altorelievo t1_jdlc78j wrote on March 25, 2023 at 6:13 AM

Reply to comment by [deleted] in Black leaders are developing Nubian Square. Can they revitalize the economic heart of Black Boston? by bostonglobe

If you travel up and down Blue Hill Ave and Washington St. look around there are empty lots. In the past these were epitome of urban decay but now there are large boards with structural designs of the coming property development. I'm not sure who's funding it (I believe a combination of State and Private interests) but I do know it's split affordable housing.

Check out Egleston Sq. for a balanced progressive neighborhood. It has a cool mix of affordable housing and new condos. Handful of local Bodegas/Haciendas and also new businesses. Cutting down Talbot St., Savin Hill is getting built up too.

It's not happening as fast as I'd want but it is happening. I don't think Boston is getting enough credit in this way. Possibly slow concerted planning to get it right, no second chances.

Having lived in the PNW, Portland OR & Seattle WA. They have walkable neighborhoods spread throughout the city, especially Portland. Where trendy local eateries, bars, and various other coffee shops, breweries, and artists have shops and businesses. I am aware that they've benefited heavily from transplants and investors flooding in from all over the country, especially California and specifically San Francisco. Seeing it as an affordable and hip area to invest but Boston has a much more difficult position getting certain neighborhoods planned and developed. Where sure we have the Seaport but Roxbury is a stark difference and this is the main difference between. Sure they have high income areas but overall there's a balance of many thriving neighborhoods.

I wish they would promote and invite people from all over the country, but more practically just New England. Having more inclusion with locals teaming up with other entrepreneurs and artists as well as State funded Architectural projects and Parks, it would be amazing seeing Nubian caught up and on par with a lot of the other areas. Boston is a diverse world-class city, has a lot going for it already but there are still problems and I really think there's not nearly as much focus on it that it deserves. I truly think if Boston puts the focus here the long overdue development will launch Boston in a league of its own as a leader in the US.

BobbyBrownsBoston t1_jdnlmqi wrote on March 25, 2023 at 7:14 PM

Boston has hella black people though, in the city. Seattle and Portland do not. That has historically driven divestment and scared off investment. Until he pandemic Boston had a much higher violent crime rate and concentrations of generational poverty.

It also has a liquor license cap.

That’s why it’s been hard to turn these neighborhoods around. They were extreeeeemly blighted at their lowest and it’s taken a long time to revitalize these neighborhoods just to this point.

Take a look at this video of Roxbury around 1980- it was super rough. https://youtu.be/tjtYIWdK2aE

altorelievo t1_jdnq6bw wrote on March 25, 2023 at 7:47 PM

Yeah, hindsight my comment comes too idealistic. I didn't factor in demographics as a variable that could affect investment, sadly this also is part of my naivety.

I am aware of 1980's Roxbury, I lived just north of Boston Everett/Malden at the time. Those "empty lots" I mentioned all over Blue Hill and Washington, yeah I know these were not great places to be at that time. Progress, is stagnant empty grass lots but it's better than abandoned buildings with rampant drug use in each one. In short time, if done right these will revitalize the area and bring Boston into a new era.