Our title image is care of PlanPhilly and shows the Benjamin Franklin Bridge under construction - the deck of the bridge is the last element to go in and has not begun construction yet. Now a integral and iconic part of the Philadelphia skyline, it is almost impossible to imagine the city without the bridge - yet for people as recent as our grandparent's generation have recollections of crossing the Delaware only via ferry. Note the heavy industrial usage of the waterfront (no RiverSharks Stadium for another 50+ years!)
See this image and more at PlanPhilly (an excellent resource for current efforts of city development in Philadlephia)
The Industrial Revolution is the topic of these lectures. Again we will be referencing many cities, and not at all by chance an intense look at Philadelphia. Philly earned the nickname "Workshop of the World" and is a prime example of a city shaped by the industries of the era.
Many of the neighborhoods in the city were built on the outskirts of factories, many larger mansions in and out of the city were built for the industrialists, and many institutions were founded, and found homes during the building projects made possible by the age.
Additionally the forces of industry which left their mark on the city still echo through the city, still influence the placement and type of business long after the crest of the revolution. (for example with the wane of the ship building industry on Hog Island, the ever increasing needs for an airport with ample space push the development of the Philadelphia International Airport we know today).
Another well documented example that is currently being actively studied by the city is the Delaware Waterfront, once home to a massive shipping industry, dock, industrial train traffic - it is now developing into a recreational, and potentially much-needed-park space for residents and tourists (another prime example of this re-orientation and re-development is right across the shore at Camden's waterfront).
Your task: read through lectures 17 + 18 and engage with your classmates, per our standard terms.
Lecture 17 + 18 Required Questions:
Are there other examples of development in the city (like Hog Island) that you can see the effects of?
Pick an area of the city which used to be industrial landscapes and has since changed, altering themselves to other purposes - what do you think is in store for future development of these post-industrial sites?
If possible see if there are any photographs of the area in it's industrial heyday - Temple University Library's Urban Archives are an excellent resource to pull from!
http://library.temple.edu/scrc/urban-archives
Comments due by this coming Monday
19 comments:
Lecture 18
This lecture goes much more in depth of the ideas created in lecture 17, whereas now we see strong reasons why the city can be seen as a negative, but also positive place. Emerson had mostly negative thoughts about the city because he felt it interfered with man’s reasoning and instead made them understand which he disagreed with because it is never set. Reason allows you to look at things in a more visual and simple way. I feel he is connecting this to the ever changing and busyness of the city which could cloud your mind and keep you constantly thinking and arguing with yourself. While a countryside is open allowing you to be calm and think about your thought in a more complete way. Emerson then goes on to talk about how parks in cities are a great thing because they remind him of the countryside and give him freedom to his mind. When referencing this to parks in Philadelphia only some parks are actually big enough to give you the feeling he is talking about. For instance, the four parks around city hall are fairly small and while you are within them you can still see all the busyness of the city. This is not going to remind of the countryside that Emerson is addressing.
In lecture it is said that by the middle of the 19th century the debate as to whether the city would exist had been lost, but the dislike for cities still exist. I feel like this is foreshadowing the formation of suburbs around a city where people who don’t like the city can live in a more open country like area while still be cable to conveniently drive to their jobs in the city at the same time. This formation would make sense if there at this point in lecture people living in the city are still not having problems with cities as talked about by poets like Poe.
Fishtown is an area in Philadelphia that once had a large part in industrial production, but now has been converted into a residential district. The name of the area comes from its history as the industrial center of fishing along the Delaware River. Since the time of the Industrial Revolution, the area has been gentrified and the working class has been replaced by the middle class. Despite the change in purpose and function, Fishtown still celebrates its industrial history by preserving the architecture of the time. There seems to be a relationship similar to Adam Smith, who appreciated the importance of a city as the country's market but preferred the spirit and humanity of rural life. The gentrification of Fishtown is a perfect example of why life in the city is cold and mechanical, meanwhile rural life is human and comfortable.
All of the buildings were originally warehouses, built in the 18th century when the working class formed out of immigration and mass communal displacement. As Lecture 17 explains, the working class was formed when rural families moved to the city from all over, chasing the promise of wealth and economic growth. This original viewpoint was very similar to Voltaire, who considered London a beautiful center for freedom, commerce and art. People were no longer dependent on a political hierarchy of bloodlines, but could speak for themselves and collaborate. The city allowed a person to showcase their talent and ability opposed to a life based on their bloodline. The beauty and hope of the city was quickly transformed as they continued to progress.
The mass migration, coupled with German and Irish immigrants in the coming decades, led to massive overpopulation, poverty and disease. Fishtown was no exception, and as the city continued to grow and jobs weren't as plentiful as they used to be, the area became stricken by poverty. Since the early 1900's, Fishtown and Kensington, the neighboring area, became a center for crime and low-income housing.
Recently, the controversial process known as gentrification has brought upscale art, entertainment and dining locations to the area. The process is similar to the introduction and preservation of sacred space that occurred in Delos, Greece. The crucial problem with gentrification is that the rising property value comes with rising housing prices, which forces the local low-income families to move somewhere else. As Oliver Goldsmith noted about the UK in the 1800's, a city may grow and accumulate wealth, but all the while it is decaying and destroying everything around it. The sharp contrast between rural life and urban gentrification is exactly why Goldsmith and Emerson were so passionate about the importance of a country spirit.
Gentrification would never occur in the farmlands, for the precise reason why Emerson preferred it. Rural life is about a love of community and the bond of family. People never left or moved; it was as if life was frozen still and these families had the chance to hold it in place. In a city, there is no security or comfort. A city is constantly growing and people are constantly working to earn more than everyone else. As Adam Smith stated, country life is independent and free, while in city life you are always dependent on someone else. Early America was praised for its open land and empty space, because in that space there was a promise of humanity being connected directly with nature. It took this comparison for me to truly understand the phrase from Lecture 17, that a city is seen as neither good or evil. A city is big and hopeful, but it is also mechanical, inhuman, cold and people are only players within the confines of a space that doesn't care about them.
An interesting remnant left from the industrial times of Philadelphia are" ghost signs", which are able to be located around the city. These signs are advertisements left from times when hand painted advertisement signs were popular. Though signs from the 1890s to 1960's are still visible today, many support defunct services that represent needs common to another period. These signs that at one time supported bakeries, steam/gas engine repair, and meats/ provisions now support a different effort. Today, they are being restored in an effort to preserve the history and imagery they represent in the ever growing integration of progress and historical conservation that Philadelphia is known for. I think that these sites are what will help to contribute to the ever-growing Philly art scene. In terms of contributions, they may even provide a new type of advertisement available to working-class businesses who cannot afford larger signs or advertisements. This, in turn, may assist small business owners with bringing in business and allowing for more currency to circulate between classes rather than the concentrated areas such as Fairmount, Center City, and other coveted areas.
Steffanie M.
Question 1
If you’d asked me what hog island was, before I’d read the Wikipedia page on it, I would of told you it was the island that the book ‘Lord of the Flies’ took place on…. Kill the pig eat the flesh and all that good stuff. But the importance of hog island to this discussion is that it was once home to shipyard which when the shipping industry in the region petered out, the land was bought and repurposed into a regional airport, the burgeoning new industry that was making its presence during that era. The task given is to identify a region, area, site, etc of the city that has been repurposed as one industry/business/use group gave way to another. I’m lucky as I don’t even have to look out my apartment window to see this in action. My apartment complex, were once dormitories for a local college. The adjacent buildings which were all part of a single complex, now broken up into a smaller independent organizations; a community college, an eye institute, and low cost apartments.
Question 2
I don’t know enough of Philadelphia to talk about any particular industrial site, I am familiar enough however to talk about the weeping sores left over by the city’s industrial past in general. The city was once home to all sorts of poorly regulated industries, most of these industries poisoned both the air and land with hazardous waste, ranging from toxic chemicals to heavy metals such as lead and mercury. In some of these sites, the level of pollution is so great that it makes it economically unfeasible to redevelop the land, as no company wants to take on the financial burden for being responsible for these sites. As such these sites will remain as they are until such time as enough money or political will is brought to bear in order to force the revitalization of these sites.
The less polluted sites we see being redeveloped every day, from capping the old site with asphalt and concrete making parking lots or new buildings going up with no connection to the land about it; to forward thinking phytoremediation projects which attempt not just to develop the site but to rehabilitate it, using nature to help clean up the past.
It is interesting how the use of the Delaware River has changed since the Industrial Revolution. It was mainly used for steam boats and the transportation of goods, but today it is most commonly used for a variety of recreational and leisure activities. It is no longer a necessity to our cities resources but still an enjoyed part of the landscape. Also outside of the cities there are places that still stand today such as the steel stacks in Bethlehem, Pa. One used for the mass production of steel is now a site of entertainment. While they still around and used daily these places are repurposed and no longer necessary for survival of the city surrounding it.
Joe R said...
One such area in Philadelphia that has gone through many changes in terms of its' industrial landscape is Manayunk, Pennsylvania. Manayunk is located on the Schuylkill River in the northwestern part of Philadelphia. At its' height, Manayunk was a key industrial center especially for Philadelphia and even the entire country. Manayunk was so powerful from a producing standpoint that it was termed the "Manchester of America," after Manchester, England, a key industrial center there especially for textiles. The city itself was settled on the river and later a canal system was integrated to power the factories within the city limits. The industrial growth in the area helped Philadelphia become known as the "workshop of the world." However, over time, the industrial production level in Manayunk decreased steadily over the next few centuries. This decrease left behind numerous abandoned factories and blocks upon blocks of empty rundown row homes originally constructed as inexpensive designs for all the factory workers and immigrants traveling to work within those same factories. Today, Manayunk reflects both its' industrial past and its' gentrified future. There are still blocks upon blocks of old row homes and factories that still stand; however, many of these buildings have been and are continuing to be renovated for apartments and other commercial uses. Currently numerous historical sites are being demolished to make way for new apartment buildings. There is a large section of brand new apartments under construction right on the banks of the Schulykill River. As the population grows, especially with students around the Philadelphia area, so will this ongoing trend of turning Manayunk into a gentrified location full of apartments and other commercial buildings.
Joe R said…
I agree with what Craig said about Fishtown. Fishtown is very much like Manayunk in that since its' height in the industrial revolution, Fishtown has become gentrified and is now home to an increasing amount of apartments and other complexes. However, these apartment, at least some of them, are built into old renovated factories and therefore architects are able to preserve some of its' history.
I agree with Dynisha's comment because we share a common analysis of how a lot of sites that used to be used during the industrial revolution are now being transformed into public recreational facilities such as parks. I think this is a common theme because most industrial site were very large spaces unlike many other buildings built around Philadelphia. Therefor by tearing down these huge factories you open up large enough spaces to have things like parks. Not only are these sites no longer needed, but it is a good way to open space for Philadelphia in a time where space, especially as large as factories, is not exactly abundant in the city.
In response to lecture 17:
During Philadelphia’s earlier years water was collected and purified by means of the Fairmount Water Works along the Schuylkill River. The facility was built at the river’s edge, pushing water into the reservoir that sat where the Philadelphia Art Museum currently calls home. At the time of its construction is was deemed revolutionary and technologically advanced for its time. Eventually Water Works was replaced by other more advanced facilities elsewhere in the city. The buildings remain as they were over a hundred years ago even though their use has changed. Now they are retrofitted to serve private events such as weddings and such. They remain as a reminder as what once was, even as the city grew and changed all around it.
In response to Lecture 18
Large portions of the Kensington area was predominantly industrial with factories and warehouses heavily dotting the neighborhood. This was the neighborhood that produced a large amount of the textiles and goods that the city was known for before the industries moved out to other areas. Along American Street directly east of campus this is most evident. Large empty lots where once profitable factories stood now fill the space of that area. Remnants of cargo train tracks remain as well, flowing out from the empty lots into the street. Now the area is barren. As Philadelphia grows into a predominantly residential city, developers will swarm in and buy up the empty lots to build luxury housing consisting of lofts and studio spaces. That is what the future holds for that area of American Street.
Phil S.
Lectures 17 and 18:
One of the reoccurring themes that we have gone over in this course is that cities are places of change. This basic idea is something that we struggle with today and, based on this weeks lecture, it’s been a controversial topic for centuries. Voltaire valued cities for the freedom and liberty that they offered, and Adam Smith regarded cities as spaces for economic growth and human civility. Today, we still value cities as places for opportunity (both economic and social), self-expression, individualism, and sophistication. Thus, the opinions shared by Voltaire and Smith are reflected in our modern attitudes towards cities.
On the other hand, we also regard cities as places of poverty and crime, where people are dirty and untrustworthy, and where sin and greed are manifested. These negative ideas are reflected in the writings of Mercier de La Riviere and Crevecouer, who viewed the European city as places of squalor, exposed wealth and poverty, and severe over-population. There are many stages to the life of a city, and not all stages appeal to everyone. Riviere and Crevecouer likely hoped that cities would revert to their less industrialized, and less tainted origins, while men like Smith and Voltaire may have longed to see the future of our cities, imagining them as spaces of civility, opportunity, and liberty for all.
One thing that Smith and Voltiare may not have realized is that the age of industrialization would eventually come to an end. And, while a city like Philadelphia may no longer be the great manufacturing hub that it was, the remnants of that era remain. Some students have already mentioned gentrification and repurposing of older industrial neighborhoods, and one of the transformations that I find most interesting is the repurposing of old factories and warehouses in the Callowhill and Spring Garden Neighborhoods into condos, restaurants, art studios, and other “hipster” locations. It would be interesting to see the reaction on a late 19th century factory worker’s face, if you told him that 100 years from now, people would be paying lots of money to live in the dirty factory that he works in. This is the aspect of cities that is so unpredictable, as different demographics form and mobilize, and create new social dynamics. Men like Volataire, Smith, Riviere, and Crevecouer saw cities as spaces of change, either good or bad, and where either threatened or intrigued by their new prominence. The changes that the witnessed in American and European cities, in their lifetime, will be dwarfed by the changes that we’ll see in ours.
The entire city of Philadelphia has largely been forced to change its economic core since the days of the industrial revolution. As the lecture notes, Philly's culture and infrastructure was so engrained in industrial production that it earned the nickname "the Workshop of the World." The layout of the city was based upon industry as well, with tracts upon tracts of housing developments abutting factories and shipyards, creating a dense network of living and working. As industry has moved overseas in the latter portion of the 20th century, Philly's industrial nature has diminished and its interests have been forced to shift.
Upon initially pondering the questions for these lectures, I had chosen to write about Fishtown as an industrial area which has mutated to suit the current and future elements of the city. However, I noticed that Craig W wrote a dedicated and detailed description of that area's changing role, including its consistent architecture that now serves a purpose contrasting its historical function. Therefore, I instead will write about a similar area that, although in my opinion, is somewhat less poignant due to its slower development, shares many similarities with Fishtown.
The area along Broad Street immediately north of Center City, roughly between Vine Street and Fairmount Ave (and including Spring Garden), shows striking characteristics of a neighborhood that has struggled to, but ultimately shows positive signs, of adapting to changing industry. David G wrote about "ghost signs" in Philadelphia, which display signage of advertisements etc. from the past. Some of the major buildings from this particular area of North Philly intentionally display such signage as an homage to the strong industrial past, much like how Fishtown retains its industrial architecture while providing for a cultural renewal.
Observers can notably see this shift in an apartment building called "Packard," which visibly denotes signage from its earlier days as a Packard automobile factory. There are other former factories converted to residences that similarly do this. Furthermore, the once grand Divine Lorraine Hotel, which has stood in ruin for decades, is currently under redevelopment. As an iconic Philadelphia landmark, the hotel's redevelopment project will likely increase other projects in the area. Store frontage along Fairmount Ave has already shown major signs of gentrification in years past. One might predict that North Broad, with Center City to the south and Temple University to the North, will become a thriving cultural scene in the coming decades.
I am not too familiar with industrialized or developmental parts of Philadelphia; however, I found that Northern Liberties is an example of development that has flourished and grown due to an influx of artisans, and young professionals and students. Northern Liberties thrived in manufacturing from mills to breweries; however, has since changed into a more residential area consisting of boutique stores, bars, and restaurants. This district has become more desirable for residential living, and has established an economic and cultural influence; for instance, due to its proximity to Center City, property values have risen. Northern Liberties’ change from an industrialized district to a flourishing residential community introduces social and economic additions that may create opportunities for successes and improvements for other areas of Philadelphia.
These lectures bring up very important ideas of the growth and creation of cities, however I think the most important thing to take away from this is that all people are different. No two people seem to ever see the same way. This is very obvious but also important to remember because it highlights the important points in the views provided. Though many of these instances vary slightly, it is obvious that each one of them had very different intentions with the workings of a city. Where Smith stated “the exchange between raw material and manufacture, between country and town, formed for him the backbone of prosperity,” in this exchange both parties were prospering as one was not independent of another. Smith believed that the countryside provided the stability for city life and cities gave back somewhat to the countryside in improving demand and markets. This relationship between country and city made the most sense to me because for a city to work it needs to have many different facets filled. By this I mean the population of a city needs far more from farms and outsourced places than those in the countryside typically do, for they are more likely to provide more for themselves. The formation of Hog Island and importance to the industrial revolution is clear based off of the needs for ships, but it also brings into light the importance of changing with the times. As the world moved away from the shipping industry the area was repurposed into the airport. In this the sense the growth of technology is really shown because of the immense decrease in travel time. This not only demonstrates the extent of technology and city growth, but also shows how the functions of space change as the needs of the city change.
I agree with what Dynisha B said because the sites I picked revolved around using both the Delaware and the Schuylkill. The transformation of the riverfronts have been a great change in the creation of a more united Philadelphia. In doing so people have places to hangout and enjoy a taste of nature in an urban context. One area this reminds me of is the old industrialization area of New York. After the industrialization era ended they were left with obnoxious piers along the water’s edge. Since then they have started to turn these piers into parks and areas that offer a great place to relax by the waterside. As gross as the Manhattan River may be the sense of being separated from the city is a great idea in such a busy location.
Comment for Dynisha's post:
The necessity a river represented during the industrial time was incredibly important to starting and sustaining riverside commerce. It's interesting how the times change not only the type of business conducted along the riverside but the architecture that is important to the riverside. Now that the area is used for enjoyment a noticeable amount of green space has begun to cover the area. These changes mark a unique time as you mentioned where rivers can represent not the cold hand of industry but a return to nature.
Phil S.
Response to Daniel C.'s comment
I Agree with Daniel's comments about the Fairmount Water Works. Many objects and places within cities take on new significance based on popular attitudes. What began as tool to provide clean water to residents of Philadelphia soon came to be regarded as a scientific and technological wonder. It then became a place for socialites to convene, before becoming what it is now, a private meeting/ceremony area. Just like a once-gritty and busy factory can become high-end condos, and a place designed, originally, solely for public utility has become a place for private entertainment.
Question 1:
I think the entirety of the city is one massive example of the effects of the Industrial Revolution and every evolvement after that. Like Lecture 18 said, Philadelphia was the largest city in the United States at the time. It was the best lit city in the country, and even when the nation's capital was moved to Washington D.C, Philadelphia was still the home to the National Bank and had many other private banks in the city as well. Philadelphia was considered wealthy, with its flourishing industries and attractiveness for trade. With that being said, since Philadelphia is one of the oldest cities in the country, traces of transformations and developments are all around us. Philadelphia is constantly developing as it remains one of the most attractive cities in our nation. Anywhere you go you will see artifacts of the old Industrial Revolution. If you drive down Main Street in Manayunk, you will see all of the old factory buildings and mills that used to run that borough. Some seem to be left there as artifacts while some are renovated into new things. If you drive down Columbus Blvd, you will see ships that haven't sailed in years that used to be at a port, but are now next to Walmarts and Targets and are left there as a reminder. One of the ships is even being transformed into a museum.
Question 2:
The first place that comes to mind is the shipyard in South Philadelphia near the stadiums. The shipyard used to be a place where workers would build and repair ships. At one point during World War II, the shipyard was employing 40,000 people and built 53 ships and repaired 574. The shipyard built its last ship in 1970. This shipyard is now the home of a corporate campus where organizations like the Philadelphia 76ers rent out office space. As a post-industrial space, I can see it continuing to be a corporate campus for a long time as it is fairly new as is. It is currently home to 120 companies with 10,000 employees. The companies in this campus include Urban Outfitters and Tasty Baking Company, creator of Tastycakes.
Response to Daniel C:
I did not know that about the Water Works company. That is a very interesting fact and now that I know that I agree with you in the fact that it is indeed a great example of the development of a city. Philadelphia does a great job using old buildings and the history of the city to show how far the city has come in its transformation. It is very common in Philadelphia to come across a building or site that used to be something and is now used for something else. I think that is a defining characteristic of Philadelphia that should be appreciated. We do not always knock down, we preserve and restore.
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