Best NEW Black-owned/oriented Urban Markets/Cultural Nodes (2015, apartments)

[BostonBornMassMade]

Another poster and I were talking privately about some of the best black-oriented markets in urban settings.

Were talking about Urban/New Urbanist TOD developments in core cities. It seems these things are popping up in spades all over the US but how many in black areas? Are we capitalizing off the surge in urban amenities?

I was inspired by this project out of Boston. https://www.facebook.com/blackmarket...76584529423922

On Thursday, December 17, 2020, the Boston Planning & Development Agency (BDPA) Board of Directors unanimously voted to tentatively designate Nubian Ascends Partners, llc to develop the BDPA-owned Blair Lot parking lot in Nubian Square. If approved, the proposal will create a new regional destination with a Marketplace to support neighborhood businesses and local Artisans, a Food Hall with an on-site Culinary program and multipurpose Cultural Hall + Theatre. The proposal meets the BDPA + City of Boston’s diversity & Inclusion requirements for publicly-owned land to create increased opportunities for people of color, women, and for the participation of minority business enterprises.
This temporary designation was also unanimously supported by a Roxbury-based Public Review Committee and the Roxbury Strategic Master Plan Oversite Committee on December 7th.


Black-owned, financed (with the exception of the city), and marketed. With a former Qdog heading up the project. Basically, all stage and parts of "Nubian Ascends" is catered to black artists, craftsman and laborers. 51% or more of all folks working at the complex must be people of color. Over half of all units will be income-restricted. A market rate 1 bed 1 bath will go for about 300k and the affordable units will go for ~$186k. Its taking the Black Market Nubian pop-up shops a permanent home. The name Nubian was chosen to honor the former famed "A Nubian Notion" that closed in Dudley Square a few years back.


Now I get the sense that DC has some projects like this coming along but I also suspect NYC Chicago, LA and the Bay Area might be seeing some developments like this as well. The idea by the other poster was to map out a sort of green book of modern urban attractions for Black folks.

Here are some pics of the development.
https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...ab&oe=6005A735
https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...00&oe=6004A57D
https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...2f&oe=6004E35B
https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...f6&oe=6004119B



Whats not shown is there will be a 340 spot parking garage in the middle of this development.


Current site, that small building to the left is a grimy old strip club that's been open since the 40s, with no immediate plans to close or sell.:
https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...c8&oe=6006134D

So not only this but there are many other developments, many black-owned going on next to it. The 25 story 165 apartment 46 condo, Rio Grande Tower:
https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/YEGI...rande001.0.jpg

Jazz Urbane Cafe, owned by a black man from Berklee College of the Arts:
Jazz Urbane Cafe is a new arts and restaurant venture planned for a 2021 launch in Boston’s Nubian Square neighborhood. Jazz Urbane Cafe will, first and foremost, be an urban arts venue designed to spotlight the artists who define and celebrate the diverse cultural traditions that make Boston a unique and global city. Jazz Urbane Cafe hopes to curate a performance experience that features Boston’s robust pipeline of talented musicians and brings world-renowned Jazz, Rhythm and Blues, Hip Hop and Classical artists to Roxbury, Massachusetts.
Jazz Urbane Cafe will feature the cuisine of local chef, David Welch, who will present simple, healthy cuisine that has fresh ingredients as its foundation and rich flavor profiles. Jazz Urbane Cafe will be a community space which will be welcoming to the residents who call Roxbury home and an attraction for music and food lovers across Greater Boston.

A very simple philosophy guides Jazz Urbane Cafe: Provide an inviting and arresting environment with great service and great food, along with varied arts programming and entertainment, a model serving community center.

Rooted In Roxbury a Black-owned marijuana-dispensary has a Host Community Agreement city to open just across the street from Nubian Ascends.

2147 Washington Street is next door to the Rio Grande (Jamaican-American developer). It will house the current Haley House building as 66 of 74 units will be income-restricted apartments or condos.
https://s3.amazonaws.com/bldup/updat...png?1570018849

10 Taber Street

45 condos directly next to Nubian Station-6 income-restricted. Heres the site as it is today. My cousin is a broker for the building. HMU if interested. Spoke with him this week.

Just three years ago Nubian Square got an updated Tropical Foods Supermarket (Latino owned).

"Nubian Square located Tropical Foods Store is the pioneer ethnic food retailer in Boston. Although it remains the premier supermarket for Spanish, African American, West Indian, and African cuisine; Tropical Foods is the “Supermarket for Everyone” that is Local and affordable.

Tropical is the neighborhood grocery store for NUBIAN SQUARE former Dudley Square block."

This is one of two locally run supermarkets in Nubian Sqaure- the other being the Daily Table
https://img.offcampusimages.com/QHgq...bqmhlimsa.jpeg

In the next few years they will be home to the New Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology-a heavily black technical school. Just around the corner from Nubian Ascends. They will be building on what is now a slavage junkyard.

Fast Facts About BFIT
-More than 20 percent year-over-year increase in student enrollment since 2013

-Several new technology programs added since 2015, include Construction Management, Electrical Engineering and Health Information Technology

-53 percent of enrollment of first-generation college students

-Students of color account for 70 percent of enrollment

-85 percent five-year average job placement rate for graduates (full-time, in field)

With the move to Nubian Square, BFIT students, faculty and employees will have centralized access to public transportation, including MBTA buses, orange line stops at Ruggles and Roxbury Crossing and commuter rail services into Ruggles and Newmarket station stops. In addition, BFIT will join the ranks of Boston Public Schools headquartered in the Bruce Bolling Building, Morgan Memorial Goodwill and the Urban League of Massachusetts (among many others) as a welcomed partner and community anchor in one of Boston’s most diverse and vibrant neighborhoods"

Current construction of other projects in the Nubian Square neighborhood:
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3282...7i16384!8i8192

Lest we forget One United Bank, the largest black-owned bank in America is already headquartered in Nubian Square.

Lastly, this was going to be a massive 900+ unit, 1 million + sqaure foot mixed use development-Tremont Crossing-that was using a "community developer" Elma Lewis Partners but they couldnt get their financing together and the BPDA pulled the plug. It would have contained a BJ's, grocery store, par, and a new home for the National Center of Afro American Artsist. Itstead tis parcel goin into year 56 of vacancy.
https://news.bostonrealestate.com/hs...1489605988.png

So all of this in a neighborhood that i used to be scared to walk around in 2005. By 2024 all these projects should be complete! When the NAACP National Convention comes to Boston in 2023 I hope some of Nubian Ascends is able to be used. This is decades in the making in Boston but I think has got to be one of the top black-oriented urban villages being made in the US right now. But I do want to know what else is out there.

*all images belong to the Boston Planning and Development Agency*

[Mutiny77]

Here's what's planned for the historically Black West End (W. Trade St./Beatties Ford Rd. corridor) in Charlotte. The new streetcar line, set to open next year, is a catalyst for the increasing demand in the area:

https://www.charlotteagenda.com/2315...-and-promises/

https://qcitymetro.com/2020/09/27/be...est-charlotte/

https://plancharlotte.org/story/char...-redevelopment

[BigCity76]

There's obviously a lot in NY but here's one in Harlem that I was involved with that opened about a decade ago.

https://www.eastriverplaza.com/

[Sharif662]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

Another poster and I were talking privately about some of the best black-oriented markets in urban settings.

Were talking about Urban/New Urbanist TOD developments in core cities. It seems these things are popping up in spades all over the US but how many in black areas? Are we capitalizing off the surge in urban amenities?

I'm going to say the typical places that can bolster TOD developments. Our community that lives in these areas will enjoy it and the majority rest will visit per usual.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by Sharif662

I'm going to say the typical places that can bolster TOD developments. Our community that lives in these areas will enjoy it and the majority rest will visit per usual.

I’m talking about concentrated intentional efforts that are starting from scratch essentially. With a black team/vision.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by BigCity76

There's obviously a lot in NY but here's one in Harlem that I was involved with that opened about a decade ago.

https://www.eastriverplaza.com/

This isn’t quite it because it’s very corporate with a marshals Old Navy and Burlington coat factory and it appears that the Blumenfeld development group are Jewish.. while I do recognize that they shout out Harlem and their East Harlem presents and I see the graffiti and murals it doesn’t seem as if it has community stakeholders and partners to the extent of Nubian Ascends. Also it’s location off a highway just gives it a different feel, looks more like a garage and urban mall. They’re electing folks buy into some sort of a trust for as little as $1000. Also the garage, cultural hall and retail will all be managed by local black or Latin companies.

Seems a bit more like the failed Tremont Crossing

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

Here's what's planned for the historically Black West End (W. Trade St./Beatties Ford Rd. corridor) in Charlotte. The new streetcar line, set to open next year, is a catalyst for the increasing demand in the area:

https://www.charlotteagenda.com/2315...-and-promises/

https://qcitymetro.com/2020/09/27/be...est-charlotte/

https://plancharlotte.org/story/char...-redevelopment

Yea this is the kind of stuff I’m talking about. It’s a little more modest but there’s less of a need for this in Charlotte as is.... This is great. I like the connectivity aspect of it, and I like that it’s green-black peoples in general need more green spaces in the CITY.
...
CGE Venture Group aims to create a public/private partnership with the City of Charlotte. Councilman Malcolm Graham, who represents the area, says the city is in the beginning stages of due diligence.

“I’m extremely excited about the development. This group is what we’re looking for,” he said. “William is from the community and is investing in the community. And the residents want what he’s building.”

Graham addressed concerns about displacing neighbors, noting the group’s connection to the west Charlotte community as a way to reduce gentrification.

“The goal in bringing these developments is to not price people out,” he added. “People deserve clean, safe neighborhoods.”

Hughes believes that some have used the term gentrification to scare Black residents into not demanding better development and resources for their communities in fear they’d be priced out when new developments are built.

I think that we have to be very aware that gentrification is oftentimes used as a method to paralyze us and to create greater fear and get us complacent with not having investment in our communities,” he said.

IVE BEEN saying this in a few FB groups!

[averysgore]

So Nubian Square is the same thing as Dudley Square?

Used to be right on my drive from my girlfriend's apartment in JP to the South Bay plaza.

Hughes believes that some have used the term gentrification to scare Black residents into not demanding better development and resources for their communities in fear they’d be priced out when new developments are built.

I think that we have to be very aware that gentrification is oftentimes used as a method to paralyze us and to create greater fear and get us complacent with not having investment in our communities,” he said.

That's a good quote.

[BostonBornMassMade]

Originally Posted by averysgore

So Nubian Square is the same thing as Dudley Square?

Used to be right on my drive from my girlfriend's apartment in JP to the South Bay plaza.

That's a good quote.

Yea Nubian Square formerly known as Dudley Square. The Ferdinand building by was redone and turned into BPS headquarters and will have Jazz Urbane Cafe in the ground floor + all this other stuff is going on.

SouthBay now has luxury apartments, an AMC Theatre and Dorchester Brewery. The Hen House on Mass Ave has closed

When you go to Nubian Square there are “Welcome to Nubian Square” signs everywhere and the ‘Dudley’

Branch of the Boston Public Library has been renamed the ‘Roxbury’ branch.

The ‘Dudley Square’ T Station has been renamed the ‘Nubian’ T Station.

There is reason to believe Thomas Dudley might have had a stand in the slave trade.

And of course-the main building here gonna have a giant NUBIAN ASCENDS sign in the side of it. This, Allston Yards, and the DotBlock are some of the major inner city projects in Boston going in right now.

Columbus Ave in Jamaica Plain has seen a lot more apartments, some homeless transitional housing and a Jamaican restaurant.

[MDAllstar]

This topic is very close to my heart. During a time with heightened awareness of the disadvantages the black community has faced for the last 400 years; it's important to take advantage of the additional financial support available for black communities to bring basic amenities into neighborhoods that have been without them for decades.

Integration was wonderful for the black population; however, it was devastating to the black business as their former customer base was diluted. That is the reason many black businesses closed in black neighborhoods. We are now coming full circle as investment is happening in black neighborhoods around the nation.

Here are some transformative projects in DC:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrR5w40IMKg


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrE0LUAdNNE