Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

J. wrote: With more people likely using Citi Bikes to get around and return to some days in schools and offices, its going to be helpful to have even more bikes available downtown. Now that the epic Warren Street Reconstruction Project is finally completed, do you know when (or if) Citi Bike will be re-installing the old station on Warren & West Broadway as well as the station that used to be in front of the Tribeca Whole Foods?

So I will take a circuitous route on this question, since I had already been needling DOT for an answer when I got J.s note, and start with the station on Greenwich and Duane that is causing much consternation.

Some neighbors there (and the restaurants themselves) are still pushing for the station to be moved so The Hideaway and Tokyo Bay can take advantage of the curbside dining part of the citys Open Restaurants program. That program goes till Oct. 31 and the mayor said recently that it will be extended for next summer as well, so making a move now could have lasting repercussions for both businesses.

But DOT told me that they are not going to move it, and while there is a planned expansion, they will hold off until Open Restaurants ends.

A DOT spokesperson said the regulations of the Open Restaurants program outlined in the FAQ section state that the city will not relocate street furniture to accommodate a restaurant. (Street furniture usually means bus stops, benches, light posts, garbage cans, etc, but I am not sure why it should therefore include Citi Bike stations, which are designed to be modular and moveable.)

DOT is working to balance multiple aspects of the Citys recovery, which includes adding facilities for multimodal travel and programming public open space to promote social distancing. As part of Citi Bike infill, we are planning to increase dock capacity at the station on Duane Street. While we are moving forward with our infill plans in other locations, we will be holding off on the Duane Street station expansion until the Open Restaurants program concludes.

As for the original Nosy Neighbor question, DOT said that Greenwich has a pending capital project (maybe that is what is going on in front of Whole Foods now?) and the station will be returned after its completion. They said that the relocation site for that one is the one in front of Target on Greenwich and Murray. (Its been so long that I thought that one had always been there)

But as for West Broadway and Warren, they say we made that one up and now that I really rack my brain, was it in fact at Church and Warren in front of what is now 30 Warren? Who can confirm?? UPDATE: Two readers sent Google street view images of the station that was once on Warren between West Broadway and Church in front of the Mysterious Bookshop. See the screenshot below, taken in 2014.

Heres the DOT response: There are no records of a station at W. Broadway and Warren Street. We are surveying West Broadway & Church Street, but no timeline for return right now.

So to sum up, DOT is in an odd predicament to be both the overlord on bike transportation and restaurant expansion (see how important our streets have become?) but it seems to me the best approach here would be to move Duane around the corner to Greenwich and NOT expand it (maybe expand instead at Hudson and Reade) AND return the ghost station at West Broadway and Warren to add more capacity, especially since the Whole Foods one is delayed for more construction.

Read more here:
Nosy Neighbor: When will the Citi Bike stations be re-installed? - Tribeca Citizen

Aliquippa becomes home to people from around the world, a place with community pride and a legendary blue-collar work ethic crafted in the fiery ovens of the mills. Over the next 90 years, Aliquippa would see its share of ups and downs, but its beginnings are a story that can never be taken away.

This is the fourth and final column in a series detailing the complete and definitive history of Aliquippa.

The decade of the 1910s was a pivotal one in American history. The opulence of the Gilded Age had given way to a steady stream of assembly-line factories, mill towns and thriving cities that were suddenly growing up instead of out due to the proliferation of steel production. Skyscrapers were the new game in town.

In the northeast, cities such as New York, Philadelphia, Boston and, of course, Pittsburgh, were growly rapidly. The same was happening to St. Louis, Detroit and Chicago in the Midwest and in San Francisco and Los Angeles on the West Coast.Each city had its own share of both promise and blight, as illustrated by the ghetto neighborhoods that surrounded most industrial areas. The rich were still getting richer, even in 1910.

Outside of the major cities, America was more akin to the lifestyle of the 19th century. The concept of the suburb was one that wouldnt materialize for another few decades, so anyone living outside of the reach of railroads or streetcar lines was essentially cut off from the modern world. Automobiles were beginning to appear, but they were still very much a novelty item for the wealthy.

Farming was still the main occupation outside of the cities, but it was getting much more difficult to make a living doing it. Railroads had connected the nation, making farming a national industry instead of a local one. Massive farms in the west were producing millions of tons of produce each year with much less overhead, resulting in large quantities of cheap food that could be transported anywhere in the country via rail. A grocery store in New York could now sell real Georgia peaches, grapes from California, potatoes from Idaho, and corn from Indiana all in the same week.

In the south, the second post-slavery generation of African-Americans were still dealing with rampant oppression. Jim Crow laws, upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Plessy v. Ferguson In 1896, had created the "separate but equal" legal doctrine, legalizing racial segregation in the former Confederate states. Southern Blacks wanted and deserved a chance at a better life.

All of these reasons were considered by the Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp. when advertising its new steel town of Woodlawn in 1910. The company had thousands of jobs to fill in the now-operating blast furnace complex, not to mention the hundreds that would be needed to continue construction of the adjacent mills along the Ohio River.

But, how would the company reach the oppressed in the South, the forgotten in the ghettos and the desperate in the heartland? How would they inform them of the new American Dream taking shape in Woodlawn, Pennsylvania? In an age before communication became instant, this would require some innovative methods.

'Woodlawn on the Ohio'

By spring 1912, the new Aliquippa Works of J&L Steel was humming. Three blast furnaces were operating 24/7, along with the tinplate, rod-iron, nail, open-hearth and blooming mills. A fourth blast furnace and the Bessemer Converter were under construction and scheduled to open in August. An influx of workers wasnt just needed; it was essential to the continued growth of the complex.

On the town side, the Woodlawn Land Co. had completed more than 1,500 houses in Plans 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 11 and 12. Plan 8, also known as Orchard Plan, was nearing completion. On Temple and Oliver streets in Plan 12, 16 brick blocks of homes that would come to be known as "The Bricks" were almost finished. Each house in Woodlawn was equipped with a bath, hot/cold water, natural gas heating, electric lighting, porches, attics, basements and large lawns that no other steel town could match. Workers could move their families in on Day One and their mortgage payments would be automatically deducted from their weekly pay envelopes.

From a civic standpoint, the borough of Woodlawn now possessed all of the modern amenities of a progressive industrial city. It had two schools Logstown and Highland with a third, the towns first high school, under construction. This building would later be known as Franklin School. Laughlin and Jones Schools would not be built for a few more years.

Construction of the Woodlawn & Southern Street Railway began in 1912, the boroughs first public transportation system. A fire department was begun in 1909, later joined by a police department, water company and street department. The new $30,000 municipal building was dedicated on March 8, 1911. Streets were paved with macadam and lined with newly planted trees to add elegance.

Along Franklin Avenue, the town had a quickly developing downtown. Two hotels, the Franklin and the National European, welcomed newcomers to Woodlawn. The Woodlawn Trust Company, the towns first bank, opened in 1910. The bank building also hosted the boroughs first U.S. Post Office. All of downtown was built around the massive five-story Pittsburgh Mercantile Co. building, the "company store" that served steelworkers and their families on a credit system. Shoppers came for the company store, but stayed for the food, drinks and excitement along "The Avenue."

The Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad was very influential in Woodlawn. In 1909, the railroad began construction of a new passenger station and freight depot, both of which stand to this day. Rail was also the main transportation for prospective residents to get a glimpse of Woodlawn. The railroad offered free daily rides from Pittsburgh.

The Woodlawn Land Co. knew that it would need more than Pittsburgh connections to bring the number of workers J&L needed. In March 1912, a free 14-page picture booklet was published to show the world what Woodlawn had to offer. These booklets, titled "Woodlawn on the Ohio," were carried by the P&LE Railroad and its partner lines and made available at every station along their routes. The land company also took out ads in newspapers around the country, even as far away as California. Soon, a steady stream of people was showing up daily at the Woodlawn passenger station.

Immigrants Chasing the Dream

The "Woodlawn on the Ohio" booklets were a smash hit. People not only took them for their own purposes, they also sent them back to the Old Country for their friends and relatives. The opportunity to find a good-paying job, a new house, and a real ground-floor community was an incredible lure. By late 1913, Woodlawn had become one of the key destinations for new arrivals at Ellis Island. It was a true land of opportunity, and the P&LE Railroad was its gatekeeper.

In 1912, the railroad took an unconventional step to ensure it could handle the rush of immigrants. For the first time, the company employed bilingual agents at its Woodlawn station. Whether you spoke French, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Greek, Portuguese, German, Hebrew or Croatian, there would be an agent waiting to help you find your way.

Upon arriving at Woodlawn, most immigrants began looking for the plan of homes nearest to their fellow countrymen. They wanted to be around those who spoke their language and shared their customs. As the plans filled, each one began to develop its own unique ethnic feel. Plan 4, for instance, was home to many Greek immigrants. The Greek Orthodox Church was located there, as were several Greek grocers. This same trend occurred in nearly every plan. Woodlawn was a segregated community, but it was an organically segregated community.

Revisionist history has always claimed that J&L Steel purposely segregated the town to create divisions among the workforce. This was not true, even if the end result did resemble as such. The segregation of Woodlawns plans was done by its own residents out of their own desires and needs. J&L Steel did have two plans that were not open to just anyone, however. Plan 6 was reserved for mill bosses, foremen and superintendents. It was a closed community for the steel companys elite. Plan 12 was reserved for English-speaking workers, regardless if they were naturally born Americans or recent arrivals.

As time went on, many began to look at Woodlawn as the quintessential example of a "melting pot." This was defined as a place where many different cultures slowly "melted" into one Americanized culture through the process of forced assimilation. This also wasnt entirely true. Most immigrants went out of their way to assimilate voluntarily, but it wasnt at the expense of their own ethnic heritages. Woodlawns different nationalities created vibrant community clubs, church organizations, orchestras and sports leagues.Each nationality also brought its own celebrations to Woodlawn, a tradition that lives on through the annual San Rocco Festa each summer.

By 1920, Woodlawn had a foreign-born population of more than 5,000. The largest contingent of immigrants had arrived from Yugoslavia, followed by Italy, Greece, Austria, and Poland. In the interest of civic participation, the Woodlawn School District began offering free English language classes for workers and their families in October 1912.This was an early example of how the town welcomed new arrivals and expected them to contribute to the overall community.

Period of Rapid Growth

While Woodlawn was coming into its own, its northern neighbor also was taking great strides. Aliquippa, todays West Aliquippa, was home to more than 2,000 people in 1914. Another major employer, Kidd Drawn Steel, arrived that year to add even more jobs to the local mix. Aliquippa had a full contingent of borough services, including its own fire department, police department and school system.

Back in Woodlawn, J&L Steel was still growing.A fifth blast furnace went online in 1918, and the company entered the tubular products field with the construction of two buttweld mills and a lapweld mill. The Woodlawn Land Co. was still completing homes at a staggering rate of one per day to meet the demand of the steel firms workforce.

Woodlawn also saw a number of churches founded during this period, starting with St. Titus Roman Catholic Church in 1910. That was followed by the First Methodist Church and First United Presbyterian Church later that year. In 1912, St. Elijah Serbian Orthodox Church was founded in Logstown to serve a growing Eastern European population, and House of Prayer Lutheran Church was built on Sheffield Avenue. SS. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church (1912), Triedstone Baptist Church (1915), All Saints Episcopal Church (1915), Emmanuel AME Church (1916), Assumption Greek Orthodox Church (1917), St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church (1917), and Agudath Achim Synagogue (1919) rounded out the new congregations around the steel town.

During World War I, the Aliquippa Works operated at more than double capacity, with anywhere from 7,000 to 8,000 workers toiling in the mills at any given time. Woodlawn quickly gained a reputation as one of Americas greatest production towns.

The Roaring Twenties

Woodlawn came out of wartime production as a town of more than 20,000. Just a decade prior, the valley of Logstown Run had been a quiet, wooded place. Now, it buzzed with the sounds of commerce and community around the clock.

As the original plans began to fill up, new developments were started. The McDonald-Short Plan, McDonald Heights and the Hall Plan ("Hollywood") all began construction in 1923. In Aliquippa borough, the P&LE Railroad constructed a series of homes for its employees that reached to the Woodlawn border. The two boroughs were quickly growing closer together.

For recreational purposes, J&L built a large community swimming pool adjacent to its main office building. A new community library, B.F. Jones Memorial, was planned in 1927 and completed in 1929. A gift from the daughter of J&L Steel founder Benjamin Franklin Jones, the library continues to serve the community to this day.

With an endlessly growing population came the need for a modern high school. Land in Plan 12 was donated by J&L Steel and construction began in late 1923. When it opened in 1925, Harding High School named for recently deceased President Warren G. Harding was considered the finest in the state.

As the 1920s dwindled, it became clear that Woodlawn had grown to its boundaries on all sides. With J&L Steel continuing to expand the Aliquippa Works, the community had to do the same. In 1927, officials from both Woodlawn and Aliquippa met to discuss a bold move that would change the local landscape forever.

The Consolidation

Aliquippa was founded nearly two decades prior to Woodlawn, but by 1915 it was the clear number two locally. Woodlawn was a modern community in every sense of the word and was praised across the country as the ideal industrial town. Meanwhile, Aliquippa had become hemmed in on all sides by the Ohio River, P&LE Railroad freight yard and the Aliquippa Works. It was isolated and unable to move forward due to a lack of available land.

In 1927, the idea of a consolidation between the two boroughs was floated at a Woodlawn council meeting. Most Aliquippa residents were against the idea, as they were fiercely loyal to their hometown and could foresee it getting the raw end of any potential deal. However, the power of Woodlawn and J&L Steel pushed the notion until it was finally brought up for a vote.

On Jan. 24, 1928, residents of both towns took to the polls to decide on consolidation.The result was never in question, passing by more than 3,000 votes.While it was the original Aliquippa borough that would be divested of its identity, the name Woodlawn was the one that would disappear forever. Officials decided to take the Aliquippa name for the merged community, due to its historic nature and notoriety as the name of J&L Steels mills, the Aliquippa Works.

Old Aliquippa borough would become known as West Aliquippa. Although the P&LERailroad tracks ran north to south through Beaver County, the line in general was an east-west one. Because the former Aliquippa was the next station after the new Aliquippa heading west on the railroad, it was given the name West Aliquippa.

One more step was taken to create this new, larger borough. Neighboring Hopewell Township was pillaged for a large chunk of its land, including New Sheffield and what is now the area of Kennedy Boulevard. This annexation added another 5,000 acres to Aliquippa borough and gave the town room for future expansion. On Jan. 28, 1928, the official consolidation was put to paper. Modern Aliquippa had been born.

Twenty-two years

It had been just 22 years since P.M. Moore deboarded his train at Woodlawn and became the first Jones & Laughlin Steel employee to call the tiny farming village home.Now, the Borough of Aliquippa had emerged from its fiery beginnings to become a true slice of the American Dream. It was home to people from around the world, a place with community pride and a legendary blue-collar work ethic crafted in the fiery ovens of the mills. Over the next 90 years, Aliquippa would see its share of ups and downs, but its beginnings are a story that can never be taken away.

The story of Aliquippa really is the story of America.

Jeffrey Snedden is a local researcher and historian. Questions, comments or topic ideas for Histories & Mysteries may be emailed to historiesandmysteries@yahoo.com. Every other week, Snedden will choose a few new topics and update past ones with readers notes and questions.

The rest is here:
Histories & Mysteries: Aliquippa emerges from its fiery beginnings to represent the American Dream - The Times

Submitted photo/Dorchester TourismTony Hurley of Chestertown danced at one of the Nause-Waiwash Band of Indians powwows in Vienna.

The Dorchester County Tourism Departments monthly Heritage Partner Spotlight focuses on the Heart of Chesapeake Country Heritage Area (HCCHA) partners and how they have supported heritage tourism in Dorchester County with a project funded by either a Maryland Heritage Areas Authority (MHAA) grant or a HCCHA mini-grant.

This months spotlight shines on the Nause-Waiwash Band of Indians, who continue to preserve and promote their rich history and culture on the Eastern Shore. Native American Heritage is one of the founding themes of the HCCHA, which prioritizes stewardship like that demonstrated by the Nause-Waiwash, as well as the preservation of threatened and vanishing places, practices and stories.

Dept. of TourismSpecial to Dorchester BannerVIENNA Every fall, dancing, music and song fill the Vienna Ballfield as descendants and friends of Eastern Shore Native American tribes gather to honor and celebrate the rich culture and traditions of Dorchester County and its indigenous people. Organized by the Nause-Waiwash Band of Indians, the annual festival features ceremonies, demonstrations, competitions, games and authentic food and crafts.

Neighboring tribes attend to show their support. In 2019, guests included representatives from the Assateague, Nanticoke, Accohannock tribe of Somerset County, Cherokee, Mohawk, Pamunkey, Creek, Blackfoot, Seneca, Lumbee, Tusarora and many other tribes and nations.Native music was played by a flutist from South America, three native drum groups played dancers could dance the potato dance, the grass dance and the sneak-up dance. A tomahawk throw offered a chance for those who wanted to test their skills. A team of sleigh dogs also provided a demonstration from the Native Alaskans culture.

Telling their storyTheir name, Nause-Waiwash (nah-soo WAY-wash), is a reference to two Nanticoke ancestral villages. One was located outside of Cambridge along the Choptank River, and the other was located outside Vienna along the Nanticoke River. Based in Dorchester County, the Nause-Waiwash are the remnants of what Europeans call Nanticoke, Choptank and Pocomoke tribes who fled into the marshes in the 1700s to avoid execution. These three names, Nanticoke, Choptank and Pocomoke, are the names of the three major rivers in the area, which are tributaries of the majestic Chesapeake Bay.

Captain John Smith discovered these Native Americans during his exploration of the Chesapeake Bay in 1608, which is well documented in his writings and history books.In the late 1980s, Sewell Fitzhugh decided that the history, culture and traditions of these Dorchester County Indians needed to be preserved. With the support of local elders, Fitzhugh proceeded with organizing the now Nause-Waiwash Band of Indians, Inc. A council was formed, and as is the tradition, the women of the tribe held an election. Fitzhugh became the first chief of the Nause-Waiwash Band of Indians, Inc.

Tracing lineageOne challenge they have faced is researching and connecting their lineage. As so many were forced to leave their lands, they were given European names and began to identify as either Black or White. For instance, genealogists have found that Sara and Jenny became the most common female Christian names given to Nause-Waiwash ancestors in the 1600s and 1700s, said Chief Wolf Mother Abbott.

The enrollment process for the tribe today calls for tracing the family tree to where the indigenous blood line comes in. They have found that there are several common surnames that repeatedly show up in these searches. Robbins, Abbott, Tall and Hughes are among them.Chief Fitzhugh had a passion for his history, and he learned a lot from his grandmother, Chief Abbott said. He says that when people were educated, it was by word of mouth. By the 1980s, he had an abundant amount of information about the people of this area and lower Dorcheter County.

We all knew we had Indian blood. We all knew we were descendants. But many elders were disgraced so they didnt educate their children about their culture. At least two generations didnt own it or know anything about it. My generation is trying to document the history and recreate the stories. More and more people are starting to embrace their heritage.Today, there are more than 300 listed in the enrollment books, and they come from all over, including Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, Delaware and the Virgin Islands.

Activities todayIn 1998, the Nause Waiwash Band of Indians, Inc. was gifted what was the Hughes African Methodist Episcopal Chapel. The church was built around 1894 by trustees of Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church, whose descendants identify themselves as survivors of the Nanticoke and Choptank Indian communities. Following Hurricane Hazel, when the nearby Hughes Chapel was destroyed, the building was sold to the Trustees of Hughes African Methodist Episcopal Chapel in 1955 and later gifted back to the Nause-Waiwash.

Although it is not a traditional long house, it has an enduring connection to the tribe. The trees used in its original construction were grown and milled by Nause-Waiwash ancestors and donated to the church, Chief Abbott said. When the renovations are completed, the long house will be used as a meeting place and for ceremonies.

In 1992, the tribe held their first Native American Festival on Elliott Island. After a couple years there, the festival moved to Andrews for a year or two and then to Sailwinds Park in Cambridge. In 2006, the festival moved to Vienna, close to their old stomping grounds.

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Continuing the traditions of their ancestors - Dorchester Banner - Dorchester Banner

At last the BJP succeeded in alarming the Muslims of India that they must move to some other place as India is meant only for the Hindus. Recently when the work of construction of the Ram Temple was planned to be inaugurated, Prime Minister Modi himself reached Ayodhya to attend the ground-breaking ceremony. Addressing the people present at the occasion he said, Many people made sacrifices for the Ram temple. I pay my respects to all of them. He further said, Social harmony was the core principle of Lord Rams governance. The construction of the Ram temple is an instrument to unite the country. Despite efforts to eradicate Lord Rams existence, he lives in our hearts and is the basis of our culture. It would lift the economy of the entire region. Mr. Modi is no doubt a heart-capturing type of orator. He knows well what to speak and when to speak it, but while giving his statement on construction of the Ram Temple he simply forgot that the legal trial in the Babri demolition case is yet to be completed.

Aljazeera reporting on the construction of the Ram Temple commented, Justice has eluded those who suffered the loss of life and properties in the nationwide violence that ensued in the wake of the destruction of the mosque often dubbed the darkest chapter of modern India. Moreover, the date chosen for this epoch-making ceremony has its own significance. It went on to say, the date chosen for the ceremony also coincides with the first anniversary of the abrogation of the special status of Indian-administered Kashmir, Indias only Muslim majority region that has been the theatre of a bloody armed rebellion for more than 30 years. Certainly this action of the BJP government would widen the distances between the two majority communities of India. The Muslims there are already in a state of suppression leading to depression. Mr. Modi says that his party is trying to promote communal harmony and inter-religion brotherhood but practically it is very much obvious that his political party is doing its utmost to construct a China-Wall of distrust between the Muslims and the Hindus.

Certainly this action of the BJP government would widen the distances between the two majority communities of India. The Muslims there are already in a state of suppression leading to depression. Mr. Modi says that his party is trying to promote communal harmony and inter-religion brotherhood but practically it is very much obvious that his political party is doing its utmost to construct a China-Wall of distrust between the Muslims and the Hindus.

Unfortunately, the Indian Muslims expressed no reaction on the construction of the Ram Temple; they remained silent over this injustice as per tradition. If the Muslims in India were vibrant in this particular context, the situation could have been far different. It seems they are in a state of fear and fright that their reaction would add a lot of miseries to their already troubled life. However, there are a few who expressed their resentment over this issue. Bollywood writer-lyricist Hussain Haidry is one of them. In his recent message on his facebook page he expressed his strong disapproval over the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. He said that progressive people of the Indian society must step forward and form a movement against the construction of the said Temple. As far as the date chosen for the ground-breaking ceremony is concerned, he said that August 5 was chosen well in advance to humiliate Kashmir. On August 5 2019, the Indian government had abrogated Article 370 and paved the way for the greater integration of Jammu and Kashmir with the Union of India.

In the Guardian, on 6th August 2020, Siddhartha Deb penned down an article with the title, Modis acolytes have reminded Indias Muslims just what he thinks of them. The writer said, Since 5 August also happened to be the one-year anniversary of the BJPs unilateral suspension of the special status of Kashmir, a move that led to Kashmiris being subjected to suspension of all civil liberties, this brazen celebration will also serve to remind Muslims in India of their subjugated status in every way, a reminder that nothing is available to them in Modis India, neither history nor geography. In the days to come the Muslims of India are apprehending more atrocities of the same kind. There would be more restrictions on Muslims, more slaughtering of Muslims and more construction of temples after demolishing different mosques by the BJP extremists. According to the latest media reports the BJP is trying to get approval of demolition of over 3000 mosques including the Jamia Masjid Delhi. BJP extremists claim that the pointed out mosques were built after demolishing the Hindu Temples. MP Sakshi Maharaj got particularly emotional that he offered to be hanged if idols were not found underneath the staircases of Jamia Masjid. Be it a temple, a mosque, a Buddhist monastery or a Church; construction of any place of worship is not a crime. All places of worship are sacred but converting a mosque into a temple or a Church into a Buddhist monastery by using force is however a crime. Everywhere in the world, it is the foremost duty of the government to provide safety and security to all places of worship and in most of the cases, governments fulfill their duty but what to do if someone like Modi is playing a leading-role in a government.

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Future of Muslims in India - Pakistan Today

Youre not going anywhere!

Hard to imagine someone telling you that, right? Now imagine those words coming from your own child.

Well, thats what Whitney Thornton faced when her five-year-old son jumped in her truck and demanded she stay home.

Thornton is a truck driver and, after years of being on the road, her kid had had enough. But as a mother, she did what she thought was necessary to provide for him. He was young, and I dont think he understood, said Thornton.

Things were tough for Thornton; she was a single mother and had to leave little Myles with loved ones when she was away. She could be gone a few weeks or 6 months. And although her employer was based in Michigan, Thornton would often steer her freightliner as far as Texas.

This was not the life she wanted for her family.

That would all change as the City of Detroit accelerated the demolition of vacant homes across the city over the last several years.

With that acceleration, however, some small and minority companies were locked out of the process as the City was prevented from targeting certain businesses because of federal guidelines.

More recently, the City has made some adjustments that have opened the doors to smaller companies and specifically Black contractors, said Damion Ellis, Director of Operations at Gayanga Co.

Gayanga, a Detroit-based, Black-owned business, is a full-service construction and civil engineering company with a focus on demolition, renovation, and utility installation.

According to Ellis, in the past, there was a false narrative that Black contractors lacked the capacity and experience to do the work. And unfortunately, that narrative excluded some companies from participating in local projects.

But as opportunities increase for Detroit-based companies due to new guidelines, so do the opportunities for Detroiters to receive those jobs. In fact, 85% of Gayangas employees are Detroit residents, and 95% are minorities.

Ellis says that in order for the city to get the most benefit from construction projects, Detroit-based companies must be intentional about hiring Detroiters. In fact, the message on Gayangas website is this: When Gayanga Co. wins a contract, the Community wins a contract.

You have the Black contractor getting more contracts, and the Black employee getting the opportunity for a livable wage. So that impact is going to increase the number of financially stable households in the city of Detroit, said Ellis. You can work in a demolition program as a construction worker, as a truck driver, and on average you can make $50,000 a year.

Remember Whitney Thornton, our single mom who spent much of her time on the road? Well, shes now a truck driver for Gayanga.

I kept telling Myles I was home for good, but it didnt click with him at first, said Thornton.

Shes of course delighted to be home, but thats not all shes happy about. It just really touches me because I work for a Black-owned company, in the city, making the money I want. It all feels so good to me.

Ellis says that Thornton is hard-working and tough as nails. And although she didnt check all the boxes for the experience Gayanga was looking for at the time, Thornton impressed them with her professionalism and willingness to learn.

Construction is one of the lowest barriers to entry industries. Anyone who wants a job and is committed to putting in the work can have a career in the construction industry, said Ellis.

So, not only can demolition and construction change the landscape of the environment, it can also change the narrative of someones future

I am very happy. My son can grow up with me now.

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The Life-Changing Effects of Demolition - The Neighborhoods

Monday, 10 August 2020 07:42Last Updated: Monday, 10 August 2020 07:46Published: Monday, 10 August 2020 07:42 Joanne WallensteinHits: 195

This is a letter from Lee Road resident Lisa McIver to Village Planner Greg Cutler about the demolition of a house next door to her home:

Hello Greg: After waiting 6 months for the house (at 112 Lee Road) to be demolished they did it this Saturday - the day we left on vacation. Our neighbor luckily heard what was happening. The house was taken down with no water to hold the dust down AND worse the structure fell onto our property. It took down a row of 5-6 large arborvitae trees and broke the Belgium blocks lining our driveway.

Our houses are tight. This builder needs to be careful of our property. Today they piled the dumpster up and did not wet down the debris. Huge clouds of dust were over our property. We are away until Saturday so we havent seen it but I am so angry about the blatant disregard for our property and the unskilled workers.

Here is a photo of the dust coming from the demo one worker and no water to hold down the dust. Our neighbor said our backyard looks awful with tons of dust covering our furniture, house and patio.

Who cleans this up? Will the town test it for asbestos? We come home Saturday and shouldnt be returning to such a mess. Our house and windows will need to be power washed and cleaned. Trees will need to be replanted and the driveway repaired.

We will file a police report when we return. They need us to be home. Would you please check the scene tomorrow? The photos below show the workers on our property with the pieces of their demolition spilling over on our property.

Please help. Our neighborhood cannot handle such blatant disregard for our well-being and our property.

We look forward to quick action.

Thank you,

Lisa Lovisolo McIver109 Lee Road

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Neighbors Home Covered in Dust After Home Demolition on Lee Road - Scarsdale10583.com

Got a bit of stress these days?

Welcome to the club. Or, rather, youre welcome to destroy this club. Meet Endorphin Factory.

The 6,000-square-foot business opened in Grand Prairie at the end of May and features a demolition room, where you can pay $35 and clobber everything in your path.

And during COVID-19, that seems to be something a lot of people want to do, according to co-owner Darryl Williams.

Absolutely, business has been good, Williams said. The crazy thing is, people come in a little timid.

They get over it quickly, he added.

The space is the only one of its kind in the country, say the owners, to feature demolition rooms, axe throwing and archery under one roof, and it is the only such Black-owned business in the state.

Williams and his partner, his uncle Roy Rucker, planned to open the space in April. Statewide shutdowns pushed its debut to the end of May. Since then, business has grown at a healthy pace.

Rucker, the majority owner of Endorphin Factory, has an extensive background as business owner. The 30-year Army combat veteran owns a government services IT company in Rockwall and is a minority owner of another Black-owned business in Grand Prairie, ITSO Vegan restaurant.

Thanks to Ruckers military experience, he said, hes equipped to monitor any customers in case their anger gets away from them. Each participant is given an exit interview to assess any potential mental needs and get them outside counseling or attention, if needed. So far, he said that hasnt happened.

Ninety-five percent are under a lot of stress when they come in, Rucker said. After 20 minutes, they are stress-free.

There is no typical customer at Endorphin Factory We see so many different types of people, Williams said but the one thing they seem to share is a need to take a mental break from it all.

Right now, Williams said he is thrilled with the frenetic feedback: The support all around has been amazing. Its been better than ever expected during a pandemic.

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Destroy a demolition room at this new Grand Prairie business - The Dallas Morning News

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) The potential demolition of a former southeast-side elementary school has been put pause as a group of neighbors work to save the building. Ward Elementary School, owned by Fort Wayne Community Schools, has become a discussion point between the neighbors, school system and ARCH.

Ward Elementary School, later named L.C. Ward Education Center was built near the intersection of Oxford Street and Warsaw Street in the early 1930s, opening in 1931, according to ARCH Executive Director Connie Haas Zuber. 90 years later, the building sits empty.

This building has a place in our community, Donita Mudd told WANE 15. You got to have something unique and Ward can be our unique catalyst, our spark to economic development.

A group of neighbors gathered at the school building Friday afternoon after Mudd, who once served as a substitute teacher in the building, noticed a request for demolition bids in a newspaper.

I just see the possibility when you use those historic buildings or those older buildings, what it can be and the character thats there thats typically enhanced when the developers the construction people go in, Mudd added. Its like a totally different building, but the bones are still there, the outside is there and that uniqueness and the character is still there.

Mudd said she hopes Fort Wayne Community Schools will transfer ownership to ARCH and take half or less of the demolition money and give it to ARCH to maintain the building while a developer search happens.

This is a lovely building, Haas Zuber said. Yes, to reuse it, money will be spent on it, but it is not an undoable project. The stewardship of this building has been good. Its sound. Its been well cared for. This is a good candidate for reuse.

WANE 15 reached out Fort Wayne Community Schools leaders for a response to Fridays protest.

Fort Wayne Community Schools closed Ward Education Center in 2017. The building required millions of dollars in repairs and renovations to remain an adequate learning space, and FWCS had a newer facility in much better condition that could be used to house the Districts alternative learning program (the former Nebraska Elementary, now the Center for Academic Success at Nebraska). After sitting vacant for three years, FWCS investigated demolishing Ward. As concerns and interest have been raised about the building, those plans are currently on hold. FWCS officials will meet with community leaders, elected officials and ARCH to discuss the building later this month.

ARCH has gone through this for months now, with the deepest respect for Fort Wayne Community Schools its concerns are crucial the neighborhoods concerns are crucial, Haas Zuber added. We hope that ARCHs interest in this building is also seen as important. If we can find a way to make all three of those things work together, we will have a win-win-win for all of us.

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Neighbors gather to save Ward Elementary School from demolition - WANE

On Thursday, July 23 the iconic Roxbury Love Mural was demolished by Cruz Companies with little warning to the community that had cherished it for years. In its place will be built condos well out of the price range of current residents. As outrage spread at this brazen act of gentrification, the Boston branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation called a speak-out at the site where the mural once stood on July 26. Over 200 people gathered at 6:30pm on an extremely hot day to display their frustrations with the deeply red-lined and rapidly gentrifying state of the city.

Boston is the third most gentrified city in the country, according to a recent report by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition. About 20 percent of city neighborhoods were gentrified in the period from 2013-2017. Roxbury is a key battleground in the struggle against gentrification, as a historically Black and Brown neighborhood neglected by the city government, lacking social services and public infrastructure. The neighborhood has been experiencing skyrocketing real estate prices as developers continue to move in.

Residents and organizers have been fighting against this looming displacement by forcing amendments to city plans for rezoning, educating themselves and organizing protests and disruptions.

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Outrage at demolition of mural in Bostons Roxbury neighborhood - Liberation

Courtesy Highland Inn

The owner the Highland Inn & Ballroom in Poncey-Highland has applied for a demolition permit to raze the nearly-century old landmark to make way for a potential mixed-use development.

The Atlanta Zoning Review Board is slated to discuss the matter at its Aug. 13 meeting.

Built in 1927, the hotel and event space at 644 N. Highland Avenue is owned by Thomas Carmichael, who also owns the North High Ridge Apartments across the street. Carmichael has been an outspoken opponent of creating the Poncey-Highland Historic District, which has been approved by residents, but finalization has been delayed due to the pandemic.

According to What Now Atlanta, approval of the demolition permit has been delayed due to the historic nature of the building, but a new development would likely feature retail, restaurant space, and apartments.

However, an attorney for Carmichael told Atlanta magazine that demolition is not imminent and that his client was simply looking at options due to the Highland Inns aged condition and the challenges to the hospitality industry due to COVID-19. The attorney said Carmichael had signed no development deals or sought a buyer.

David Mitchell with the Atlanta Preservation Center said the organization is monitoring the situation, but said what the city decides to do will be telling.

The Atlanta Preservation Center is earnestly observing this process and the result will be an example of how preservation is recognized, Mitchell said.

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Future of Highland Inn & Ballroom in question after owner applies for demolition permit - Atlanta Intown