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*Before you get all hot under your Cardigan sweater , I don't necessarily like reading Salon articles, but this caught my attention. Interesting?! But....I kinda like Starbucks, Chipoltes and lil doggie parks!
Black history bulldozed for another Starbucks: Against the new Baltimore
Gentrification is turning my hometown into an alien place. As the city is remade, do I even belong here anymore?
A photo of the author. (Credit: David Manigault)
Another day another dinner. Tonight’s session takes place at Food Market in Hamden. The guys who invited me represent the new Baltimore, which is full of new people, new shops and new restaurants. They wanted to talk about ways I can help them understand Black Baltimore — or what’s left of it.
My recent collection of Baltimore writings and talks has made me the go-to guy on issues concerning the Negro culture of our city. Politicians, investors and pretty much anyone with an interest in Baltimore request meetings with me weekly. In most of them, I trade my perspectives for potential opportunities at pricey restaurants I don’t normally frequent.
Suit No. 1, who explained to me in his initial email that he was a lawyer with experience working with artists, said, “This city is a gem. People here don’t even know what they have!” He’s new to Baltimore, so I didn’t expect him to know what “the people” love and value. I let him speak as Suit No. 2 nodded in affirmation.
Suit No. 2 signaled for another round. The restaurant was as packed as it was beautiful. Suit No. 1 and No. 2 look alike. Their faces weren’t similar but their dark-rimmed frames, dress code and personalities were identical** – two know-it-all, middle-aged white dudes who probably jogged daily so they could fit into their tight sport coats. I was a sore thumb in Food Market that night — the only patron in a hoodie and sneakers.
The server handed us fancy drinks, and I downed mine before he could refill his tray with our empty glasses.
“One more please,” I said.
Suit No. 2 says he’s a developer, says he wants to help the city, says he isn’t from Baltimore either but he loves Baltimore. He loves Baltimore so much – so much that he’s willing to fix it! He said that he could grow to love Baltimore as much as I do!
$13 cocktails tend to disappear quicker than cotton candy in a hot mouth on a night like this. “You know what,” I say, pulling up my chair, drawing the duel in closer, “I don’t really know if I still love Baltimore.”
Their eyes grew. You would’ve thought I just pulled my dick out.
Suit No. 1 turned glossy-eyed. “Your writing is how I found out about you. You are a gifted Baltimore writer. How could you not love this place, man? How?”
“Gentri-****in-cation,” I say. “Gentri-****in-cation is why I don’t know.”
My city is gone, my history depleted, ruined and undocumented. I don’t know this new Baltimore, it’s alien to me. Baltimore is Brooklyn and D.C. now. No, Baltimore is Chicago or New Orleans or any place where yuppie interests make black neighborhoods shrink like washed sweaters. A place where black history is bulldozed and replaced with Starbucks, Chipotles and Dog Parks.
I used to hang in Lafayette Housing Projects with my big cousin Damon. He taught me how to shoot a jump shot, impress a girl without talking and land a left hook. That place is gone. Visiting his old unit after his murder would’ve been therapeutically nostalgic for me but that place is gone and will never be back again.
And when the weather broke back in high school, my classmates and I would cut class over Somerset courts. Pooh Bear, the best baller from the neighborhood, would be knocking down jump shots from half-court on a broken rim and I swear, I swear, I swear he rarely missed. He had everybody in the hood trying to shoot like him. We’d drop our backpacks by the gate and argue during the pickup games we played until well after the sunset. Some of those arguments turned into silly fights that we quickly resolved over marijuana sticks. I’d love to walk through Somerset right now and run a 3 on 3 for old-time’s sake but that place is gone. It’s a blank field, the residents are scattered like memories we once shared.
The drink made suit No. 1 sweat a little, but he was trooper, he wanted to do another one, “Deeeee,” he says, “new development brings new opportunity!”
“For who?” I said, a little too loud.
Really for who, who I wonder? Last summer I drove down Wolfe Street and pulled over by Eager. We called this Deakyland back in the day. Most of the earned scratches and bruises I have came from here. We used to break day at that bar High Hats that used to sit on the corner, 2Pac ripped out of speakers while our plastic cups overflowed with Hennessy ––the manager Big Harold had to drag us out at 4 a.m. In between the hangovers and brawls were lessons on life, leadership and brotherhood. We did stupid things but that was our community, the place where our social networks were birthed and then quickly dismantled. That whole block is gone. I realized that I may never see any of those people from that place again as 10 shirtless white guys played two-hand-touch football in a fresh park that they would never build for us** — a huge Johns Hopkins logo was the backdrop.
Suit No. 2 told me that he understands exactly where I’m coming from and can see why I feel the way I do. I asked him if he could go back to the place that holds most of the magical moments from his childhood. He said, “Yeah, my old bedroom is still the same at my folks’ place.”
“Then you probably don’t know how I feel,” I replied. “I’m lost in this city. This isn’t the place I grew up in. Corporate dollars are cleansing this city of everything I loved. I will always love Baltimore, the Baltimore I grew up in. I don’t know what this new place is or even if it has opportunity for me. I honestly don’t even know if I should be eating here with you or down SOS on the eastside with my remaining friends. Look around. Do I really look like I belong in here?”
I understand that those now-demolished neighborhoods came with murder, pain, heartbreak, high teen pregnancy rates, illiteracy, gang violence and a host of other reasons that led to their implosions. I also understand that all of these issues stem from lack of opportunity. However, I don’t understand why every black resident must be displaced as soon as opportunity rides the gentrification train into town.
After five minutes of awkward silence we exchanged handshakes, business cards and “Nice meeting you’s,” before exiting.
I drove through the city after our meeting thinking about how much I hate meetings, thinking about the new Baltimore, and wondering if my voice is even needed here anymore. I do love Baltimore but it’s becoming a place for the rich and I don’t speak their language. I passed more and more new construction before pulling up on President Street.
A wiry kid ran up to my window waving a squeegee stick just like my friends and I used to do back in the day. I rejected the wash, gave him $5 and said, “Aye shorty keep pushing, this will all make sense some day.” He thanked me and nodded in agreement.
I wasn’t sure if I was talking to him or myself.
This writer is somewhat misguided..He is placing blame on things that may be related in the broad scheme of things but not directly applicable to what is happening on the ground in Baltimore. People tend to try to but Baltimore and the plight of African American neighborhoods in the same category as DC with U Street are Harlem in NYC and its not the same. Mostly working class white neighborhoods are being transformed into yupping or upscale neighborhoods in Baltimore not Black neighborhoods.. and the few that are experiencing change.. its occurring at a snails pace (ie the blocks north of Patterson Park and maybe a few areas west of Bolton Hill) The JHU redevelopment demolished a community that was already on its knees not the healthy thriving neighborood that he remembers from the 70s 80s and possibly the 90s.
Baltimore is an old City a landmark that is considered African American could have been Jewish or Polish two generations prior thus properties have changed hands and since purpose over the years throughout the City with each group mourning the loss of its forefathers. African Americans that had means..left these neighboroods just like the people before them.. Should they have stayed and "stuck it out" and dug in their heels? Maybe.. but like any other "group" people make invidual decisions and not necessarily operating as one unit..though they may take leads from each other.
The best attempt and opportunity to "save" African American history in Baltimore in the physical sense is not necessarily the old barbershop on the corner of Fulton and North.. or the corner bar in Edmonson Village.. but to look at cultural institutions that have had a place in the City's foundation/history.. which exist today along Pennsy Ave. This should be ground zero for a collective movement to preserve and celebrate African American History.. And in a City that is dominated by African American leaders, business people, and historians.. it hasnt quite cultivated into collective action. I have said before.. here you have and area that is historically and culturally relavent to not only the City but to America. It has two subway stations, a historic market, a bowling alley/skate rink, a commercial core and is close to downtown... It has all the right elements of a Beale Street or even a Bourbon Street but on a much more localized scale.. Why arent the powers that be leveraging some of their collective "powers" to encourage the preservation, promotion and ultimately the enhancement of this district?
To me that is more important that worring about a Starbucks knocking down an African American business.. which by the way I dont believe has ever happened in the Baltimore context.. but to Archie Bunkers corner bar is a different story....
Woodlands, You said: "Why aren't the powers that be leveraging some of their collective "powers" to encourage the preservation, promotion and ultimately the enhancement of this district?"
Do you have any ideas how the powers that be could leverage some of their collective "powers" to encourage the preservation, promotion and ultimately the enhancement of this district? Your suggestions would be welcome, probably not to the powers that be, but certainly to the readers of this thread.
I think the issues of race and gentrification are far more complicated than this article portrays them. I certainly don't want long time, established residents of the city to be priced out and pushed out by redevelopment. On the other hand, there is so much vacant and crumbling infrastructure, I have a hard time with the idea that we should block anyone from making use of space that would otherwise go unused. I think locally owned businesses are better than national chains in most circumstances, and would love to see more support for local businesses, whether it's financial assistance through business development grants or fast tracking permits and licenses.
I know it's disheartening to go for a walk through a neighborhood that holds many good memories and see so much change, but there has to be some recognition that homes and businesses in this city were generally abandoned long before the gentrification started.
Woodlands post above is very thoughtful and I agree, but mpheels has the money shot here:
Quote:
Originally Posted by mpheels
I know it's disheartening to go for a walk through a neighborhood that holds many good memories and see so much change, but there has to be some recognition that homes and businesses in this city were generally abandoned long before the gentrification started.
The truly depressed neighborhoods are not gentrifying in Baltimore (yet - as Mr. Rational would say); maybe the closest to this has been the takeover and tear down of Middle East by JHU, whcih is finally getting built out (seemed to stall at the time of the RE crash). Teh gentrifying has taken place in occupied working class neighborhoods and the homeowners that sold were glad to get high dollar for their places and move to the county (their goal anyway). I knwo folks in these neioghborhoods that own/owned lots of rentals that they bought cheap before gentrification really got momentum and these were houses that the owners or heirs fo the owners wanted to sell anyway (and move to the county).
The only other recent displacement of blacks in Baltimore I can recall is when the housing project towers were imploded and those neighborhoods converted to mixed rate low density housing - and the ALCU was a big driver in that one - to benefit the residents by not concentrating social ills in one place and magnify. This displacement and subsequent simultaneous movement of original residents of NE Baltimore from north of Patterson Park to Belair Edison resulted in significant change, one of the largest impacts being that the ratio of renters to home owners increased.
Woodlands, You said: "Why aren't the powers that be leveraging some of their collective "powers" to encourage the preservation, promotion and ultimately the enhancement of this district?"
Do you have any ideas how the powers that be could leverage some of their collective "powers" to encourage the preservation, promotion and ultimately the enhancement of this district? Your suggestions would be welcome, probably not to the powers that be, but certainly to the readers of this thread.
I feel its not happening for a number of reasons...
1) Though I would imagine that they would feel that its a noble project.. its not an easy effort and would require long term commitment and nuturing. Most politicos just want to attend a ground breaking and not have to roll up their sleeves and do the real work that preceeds this type of project nor use the scare bureaucratic energy to focus on this effort when there are bigger fish and potentially contributors downtown/ inner harbor to woo/court
2) Baltimore is an African American City and thus you have groups/interests that are spread out across the City.. from the Great Blacks in Wax, Morgan, Reginald Lewis Museum, Coppin, Churches, Social Clubs etc... all have varying interests(which is great) but getting behind a single effort that could indirectly enhance their own individual efforts is difficult.. When people come to New Orleans or Memphis they come for a specific experience usually involve Bourbon or Beale Street.. But once they are there.. they could be encouraged to branch out and do other things that are related and pulled into other venues that are similiar in nature to what they originally came for.. Thus if Pennsy could be made a draw they could easily spin folks off to some of the other venues I listed above and visa versa...but many of these organizations dont see or may not be willing to explore how this type of broader cohesive network could be created.
3) Finally, there is the whole issue of money and incentives. Again, where it make sense, why not offer additional incentives for cultural heritage tourism and the redevelopment of properties or sites that support that effort. I think this already in place with the State of Marylands "Arts and Entertainment Districts" but I dont know how well its doing or how much "incentive" there is for developers and other to do things.. The State program aside, the City should have its own program... since African American, Italian American, Asian, Latino, Greeks, Poles to name a few may all be able to take advantage of it and encourage the collective preservation of the City's ethnic history.
All of that said.. there is a bill in Baltimore City Council that estabishes some form of African American Cultural Heritage Commission.. so maybe this is the first step in "hearding the cats" stay tuned.
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