A highly anticipated linear park project in Philadelphia will open this year. Planners and activists have been working in anticipation of increased pressure on the local housing market.
Mark Dent reports on the ongoing effort in Philadelphia to insulate neighborhoods along the planned route of the Rail Park from the forces of gentrification. With Phase I of the park planned to open in the spring, planners and neighborhood activists are wary of comparisons of the project to New York's Nigh Line—and rents are already rising.
The article introduces the dynamics at work in the Chinatown neighborhood that will be home to the highly anticipated new Rail Park, the plan for the park, and the people and organizations working to create new affordable housing to stem the tide of rising rents in the area. Dent also raises a comparison to the 11th Street Bridge project in Washington, D.C., which has set similar goals for preserving housing affordability in the neighborhoods connected to that project.
FULL STORY: LESSONS FROM THE HIGH LINE
Equitable Development Plan Aims To Protect Philly's Chinatown
As the historic neighborhood experiences increased redevelopment around the new Rail Park, community activists are working to ensure older residents and businesses aren't displaced in the process.
Philadelphia's Chinatown Stays Resilient Against Displacement
With the construction of a new community center and housing, Philadelphia's Chinatown sees a more secure future for the historic neighborhood
Philadelphia Gentrification: A Historical Perspective
Gentrified in the 1960s during the height of urban renewal, Society Hill is a historical precedent as Philadelphia confronts present-day gentrification.
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25,% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
North Texas Transit Leaders Tout Benefits of TOD for Growing Region
At a summit focused on transit-oriented development, policymakers discussed how North Texas’ expanded light rail system can serve as a tool for economic growth.
Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.
Santa Barbara Could Build Housing on County Land
County supervisors moved forward a proposal to build workforce housing on two county-owned parcels.
San Mateo Formally Opposes Freeway Project
The city council will send a letter to Caltrans urging the agency to reconsider a plan to expand the 101 through the city of San Mateo.
A Bronx Community Fights to Have its Voice Heard
After organizing and giving input for decades, the community around the Kingsbridge Armory might actually see it redeveloped — and they want to continue to have a say in how it goes.
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