Reply to Kingman Park going downhill

Forum Index » Real Estate

Reply to "Kingman Park going downhill "

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Gentrification all along the H Street/Benning corridor has slowed in the last few years since Covid, due to crime, homelessness, and drug issues. But the neighborhood is still better than it was 10 years ago. It's just that 5 years ago, it felt like it was on an upward trajectory economically and then Covid took things down a notch and now it feels like it's in a holding pattern. If you moved here in the last 4 years, you probably feel like it's not getting better because... it's not getting better than 4 years ago. It's still better than a decade ago and based on other neighborhoods in DC, I would expect it to continue to improve over the next 10 years.

I imagine the most frustrating thing for people who over here recently is the cost of living given the lack of progress. Housing prices are absurd -- we would never be able to afford to buy here now. We bought here 10 years ago for a lot less, but on the other hand, the neighborhood was really rough when we bought and now it's sort of half-gentrified. So we got a discount you didn't get, but you benefit from a lot of changes that occurred after we bought.[/quote]

While it is true the neighborhood has been in a bit of a holding pattern since COVID, the neighborhood was much better 10 and 20 years ago.  Gentrification didn't make it better, it has made it worse.  For instance, before the bulk of the gentrifiers arrived you could grab a coke and some snacks at the Exxon, etc. in peace.  More gentrification is not the solution.  Let's look at some of the history that has led us to this point. The fabric of the historic community started to change when new pro-gentrifier ANC commissioners started getting elected.  The real tipping point was when the first white ANC commissioner was elected in this historic African-American neighborhood.  He used his economic privilege to help support projects that drove more people and visitors to our neighborhood.  While such gentrification changes have benefited certain elements of our community, either politically or financially, it does not appear to have helped all.  When we first attended our neighborhood association meetings, African-Americans ran those meetings.  Now that's not the case.  As opposed to earmarking resources for those living in areas that are most in need of support in Kingman Park (e.g., Benning Road), many gentrifiers focused on building sports fields primarily serving non-DC residents.  Since COVID the authority that runs the fields has even created barriers to community members wanting to access formally open green spaces with new paid activities. In fact, as a side note, one of the Commissioners who pushed all of these change on the community served on Board that now manages the fields.  We need to earmark our community resources to those most in need as opposed to an entertainment infrastructure that requires pay for play.  This dynamic has created a new socio-economic barrier to access open space that was not there before. Focusing on the interests of the economically privileged has been a factor in Kingman Park moving in the wrong direction in recent years.  It's a great neighborhood, with a wonderful history.  Still optimistic that Kingman Park can return to her former glory.  Many folks love this neighborhood.  It's worth fighting for. It's usually those who want to change it to an Alexandria or Capitol Hill 2.0 who are disappointed.  [/quote]

Couldn't disagree more. What a ridiculous post.

-Kingman Park resident, 15 years

[/quote]

Welcome to Kingman Park.  What’s ridiculous is all of the new traffic caused in part because of all the new development that was primarily supported by our pro-gentrifier neighbors.  I miss the days when Kingman Park was a more quiet neighborhood. [/quote]

I'm confused - what new development and traffic? On Benning? The Streetcar which involved much more advocacy than from within Kingman Park?  The Fields at RFK? There really still isn't much development in KP beyond that. A few small apartment buildings?

If you actually preferred to have an entire stretch of road of abandoned/blighted properties, along with a large swath of decaying, litter filled asphalt rather than the RFK Fields and Playground(!!), I don't even know what to say. That does seem to be what you're saying.

Are you one of the long time residents who actually opposed the community garden that took the place of a blighted interior lot of land? I'm going to guess yes.

The traffic is actually better than 15 years ago within the neighborhood roads thanks to speed bumps preventing much of the racing (24th st still needs them, not sure what happened with that). There are far fewer cars barreling down the one way roads the wrong way nowadays.

[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics