The Art of Being a Neighborhood

I started this blog in April of 2008 a few months after we moved into Dignowity.  It was my attempt to document our experiences of living in an old neighborhood that came with lots of historic character along with some pretty rough edges. I stopped posting to this blog in December of 2014. Since then I would get email messages from folks who found my blog asking about the neighborhood. Apparently my blog still lives on in cyberspace!  But the inquiries were not enough to motivate me to start writing again. That is until Mayor Ivy Taylor asked me recently if I was still writing my blog. I was taken by surprise that the mayor would ask about my somewhat defunct blog. The mayor apparently had followed my blog and encouraged me to start writing again. So here we are again with more ramblings, thoughts and rants from an urban dweller.

The Art of Being a Neighborhood
Dignowity Hill has changed quite a bit since 2008. Most of the changes are good while some changes are still to waiting to happen. The biggest change is that Dignowity is now a very desirable neighborhood. Newcomers have infused some much needed investment and energy into the old neighborhood. Fans of Dignowity roam the neighborhood looking for real estate opportunities. But in spite of all of the attention challenges still remain: many streets and sidewalks are in desperate need of repair, while infill new construction has picked up the neighborhood still has many empty lots, and because the neighborhood is still relatively low income there is concern about displacement and gentrification. Regardless of the challenges Dignowity Hill is a good place.

Looking back to what drew us into Dignowity I can say with all honesty that it was an emotional pull that we felt from the neighborhood.  There was and still is a feeling that it's a place with a great sense of retained memory of its past and that elusive sense of community that we crave as humans. Even today the neighborhood invokes that emotional pull even if the neighborhood is not done with its current revival. We especially sense that feeling from long time residents who have nurtured for us the feeling that Dignowity is unique. The old houses certainly add to the charm of the neighborhood but that is only part of the story. Over and over we hear that it's the people that make Dignowity a good place. Interactions in the form of small gestures of kindness between people matter. We are humbled when an elderly neighbor stops by to drop off oranges from her backyard tree. It happens when another neighbor shares a plate of home made cake. Or when the ice cream man on his bike stops to say hello. Or when we hear about a neighbor that convert their porch into a classroom to help their own neighbors with GED classwork.  Stories like these do not make the newspapers or the late night news but are at the core in the art of being a neighborhood.  In essence the art of being neighborhood is about people and place.

The Art of Neighborhood Placemaking

I recently came across an article on placemaking titled Streets as Places. According to the authors of the article, placemaking is about turning physical public spaces into spaces that support human interaction, economic exchange and well-being. It is a continuous dynamic process not a static set of amenities, objects or activities. The article defines placemakers as instruments that mobilize the community. It's not about design but about personalities, destination, activities, and connections between people. What I found most interesting is that the authors emphasize that the community not designers or architects should be at the core of the placemaking process. In other words, the realm of placemaking belongs to the community. As Dignowity continues to transform the conversation needs to be as broad as possible. Of course architects and designers are welcomed in the conversation. We need their technical abilities to help us visualize good development but if we want to see good neighborhood placemaking then as many voices as possible need to be heard that goes beyond the technical and often times foreign language of architecture and design. 

In a changing neighborhood like Dignowity Hill placemaking needs to be embraced. The inclusive nature of the process can lead to some interesting and creative ideas. Dignowity Hill as a neighborhood and its historic district now face some interesting cross points. Some questions to think about: in a changing neighborhood how do we effectively preserve and protect not only the historical character of the neighborhood but also the strong sense of community fabric?  Who speaks for the neighborhood as a whole and decides on how this place should look like and be as a place moving forward? What should economic and business development look like for the neighborhood? Do we want to see corner stores in residential areas of the neighborhood? Can the conversation be inclusive enough to engage as many residents as possible in the neighborhood? Are you a placemaker?  You can find this interesting article at https://thecityateyelevel.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/2-street-as-places.pdf




Gentrification or Progress?

Ever since moving into the neighborhood in 2007 I have been hearing noise from journalists, academics and anyone who thinks is an expert raise the issue of gentrification.  Over the last couple of years our neighborhood has garnered its fair share of attention through the media and other informational sources namely because of the active revival and renewal of the neighborhood.  In September of 2012 the Rivard Report, a widely read local blog that focuses on urban renaissance issues published wrote an article on the G word and Dignowity Hill: http://therivardreport.com/the-g-card-defining-gentrification-in-dignowity-hill/.  Just recently an article appeared in the local newspaper in which the columnist describes the progress in Dignowity Hill as gentrification. You can read his article at:  http://blog.mysanantonio.com/downtown/2014/02/the-g-word-and-the-near-east-side/.

The Friedrich House

724 Olive St

Some people are quick to draw and voice conclusions that Dignowity is undergoing pronounced gentrification without looking deeper into what is really happening in the neighborhood.  Undoubtedly the neighborhood is making progress in becoming an attractive place to live. The proximity to downtown, older but relative good housing stock, the historical character of the neighborhood, an active neighborhood association and the fact that it is still a neighborhood with a solid sense of community all have combine to create demand for Dignowity as a desirable urban core  neighborhood. Add the Alamo Brewery project that is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2014 and a new market rate housing project on Cherry St and suddenly the buzz on the street is that Dignowity is the place to be.

Alamo Brewery Ground Breaking

Alamo Brewery Construction Site

Cherry Modern Housing

Is this demand for the neighborhood a symptom of gentrification? The answer is maybe, maybe not.  Gentrification is a complex process of revitalization and change that has been around for generations. On one hand it can be a way to bring back a distressed neighborhood and bring much needed improvement to the quality of life in a struggling neighborhood. So gentrification to some degree can be a good thing. On the other hand, gentrification has justifiably developed a negative connotation because one of its effects is the displacement of poorer residents when newcomers come in. This tends to drive away long time and mostly poorer residents through higher rents or the buying up of distressed properties. In some cases gentrification is the result of intentional zoning changes that literally forces gentrification to be accelerated.

In Dignowity there is no evidence of the classic definition of gentrification that is generally characterized by wholesale displacement of residents by newcomers. The private investment occurring in the neighborhood has focused on vacant or abandoned houses or lots. As far as I know no one has complained about being displaced because newcomers pushed them out. Folks either sell their properties willingly or folks buy properties that are in various stages of disrepair. This trend has brought improvements to the neighborhood but the movement has been glacially slow which is a good thing. This has allowed the neighborhood and residents time to be sensitive to the changes that are occurring.  What is interesting is that some of the long time residents say there are ok with these improvements and welcome the progress. Some of these long time residents are calling this process "re-gentrification" of the neighborhood. At the same time the new comers are bringing in much needed energy and resources and so far these folks are being sensitive and respectful of the neighborhood's character and fabric.

Restoration in progress - Hays St

Restored 1912 house - Burnet St

Restored house - Burnet St

To put things in another perspective, the neighborhood still has a number of challenges that need to be addressed. For example, infrastructure improvements are badly needed. In some parts of the neighborhood there are streets with no sidewalks or curbs and bad drainage. Many parts of the neighborhood could use improved street lighting. The demographics of the neighborhood indicate a large Hispanic population with many families and individual living near poverty levels. We have a critical need for infill housing.  Walk any part of Dignowity and chances are you will see one of the many empty lots that litter the neighborhood landscape.  Another challenge are absentee property owners who do not care about maintaining their properties.  For many of us that chose to move into Dignowity we have accepted those challenges and are working to make the necessary improvements to raise the quality of life of the neighborhood and for residents. 

St Charles St after a rain. No curbs, no sidewalks, no drainage

One of the many empty lots in the neighborhood.

Neglected house on Pine Street

Is gentrification happening in Dignowity Hill? May be, may be not. There is no question that newcomers have been moving into the neighborhood bringing with them a new energy. Many but not all long time residents have been accepting of the changes that are occurring.  At the same time the neighborhood is still dealing with the general affects of disinvestment that has plague the eastside for the last three or more generations. The good thing is that neighborhood residents are beginning to engage in a conversation around gentrification. The reality, however,  is that neighborhood revitalization does not occur without a degree of gentrification. The trick is to ensure that sustainable community building is occurring along with gentrification. That means improving the infrastructure, involving residents in creating a vision for the neighborhood, and strengthening the social fabric of the neighborhood. A key component to good neighborhood health are the schools. Great neighborhoods have great schools. we're not there yet, at least not in the public school arena.  It has been suggested that policies be put in place to protected and incentivize long time and poorer residents from moving away. That would help mitigate some of the negative affects associated with gentrification. Ultimately we in the neighborhood must work for change to happen if we expect the neighborhood to move forward.

Pushcart Derby Rolls Again!

The 8th Annual Pushcart Derby was held this past weekend. What a blast! The derby which was founded by local artist Cruz Ortiz as a performance art event has morphed into a community based event that brings the Dignowity Hill community together for a day of rogue silliness and competitive pushcart racing! This year's derby was a great success thanks to the efforts of Rina Moreno, derby manager and queen and her co conspirator Mike Belardi who together put on one of the best derby's yet!

Team Calypso

Hmmmmm!

This is serious!

Janet Grojean from Tx Public Radio

The winning team: The Highland Park Fliers

The Little Luchaderos

Safety Check

What the ....

Rina and Mike deserve all the credit for making this happen.  Over the last 8 years the derby has evolved into a great community event that typifies what Dignowity Hill is all about! We hope that this will continue for many years to come!!

The Derby is On!! Good News for Lockwood Park!

The 8th Annual Pushcart Derby is on for Sat October 27, 2012 from noon till 7pm! The brain child of artist Cruz Ortiz, the derby has evolved from his idea of bringing together a group of artist friends for a day of artistic, fun, and somewhat competitive racing of hand made pushcarts to an event that has grown to be the signature event of the year for the neighborhood.  One thing remains the same and that is the spirit of the derby: which is to bring families, kids and neighbors together to enjoy a day of fellowship and community building.  And the pushcarts still need to be hand made with available materials!
For more info on the derby  go to:
http://www.facebook.com/TheOfficialDignowityHillPushcartDerby

On the same day as the derby we will have an "unveiling" celebration of the Texas Public Radio (TPR) Lighter Quicker Cheaper award for Lockwood Park. Back in August TPR in partnership with the City, the Project for Public Spaces, and the AIA San Antonio asked the city residents to re-imagine a public space in their own respective neighborhoods across the city. A concept submitted by one of our neighbors became one of 5 finalists and eventually came in as the top idea.  The concept was refined to constructing designated seating using rock ledges and terracing to take advantage of the view of downtown.  Construction is scheduled to beging soon and will be completed by pushcart derby day. For more info regarding this exciting improvement to Lockwood go to: http://tpr.org/articles/2012/05/lqc.html

View from the Hill at Night

Downtown SA from the Hays Street Bridge

Downtown SA and the Hays Street Bridge

View of Downtown SA from Lockwood Park

Dignowity Hill has some of the best night time views of downtown San Antonio.

Built in a Day- Kaboom Playground

Over 200 community volunteers converged at the Ella Austin Community Center to build an inter-generational playground.  Primarily funded through a grant by Humana Healthcare with the support of United Way, the Dignowity Hill Neighborhood Association, Ella Austin CC,  the playground was designed by neighborhood kids and seniors from the community center. It was a great team effort as the playground emerged within 6 hours of starting construction. What a wonderful way to build and transform a community!

Boo Bash Fun Brings Neighborhood Together

The 1st Annual Dignowity Hill Boo Bash was a great success! The Bash was a fundraising event for the neighborhood association but more importantly it brought the community together for a day of Halloween fun.  Food, great weather, music, arts and crafts vendors, fire trucks, a Halloween costume contest for kids, adults and pets made the day!  Thanks to all the volunteers and the fundraising committee for making this event a success!

Hanna and Becka

A couple of years ago I posted a story about our two dogs, Hanna and Becka.  Link: http://dhsa1.blogspot.com/2009/07/dignowity-dog-tale.html.  We found these two dogs in 1996. Someone had dumped them on property belonging to our church and so we christen them with biblical names. Hanna had black and white markings while Becka was all black except in her later years she got a touch of white around her face.  For over to 15 years both of these dogs were an intimate part of our family and made us laugh with their antics. At one point in their lives they were visitation dogs and they visited a local nursing home for 10 years as part of the Paws for Services program. Sadly, last September we lost Hanna to old age and last week was Becka's turn.  I don't know if there's such a thing as doggy heaven but my hope is that Becka is now with Hanna.

Historic Home Owners Fair

What a day! Attended and participated in the Historic Homeowner's Fair at Jefferson High School. What a fun day! Lots of networking and sharing of ideas. Caught up with friends from other historic neighborhoods and made new ones! I'm always amazed how many folk know about Dignowity Hill! Met some potential new neighbors. Exciting, can't wait to see how they will do with the place they are buying!