his research and evidence of good sources such as newspapers; memoirs; diaries; census figures; real estate listings; private letters and documents; journals and memoirs; public records and statements; the federal and local
Another noteworthy urban sociologist that’s invested significant research and time into gentrification is Saskia Sassen, among other topical analysis including globalization. “Gentrification was initially understood as the rehabilitation of decaying and low-income housing by middle-class outsiders in central cities. In the late 1970s a broader conceptualization of the process began to emerge, and by the early 1980s new scholarship had developed a far broader meaning of gentrification, linking it with processes of spatial, economic and social restructuring.” (Sassen 1991: 255). This account is an extract from an influential book that extended beyond the field of gentrification and summarizes its basis proficiently. In more recent and localized media, the release the documentary-film ‘In Jackson Heights’ portrayed the devastation that gentrification is causing as it plagues through Jackson Heights, Queens. One of the local businessmen interviewed is shop owner Don Tobon, stating "We live in a
... motivation for wealthy individuals to return to the inner-city core but it also provides impetus for commercial and retail mixed-use to follow, increasing local revenue for cities (Duany, 2001). Proponents of gentrification profess that this increase in municipal revenue from sales and property taxes allows for the funding of city improvements, in the form of job opportunities, improved schools and parks, retail markets and increased sense of security and safety ((Davidson (2009), Ellen & O’Reagan (2007), Formoso et. al (2010)). Due to the increase in housing and private rental prices and the general decrease of the affordable housing stock in gentrifying areas, financially-precarious communities such as the elderly, female-headed households, and blue-collar workers can no longer afford to live in newly developed spaces ((Schill & Nathan (1983), Atkinson, (2000)).
The world is changing at this very moment, as it has been for thousands of years. Life today is not the same as it was yesterday, nor will it be identical to tomorrow. Lives are changing, but this change does not affect merely the lives of individuals. Society as a whole is constantly undergoing modifications and other changes, both beneficially and unfavorably. People do not always readily accept this change. For ages, writers and great philosophers have been trying to discover the reasons that society makes an effort to resist this change, which comes through innovators and their new ideas. One piece of literature that attempts to solve the issue of societies resisting change is the essay “Individual Liberty and Public Control” by Bertrand Russell. He makes several points as to why societies resist change. Russell narrows the points down to three main reasons, being an “instinct of conventionality”, “feeling of insecurity”, and “vested interests” (Russell 1). These reasons can be applied to other works of literature, such as William Shakespeare’s drama The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, in which people resist changes and the opinions of various innovators. While it is true that the characters and events of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar manifest Russell’s reasons why society resists change, the underlying motive for each of these reasons in the Julius Caesar is the human nature’s selfish ambition and desire for personal gain.
The book asks two questions; first, why the changes that have taken place on the sidewalk over the past 40 years have occurred? Focusing on the concentration of poverty in some areas, people movement from one place to the other and how the people working/or living on Sixth Avenue come from such neighborhoods. Second, How the sidewalk life works today? By looking at the mainly poor black men, who work as book and magazine vendors, and/or live on the sidewalk of an upper-middle-class neighborhood. The book follows the lives of several men who work as book and magazine vendors in Greenwich Village during the 1990s, where mos...
To appreciate a row house neighborhood, one must first look at the plan as a whole before looking at the individual blocks and houses. The city’s goal to build a neighborhood that can be seen as a singular unit is made clear in plan, at both a larger scale (the entire urban plan) and a smaller scale (the scheme of the individual houses). Around 1850, the city began to carve out blocks and streets, with the idea of orienting them around squares and small residential parks. This Victorian style plan organized rectangular blocks around rounded gardens and squares that separated the row houses from major streets. The emphasis on public spaces and gardens to provide relief from the ene...
...e. People will have to learn to accept change, even if they are skeptical of it. Change, as Oakeshott argues, is inevitable, and is something that everyone will have to learn to accept. However, the conservative prefers these changes to happen slowly and gradually so that he can examine their costs and benefits. Conservatives know that changes bring forth disruptions, but if such changes are necessary to solve an existing problem, then they will be willing to accept it. To them, changes that are simply for the sake of change, especially when the current life is satisfactory, is meaningless. They do not believe in the possibility of an utopia, and do not seek for it. Indeed, I have learned to be content with my situation. While I do have a goal that I work towards, I try to use the present as an advantage, rather than trying to change the present to achieve my goal.
...ny one individual. You might ask three people what their personal definition of change is and receive three different answers. Some people offer very little resistance to change, they consider it the spice of life; it prevents stagnancy and maintains excitement through diversity. Some people view change like the U.S. viewed Russia during the cold war, as an inevitable threat that we must constantly monitor and prepare for. Other people react to change like an ostrich reacts to danger. They just stick their head in a hole and pretend it doesn't exist. Change is constantly happening all the time to everyone in someway or another. Whether or not change is accepted does not alter the fact that it exists however the way you accept change can alter the way you exist.
The Oriental institute Museum is part of the university of chicago, a research facility Opposed to a teaching facility such as Wright college, the university is located in one of the most upcoming areas, also given one of many best chicago neighborhood development awards. This would explain why Hyde Park was a back drop for the presidential election bringing forth one of the most loved and revered presidents, President Barack Obama. Prior to my mandatory trip to this side of chicago I was unaware of such a neighborhood existing on the south side. I've always stayed away from that side of the city due to a cultural bias, uninformed decision influenced throughout the knowledge attained from mass media. ( i.e. the news) Thankfully due to this mandatory visit to the museum I am now aware of a neighborhood I can safely travel to and utilize for its wealth of historical museums and information.
Change is a word that I have constantly heard throughout my high school years. It is a transformation through which everyone goes whether it's for the better or for the worse. For me the meaning and value of change has helped me to focus on the goals I have to accomplish. For others, it is simply just a phase we go through. All of us here have been able to learn and develop from our changes to be come a better and successful person.
Why is it that people are so against the idea of change? Change isn’t scary or frightful. For those people who are scared of change, are the ones who make unfair laws and rules that people who are different have to follow. Like African-Americans, who had far few rights then they do today.
One of the hardest things to do in life is to realize that something needs to be changed and to complete the change. It is difficult to understand sometimes, that there is need for change; many people will not even know that they are wrong and need changing or be against change completely. But it is important to continuously create change and understand why change is important. There are three reasons that I believe would cause someone to struggle to create change: The environment around the person changes, they become more educated, and they can no longer suffer in their position.