Save Philadelphia
9th street and Market, Philadelphia, PA: home to the Fashion District. A quiet mall and gallery, some would argue is an underused and out of place behemoth in comparison to the residential district in which it resides. Less than one block north lies a small but blossoming community called Chinatown.
With history dating back to 1870, Philadelphia’s Chinatown is one of the last 6 remaining Chinatowns in the United States. It is a hub of culture and peace which serves as a safe haven for Chinese immigrants. For decades the neighborhood has thrived through its simplicity and sense of community. Things which massive organizations like the 76 Devcorp threaten to disrupt.
NBA.com boasts, “Managing Partners of the Philadelphia 76ers, announced today the creation of a new development company, 76 Devcorp, responsible for developing the future home of the Philadelphia 76ers. Led by Philadelphia business leader David Adelman... the Development Corporation is pursuing a privately-funded, purpose-built sports and entertainment arena, 76 Place, that will be located on a portion of the current site of Fashion District Philadelphia”
Since the mid to late 90’s, The Philadelphia 76ers have called The Wells Fargo Center their home. Conveniently based at the end of a major subway line, as well as 38 full sized parking lots, The Wells Fargo Center has lived in the hub of Philadelphia sports entertainment. Perfectly placed between the Philadelphia Eagles’ Lincoln Financial Field and the Philadelphia Phillies’ Citizen’s Bank Park, the Wells Fargo Center is an optimal base for the 76ers. It is a system that has worked in the favor for every single Philadelphia sports fan for decades.
On June 21st, 2022, the NBA announced the 76ers’ plan to build a new arena as an extension to the preexisting Fashion District Gallery and Mall. 9 years of construction, 1.3 billion dollars. A stadium expected to have a capacity of 18,500. All expected to be crammed into a 500 square foot block.
The stadium will sit less than one block away from the first residential area of Chinatown. With little consideration for pollution caused from nearly a decade of construction, and hundreds of thousands of attendees per week, outrage from the community, understandably, spread like wildfire. David Gould, 76ers Chief Diversity and Impact Officer, responds:1
“We look forward to listening to and working with the local community, including local organizations, businesses and residents, especially in Chinatown and Washington Square West, to develop a Community Benefits Agreement that results in long-term positive impact.”
After nearly nine months since the announcement of the arena’s construction, no such effort has been made. A small walk through the streets of Chinatown reveal the unsettling nature of the situation. Just about every street corner is decorated in black and white signs which read “save Chinatown, no arena”. In Chinese, the signs warn about the issues an arena would bring to the residents of Chinatown.
Yue Wu, The Neighborhood Planning and Project Manager of the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation (PCDC), highlighted some important factors to keep in mind. Primarily, she explained that, due to the volume of business, there is a common misconception that Chinatown is a commercial district. The reality is that Chinatown is vastly residential. A large community of low Income, first or second-generation immigrants call Chinatown their home.
An arena of the size suggested in the NBA’s announcement would have serious implications for the area and its residents. Wu explains that cultural and social institutions will be heavily impacted. One inevitable factor is that business owners will be forced to make changes. Different business owners have different responses to change, and small businesses might be less equipped to accommodate that change.
Commonly, developers for arenas of this size do everything in their power to keep spending inside the arena, thus taking away business from locals in the area. Even a fraction of that, combined with the increased traffic and pollution brought on by a project of this size is enough to cripple a struggling community like Chinatown. But if that isn’t enough to convince you that this arena is a bad idea, all we need to do is look back in history, to the creation of Capital One Arena.
On October 18th, 1995, the Washington Wizards broke ground on a cutting-edge new arena named Capital One Arena, in what used to be considered the heart of Washington D.C.’s Chinatown. All of the same precautions were made; the NBA promised to collaborate with locals and have the best interests of the community in mind.
Prior to the Capital One Arena’s construction, 3000 Chinese families called D.C.’s Chinatown their home. After its construction, only 10% of the local businesses were still in business, and the total population of Chinese people living in the area was even less. Slowly but surely, commercial buildings and luxury apartments creeped into the area. Today, new condos in D.C.’s Chinatown are valued at $350,000 to $550,000 per unit. The nearest low-income housing available in the vicinity of the arena sits 20 miles from the nearest restaurant, grocery store, or school.
The similarities between the two situations are uncanny, but outrage from the Philadelphia community does not stop there. In July of 2022, 76ers managing partner Joshua Harris announced that David Adelman would be leading the 76 Place project, stating:
“David Adelman shares our vision for ensuring that the new arena is an anchoring force in the local community, creating well-paying jobs and economic opportunities for those who need them most.”
Historically, David Adelman has shared a vision with the low-income residents of Philadelphia. Adelman serves as the CEO of Campus Apartments, a corporation which has played a crucial role in the expansion of University City, and consequential gentrification of West Philadelphia. With over two billion dollars in assets, Adelman’s Campus Apartments works in close coordination with Drexel University’s Real Estate Advisory Council, spreading their campus into the historically black neighborhood of Black Bottom.
The Save UC Townhomes Coalition, a resident led organization fighting for the rights of underrepresented tenants of Black Bottom, have been leading the charge in resistance against this gentrification. Whether it be in the streets or in the courtrooms, Save UC Townhomes has been a leader in this more than 40-year battle for human rights. Their efforts have been underscored by Drexel University’s Community for Justice (DCJ), a student led organization who have been doing their part in condemning their institution’s mistreatment of West Philadelphian residents.
The DCJ’s efforts reached its peak with an almost two-week consecutive sit-in inside Drexel’s main building. Dozens of students bravely assembled in Drexel’s highly policed main building, refusing to leave until Drexel’s Board of Trustees head their demands. One of which demands, was to remove Adelman from the Drexel University Real Estate Advisory Council.
Today, Adelman continues his efforts in leaving his mark on the at-risk communities of Philadelphia. Adelman and his constituents claim to be working closely with community leaders to ensure the welfare of these neighborhoods, but there is no evidence to support these claims.
In times like these it is important for communities to come together. If you would like to get involved in the effort to preserve Chinatown or West Philadelphia, resources will be linked below:
https://savetheuctownhomes.com