🏘️ The cost of growth | Morning Newsletter

Good morning. The sun is out again, with a high near 76.

Incomes have sharply risen in parts of South Philly over the last decade, but not everyone is thriving.

And in another corner of the neighborhood, we examine the evolution of Fabric Row as it tries to keep up with the times.

Scroll along for these stories and more.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows the median household income in some pockets of Philadelphia has skyrocketed over the last 10 years.

The median income more than doubled in the South Philadelphia cluster of Graduate Hospital, Grays Ferry, and Point Breeze neighborhoods, data showed. Factors fueling this rise include more outside investment in the community and a proximity to higher-paying jobs.

But the dramatic growth comes at a cost. Longtime residents say it has also brought rising rents, taxes, and housing costs that are forcing neighbors out or leaving them at risk of displacement.

In their own words: “It makes it very difficult for people who’ve lived here most of their lives. They can’t afford to pay any more than what they were paying prior to, because if you’re on a fixed income, where’s the additional dollars coming from?” asked one Point Breeze resident.

Inquirer reporter Nate File breaks down the data, along with a history of gentrification in this chunk of South Philly.

Fabric Row is stitching together a new identity, marked by an adaptation to the current commercial climate.

🧵 For decades, the storied corridor has been tightly knit by old-school textile shops and upholstery suppliers.

🧵 With new vintage boutiques and handmade jewelry shops popping up among longtime institutions, the area has evolved in an attempt to survive rising costs and narrow margins.

🧵 According to several business owners, foot traffic has improved, but long-term stability remains uncertain.

Read on to hear from small-business owners on the challenges of trying to keep brick-and-mortar retail alive.

🎤 Now I’m passing the mic to Tommy Rowan for a look back at an inmate at Eastern State Penitentiary who wrote a message on a ball and threw it over the prison walls.

Jeffrey Curry was serving a burglary sentence in the spring of 1957 when he wrote a message to his family on a pink rubber ball — “With all my love and kisses” — and hurled it over the north wall of the hub-and-spoke-styled prison.

An 11-year-old girl found, and delivered it. Read on for the full story.

This week, the school board in this major city voted to close nine schools, shut 12 other facilities, and reconfigure many other buildings.

A) Harrisburg

B) Allentown

C) Pittsburgh

D) Scranton

Think you know? Check your answer.

🦀 Picking: Crabs while overlooking pontoons and sailboats drifting by on the water in Annapolis.

🏃 Running with: The Outsiders actor John Michael Peterson, up the Art Museum steps.

🥟 Sampling: Steamed pork and leek dumplings, among the best things we ate this week.

🎓 Congratulating: Daniel Emdin, the only Pennsylvania student to receive a prestigious undergraduate transfer scholarship.

🏡 Impressed by: A homebuyer’s commitment to finding a house within a limited radius.

Hint: A teacher in this school district has stepped into a national debate over AI’s role in the classroom

BANTER CLUCKS

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

Cheers to Richard Stoops who correctly guessed Saturday’s answer: Dolly Ottey, the namesake of a new pocket park that debuted Friday at Elfreth’s Alley. Ottey was the first to champion preservation of the narrow cobblestone passage.

🎶 Today’s song goes like this: “Just don’t eclipse the moon / ‘Cause it’s all bad news.”

👋🏽 Thanks for starting your Sunday with us. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

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