Topic: Urban Renewal
Urban renewal, the West End Project, the North Station Project, the Government Center Project, City Hall, renewal projects in other cities
The Salem Downtown Renewal Plan: Part 2, Changing Times, Embracing Preservation By the 1970s, opponents of the Salem Redevelopment Authority had made their voices heard. As the national attitude towards urban renewal changed, Salem was an early adopter of a new strategy. Rehabilitation, preservation, and creating a city identity became important pieces of a new,…
The Salem Downtown Renewal Plan: Part 1, A Close Call with Destruction In the 1960s, historic downtown Salem faced the wrecking ball. With changing economic conditions and a belief in demolition before renovation, 82% of downtown was under scrutiny. However, thanks to grassroots activism and a few well placed allies in the public eye, Salem…
Urban Renewal in Easton, PA’s “Syrian Town” The mid-size industrial city of Easton, PA was home to a thriving population of Lebanese-Americans living in a diverse neighborhood. However, city officials deemed their neighborhood a slum and used urban renewal funding to displace thousands of residents. This article tells the story of Easton’s brush with urban…
Reclaiming History in Three Boston Neighborhoods: Sharing Memories of Chinatown, Little Syria, and New York Streets Reclaiming History: A Journey Through Three Neighborhoods explores the histories and community life of Chinatown, Little Syria, and the New York Streets before urban renewal, and the different fates of each post urban renewal. Window clings, a display case,…
Kendall Square: Urban Renewal to the World’s “Most Innovative Square Mile” The West End’s neighbor across the Charles River, Kendall Square, was designated an urban renewal project area. However, as federal involvement evaporated in the late 1960s, plans for a NASA compound would have to change. MIT stepped in to fill the urban renewal void.…
When Barry’s Corner Said, ‘To Hell With Urban Renewal!’ After learning from the example of the West End, one of the neighborhoods who fought back against urban renewal was the tiny area of Lower Allston called Barry’s Corner. A beloved working class area, Barry’s Corner residents did their best to push back against the specter…
Kane Simonian The distinct name of Kane Simonian belonged to the man who either controlled or influenced Boston’s urban development for over 40 years. He managed the city’s first federally funded urban renewal projects under the Boston Housing Authority. In 1957, he became the first director of the Boston Redevelopment Authority. Simonian’s long, tumultuous, and…
South Enders vs. The B.R.A.: Urban Renewal in Boston’s South End In post-war Boston, city officials razed several low-income neighborhoods for urban renewal. Among those neighborhoods was the South End, a low-income yet culturally rich area. The story of community resistance to urban renewal in the South End included small victories. But the South End…
