Gentrification of South Boston...

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ArcaneAlchemy

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I'm not exactly sure what thoughts on this topic are/ would be.

My wife and I got priced out of the neighborhood after about 4 years. Landlord raised rent by $300 a month! On top of that- condo prices are now through the roof.

Talk of neighborhood fixtures like the Quiet Man Pub, etc. being done away with continue. More and more luxury salons open up on the East Side for the growing number of professionals, etc.

While the new businesses are great to go to and improve the quality of life very much; we were very distressed by what seems to be the slow death of the "family" style the neighborhood seemed to have (trick-or-treaters, kids playing outside, etc.) Now with so many young and wealthy single or DINK households- well the neighborhood seems to be losing the GOOD parts of its character, as well as the bad stuff.

Any boston.com forum tends to end up showing this when the topic comes up...

Fellow urban planners, architects, landscape architects, engineers, public administrators, etc. What are your thoughts on the current state and FUTURE of one of Boston's best known neighborhoods: Southie???
 
Perhaps, I placed this in the wrong forum?

Please tell me if it should be moved...
 
The mod might decide to move it to Existing Development or General.
 
The urban core of Boston - like many US cities - is undergoing a major shift in demographics. Simply put, the poor are being forced out of geographical locations that are close to the city. The poor are being pushed out of the "inner city" into the "outer city". In 20 years we may use the term "outer city" to describe blight, crime, etc.

Throw away everything you know about Boston, and look at a map of the city. South Boston is so well-located, has a sandy beach, public parkland, and immediate T and highway access. Of course it's become desirable.

Same can be true of former poor neighborhoods like East Cambridge, much of the South End, and Savin Hill. Geographically, there is too much going for them not to eventually gentrify.

The current "bad" part of Boston is West Dorchester, clustered around Geneva, Blue Hill Ave - away from everything with no T access and no highway access. It's the "outer city" but meanwhile, Savin Hill, just three T stops to South Station, on the highway, and very close to the urban core is gentrified.
 
Southie has everything - 1 mile from downtown, public transportation, quick access to 93 and the Mass Pike, 5 minutes to the airport, lots of rental units and condos, its own beach and parkland, and an expanding nightlife scene. Of course its gonna get gentrified, which in a way is sad but things change. Just dont tell Hollywood, to them Southie is basically a war zone, lol...
 
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pelhamhall said:
The urban core of Boston - like many US cities - is undergoing a major shift in demographics.
Click to expand...

Behold the sparkle of champagne
The crime rates gone
Feel free again
O lifes a dream with you, miss lily white
Jane fonda on the screen today
Convinced the liberals its okay
So lets get dressed and dance away the night

While they
Kill kill kill kill kill the poor tonight

The sun beams down on a brand new day
No more welfare tax to pay
Unsightly slums gone up in flashing light
Jobless millions whisked away
At last we have more room to play
All systems go to kill the poor tonight

Gonna
Kill kill kill kill kill the poor tonight
 
Give me convenience or give me death.

Too Drunk too **** remains a song that gets accidentally slipped into late night cocktail parties at Pelham Hall.
 
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