# U.S. cities on the gentrification tipping point



## liat91 (Apr 11, 2005)

I can only really comment on u.s. cities b/c I don't really know about other than u.s. cities that much, so If anyone has any input about their city, please chime in. 

I recently became curious about which u.s. cities are gentrified to the point now that they will have lasting vibrant urban centers. I'll comment on cities listing from largest metros down until I get tired or bored.
1. New York: Manhattan is almost thoroughly gentrified with Harlem and parts north in the process but not done over yet, I could see northern Manhattan and perhaps the LES sliding back if the economy and real estate booms cool too soon. The Eastern parts of Brooklyn seem to be finalizing total gentrification with the central parts just beginning their transformation. However, Bed Stuy/crown heights/etc. could slide back if the gentrification boom doesn't last atleast another 2-3 years. Queens in many parts is very middle class. Forest Hills has always been nice. The Eastern section of Queens (LIC, Astoria) is really the area in the middle stages of gentrification. Bronx and Staten Island I know to little about to comment.

2. Los Angeles: Downtown and adjacent neighborhoods (i.e. Echo Park) is just in the beginning stages of gentrification. Central LA needs at least 7-8 more years of boom to really establish itself well. Hollywood is also improving and is slightly ahead of Central LA, maybe 3-5 years is needed for Hollywood.

3. Chicago: Very well gentrified. The transformation is now headed west and south (south would be less however).

4. Washington: Mid to latter stages of gentrification with the U-district and Shaw now in the process. When we see it start to establish itself in the SW section of D.C. then it can be stated D.C. is totally gentrified.

5. San Francisco: Almost entirely gentrified, maybe the most so for a large city (theres Seattle however)

6. Philadelphia: Been gentrifying for a while, although slowly. My sister lives just north of center city between the museum and broadway and I just visited a few weeks ago and noticed theres still a little bit of blight even in that neighborhood. Overall Philli is in the mid stages of gentrification and I believe the tipping point will be when it reaches past Temple to the North and past Penn to the west.

7. Dallas: Alot of new urbanism. Mid stages of gentrification as far as I know.

8. Boston: Almost totally gentrified.

9. Detroit: Just beginning on top of occuring slowly. I hope it accelerates although I don't see central Detroit ever becoming forever vibrant any time soon.

10. Miami: Condo boom mania, although it seems the gentrification is not ingraining itself into vibrant neighborhood creation. If all the currently proposed is built central Miami will be formidable.

11. Houston: Lots of new urbanism, perhaps next to Atlanta the most succesfull in this type of gentrification. Houston needs at least 5 more years to really make it's center world class forever.

12. Atlanta: the transformation has been dramatic. Not only new urbanism but old neighborhood gentrification as well. Atlanta is almost there, few more years and central Atlanta will be glowing brightly well into the future.

13. Seattle: To me maybe the most genrified of any city I've ever seen. There are no real blighted areas anymore. And on top of this the gentrification continues to maybe the next level maybe (gentrification-class 1)


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## hudkina (Oct 28, 2003)

liat91 said:


> 9. Detroit: Just beginning on top of occuring slowly. I hope it accelerates although I don't see central Detroit ever becoming forever vibrant any time soon.


Dude, Central Detroit is the area of the city that is gentrifying, and its doing it at a pretty good rate.


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## bay_area (Dec 31, 2002)

About San Francisco being almost entirely gentrified...There are still some areas in the city's extreme SE corner that havent completey gentrified.

Other then that, once dilapidated warehouse districts and working class neighborhoods have essentially been swallowed whole by Millionaires and upscale housing development......a situation not really paralleled anywhere else.


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## philadweller (Oct 30, 2003)

Center City Philadelphia is almost entirely gentrified and it is the 3rd largest in terms of downtown population despite losing residents at a steady pace in the outer fringes. I agree with North Philly though, it needs a kick in the ass beween city hall and Temple. The new Convention Center expansion and PAFA addition will surely help. Keep in Mind that cities like Houston and Atlanta have at least 20 years before their downtowns are saturated with population and density to the degree of Northeastern cities, Chicago or San Francisco.

Sounds like you missed Northern Liberties and Bella Vista.


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## *Sweetkisses* (Dec 26, 2004)

Some of these cities shouldnt be on the list because they never had a problem.


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## Effer (Jun 9, 2005)

liat91 said:


> I can only really comment on u.s. cities b/c I don't really know about other than u.s. cities that much, so If anyone has any input about their city, please chime in.
> 
> I recently became curious about which u.s. cities are gentrified to the point now that they will have lasting vibrant urban centers. I'll comment on cities listing from largest metros down until I get tired or bored.
> 1. New York: Manhattan is almost thoroughly gentrified with Harlem and parts north in the process but not done over yet, I could see northern Manhattan and perhaps the LES sliding back if the economy and real estate booms cool too soon. The Eastern parts of Brooklyn seem to be finalizing total gentrification with the central parts just beginning their transformation. However, Bed Stuy/crown heights/etc. could slide back if the gentrification boom doesn't last atleast another 2-3 years. Queens in many parts is very middle class. Forest Hills has always been nice. The Eastern section of Queens (LIC, Astoria) is really the area in the middle stages of gentrification. Bronx and Staten Island I know to little about to comment.
> ...


I say Chicago should be #1


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## urbane (Jan 4, 2005)

liat91 said:


> 4. Washington: Mid to latter stages of gentrification with the U-district and Shaw now in the process. When we see it start to establish itself in the SW section of D.C. then it can be stated D.C. is totally gentrified.


I think that for DC to be totally gentrified work needs to be done on NE, and SE too  

Also, Baltimore: the waterfront in downtown or adjecent to it seems to be gentrified or in the process of gentrification. But i have the impression that this gentrification doesn't reach more than a few blocks inland.

As far as other countries: this question might not apply everywhere since in many parts of the world the inner cities are vibrant places where wealthy people live, in those cases you might want to talk about the gentrification of the periphery of the city.


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## Jaye101 (Feb 16, 2005)

I didn't know what this word meant so I went to Dictionary.com and it says: 

Gentrification: The restoration and upgrading of deteriorated urban property by middle-class or affluent people, often resulting in displacement of lower-income people.


Is the displacement of lower income people a good thing?


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## Detroit_Mahn (May 3, 2005)

You might be confused when you say Detroit's gentrification process is slow. The idea of gentrification came late to the city; but, since it's been introduced, it's been taking off quite quickly. Definitely not "slow." 

Houston, Atlanta and Dallas have been gentrifying through New Urbanism, however, it hasn't been some type of monumental success. In addition, these neighborhoods are largely overshadowed by suburban-like areas. 

I would add St. Louis and Baltimore to this list.


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## Jaye101 (Feb 16, 2005)

ahhhh. Detroit is dieing as a city. Hope everyone moves away, so I can bring my kids there and tell them about, the crappy city that was.

lol


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## James Saito (Nov 6, 2002)

JayeTheOnly said:


> Gentrification: The restoration and upgrading of deteriorated urban property by middle-class or affluent people, often resulting in displacement of lower-income people.



It sounds like just moving the problem to somewhere else.

I wonder where the lower-income people go after the gentrification in US cities.


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## scguy (Sep 11, 2002)

Detroit_Mahn said:


> You might be confused when you say Detroit's gentrification process is slow. The idea of gentrification came late to the city; but, since it's been introduced, it's been taking off quite quickly. Definitely not "slow."
> 
> Houston, Atlanta and Dallas have been gentrifying through New Urbanism, however, it hasn't been some type of monumental success. In addition, these neighborhoods are largely overshadowed by suburban-like areas.
> 
> I would add St. Louis and Baltimore to this list.


Well it's not going to all happen overnight...give me a break!


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## Detroit_Mahn (May 3, 2005)

Nowhere in my post does it insinuate the fact that this should be instantaneous. It isn't and I'm the last person who would say such. I really don't know where you got that from my post. 

And JayeTheOnly, STFU.


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## streetscapeer (Apr 30, 2004)

James Saito said:


> It sounds like just moving the problem to somewhere else.
> 
> I wonder where the lower-income people go after the gentrification in US cities.



well this list is mostly talking about the "core" of US cities, not the whole metro regions...there are ghettos in the suburbs too


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## Third of a kind (Jun 20, 2004)

bronx gentrification is happening very slowly, bruckner blvd btwn the 3rd av and the willis av bridge is a good small example..same with some of those apts by the 3rd av bridge


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## Third of a kind (Jun 20, 2004)

streetscapeer said:


> well this list is mostly talking about the "core" of US cities, not the whole metro regions...there are ghettos in the suburbs too


alot of suburban areas are gentrifying at an alarming rate, good point streetscaper


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## DarkFenX (Jan 8, 2005)

The only few places where Boston is not gentrified is Roxbury, parts of East Boston, and parts of Charlestown. I think Charlestown may soon be gentrified since there are a few low-rise middle class condos proposed. I'm not so sure about the other places.


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## hngcm (Sep 17, 2002)

What about San Diego?


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## edsg25 (Jul 30, 2004)

bay_area said:


> About San Francisco being almost entirely gentrified...There are still some areas in the city's extreme SE corner that havent completey gentrified.


I just can't imagine anybody walking the streets of Hunters Point, saying "this is really quaint and trendy. Where's the nearest Starbucks"


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## edsg25 (Jul 30, 2004)

The high rise construction boom in the Loop and throughout downtown Chicago has fueled much of the gentrification in neighborhoods spreading out from the city's core (particularly south and west, as the North Side has already virtually transformed itself). People want to be close to the city's core and all it has to offer and, in the process, have created the type of vibrant neighborhoods like Lincoln Park, DePaul, Lakeview, Bucktown, etc., that are almost core in nature themselves.

The new Chicago is based on the celbration of urban life: retaining the fabulous old architetcure, but adding so many wonderful amenities that the place is jumping (even if the traffic is stalled). The city, through the Daley administration, has fostered this concept through extensive streetscaping and by blockbuster projects such as Millennium Park.

Chicago has positioned itself as the place to be. And during the summer, a lakefront culture is so prevalent that stretches of Lincoln Park and other shoreline stretches almost feel like a resort.


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