Just before the new 43rd St project was leaked, I had a conversation on my porch with someone who hadn't seen Clark park for several years. As we looked at the gravel pit, the very first thing he asked was, "are they planning some commercial development?" Without knowing a thing about the redesign of the park, he was instantly able to recognize that the gravel pit was designed for a commercial purpose like the food court of any mall!
I've been telling people since the late 1990's that Penn was hell bent on privatizing Clark Park. Recognized as the most active and important leader of Clark park stakeholder groups at that time, Penn tried to gain my support to turn the bowl into a permanent performance venue for things like the JZ Budweiser concert. Instead of supporting secret deals, against my understanding of the diverse community and one of the most successful city parks in the country, I chose to stand for democratic principles and the rights of park stakeholders, who were excluded from the vision. Extraordinary efforts were made to silence me and banish me from local society for over a decade.
Omar Blaik was at Penn during the 1990s with John Fry. Penn is responsible for the push for regressive property taxes (to be given to their UCD/CCD), and for the redesign of the neighborhood and clark Park into an upscale commercial paradise.
It's naive to believe that the redesign of Clark Park as a commercial venue, and the plans for upscale retail along 43rd St, weren't the plan since the 1990s or before. It's also naive to believe that the civic association leaders aren't engaged in the usual back room dealings; developing the distractions, misinformation, and marketing to silence any protests!
As with the 11 story hotel and all other local issues, the local gentry believes it can "get the attention of Penn" while continuing to support the local power abuse centers and their ubiquitous use of antidemocratic tactics. The local gentry has long believed that by throwing the less fortunate neighbors under the machine of Penn's neoliberal vision that they can successfully "win" battles on individual development projects they don't like.
I think the local gentry needs to recognize that they lost their power years ago when they embraced neoliberal visions and turned their backs on democratic principles! By colluding with corporate power under the delusion of picking and choosing battles, the gentry sealed their own fate as well as the oppression of the non-wealthy of the neighborhood. It's often referred to as, "divide and conquer."
The worn out appeals for parking spaces don't stand a chance any more than the building at 40th and Pine. Only a complete rejection of antidemocratic neoliberal economic theology and solidarity with all the people of Philadelphia can make Clark Park a public park again or stop the redesign of the community as an upscale commercial paradise for millionaires.
Unless residents are willing to look at the past, NOT FORWARD; it's a useless waste of time to "contact the FOCP/SHCA" about this project. If people on this list wake up and begin by demanding the resignation of the Clark Park Partnership and the entire leadership of these civic associations, I'll join the fight and we will finally have a victory/solidarity that means something in this neighborhood! Anything less than truth and accountability; and a comprehensive embrace of democratic principles is just more helpless acceptance of our enslavement! I demand nothing less than the complete elimination of UCD and a demand for Penn to pay taxes!!!!
Here is the latest bit revealed about the decade of secret deals (the original leak failed to mention the mixed use retail):
"In the meantime, Leonard Thylan, has stressed that Clarkmore LP. wants to create a dialogue with the Spruce Hill neighborhood. According to statements made by Thylan, the dialogue will include discussions over how the property’s residential and mixed-use retail will best serve the community. To facilitate the process, Clarkmore has engaged the efforts of Omar Blaik of the Philadelphia-based company, U3 Ventures, to help facilitate the process."
http://ucreview.com/the-buzz-on-rd-and-baltimore-p3899-1.htm
PS: How long do you believe the Philadelphia health center will last after the upscale retail is built???? Upscale consumers and Texas oilmen hate to look at sick poor people even more than looking at poor public school children.
