Eckington - DC's Next Ghetto (T St. and North Capitol) (rent, crime) - City-Data Forum

Econolodge-911 · 10-25-2011, 09:04 PM

Question for Eckington residents: What do you see as the prospect for DC's soon-to-be largest public housing project near the corner of T Street and North Captiol Street? Do you foresee "The Summit at St. Martin's" to be DC's next open-air drug market now that Sorsum Corda has been torn down?

While I'm saddened at what effect this will have on existing home prices in the area (especially given all the gains that part of Eckington has made in recent years), I can't see this coming out any other way than destroying the possibility of long-term gentrification for that area.

Thoughts?

HurricaneDC · 10-25-2011, 11:22 PM

They'll probably police the hell out of it, developers wouldn't take kindly to a spike in crime in an area that they've touted as up-and-coming.

Tiger Beer · 10-25-2011, 11:33 PM

Eckington has some gorgeous looking rowhomes....at least that I've seen through google maps...

jujulu · 10-26-2011, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

Eckington has some gorgeous looking rowhomes....at least that I've seen through google maps...

It just isn't safe, especially with that new housing projects. To be in one of those rowhomes, you need a Jodie-Foster style panic room, an intercom, floodlights, burglar bars and one of these if you ever need to leave the house:

South African Car Flamethrower - YouTube

brooklynborndad · 10-26-2011, 07:56 AM

for a 1BR the rent is 1000 a month, and minimum income is 34k.

I dont think that means ghetto. It will draw young people in less lucrative fields - including no few college grads, I imagine.

not that a 178 unit mid rise building is enough to make a ghetto all by itself, even if it were traditional public housing.

I dont see this as sad OR as stopping gentrification.

KStreetQB · 10-26-2011, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brooklynborndad

for a 1BR the rent is 1000 a month, and minimum income is 34k.

I dont think that means ghetto. It will draw young people in less lucrative fields - including no few college grads, I imagine.

I'd like to think that as well, but I've never seen that scenario play out in DC proper. I've seen it out in the suburbs, with entire complexes filled up by folks working at non-profits and whatnot, but DC's subsidized housing, especially in our area, is historically a shltshow.

It doesn't take that many bad actors to really ruin a neighborhood, and these large subsidized complexes seem to attract enough to really harm the surrounding area.

I hope this project breaks the mold, but I'm not optimistic about it.

Brillig · 10-26-2011, 05:12 PM

It could very well be that the "bad actors" will have moved away in the time it takes to get the new housing going. After all, they're being subsidized somewhere else already, right?

RozCat · 10-26-2011, 06:27 PM

"Bad actors" need a place to live too.

BajanYankee · 10-27-2011, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RozCat

"Bad actors" need a place to live too.

Tyler Perry Studios.

HumbleSeaGoat · 10-27-2011, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KStreetQB

I'd like to think that as well, but I've never seen that scenario play out in DC proper. I've seen it out in the suburbs, with entire complexes filled up by folks working at non-profits and whatnot, but DC's subsidized housing, especially in our area, is historically a shltshow.

It doesn't take that many bad actors to really ruin a neighborhood, and these large subsidized complexes seem to attract enough to really harm the surrounding area.

I hope this project breaks the mold, but I'm not optimistic about it.

Hasn't hurt Columbia Heights's development, and half of the area is Section-8.