Brewerytown:Two-sided

Driving west down Oxford toward Brewerytown, the landscape of the housing begins to change. As we further ourselves from Temple University, you notice, run down homes, demolished parking lots, and barred up windows and doors. It almost makes you want to sink an inch down into your seat, and look forward only.

From the way things were going, one would think that it could only get worse. However, we were surprised to be greeted by a "Welcome to Brewerytown" sign with colorful paint and surrounded by trimmed bushes. What lies beyond the welcome sign were promising old buildings, plastered with huge Westrum Development signs.


The walk further into the neighborhood showed that construction had already started and people were living in gated communities. Residents were walking their dogs over a frozen, ice-covered lawn, also meant for future Westrum Construction. The area took a complete 180 from the previous ride over. Brewerytown has struggled with poverty in the
previous years, but now is seing a positive rise, due to the influx of young professionals. This was evident, and certainly becoming a true statement with the surrounding luxury cars, such as BMWs, SAABs, Audis, etc.


We walked toward the east of Brewerytown, and found that the atmosphere had completely diminished. Windows were once again barred,and backyards were filled with broken glass and trash. Here, there was a community/technology center, where people can come and use the resources provided for them. Unfortunately, it was closed the Saturday morning we happened to walk through.

No line need be drawn to see the evidence of a separation. Housing that is provided down the street in the new construction area range in the three hundred thousands, while the prices take a massive dip toward the east of Brewerytown. It's almost as if there are two completely different neighborhoods within an already tiny place. Can the
social class gap be any more evident in one neighborhood?