Disinvestment and general neglect has led to high abandonment in some sections of the neighborhood, catalyzing several grassroots actions from its residents. [33] Such a phenomenon is happening across Kensington, causing long-term residents to be priced out. The citys violent crime rate is higher than the national average and other similarly sized metropolitan areas.1 Also alarming is Philadelphias drug overdose rate. Today, the neighborhood is full of decrepit two-story rowhouses and many abandoned commercial spaces: defunct factories and vacant lots. Construction is slated to start this week on Arguto Court, an adaptive reuse project featuring office space and a cafe. Yet the city has promised zero tolerance for encampments before, and the crackdowns have not yielded a long term solution. Progress, even the slightest measures, can have enormous impact. Despite research on the positive effects of these sites, the Trump administration blocked them from being established. Significant rent increases are commonly triggered by increasing property values and a new wealthier demographic that can afford to pay higher rents. A silver Toyota pulls up to the curb and a heavy-set blonde hops out. This should not be ignored, and is, in fact, impossible to avoid. Each program mixes interviews with guest travel experts, your call-ins with questions and comments, and music. As momentum grows, more and more entrepreneurs are looking at Kensington Avenue as a viable corridor for their businesses. Construction has started on Penns Landing park over I-95 highway trench. These territorial disputes happen in clear daylight, theres no concern for the repercussions. Tony Rogers, a recovered heroin addict and reformed career criminal who warmly calls the motley crowds on Kensington Avenue my old tribe, says, In 20 years of using back here, I never once saw a cop come on the Tracks unless they chased somebody in here.. Thats anywhere from three to six times the mere 100 emergency shelter beds that were available in June, WHYY News reported. Community garden spaces in and around the neighborhood include Kensington Corridor Trust Community Garden, NKCDC Garden, Las Parcelas - Norris Square, El Batey - Norris Square, Collins Smith Barrick Play Garden, Emerald Street Community Farm, Rainbow Park, House of Grace Community Garden, Port Kensington, Hart Lane Farm, Circle of Hope / Frankford Ave Garden. Subs and Xany bars, subs and Xany bars, chant men in cockeyed baseball caps while pacing the corner, searching the crowd for potential customers. Additionally, there is a large population of homeless individuals. A rail-thin woman with hollowed-out cheeks rushed from beneath the El tracks. Heroin isnt sold here muchthat trade is controlled by Latin drug crews in the Badlands. Called the largest open-air narcotics market on the East Coast, Kensington Avenue has, without a doubt, made a name for itself. Well probably have a detail stationed [there], Alexander said. The generally accepted boundaries of the neighborhood[citation needed] are Front Street and 5th Street to the West, the Amtrak train tracks to the North, Trenton Avenue, the Trenton Avenue train tracks, and Frankford Avenue to the East, and Cecil B. Moore Avenue to the South. Eyes on the Street brings new ideas and fresh voices into the conversation about Philadelphias changing cityscape. Even more concerning are the fetishizations of the corridor, which go something like this: Yes its bad, but it can be fun to visit because its bad. (Crime Rates And Crime Stats), Top 10 Things To Do In Harleysville, PA In 2022, Top 11 Things To Do In McDonald, PA In 2022. link to Who is Henry Winklers Son? 2 Kensington's high crime rate and drug abuse contribute significantly to Philadelphia's problems.Because of the high number of drugs in the neighborhood, Kensington has the third-highest drug crime rate by neighborhood in Philadelphia, at 3.57. It is similar to Central Kensington but is slightly quieter and has fewer crimes. Those who do not frequent it rely on the medias interpretation and are primarily getting this message: Kensington Avenue is a barren wasteland where no happiness can find purchase. The New Kensington Community Development Corporation, Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services, WHYY thanks our sponsors become a WHYY sponsor. Max Winkler is an American director, writer and producer and is also the son of legendary actor Henry Winker. The opioid epidemic has played a significant role in this problem, as it has in much of the rest of the country. Clifton Mills, Building 4, 1809-11 N. Howard Street, Kensington (185263). Parents will walk their children to the bus stop, even if it can be seen from their front door, and wait there with them until the bus comes. Since Mayor Jim Kenney took office in 2015, encampment closures in the name of public health and safety have been a near constant in Kensington. But the Tracks, like Kensington Avenue, resemble a libertarian utopia gone wrong. My name is Mariska and I'm living my best life while living the van life. Kensington's river ward identity puts it in contrast with the neighborhoods to its west. Along with having a high rate of drug overdose deaths, 80% percent of Philadelphias overdose deaths involved opioids2 and Kensington is a big contributor to this number. Housing justice advocates have criticized the citys treatment of encampment residents in both Kensington and Center City, alleging that officials fail to provide adequate long-term housing options after shutting down their living sites. pic.twitter.com/yXU3zfzpGp. Because of the high number of drugs in Kensington, the neighborhood has a drug crime rate of 3.57, the third-highest rate by neighborhood in Philadelphia.3 Like a lot of the country, a big part of this issue is a result of the opioid epidemic. Looks not far from K&A, the intersection of Kensington and Alleghany Ave. Police said the victim is a 43-year-old man, who was stabbed multiple times. Sign up for the free Billy Penn newsletter and stay in the know. Despite what you may read, Kensington Avenue is open for business, and there are plenty of reasons to visit the Avenue. It has always had the El train that runs straight through Kensington. As it is just north of Fishtown, higher income residents have been moving further up, increasing property values and rents. [53][54] The intersection of Kensington Avenue and Somerset Street was listed number one in a 2007 list of the city's top ten recreational drug corners according to an article by Philadelphia Weekly reporter Steve Volk. Then enter opiates. McKinney says the city could use regional support in creating a long-term solution for Kensington. Stop writing about Kensington Avenue like its Mordor. Jason Meyer watched from his wheelchair as city personnel tried to clean up the chaos near Kensington and Allegheny avenues on Wednesday morning. Rule 2 does not apply when replying to this stickied comment.. Rule 2 does apply throughout the rest of this thread.. What this means: Please keep any "meta" discussion directed at specific users, mods, or r/conspiracy in general in this comment chain only.. Kensington Blues is a photography series by Jeffrey Stockbridge, 36, that documented the struggles and the dark reality of local residents. During our visit, addicts casually moved in and out, bringing and injecting their Badlands-bought heroin. link to Whatever Happened To Natalie Raitano. Kensington Avenue in North Philadelphia is infamous for drug abuse and prostitution. Commercial revitalization in the form of businesses a community has use for is a powerful weapon. Folks are going to migrate to wherever they can go, McKinney said. Because of the high number of drugs in Kensington, the neighborhood has a drug crime rate of 3.57, the third-highest rate by neighborhood in Philadelphia.3 Like a lot of the country, a big part of this issue is a result of the opioid epidemic. The Star Carpet Mills, 1801-03 N. Howard Street, Kensington (188082). Views Philadelphia Kensington Avenue, What happened on Monday, June 28 2021. According to Philadelphia Police, the accident happened at 3300 Kensington Avenue in the Kensington section of Philly. Crack, meth, heroin, oxycodone, weed, percocet, PCP these are all the usual suspects around Kensington Ave. Juniata, the neighborhood to the north, and Kensington are similar demographically, yet the former is slightly wealthier and has more green space. They gotta do something about it, and this is coming from someone whos homeless living on the street., Out on the Kensington Avenue this morning, where just north of K&A homeless outreach workers and police begin to clear out yet another encampment. Theres a significant number of people who commute to this space to pick up what they need, making the residual effects of the narcotic empire spread far and wide. While most of the large manufacturers have left, the area has many small shops and large renovated factories and warehouses for newer artisans to set up shop. This train starts at Bridge st. From Frankford , Juanita, Kensington and Fishtown. Want a digest of WHYYs programs, events & stories? Kensington was founded by Anthony Palmer in the early 1730s. Along with having a high rate of drug overdose deaths, 80% percent of Philadelphias overdose deaths involved opioids2 and Kensington is a big contributor to this number. Soon, thanks to this effort and efforts like it, they wont have to. What sort of reprieve Wednesdays action will offer neighbors and business owners remains unclear. Fairhill and Norris Square are separate from Kensington with a more central North Philadelphia identity; however, exactly where the neighborhoods separate is subject to much debate and there are people within both neighborhoods who identify with Kensington. The cap will be home to nearly 12 acres of parkland and seamlessly connect Old City to the Delaware River waterfront at Penns Landing. When resources are limited, you get to a point as a police officer where you ask yourself, Why am I doing something ineffective? says former Maryland State Police officer Neill Franklin, executive director of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), a group of criminal-justice professionals who favor drug-law reform. Commissioner [Charles] Ramsey does not support it; no one in this department does. Its central to the neighborhood and offers an ideal place to shoot up and camp out. According to NeighborhhoodLink, an online source for demographics, geography and economic statistics, the average house value in the 19125 zip code of Kensington is now at $43,500. Words such hopeless and dystopian punctuate an endless scrawl of depressing articles. It doesnt work the first or the second or the third or the fourth time for everybody, so we keep engaging for those that we can.. The neighborhood has long been a catchment for people from the suburbs, Delaware and New Jersey who suffer from addiction, and yet the city has been left on its own to clean up the mess. The drug market is so strong in Kensington and the joblessness and institutionalized racism so engrained, the community struggles while the state flounders with resolutions. Just before 5 p.m. the following day, in the 2100 block of North 20th Street, police found Dawson Johnson . WHYY provides trustworthy, fact-based, local news and information and world-class entertainment to everyone in our community. Things just got worse, and more violent, the more we arrested people.. Kensington Avenue is infamously regarded as 'the largest open-air drug market on East Coast' In 2019, the city removed four encampments in the area that was known to be frequented by drug. "[12][13][14], Deindustrialization eventually took hold in the neighborhood in the 1950s, leading to a significant population loss, high unemployment, economic decline, and abandoned homes. These boundaries have since shifted so that a large area north of Lehigh Avenue is now considered part of Kensington, while Fishtown is no longer considered part of the neighborhood. Kensington Hospital for Women, 128-40 Diamond Street, Kensington, Philadelphia, PA. Peter Woll & Sons, Curled Hair & Bristles, 173 W. Berks Street, Kensington, Philadelphia, PA. Second Associate Presbyterian Church, 1523-25 N. Front Street, Kensington, Philadelphia, PA (185254). They declared a statewide disaster over the drug epidemic in 2017. The majority of the neighborhood is renter occupied, 55.6% overall, and up to 66.3% in one tract. On January 4, 2016, Jim Kenney was sworn in as the 99th Mayor of Philadelphia. Over time black and Hispanic street dealers took over larger portions of the drug trade, especially heroin, fentanyl, and crack cocaine. Most dangerous street in PhiladelphiaKensington Philadelphia Drug \u0026 Crime ProblemsViolent crime and drug abuse in Philadelphia as a whole is a major problem. In recent years, Kensington has experienced increasing social issues primarily related to drug abuse. Philadelphia's most dangerous street.Problems with Drugs and Crime in Kensington Ave, PhiladelphiaIn Philadelphia as a whole, violent crime and drug abuse are major issues. This Philly neighborhood is purportedly the largest open-air narcotics market for heroin on the East Coast with many neighboring residents flocking to the area for heroin and other opioids.4 With such a high number of drugs in Kensington, many state and local officials have zoned in on this area to try and tackle Philadelphias problem. Of the non-Hispanic or Latino population, 19% is White, 15.1% is Black or African American, 3.6% is Asian, and 2.2% identify as two or more races. Nine years later and were still talking about it. Philadelphia, PA (February 26, 2023) - After noon on Sunday, February 26, a serious eight-vehicle collision with injuries took place in Philadelphia. [37] The station was reopened on April 5 with increased police presence. [40] In Kensington, most residents have opposed the plans and organized against the site being located in Kensington, including leaders of five civic organizations in the area. The Tracks, a mile-long wooded stretch of shipping railway cutting across the Badlands, is a section of Philadelphia long ago ceded by law enforcement to drug users. City housing officials say 300; police estimated over 650 people this summer. If BP helped inform you, join as a member today! On the night we visited, police cars cruised past, their lights flashing, but never stopped. August 18, 2021 / 5:22 PM / CBS Philadelphia PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- City officials broke up a homeless encampment in Kensington Wednesday afternoon, with outreach teams tearing down the. Neighborhood residents have raged against City Hall for years over the litany of woes from drug dealing to missed trash collection. Worse than plain heroin. It is not safe . A quick search brings up a plethora of articles outlining the ongoing issues Kensington faces, the overdose rates and weekly deaths. As with all neighborhoods in the city, the lack of any official designation means the boundaries of the area vary between sources over time and are disputed among locals. Its how we live. But Gladstein said many people remain shelter resistant for various reasons and the number of emergency beds near Kensington where people actively use drugs is limited. Just a few blocks away, the Kensington Storefront, a collaboration between Impact Services, NKCDC, Mural Arts, Prevention Point Philadelphia and The Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services (DBHIDS), transformed an abandoned Cricket Wireless Store into a hub for arts-based community events, trainings, and meetings. [32][failed verification] The majority of its population is Hispanic or Latino (59.9%), consisting primarily of Puerto Rican and Dominican Americans. Give your readers the whole story. Like many corridors, there are destination spots for Philly foodies. Mariska is a recovering attorney who gave up her professional job to discover new perspectives of life while traveling in a 2009 Ford Transit. You cant walk down the sidewalk, he said. [36] The closure, which happened without consulting with residents and lacked advanced notice,[37] was ostensibly to repair elevators that had been damaged by human waste and trash and concerns about safety for workers. The Decorating Plant of Gillinder & Sons' Franklin Flint Glass Works, 1700-06 N. Howard Street (1876). In the absence of a larger plan, he was certain those encampments would grow in the coming weeks. Im out here too, and I think its fucking insanity. It happened Monday around 10:40 p.m. on the. The median yearly income of the neighborhood is $28,368, ranging from $18,516 to $77,979. The City of Philadelphia, Police and social services are along Kensington Avenue near Willard Street on Wednesday morning August 18, 2021, clearing the streets of homeless in the center of the opioid epidemic in the city. [4] It was also the birthplace of the K&A Gang, currently known as the Northeast Philly Irish Mob, an Irish American organized crime network. They paint a picture of a poverty zoo. (Instead of a paywall). Protestors demanded a clear reopening date for the station, safer conditions for SEPTA workers, addiction services, services for homeless people in the area, and more. I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. The few other businesses Chinese take outs and Irish pubs have missing persons signs hung in the windows. A former bank will become a commercial kitchen and event space. The decision has saved the city millions, and won cheers nationwide from drug-law reformers. Clifton Mills, 1833 N. Howard Street, Kensington (185263). Before the Act of Consolidation, 1854, the Kensington District included portions of the neighborhoods known today as Olde Kensington, East Kensington, West Kensington, and Fishtown, with its northern border at Lehigh Avenue. During my career I concluded we werent making a dent in drug addiction or related crime. "Violent crime and drug abuse in Philadelphia as a . SEPTA's MarketFrankford Line runs to Center City from Kensington, offering short commute times. Its mid-century decline due to deindustrialization paralyzed Kensington. [52], The neighborhood has gained nationwide attention and great notoriety because of extensive press coverage of its thriving narcotics drug scene, often described as the largest on the east coast. Between the two encampments targeted on Wednesday, half a dozen other spots continue to grow. Documentary by SBC News covering Streets of Philadelphia, Kensington Ave.Philadelphia's most dangerous street.Problems with Drugs and Crime in Kensington Ave, PhiladelphiaIn Philadelphia as a whole, violent crime and drug abuse are major issues. Additionally, 65.8%, almost two thirds, of Kensington residents can be described financially as "poor or struggling" (defined by a Ratio of Income in 2020 to Poverty Level of under 2.00). Addicts duck into vacant lots on the Avenue after returning from dope corners a couple of blocks away and, barely concealed by high weeds, casually cook and shoot speedballs. Kensington has traditionally been known as one of the working class centers of Philadelphia. initially postponed due to a lawsuit filed on behalf of residents. On Wednesday, Steve, a 30-year-old fentanyl user who declined to give his last name, said he sympathized with the residents plight. PHILADELPHIA - Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Ricardo Carrion, a.k.a. With such a high concentration of drugs in Kensington, many state and local officials have focused on the neighborhood in an attempt to address Philadelphia's problem. Subscribe to SBC News: https://www.youtube.com/c/SBCNewsYouTube?sub_confirmation=1#SBCNews Violent crime and drug abuse in Philadelphia as a whole is a major problem. Mayor Jim Kenney is possibly one of the worse mayor in the Philadelphia history and does nothing to stop it. From there, drug dens sprung up across the neighborhood and allowed for gangs to breed in the area. Answer (1 of 7): I live and minister here as a pastor. The Free Library of Philadelphia operates the McPherson Square Branch at 601 East Indiana Avenue,[50] and the Kensington Branch at 104 W Dauphin Street. Mattresses lie in the mud along the railway where prostitutes trick, and rapes and assaults are common. Since 2015, 295 people have been shot within a five minute walk of Kensington and Allegheny, a busy intersection at the heart of the neighborhood, according to a Philadelphia Inquirer analysis. It happened shortly after 3 a.m. Thursday in the area of Fairhill Square Park at 4th Street and Lehigh Avenue. Adjacent neighborhoods are Northern Liberties (ZIP code 19123), Fishtown and Olde Richmond (ZIP code 19125), Port Richmond (ZIP code 19134). The citys violent crime rate is higher than the national average and other similarly sized metropolitan areas.1 Also alarming is Philadelphias drug overdose rate. A textile factory will feature apartments and commercial space. But users who buy in the Badlands come to Kensington to shoot up. On March 21, 2021, SEPTA indefinitely closed the Somerset Station of the Market-Frankford Line (MFL). Days before the start of the New Year, the 16-year-old girl from the Philadelphia suburbs disappears for the third time in four months as she battles a heroin addiction that . But a day later, and not far away, on the 1700 block of West Atlantic Street in North Philly, there was bloodshed and death. Arrest made after deadly crash in Kensington, Philadelphia police say The incident happened at the intersection of G and Tioga Streets around 4:40 p.m. Nov 13, 2022 00:17 Arrest made after. However, fentanyl has replaced heroin completely and it is rare that you find anyone using pure heroin in Kensington. And public homelessness ranks high on the list of concerns. When we can make the right connection for people, its really successful, Gladstein said. Even Dr. Oz took the time to show us a Kensington Avenue as a "hellscape." neighborhood street scenes in kensington, philadelphia, pa - kensington philadelphia stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images Discarded needles are seen at a heroin encampment in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on April 7, 2017. They tried to institute safe-injection sites, where users can shoot up without fear of prosecution. This Philadelphia neighborhood is said to have the largest open-air heroin market on the East Coast, with many neighbors migrating to the area for heroin and other opioids. Upwards of 100 people camp out there every night and its not for stargazing. The white residents fled to the suburbs and people of color and limited means moved in. She has been living the van life for 3 years and has not looked back since. Through it all, I consistently found myself impressed in awe of the merchants on Kensington Avenue and hopeful for their entrepreneurial futures. The citys unrelenting heat wave has left them worse for wear, their exposed skin coated in a glaze of sweat, their tank tops and shorts smeared with street grime. Kensington Ave - Everything You Want To Know About Philadelphia's Skid Row Written by Mariska Lee in Pennsylvania Close to the I-95, and a stone's throw away from the scenic Delaware river, Kensington is a neighborhood in northern Philly with quite the reputation. But this is an ongoing process. Kensington was originally a blue collar neighborhood that thrived on the factories built there. SEPTA City Bus routes 3 (on Kensington Avenue, running underneath the "El") and 60 on Allegheny Avenue, with route 5 nearby on Frankford Avenue, also serve the K & A area. The neighborhood also recently has seen a large influx of primarily white young urban professionals and gentrification, particularly in Fishtown[3] which is no longer considered to be Kensington and in Olde Kensington, Norris Square, and East Kensington. This is not a one and done, and well keep doing the work.. In-depth, original reporting on housing, transportation, and development. In 2017, the city cleared it out in an attempt to begin to tackle the cyclic issue of homelessness and drug use. Afaik other neighborhoods declined with crack, but Kensington was notable for pills and opiates. West Kensington is similar to Norris Square and Fairhill in that it has a similar demographic to most of Kensington while having a more North Central Philadelphia identity,[citation needed] but unlike the other two neighborhoods it remains certainly part of Kensington. This is a regional problem that Kensington is very graciously dealing with., Nice to see you. Multiple people were injured after a messy crash in the Kensington section of the city. Please give today. If you arrest a violent serial killer like the strangler, you know you made a difference. Prevention Point Philadelphia, a public health organization providing harm reduction services to Philadelphia and surrounding areas. Butterworth and Sons Company Building, Kensington Corridor Trust Community Garden, community development financial institution, Jules E. Mastbaum Vocational Technical High School, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia, "National Historic Landmarks & National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania", "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Beatty's Mills Factory Building", "Coral Street Arts House - NKCDC - An income based apartment for artists", "Insane Surge in Philadelphia Gentrification", "PhilaPlace - The Kensington Riots of 1844", "Maps make you wonder, what is Fishtown? Its so well known that a simple Google search for really bad drug areas brings it up. Kensington has several medium and small sized parks and playgrounds which offer a variety of uses for visitors. With the promise of rent subsidies and financial technical assistance from Shift and partners, nine new businesses will be opening shop on Kensington Avenue by this summer. This street wears its heart on its sleeve, triumphs, and failures on full display. There was a major street gang located at K&A that started as a burglary ring but eventually moved into drug trafficking in the 80s. Representatives from these organizations economic development teams work hand in hand with business owners, residents, developers, and other stakeholders to strengthen the business community. Yellowstone vs Zion: Which National Park Should I Visit? NKCDC is working on the redevelopment of the Orinoka Civic House. Every day Jorge Rosario, 52, a resident of the Kensington section Philadelphia cleans the sidewalk along the 2700 block of Kensington Ave., Philadelphia. Streets of Philadelphia, Kensington Ave. Story. "You can't buy, use, and recover in the same neighborhood," Bingham said. You can do that in Amsterdam, Will Sims says, comparing hard-ass Kensington with what he perceives to be the touchy-feely Netherlands, but this is Philly, and Philly aint Amsterdam.. The killer is referred to by the media as "The Kensington Strangler". There is a common criticism that officials would never let this happen in whiter, more affluent parts of the city. That camp was cleared, and another formed. This Philadelphia neighborhood is said to have the largest open-air heroin market on the East Coast, with many neighbors migrating to the area for heroin and other opioids. It happened just after 12 p.m. Sunday on the 3300 block of Kensington. Close to the I-95, and a stones throw away from the scenic Delaware river, Kensington is a neighborhood in northern Philly with quite the reputation. Speaking as someone coming from this field, it can be unforgiving and thirsty work, defined by small victories and glorious defeats.