tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-276002142011-04-21T15:26:18.320-07:00J. Glackmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17458568728668735597noreply@blogger.comBlogger11100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27600214.post-1146854105188217802006-05-05T11:33:00.000-07:002006-05-05T15:23:22.906-07:00<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1360/2182/1600/DSCN0041.1.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1360/2182/200/DSCN0041.1.jpg" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">I would guess that gentrification is on the minds of most of the long time residents in Ardmore. There have been many new apartments built or restored in the past few years. On West Spring Avenue, there are townhomes being built. Currently, the neighborhood single family houses in the style of single, twin or rown homes. Physically, the construction will change the look and feel of the neighborhood. The new town homes will also have a huge impact on the home prices in the area. In reference to gentrification, there are two topics I will explore: the increase of homes prices - leading to a new socio-economic group, and the ethnic make-up of the community.<br />The townhouses are priced at well over $100,000 more than the average sale price of homes in the neighborhood. This will allow the current homeowners to sell their homes for more money. In the past year, the prices have significantly increased. I know this because I have been looking to buy a house and nothing is affordable. The issue arising in the community is the younger people who grew up in Ardmore, and are looking to buy their first house, cannot afford to purchase in their own community. They often end up moving to places like Upper Darby or Norristown - a major difference from the Main Line area. Ardmore has always been a safe and quiet neighborhood unlike many parts of Upper Darby and Norristown. The new homeowners in Ardmore are generally college educated and non-black. For years, the community has been the largest black neighborhood on the Main Line.<br />Many non-black Hispanics and Caucasians have been buying the properties put up for sale. They are generally starter homes for the new residents. The racial make-up of the community has been changing over the past few years and with the new construction, I believe it will continue to do so. I would guess that there is some negative feeling among the black members of the community about the ethnic change of the community.<br />The town homes were the most visible signs of gentrification as I walked along Spring Avenue between Linwood Avenue and Armat Avenue (bordering Haverford College). In addition to this large construction, I saw many homes having some signs of remodeling taking place. Hopefully the established members of the community will be able to figure out a way to help the younger residents buy homes in the neighborhood.</span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/27600214-114685410518821780?l=uejgg.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>J. Glackmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17458568728668735597noreply@blogger.com0