Posted on 03/31/2011 10:11:26 AM PDT by smokingfrog
A wrecking ball is marking the end of an era this morning at 1230 N. Burling St., otherwise known as Cabrini-Green. The tower there is the last of the housing project's high-rise buildings to be demolished.
A Target store may be built on the site, according to published reports. And even though some row houses remain, many consider this the end of Cabrini Green, judged by history as one of the most notorious housing projects in the country.
Cabrini-Green survived almost 60 years.
Cabrini-Green gained a well-earned reputation for gang crime and almost daily violence. Police officers were gunned down there; a sniper snuffed out the life of a 7-year old; a 9-year old girl known as Girl X was found beaten, raped, poisoned and left for dead in a stairwell. Other factors highlighted its problems, specifically its proximity to its wealthier neighbors in Lincoln Park and the Gold Coast.
Perhaps lesser known, there were its outspoken residents, who learned tenant management and became landlords. They fought for Cabrini's survival.
In a way, so did former Mayor Jane Byrne. She moved in for a brief time to draw attention to the problems at the complex. But it became only a matter of time before the dream of "urban renewal" would be replaced by new ideas.
Now all but the 1230 building has been razed. It will start to come down today, and it will take about a week to complete the job.
Cabrini-Green was dedicated in 1942 by a mayor who had high hopes for project that would occupy seven acres of high-rises.
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
Subsidized tenements have never been a good idea, and especially not now. If the gummit must house welfare recipients, there are scads of abandoned single family homes to be had at a song.
Good Times.
Any time you meet a payment
Good Times
Any time you need a friend
Good Times
Any time you’re out from under
Not getting hassled, not getting hustled
Keepin’ your head above water
Making a wave when you can
Temporary lay offs
Good Times
Easy credit rip offs
Good Times
Scratchin’ and surviving
Good Times
Hangin in a chow line
Good Times
Ain’t we lucky we got ‘em
Good Times.
Get the governement out of housing period!
What is the incentive to keep up the property if the user has no skin in the game?
That was a damn good show (up until the time John Amos left)...
In all my travels of this great country over the years. That experiment in Soviet life in America was hands down the scariest place I have ever been.
I’m sure BO would love to move his constituents into the tens of thousands of foreclosed houses that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are stuck with all over the country. Can you imagine the outcry from neighboring home owners? It certainly won’t happen before the 2012 election, because it would be the kiss of death for his re-election.
And this, dear students, is the result of liberals trying to do something that concerns real life.
Remember, with liberals/progressives, failure is not an option, it’s a requirement.
Interesting how Target may have plans - nice union
shop, of course.
It’s a pity Walmart, with it’s terrible abuse of
women (s/off)and non-union status will bring no
competion to benefit the ‘hood.
Maybe so, but if he gets a second term, watch out suburbia.
It could happen anyway, if things start looking bad for him as the election nears. In that case, I expect he'll lash out at middle America like nothing we've ever seen.
and to knock this building down, they’ll need lots of “Dyno-mite!”
A monument to liberal failure. Where did all the people go?................
Afterwords they drank a strong alcohol drink made from fermented wild yams, and took to the bush on a lion hunt.
I always thought it was sad that the good name of Mother Cabrini was sullied by association with that place.
In the beginning, the housing projects actually provided a better place to live. Early residents had come from rundown slums to live there. Unfortunately, a bad element vandalized and tore up the places.
Drug dealing and other criminal activity became rampant in these places. The lights in the hallways were shot out by someone. People urinated in the elevators and stairwells. Trash was everywhere except the trashcans and the dumpster.
Unfortunately, we found that putting all these people in what were at first new nicer apartment did NOT last. The bad element made the quality of life very bad for everyone else.
Virtually 100% of residents were of one race. I’ve never heard Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson tell us what they think has caused such problems in housing projects.
That would need some policing to keep from getting out of hand, but I think most neighbors would rather a house next door be occupied by a freeloader who otherwise minds their own business than to stand empty. Now if these turn into meth cooking havens and the like, that’s another story.
Funnily enough, I believe Jimmy Walker is a bit Conservative/Libertarian if I’m not mistaken...
Not traveling in Catholic circles, I wouldn’t have occasion to have known the nun. Another well-meant liberal idea gone awry because it was impractical. These were a government project, right? Not a charity arm of the church? That makes a whole lot of difference. Church-owned properties would be far better managed.
This is exactly what's happening.
There's several recent articles of how Section 8 newcomers are bringing changes to the suburbs (and not necessarily changes their neighbors are pleased about).
I think you're right. Unfortunately, like so many African American conservatives who are associated with the entertainment industry, he keeps a very low profile, at least nationally. And, I must ask, who can blame him?
How long until Section 8 isn’t a voluntary program for landlords?
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