Wow,
Let me wipe the dust off of this blog.
I was raised out of retirement today.
Last night I attended a discussion on the plan for the Theater
District in Worcester. I liked it so much I am even accepting the
Theater District as a name for the neighborhood. I think the main
reason I am accepting it is because the plan actually calls for a
second theater in the neighborhood besides the Hanover.
After the plan was presented the WBDC
and the consultants who drew up the master plan opened the floor up
to comments, questions, and critiques. Everything was mostly
positive. Good points were made, but there was one question that was
asked that is the very thing that made me take to the ol My Five
Senses again. Someone raised their hand and asked about the age old
dirty word, gentrification. This has been bugging me all day. See I
am not worried about it. As a matter off fact I usher it in with open
arms and give it a fruit cake and say, WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD
GENTRIFICATION! I AM GLAD YOU DECIDED TO MOVE IN!
I get it, no one should be priced out
of their own neighborhood. Does this neighborhood really have an
identity though? Is there a tight nit community here that will be
displaced? People who have worked hard to make this neighborhood
their own?
Worcester desperately needs an urban
neighborhood densely populated with market rate housing. DESPERATELY
This is not an exaggeration here. Every year we lose some of our best
and brightest to cities with neighborhoods where dope fiends aren't hangin out by the front doors nightly. Where people aren't
pissing in the streets, and were people for the most part, know how
to treat one another. And don't give me any of your bullshit. I lived
in Main South for almost ten years and I have lived in the “Theater
District” for about 5. I have friends that I made who lived in the
neighborhood from Detroit who say this is some of the worst they have
seen. There is nothing wrong with wanting to enjoy a good standard of
living. Nothing at all. All I want is one urban neighborhood with
majority market rate housing in this city. Really? That's too much to
ask? I hope this plan is successful and that it takes shape at least
somewhat close to how it was presented last night. That's all I got
for now. We'll see if I have some more soon. Hello blogosphere. It's
been a while.
