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Charming_Wulf t1_j9uqsqu wrote

Reply to comment by needleinacamelseye in Sellers Mansion in W. Bmore on fire... AGAIN! by PigtownDesign

I think a lot of it has to do with the congregations moving out of those neighborhoods, but wanting to be at the same church. It feels like this hits the headlines more with Black churches. But that's probably because the equivalent White Churches/Congregations did their flight far enough back in time that they could buy suburban land for a new church building.

DC has seen massive fights regrading Sunday parking. It's basically older black residents and families vs the new neighborhood residents (re: gentrification).

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needleinacamelseye t1_j9uui5c wrote

I hadn't thought about congregation members moving out of neighborhoods local to their church but commuting back to it on Sundays - it would also explain the big fight here in Baltimore a few years back between Fountain Baptist Church and the city over a bike lane removing street parking spots in front of the church on Monument St.

What's funny is that both of these instances are in neighborhoods that aren't gentrifying. As far as I can tell, no major development is bringing more people (and cars) to Lafayette Square, and that stretch of E Monument St isn't being redeveloped at all.

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Charming_Wulf t1_j9uvkhx wrote

The fight I remember in DC was also over a bike lane installation. Though DC also has Sunday double parking privileges for the churches. Think of came out that Black Churches were filing a number of challenges across the city over street redesigns.

I think something similar happened in Atlanta, though it was a Black church in a poor black neighborhood. Their argument was 'This money would be better spent in targeted social services than removing street parking the neighborhood wants', which I think it's completely fair

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sxswnxnw t1_j9w7qq7 wrote

When I first moved here I was shocked by how many middle class black folks I knew would drive back into Baltimore neighborhoods many folks (black, white, or otherwise) considered blighted, just for church. Like driving in from Howard and Baltimore County just for Sunday church?? Then leave and pretend the city doesn't exist until next week.

People will talk about these neighborhoods like trash... Except on Sunday. 🥴

Had one colleague tell me not to buy "any house in Baltimore alone as a single woman, " but who comes in for church. 🙄

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