The High Line is...a perfect example of “environmental gentrification” – the growing phenomenon of rising property values in the wake of a large-scale urban greening project... While intended to serve existing residents, in reality it tends to increase land values to the point that those who live there are forced to leave. This exodus in turn transforms the sociological contours of the area and, by extension, the spatial segregation of the entire city. — the Guardian
11 Comments
Can’t stand prosperity?
the article says middle class people are kicked out of their homes and forced to a different standard of living somewhere else and small business owners are forced out of their neighborhoods due to gentrification.
how on earth is such displacement considered "prosperity?"
Curt, just sounded to me that the idea is to stop it, based on what I took from it Central Park was a bad idea….the problem today is that there isn’t enough public money to even take care of our parks, let alone build them, just think we need to take it from wherever we can get them (privately funded/maintained parks) and accept the trade-offs….the failure, or what-needs-fixing is embracing the reality and include assistance/opportunities for relocation in the plans, if needed.
Just sounded like prosperity was a bad thing, when these parks are open to all to prosper from, not just in an economic sense.
the article includes cases where communities worked together to prevent this sort of 'investment,' because they knew gentrification would force them out.
it's clearly not a question of 'not enough money.' there is a lot of money, but a big part of the problem is that it's being hoarded by too few people, and it doesn't trickle down in a way that benefits very many people.
the high line illustrates this. it's not a cheap project, but it's not that hard to come up with nearly unlimited money when the project does what this project did, which is to essentially get rid of the people living there and attract wealthy people and services designed to cater to a different group of people.
the article provided a counter-example of a community in newtown creek, in brooklyn. instead of a touristy waterfront, they are advocating a reinvestment in the community that preserves the manufacturing base, but strives to attract more environmentally responsible businesses to reduce the detrimental environmental effects that messed up the area.
i don't know if you read the article, or just the headline, but it kind of seems like your idea of 'prosperity' hinges on hurting people in the middle class. i don't understand why you don't like people who work for a living. there's nothing wrong with that kind of life.
Curt, you’re reading me wrong & I probably read the article wrong.
Have a big park in my city with an unfinished segment that has been sitting unutilized for 40 years….a big corporation came in and bought property next to this segment and said to the city, move over, we’ll finish it for you, maintain it and everyone can use it….of course it helps their property value and will likely push surrounding rents up with it….however, people around here think it’s a good thing….agree that prosperity is imbalanced, but in the case of parks, it is “shared” to some degree.
one of these parks? brush park maybe?
http://archive.freep.com/article/20140821/OPINION05/308210050/gentrification-Detroit
i don't think the people who are losing their homes are happy about the new investment and the new development. you might be happy. you might even be involved in the development. some idiot trust baby is probably going to make a lot of money at the expense of the people being displaced right? lots to celebrate there, if you're an idiot trust fund baby?
i think where we're missing each other is that i'm more concerned with the people who live there rather than the people who want to make money off other people's suffering. the people around the development think it's a good thing, if you willfully ignore the people getting screwed.
Thanks for the article, best two phrases were…”The market may be a cruel mistress” and “It’s a very complicated issue”.
"Can’t stand prosperity?"
for some people, it's not that complicated.
how on earth is such displacement considered "prosperity?"
Prices are up.
When the only measure of value is money, nothing else matters.
@Carrera re: "we’ll finish it for you, maintain it and everyone can use it" sounds like a POPs to me...
^ Well, there is that fence:)
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.