A panel discussion convened in Philadelphia recently to discuss the effects of eminent domain, that critical and troubling tool that makes redevelopment possible.
Marielle Segarra describes the legacy of trauma, and the current struggles, brought about by eminent domain in the city of Philadelphia. The occasion for the discussion arose from a panel discussion held at Arden Theater, where a play by August Wilson called Two Trains Running, which hinges on the power of eminent domain during an urban renewal process set in the late 1960s.
In present day Philadelphia, the power of eminent domain is being welded for a massive redevelopment project in the Sharswood neighborhood in North Philadelphia, where the Philadelphia Housing Authority is planning to seize nearly 1,300 properties. Inga Saffron, the architecture critic for the Philadelphia Inquirer offered a strong critique of the plan back in March.
The article focuses on the personal toll experienced by people who lose their homes during these processes—whether planners call it renewal, redevelopment, or revitalization.
Read the full story: In Philadelphia, a discussion about urban renewal and the 'trauma' of eminent domain
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