The  early days of Wilmington’s ‘gentrification’

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Morning all,

The battles over Baynard Stadium and the former Rodney Square transit hub don’t seem to have much in common with one another. 

Still, both  are related to the beginnings of that fancy word “gentrification” in Wilmington. Simply stated, ounger people, often with good jobs,  are moving to the city

Much larger Philadelphia is further along in this area, but signs are appearing here. In fact, a run-up in rents in Philly is contributing to some spillover growth.

The Baynard situation was apparently resolved in a deal that involves the city doing long-overdue work on one of its parks.

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Meanwhile, nearby Salesianum School will lease the crumbling stadium and will launch a $20 million rebuilding project. The agreement includes guaranteeing access to Baynard by the community.

The bus controversy continues with a petition drive calling  for a return to the diesel-fume filled Rodney Square hub.

The hub was largely dismantled amid concerns that the city landmark was never designed to be a bus station and was hampering efforts to attract businesses to downtown.

Last month, DART announced that ground will be broken for a transit hub this year, with work underway on improving or replacing bus shelters that were in disrepair or nonexistent. 

Still, Rodney Square is still being hyped as one of the great transit hubs in the nation.

In both the Baynard and Rodney Square cases, the problem is that investment in the city is necessary for its survival but comes at a cost. Imagine living elsewhere in the city and on a ride to downtown finding  your bus stop is several blocks away from your destination.

Worse yet, you use a cane.  Then you learn that  $20 million will be pumped into a facility at a time when infrastructure in your neighborhood has been neglected for 70 years.

The solution remains continued investment.

The city remains strapped for money and has only a limited ability to make long-overdue improvements at parks and other facilities  Some will point to long-running corruption and political payback,  but that only accounts for a part of the problem.

Credit has to go to Mayor Mike Purzycki for the thankless job of navigating through complex issues and clashing agendas. 

But the mayor and business leaders have to remain aware that continued investments alone in downtown and other areas have to be viewed in the context of the entire community.

They will also need to tune out those from both inside and outside the city  who exploit class and racial tensions for their own agendas.

Gentrification will continue, but has to be done in the context of brick and mortar improvements in all neighborhoods while making every effort to ensure that more people share in the turnaround.  There is no other choice.

Enjoy your Thursday. This humble newsletter returns tomorrow. – Doug Rainey, publisher.

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