Gentrification - Greater Greater Washington

Plant a tree

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 08:28:00 EDT

DC and the region has many more trees on the west side of the city than the east. But not all residents of tree-sparser neighborhoods are eager for green; some fear they would attract crime or drive gentrification. (Or both?) (Post)

Comment

On the calendar: White Flint happy hour, Dupont buses, Potomac Ave, Bethesda sidewalk, gentrification and more

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 11:59:00 EDT

by David Alpert

What are you doing this week? If you care about the future of the White Flint area, there's a happy hour Tuesday. If you care about gentrification in DC, you might enjoy a panel discussion in Anacostia Thursday.

Photo by dan reed! on Flickr.

If you care about bus service on 16th Street, sidewalks from Friendship Heights to Bethesda, or pedestrian and bike safety around Potomac Avenue Metro, there are local community meetings on important transportation projects tonight and Thursday. And take a tour of Frederick Douglass's Anacostia with John Muller Saturday.

Here are some highlights from the Greater Greater Washington calendar:

16th Street buses in Dupont: WMATA bus planner Jim Hamre will meet with residents about the performance of the S line, where many riders have to endure long waits during rush hour. That's not because the buses take a long time to come, but rather, full bus after full bus pass them by on this extremely popular line.

New Dupont ANC commissioner Kishan Putta organized the meeting, tonight (Monday), 7:30 pm at the JCC, 16th and Q (enter on Q Street). Residents are free to bring up concerns about other bus lines as well.

Sidewalk on Wisconsin Ave. in Bethesda: Maryland SHA wants to build a 6-foot sidewalk on the east side of Wisconsin Avenue between Friendship Heights and Bethesda. The Little Falls Watershed Alliance is opposing the sidewalk because it will require cutting down trees, but WABA wants to ensure there's a safe route for pedestrians and cyclists on this road.

There's a public meeting tonight (Monday), 7:30-9 pm at Somerset Town Hall, 4510 Cumberland Avenue, Chevy Chase, where SHA will present plans and hear from residents.

Friends of White Flint happy hour: On Tuesday, Friends of White Flint and the Coalition for Smarter Growth are having a happy hour to talk about how to make the suburbs "hip," or much more than "hip."

The happy hour starts at 5:30pm at Seasons 52, 11414 Rockville Pike, a short walk from the White Flint Metro station. Councilmembers Hans Riemer and Roger Berliner will be there; RSVP here.

Image from DDOT.

Potomac Ave "circle": DDOT has been studying ways to improve the intersection of Pennsylvania and Potomac Avenues, at the Potomac Avenue Metro. A previous study recommended a sort of square with 5-lane roadways around the edge; at this meeting, DDOT will present its new ideas, which it hasn't yet released, and hear from residents.

The meeting is Thursday, January 31, 6:30-8:30pm at Payne Elementary, 1445 C Street, SE.

Does redevelopment mean gentrification? River East Emerging Leaders (r.e.e.l.) is convening a panel discussion on the positive and negative effects of redevelopment, and lessons learned for the future.

The panel will include NBC's Tom Sherwood, planning head Harriet Tregoning, Clinton Yates of the Washington Post, and a number of other community and city leaders. It's Thursday, January 31, 7 pm at the DHCD Community Room, 1800 Martin Luther King Avenue, SE in Anacostia. RSVP at info@reeldc.org.

Frederick Douglass's Anacostia: Greater Greater Washington contributor John Muller, who recently wrote a book about Frederick Douglass and his years in Anacostia, is giving a tour Saturday of the places Douglass frequented, including majestic views of the Capitol, and historical explanations of Douglass's life. The tour runs from 1-2:30 pm and costs $30.

MoveDC Idea Exchange: And don't forget, Saturday, February 9th is the big "Idea Exchange" for DDOT's moveDC citywide transportation plan. You can stop by the MLK Library for fun and even family-friendly interactive transportation booths anytime from 9:30-3.

An organized program begins at 10:30, including a panel discussion at 11 featuring PolicyLink's Anita Hairston, author Chris Leinberger, and Slate blogger Matthew Yglesias.

Have an event for the calendar? Post it in the comments or email it to events@ggwash.org.

4 comments

On the calendar: Happy hour tonight on H Street, plus Alexandria tour, open data, BRAC, Connecticut Ave (Jul 14, 2010)
On the calendar: Party, performance parking, public plazas, and park pathways (Dec 4, 2009)
On the calendar: Lincoln Park CaBi tonight, tons Wednesday (Oct 18, 2010)
On the calendar: Speak up for Hine, Montgomery BRT; learn about Prince George's medical center, Arlington CaBi (Jul 11, 2012)
On the calendar: Biking west, retail/zoning north, buses east (Mar 2, 2011)

Black gentrification vs. white

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 08:37:00 EDT

by David Alpert

In one gentrifying Chicago neighborhood, the gentrifiers are black, not white. That's meant more neighborhood enthusiasm for the demographic changes, but also, the press hasn't depicted that neighborhood's changes like they have in other, racially-evolving neighborhoods. (Atlantic Cities)

Comment

Amid change, affordable housing revitalizes parts of Ward 5

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 14:43:00 EDT

by Elizabeth Falcon

As development along Rhode Island Avenue and New York Avenue take shape over the next few years, much of DC's Ward 5 will see major changes. But can these changes draw new residents without displacing existing ones? A key element will be to preserve and expand the availability of affordable housing.

In recent weeks there have been new stories about development along Rhode Island Avenue, the warehouses by Union Market, and of course, Joe Biden's trip to Costco.

Last week, the Housing For All Campaign hosted a town hall meeting on housing in Ward 5. The meeting focused on how to keep existing residents and draw new ones as the housing landscape changes dramatically.

Fortunately, many organizations have had success developing affordable housing in Ward 5. One of the smallest is Open Arms Housing, which provides permanent housing and wrap-around services to 11 chronically homeless and mentally ill women.

Marilyn Kresky-Wolff is the Director of Open Arms, and she spoke at the Housing Town Hall about the success her program has had in the lives of these women: none of their residents have returned to homelessness. Two of the residents spoke about getting back on their feet and rebuilding their lives.

Open Arms Housing, like many other projects in Ward 5, have succeeded by paying attention to the needs of the community they serve. This was particularly important when they rehabilitated the 258 units at Edgewood Terrace VI, an extensive complex just across Rhode Island Avenue on 4th Street NE.

In the early 1990s, Edgewood Terrace served as one of the largest drug markets in Washington. Today it is a mixed income apartment community with on site services for residents including adult education, computer training, and day care programs for children. The key ingredient in the outstanding change was the commitment of the developers, Community Preservation and Development Corporation, to tenant engagement in every step of the revitalization process.

In 1995, when the Community Preservation and Development Corporation (CPDC) bought the first section of Edgewood Terrace from HUD, CPDC immediately sat down with tenant association leaders. The relationship between CPDC and the tenants resulted in renovated apartments, as well as common areas for youth programs, job training, computer classes, and community events.

With more people drawn to public spaces and a partnership between CPDC, the tenants, and the Metropolitan Police Department they were able to break up the drug trade. Residents who had once been afraid to venture outside after dark now had reclaimed their community.

Affordable housing developers continue to find solutions to meet the diverse housing needs of the community. Ward 5 residents can look forward to the opening of Metropolitan Overlook, a mixed income condominium on 2nd Street NE, just blocks off of Rhode Island Ave. Rehabbing a property that has sat vacant for 20 years, Metropolitan Overlook will be a 37-unit condominium with 11 permanently affordable units.

Ward 5 will continue to benefit from the investments in affordable housing that build vibrant spaces for current and future District residents.

6 comments

Tenant purchase preserves affordable housing in DC (Jul 14, 2011)
Protect DC's Housing Production Trust Fund (Apr 17, 2012)
To remain affordable, Alexandria must get creative (Mar 21, 2012)
Wheeler Terrace: a step in the right direction in River East (Jan 23, 2009)
DC public land must yield affordable housing, says report (Oct 12, 2012)

As DC neighborhoods change, carry outs hold on

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 15:14:00 EDT

by Jeremy Barr

Carry out restaurants have been part of the fabric of Washington for decades, prized for their low prices, speed and long hours. With menus that run on for pages and pages, many break norms, serving Chinese food, fried seafood and sandwiches under one roof.

The Carry Out Deli on 14th Street NW. All photos by the author.

And although development has brought in new restaurants and businesses along the U Street corridor, on 14th Street Northwest, and in Logan Circle, carry outs are holding on. Of the those listed on the popular user review site Yelp, at least 24 carry outs are still operating in Northwest.

"We've been here since 1968. I don't plan to go anywhere," said Henrietta Smith, who owns Henry's Soul Cafe on U Street.

Named for Smith's father, Henry Smith, the restaurant is famous for its stick-to-your-bones comfort food and sweet potato pie, which was profiled by The Washington Post in 2007. "Mr. Henry can't cook, so he had to have other people cook," Smith said. Her brothers own the store's 2 other locations, at the intersection of 4th and K Streets NW and in Oxon Hill, MD.

While she said that the new restaurants are competition for her business, Smith sees the changes on U Street as a good thing. "The neighborhood is more diverse now," Smith said. "You're dealing with all walks of life." She has been able to rely on a steady flow of regulars, who come to 17th and U from all over the DC area for her smothered pork chops, fried chicken and ribs. "You don't forget where home is," she said.

One of those customers is Darren Snell, 47. Snell has been coming to Henry's for 21 years, and said that not much has changed. "The meatloaf still tastes the same today as it did back then," he said.

Smith said that gentrification has made the area more diverse, which bodes well for Henry's prospects going forward. "The regulars are still coming and the newcomers are coming too," he said. "[Henry's] isn't going anywhere."

In Logan Circle, Chong Hu, 58, has no plans to close her business, The Carry Out Deli. Like Smith, Hu said that loyal customers have helped her stay afloat for the last 27 years.

Lily Pilgrim eats breakfast at The Carry Out Deli in November 2012. Photo by the author.

Lily Pilgrim, 84, lives two blocks away from the Deli and stops by 2-3 times per week. "[It's] much better and cheaper than any other restaurant on P Street," she said.

Pilgrim is bullish on the Deli's chances of staying open. "[Hu] has the same customers over the years. They go out of their way to come here. It should be here for a long, long time," she said.

Hu sees both the pros and cons of development. As office buildings on 14th were replaced by condos in the last few years, the lunch crowd has died down dramatically, cutting into her profits. "My business is real slow," Hu said. "Now everyone goes to coffee shop."

But, on the positive side, there are "no more drunk people," Hu said. In the 1980s, "every day I called the police," she said. For her part, Pilgrim, who has lived in the area for 30 years, said that she used to avoid walking down 14th Street because it was too dangerous.

Brendon Miller, public affairs director for the city's department of small and local business development, said that new development does not automatically result in an outward flow of small businesses. "You've got small businesses that come in and you've got small businesses that depart. It's cyclical," he said.

And some small businesses, like Henry's and the Carry Out Deli, have reached "institution status," which helps them stay open in a changing landscape. "The business owners take the time to identify with the folks coming through the door, and to sort of cultivate repeat customers," he said. "It's got to attract people from the neighborhood."

The former Yum's Carry Out on 14th Street NW.

A few carry outs have left the area for various reasons. Yum's, which used to sit at the intersection of 14th and Wallach streets NW, was recently demolished to make way for an upscale apartment building. It will reopen soon in Pleasant Plains, a neighborhood east of Columbia Heights. And the Mid City Deli, which neighbors The Carry Out Deli, closed its doors in June 2012.

City health inspectors have played a role in shutting down some carry outs, at least temporarily. Before becoming a hole in the ground, Yum's was cited for two health hazards and closed for a day. And in April, the Mid City Deli was closed twice for a variety of health hazards.

China Dragon Carry Out, which sits at the intersection of 11th and P Streets NW, was recently closed "for gross unsanitary conditions, operating without a license, [having] an improperly trained manager and failure to minimize insects."

Alicia Davis-Coates, 39, said that she looks for information about health inspection-related closings in the newspaper when deciding where to eat. Her carry out-of-choice is Yum's II on 14th Street. A resident of Fort Totten, Davis-Coates said that Yum's II is worth the drive.

"The food is fresher. You can actually see them make it," she said on a recent Friday night, take out bag in hand. "And they've never been shut down."

40 comments

Hungry in NoMa after 7 pm? Your choices are lean (Apr 28, 2011)
Balancing 17th Street's retail: a moratorium, parking policy, or something else? (Feb 3, 2009)
A moratorium will stifle new restaurants and lower service (May 3, 2012)
Food trucks enhance brick-and-mortar restaurants (Mar 16, 2011)
DC moving with record speed to change 14th and U restaurant limits, accepts resident recommendations (Apr 16, 2010)

There was history before you

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 08:38:00 EDT

by David Alpert

Some (usually white) newcomers to DC don't consider the history of neighborhoods before they arrived, but (usually black) "native Washingtonians" also forget the history of neighborhoods even farther back in time. (Post)

Comment

Gentrification east of the river, pt. 3: Role of the community (Nov 11, 2010)
Gentrification east of the river, pt. 2: Economic development (Nov 9, 2010)
Home of the 'father of black history' should be restored (Aug 4, 2011)
Dream City panel tonight (Oct 17, 2011)

"Neighborhoods are like children. They need attention differently."

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 12:58:00 EDT

by John Muller

"Gentrification is a word urbanists and people in this area banter about," said former Mayor Anthony Williams at a panel discussion last night, "but neighborhoods are like children. They need attention differently."

11th & U Streets. Photo by the author.

No one size fits all. Williams said residents in Upper Northwest "just want services and not development." Meanwhile across the Anacostia River, the demand is for "critical government attention," like the big projects in the works at Saint Elizabeths and Skyland, or the recently-opened early childhood development center Educare in Parkside.

The DC Humanities Council organized the panel, which Washington City Paper editor Mike Madden moderated. Washington Post business reporter Jonathan O'Connell and Historic Preservation Review Board members Maria Casarella and Rauzia Ally joined Williams to discuss the role of public policy and economic development.

Is there a "Plan" to displace residents?

In 2003, when Williams was mayor, he set a goal of attracting 100,000 new residents over the following decade. A recent survey now shows the District is gaining people at a rate of a thousand a month.

Some in the audience expressed suspicions that this is part of a devious and covert plan to drive members of old Washington communities out of the city. Williams disputed the concept. "The notion that there is a plan may sound good, but it's crazy," he said, and noted that as mayor, he supported programs like the Housing Production Trust Fund to preserve affordable housing.

Offering a reality check of sorts for skeptics, O'Connell added, "Marion Barry is glad to sit down with developers." During Barry's mayoralty, "investments were made that were part of 'the plan'" such as building the Verizon Center downtown and the Reeves Center at 14th & U Streets in the mid-1980s.

"The value of real estate has more of an impact than policy," said O'Connell. "Apartments are being built on 14th Street not because of policy but because it is the best place to build apartments in the country." Williams consented that "the market moves faster than the city." From bike lanes to new neighborhood branch libraries, panelists and audience members agreed that public policy decisions and capital investments made years ago guide current trends.

Neighborhoods need to be involved in shaping growth

Neighborhood revitalization is at its best when residents can work with government to regenerate from within, argued Casarella. She cited the successful restoration of homes in historic Anacostia through the Office of Planning's Historic Homeowner Grant Program as an ideal example of a working partnership between the city and neighborhood residents to direct change instead of just reacting to it.

Commercial and residential development in designated historic neighborhoods passes through Advisory Neighborhood Commissions, which receive "great weight" at the final level of agency review, said Caserella. "You are the most important planner."

"When was the last time that ever mattered?" an audience member called out. "I have to dismiss your cynicism," Casarella said, reflecting the overall belief of the panel that Washington's active neighborhood level associations influence both planning and economic development.

Ribbon cutting for Old Market Square in Historic Anacostia, fall 2011. Photo by the author.

Panelists discussed how parks can be an irreplaceable public good for a neighborhood when an audience member asked the panel to predict the future of development "east of the river which is 15 years behind what has happened on U Street."

"It is very hard to add green space later," O'Connell said, alluding to ongoing development in NoMA where "they missed planning a park." With development projects either in the early stages or waiting to break ground throughout Wards 7 and 8, O'Connell cautioned residents to remain vigilant in maintaining their natural recreation space. "Poplar Point is 110 acres and 70 acres is set aside to be a park. I would be careful to make sure the 70 acres stays," as the project slowly moves toward development.

Whereas previous conversations in the Humanities Council series have been emotionally charged, the evening's conversation featured a more reasoned tone, with mature and insightful analysis. Most people were able to agree on at least a few things: as the city grows in population, neighborhoods will respond differently, but the best response is when residents engage constructively in the process. That gives residents both a sense of ownership over their neighborhood, and a voice in decisions that guide local development.

9 comments

"That's an old movie": Mayor Williams defends changing city (Sep 25, 2012)
In the real world: Zoning update hearing, citizen planners, Dupont/Logan bike safety, parking, and gentrification (Sep 26, 2012)
Is Barry Farm going Dutch? (Nov 18, 2011)
For Ward 8 Council: Jacque Patterson (Mar 22, 2012)
New McMillan plan blends growth and preservation (May 7, 2012)

In the real world: Zoning update hearing, citizen planners, Dupont/Logan bike safety, parking, and gentrification

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 14:20:00 EDT

by David Alpert

Now that the summer is over, DC agencies and legislators are kicking it into gear, and there are a lot of important events coming up.

Photo by vbecker on Flickr.

Council Chairman Phil Mendelson is holding a hearing on the zoning update, and the Office of Planning has a forum about citizens can engage in planning. There's a meeting on Dupont and Logan bike safety, a star-studded panel on gentrification, and two parking think tanks, and more.

Tomorrow, the Dupont and Logan ANCs are having a meeting "for residents, business owners, and organizations to discuss bicycle safety issues in the community," including new infrastructure, laws like those against sidewalk cycling, and any ideas residents have. It's in the ballroom of the Chastleton, 16th and R, from 7-9.

Also tomorrow is a Humanitini panel on gentrification. Washington City Paper editor Mike Madden is moderating the panel, which includes Rauzia Ally and Maria Casarella, two architects who serve on the Historic Preservation Review Board; Jonathan O'Connell of the Washington Business Journal; and former Mayor "that's an old movie" Tony Williams. Sign up to attend here.

Next week are 2 of DDOT's Parking Think Tanks, Wednesday evening 10/3 at the West End Library (large conference room) and Thursday 10/4 at Wilson High School (cafeteria). Both are 6:30-8:30. If you can't make one of them, don't forget to fill out the online survey, which asks about both car and bicycle parking issues.

Also next Thursday, October 4, the Office of Planning is having a Citizen Planner Forum to talk about how planning projects can engage more residents. They held 4 focus groups with residents about ways planning processes can work better, and will talk about the results, new tools to involve the public and more. The event is 6:30 to 8 at the District Architecture Center, 421 7th Street, NW.

Finally, there's a pretty important hearing for those of you who can make a 1 pm DC Council hearing on a Friday. Zoning update opponents convinced former Chairman Kwame Brown to hold an oversight hearing on the zoning update, even though the topic already came up during the annual oversight hearings for the Office of Planning each of the last 4 years. Phil Mendelson kept it on the agenda when he became chairman. It was originally supposed to be today, but since it's Yom Kippur, they moved it to Friday, October 5.

Zoning update head opponent Linda Schmitt sent a predictably provocational and misinforming email, claiming that a process over 4 years with hundreds of community meetings (and more to come) is about "high-handed decisions by city officials ... who make every effort to play "hide the ball," deflecting questions, maligning civic advice and avoiding
stating their intentions." To sign up to testify, email cgordon@dccouncil.us with your name, address, and phone number.

5 comments

Mendelson wades into the zoning update with Sept. hearing (Aug 22, 2012)
Old zoning forces unneeded parking on Dupont building (Sep 7, 2011)
Parking zoning hearing: round one to us (Aug 1, 2008)
Push for better parking zoning, development, streetcars, retail and buses in DC and Arlington next week (Nov 12, 2010)
Zoning Commission delays parking discussion (Sep 8, 2008)

Is Union Market gentrification?

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 08:14:00 EDT

by David Alpert

The new Union Market "feels more like a Crate and Barrel" than the old market, and attracts more out-of-towners. Is it another gentrification beachhead? Programs like nutrition education could help avoid this. (Post)

Comment

Gentrification east of the river, pt. 2: Economic development (Nov 9, 2010)
Gentrification a matter of economics, not ethnicity (Jun 28, 2011)
GGW discusses: Displacement versus gentrification (Feb 17, 2011)
Let's explore gentrification together with Clybourne Park (Jun 23, 2011)
Gentrification east of the river, pt. 1: Organic and inorganic (Nov 8, 2010)

The gentrification invasion

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 08:14:00 EDT

by David Alpert

A panel on gentrification stirred up some finger-pointing, as someone told Dan Silverman Petworth isn't his and another said U Street "feels like it's been invaded." And which side is Busboys and Poets on? (City Desk)

Comment

What about the local businesses? (Mar 15, 2008)
Let's explore gentrification together with Clybourne Park (Jun 23, 2011)
Gentrification east of the river, pt. 2: Economic development (Nov 9, 2010)
Gentrification a matter of economics, not ethnicity (Jun 28, 2011)
Busboys & Poets not coming to Anacostia quite yet (Sep 14, 2012)

Europe's segregated cities

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 08:15:00 EDT

by Thaddeus Bell

Many European cities, with more recent urban wealth than their American counterparts, grapple with near-complete gentrification. The urban poor getting pushed to peripheries raises concern about ghettoization. (NYT)

Comment

Cities are more than just poverty (Dec 19, 2007)
Let's explore gentrification together with Clybourne Park (Jun 23, 2011)
Live chat: Anthony Flint, Wrestling with Moses, tomorrow at 1 (Sep 9, 2009)

The long road to change

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 11:16:00 EDT

by Steven Yates

While some decry displacement caused by gentrification, the history of U Street's transformation into a multi-ethnic neighborhood is more complicated than that. (Atlantic)

Comment

Sotomayor picks U Street

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 08:12:00 EDT

by Thaddeus Bell

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor has recently purchased a condo along U Street. The arrival of such an established figure shows how much the neighborhood has changed in recent years. (Washington Business Journal)

Comment

Sotomayor's eminent domain stance: What does it mean for cities? (May 29, 2009)
What's wrong with 17th Street? The northern end (Jul 29, 2008)
Lost Washington: Stoneleigh Court Apartments (Jun 18, 2009)
Then and Now: The Kenesaw (Feb 26, 2010)
DDOT proposing K Street "Feet in the Street" (Apr 5, 2010)

Walk a mile in a neighbor's shoes

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 08:43:00 EDT

by David Alpert

Few things better capture the tensions of gentrification than a pair of "letters" at Prince of Petworth spoof site Titan of Trinidad.

Comment

Am I condemned to gentrify?

Sat, 16 Jun 2012 10:21:00 EDT

by Thaddeus Bell

A New York City native examines the complexity of gentrification in an age of downward social mobility and a return to the urban core. If she were not to be a gentrifier in Harlem, where would she live? (Atlantic Cities)

Comment

Another side of Capitol Quarter (Jan 25, 2008)
Is Red Hook de-gentrifying? (Nov 14, 2007)
Principled development (Nov 21, 2005)
Cities are more than just poverty (Dec 19, 2007)
Gentrification a matter of economics, not ethnicity (Jun 28, 2011)

Fish not in the 'hood

Wed, 30 May 2012 08:38:00 EDT

by Thaddeus Bell

The Fish in the Hood restaurant in Park View has changed its name to Fish in the Neighborhood, reflecting the changing demographics along Georgia Avenue. (Post)

Comment

Next stop, Georgia Ave-Petworth-Park View? (Apr 29, 2010)
Imagine an infill station at Lamond-Riggs (Feb 24, 2010)
Middle Georgia Avenue getting "Great Streets" treatment (Jun 9, 2010)
More bike lanes in Petworth (Jun 13, 2008)
Amateur baseball in DC: The Suburban League, 1908-1914 (Apr 9, 2010)

Yuppified Union Market

Fri, 25 May 2012 08:23:00 EDT

by David Edmondson

Grungy Florida Market could soon be a thing of the past. A new list of vendors for the new Union Market include uptown staples like gelato and artisanal soda. (Washingtonian)

Comment

Gateway Market plans inward-facing retail (Jun 9, 2008)
Gateway Market: "Chicago-projects quality" (Jul 31, 2008)
DC United eyeing Buzzard Point, Florida Market (Jan 19, 2011)
Then and Now: The O Street Market (Jun 24, 2009)
WalkingTown tomorrow (Sep 19, 2008)

Whole change

Mon, 07 May 2012 08:34:00 EDT

by Steven Yates

A Whole Foods opening up in a neighborhood often means gentrification is not far behind. One reason is that later hours of a Whole Foods keeps activity in a neighborhood longer, attracting other retails to the area. (Salon)

Comment

Is Red Hook de-gentrifying? (Nov 14, 2007)

14th goes grit to glam

Fri, 04 May 2012 08:23:00 EDT

by David Edmondson

Development is booming along 14th Street NW. Though it's a sign of the District's strong economy, high rents and land prices means much of the strip's gritty character will disappear in favor of upscale retail. (NYT)

Comment

Is "the rent too damn high" for some DC businesses? (Sep 30, 2011)
14th and T heading toward big-box furniture (Oct 25, 2008)
What's wrong with 17th Street? (Apr 10, 2008)
ARTS report balances bars and arts, requirements and bonuses (Sep 9, 2009)
Overlays, design standards, and zoning for neighborhood retail (Nov 14, 2008)

Anacostia fears tsunami

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 08:59:00 EDT

by David Edmondson

The wake of Lumen8Anacostia and Cherry Blast have left questions and concerns in Anacostian minds. Could the neighborhood control a wave of gentrification if it comes to Anacostia's shore? (City Paper)

Comment

GGW discusses: Displacement versus gentrification (Feb 17, 2011)
GGW discusses: The focus on Anacostia (Feb 21, 2011)
Let's explore gentrification together with Clybourne Park (Jun 23, 2011)
Gentrification east of the river, pt. 2: Economic development (Nov 9, 2010)
Gentrification needn't displace if we do more than shrug (Oct 21, 2010)

Existential transformations

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 08:30:00 EDT

by David Edmondson

The major changes along the H Street Corridor are causing residents and business owners to ponder race, culture, and what it means to be a neighbor when you're new to a place, and what it means to be one when you've never lived anywhere else. (Frozen Tropics)

Comment

Gateway Market plans inward-facing retail (Jun 9, 2008)
Cooling the starburst: Engineering underway for new plaza at Benning and Bladensburg (Jul 21, 2009)
Streetcar passes markup, but under consideration for cuts (Dec 3, 2010)
Irving Street becomes unofficial dog latrine (Jan 28, 2011)
Politics are local. With ANCs, very local. (Oct 19, 2010)

And...

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 08:42:00 EDT

by Steven Yates

Affordable housing often looks boring but doesn't have to. (City Paper) ... Maryland studies possibly stealing DC United from DC. (DCist) ... Are hardware stores a sign of gentrification? (City Paper) ... Metro installs 70 new bicycle racks. (PlanItMetro)

Comment

"Rack Attack" hits Near Southeast with new bike parking (Oct 1, 2011)
East Falls Church needs more bike racks (Oct 28, 2010)
After price increase, bike locker usage plummets (Aug 5, 2011)
Metro proposes quintupling bicycle access mode share (Dec 6, 2010)
Metro trying new technology, communication with parking (Jan 24, 2011)

Gentrification is complicated

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 08:56:00 EDT

by David Alpert

Some longtime black residents of H Street are happy to see the neighborhood adding white people as well. Maybe gentrification isn't the simple sound bite we're used to. (Post)

Comment

Gentrification east of the river, pt. 2: Economic development (Nov 9, 2010)
GGW discusses: Displacement versus gentrification (Feb 17, 2011)
Gentrification a matter of economics, not ethnicity (Jun 28, 2011)
Gentrification east of the river, pt. 1: Organic and inorganic (Nov 8, 2010)
Let's explore gentrification together with Clybourne Park (Jun 23, 2011)

Concerns up the pike

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 08:14:00 EDT

by David Edmondson

Columbia Pike residents are concerned proposed development along the corridor will simply gentrify it, pushing out low-income families and destroying affordable housing. (Post)

Comment

Columbia Pike streetcar is a bargain versus new highways (Dec 14, 2011)
Do Arlington candidates only like smart growth in theory? (Jan 9, 2012)
Skip the housing, get the affordable housing tax credit? (Jan 12, 2009)
Arlington plans bike boulevards near Columbia Pike (Jun 22, 2011)
Arlington candidates discuss streetcars and Crystal City (Jan 10, 2012)

Put gentrifiers, not football players, at Res. 13

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 14:37:00 EDT

by David Alpert

Besides the policy advantages of mixed-use over a Redskins practice facility at Reservation 13, it's better on gentrification, by creating places to live that don't involve displacing anyone. (City Paper)

Comment

Gray administration holding up Reservation 13 for Redskins (Feb 16, 2012)
DC is better off without Redskins stadium or practice fields (Nov 4, 2011)
Gentrification east of the river, pt. 1: Organic and inorganic (Nov 8, 2010)
Another side of Capitol Quarter (Jan 25, 2008)
GGW discusses: Displacement versus gentrification (Feb 17, 2011)

Where the poor live

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:54:00 EDT

by Steven Yates

Over 20 years, poor African-Americans remained concentrated in a few neighborhoods east of the Anacostia River, while poor whites and Hispanics were more dispersed and moved as neighborhoods changed. (MetroTrends)

Comment

GGW discusses: Displacement versus gentrification (Feb 17, 2011)
GGW discusses: The focus on Anacostia (Feb 21, 2011)
Gentrification east of the river, pt. 2: Economic development (Nov 9, 2010)
Community revitalization must start with persisently poor neighborhoods (Aug 10, 2009)
Another side of Capitol Quarter (Jan 25, 2008)

What to call gentrification by non-whites

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:02:00 EDT

by David Edmondson

Gentrification is largely class-based, but are the outcomes the same when gentrifiers aren't white? (DCentric)

Comment

GGW discusses: Displacement versus gentrification (Feb 17, 2011)
Gentrification east of the river, pt. 2: Economic development (Nov 9, 2010)
Gentrification a matter of economics, not ethnicity (Jun 28, 2011)
Gentrification needn't displace if we do more than shrug (Oct 21, 2010)
Gentrification east of the river, pt. 1: Organic and inorganic (Nov 8, 2010)

Gentrifiers get gentrified out

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 08:34:00 EDT

by Steven Yates

Love Cafe on U Street ~~and the H Street Playhouse~~ ~~are both~~ is closing due to high rents, and the H Street Playhouse has to move. The businesses opened in 2003 and 2002 respectively as part of a first wave of new businesses for those areas. (WAMU, City Paper)

Comment

Forty years (Apr 4, 2008)
H Street works to balance old and new development (Oct 5, 2011)
Is "the rent too damn high" for some DC businesses? (Sep 30, 2011)
Graham "intrigued" by RPP improvement ideas (Nov 10, 2008)
The Blue Line and downtown jobs (Jun 5, 2008)

Not gentrification?

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 10:22:00 EDT

by Steven Yates

With many of the new comers to Anacostia being black is gentrification the right word? In LA, where Latinos are displacing other Latinos, they use the term "gentefication." (WAMU)

Comment

GGW discusses: Displacement versus gentrification (Feb 17, 2011)
Gentrification needn't displace if we do more than shrug (Oct 21, 2010)
Gentrification east of the river, pt. 1: Organic and inorganic (Nov 8, 2010)
Gentrification east of the river, pt. 2: Economic development (Nov 9, 2010)
Let's explore gentrification together with Clybourne Park (Jun 23, 2011)

How to keep Latino character amid growth?

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 09:15:00 EDT

by David Alpert

Wheaton will soon get a new Sector Plan accommodating mixed-use TOD around its Metro station, but some fear losing the traditional Latino businesses. (Post) ... That is already happening in Langley Park around the Purple Line. (WAMU)

Comment

Gentrification, or more diversity?

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 08:43:00 EDT

by David Alpert

Amidst all the angst about changing demographics within Greater Washington, one commentator sees "gentrification" as a good thing: a trend of increasing diversity that strengthens neighborhoods. (The City Journal)

Comment