If I am not mistaken, desegregation happened under Dr. Coffin, but point taken. Joe Hill didn't think the plan was a wrong needed to be righted. And the 5th ward had a school- King Lab (in the old Foster School). Perhaps the biggest failure was relocating King Lab to Skiles. Kids were bussed in to King Lab- that was the point. When Kimbe…
If I am not mistaken, desegregation happened under Dr. Coffin, but point taken. Joe Hill didn't think the plan was a wrong needed to be righted. And the 5th ward had a school- King Lab (in the old Foster School). Perhaps the biggest failure was relocating King Lab to Skiles. Kids were bussed in to King Lab- that was the point. When Kimberly Holmes says she sees a slow death, she is referring to the so-called gentrification and diversification of the ward resulting in less and less black owners/residents. You can't have your "own" ward and continue to lament redlining of 60+ years ago if the people that now live in the redlined ward aren't black. That is problematic for some, which is also why the current alderman wants to ensure the boundaries of the ward allow for a majority-minority ward for purely political purposes. Some might call that gerrymandering. If/when the school is built, if it doesn't run out of money and become a mediocre building, if the population is mixed enough, if crime in the area is at acceptble levels, if there aren't major "Haven-esque" behavior problems, then the school will be a draw for families looking for starter/affordable homes to move to. This will encourage neighborhood development and new construction/rehabbing but will displace some current residents. Some will capitalize on it by selling at a profit and moving elsewhere, some must move elsewhere where the living is cheaper. Either way, the ward is not in decline now, nor will it be. We all know what happens in a boom neighborhood (think Bucktown/Wicker Park but tiny); crappy homes make way for new builds and money moves in for the location and amenities of Evanston. The 5th ward is pretty close to NU. Be careful what you wish for. It is already happening in the ward...drive around and see.
Hi Tom - the demolition of the homes on Emerson actually was an anti-gentrification move. I live nearby and have been keeping tabs. A private developer attempted to purchase the property a few years ago and turn it into a nice market rate apartment complex, but local residents fought it and the city council did not approve the purchase. So, who purchased the lot to please the masses? The City of Evanston for 1.6M after it was listed for 1.2M and never sold (but 1.6M was the appraised amount assuming the zoning density sticks -- at a lower zoning density which the surrounding community wants, it was just north of a mil).
The City of Evanston hasn't totally decided what they're going to do with the site, but councilmembers have expressed a desire to turn the site into low income/subsidized/affordable housing. The fire department was using the long vacant buildings for training purposes over the last few months before demolition. The buildings there certainly have been an eyesore for years, so I don't think anybody is sad to see them go, but I was very sad to see huge mature trees get taken out earlier on the property (ironic given how the City of Evanston is trying to impose restrictions on residents taking down trees on private property).
If you look at the census data, that area hasn't seen a huge influx of affluent purchasers but there are definitely small pockets of it and you see some rehabbed homes just north of Emerson on Wesley and the like. But people have been saying for YEARS that the SEE gentrification and the figures don't (yet) support that. With Double Clutch, Soul & Smoke, and a few pockets of development/rehabbed homes, we may see it down the road, but people have been saying that for 20 years. Ironically, maybe a new school will make the area more desirable and lead to buyers with more means. We shall see....But the small property lots and aged (but not historic) housing stock is a high hurdle on many of the blocks. It's not an area developers routinely look at properties to "flip."
Don’t know that I would agree that’s true in the whole ward. Drive around close to Beck Park and you will see lots of new and flipped homes. I see it daily. Look how much the new construction homes at Dodge and Emerson sold for a couple years ago. And the ones on Church and Grey in the last 6 years. It is happening. I moved to the 7th ward in 2010 and spent most of my kids’ youth at Fleetwood and Foster Field. It was walkable for us. I’ve seen the changes, and it’s getting better all the time.
Yes, desegregation of Foster began in the late 60s under Coffin, but white kids were bused in to Foster. Foster closed in 1979 when Hill was superintendent. The closure was due to decline in student numbers. I think Kingsley closed at around the same time. The District sold Foster but held on to Kingsley which they re-opened later.
If I am not mistaken, desegregation happened under Dr. Coffin, but point taken. Joe Hill didn't think the plan was a wrong needed to be righted. And the 5th ward had a school- King Lab (in the old Foster School). Perhaps the biggest failure was relocating King Lab to Skiles. Kids were bussed in to King Lab- that was the point. When Kimberly Holmes says she sees a slow death, she is referring to the so-called gentrification and diversification of the ward resulting in less and less black owners/residents. You can't have your "own" ward and continue to lament redlining of 60+ years ago if the people that now live in the redlined ward aren't black. That is problematic for some, which is also why the current alderman wants to ensure the boundaries of the ward allow for a majority-minority ward for purely political purposes. Some might call that gerrymandering. If/when the school is built, if it doesn't run out of money and become a mediocre building, if the population is mixed enough, if crime in the area is at acceptble levels, if there aren't major "Haven-esque" behavior problems, then the school will be a draw for families looking for starter/affordable homes to move to. This will encourage neighborhood development and new construction/rehabbing but will displace some current residents. Some will capitalize on it by selling at a profit and moving elsewhere, some must move elsewhere where the living is cheaper. Either way, the ward is not in decline now, nor will it be. We all know what happens in a boom neighborhood (think Bucktown/Wicker Park but tiny); crappy homes make way for new builds and money moves in for the location and amenities of Evanston. The 5th ward is pretty close to NU. Be careful what you wish for. It is already happening in the ward...drive around and see.
I was going to say, there's already a ton of gentrification happening over there. Just check out what's happening on Emerson right now.
Hi Tom - the demolition of the homes on Emerson actually was an anti-gentrification move. I live nearby and have been keeping tabs. A private developer attempted to purchase the property a few years ago and turn it into a nice market rate apartment complex, but local residents fought it and the city council did not approve the purchase. So, who purchased the lot to please the masses? The City of Evanston for 1.6M after it was listed for 1.2M and never sold (but 1.6M was the appraised amount assuming the zoning density sticks -- at a lower zoning density which the surrounding community wants, it was just north of a mil).
The City of Evanston hasn't totally decided what they're going to do with the site, but councilmembers have expressed a desire to turn the site into low income/subsidized/affordable housing. The fire department was using the long vacant buildings for training purposes over the last few months before demolition. The buildings there certainly have been an eyesore for years, so I don't think anybody is sad to see them go, but I was very sad to see huge mature trees get taken out earlier on the property (ironic given how the City of Evanston is trying to impose restrictions on residents taking down trees on private property).
If you look at the census data, that area hasn't seen a huge influx of affluent purchasers but there are definitely small pockets of it and you see some rehabbed homes just north of Emerson on Wesley and the like. But people have been saying for YEARS that the SEE gentrification and the figures don't (yet) support that. With Double Clutch, Soul & Smoke, and a few pockets of development/rehabbed homes, we may see it down the road, but people have been saying that for 20 years. Ironically, maybe a new school will make the area more desirable and lead to buyers with more means. We shall see....But the small property lots and aged (but not historic) housing stock is a high hurdle on many of the blocks. It's not an area developers routinely look at properties to "flip."
Thank you for this correction; I haven’t been following that story as closely as I should have been. Much appreciated comment 🙏
Don’t know that I would agree that’s true in the whole ward. Drive around close to Beck Park and you will see lots of new and flipped homes. I see it daily. Look how much the new construction homes at Dodge and Emerson sold for a couple years ago. And the ones on Church and Grey in the last 6 years. It is happening. I moved to the 7th ward in 2010 and spent most of my kids’ youth at Fleetwood and Foster Field. It was walkable for us. I’ve seen the changes, and it’s getting better all the time.
Yes, desegregation of Foster began in the late 60s under Coffin, but white kids were bused in to Foster. Foster closed in 1979 when Hill was superintendent. The closure was due to decline in student numbers. I think Kingsley closed at around the same time. The District sold Foster but held on to Kingsley which they re-opened later.
Thank you guys for this background!!
I could be wrong about the timing of Kingsley's closing. But it was definitely closed during the 1980s.