Point Breeze, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Point Breeze is a neighborhood in the South Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It is generally bound by 25th Street to the west, Washington Avenue to the north, Broad Street to the east, and Mifflin Street to the south. Southwest Center City lies to its north, and Passayunk Square lies to its east. Point Breeze is divided from Grays Ferry to the west by a CSX railway viaduct over 25th Street.
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[edit] Name origin
'Point Breeze' was originally the name given to a spot on the west side of the Schuylkill River. Point Breeze Avenue then became the road that cut southwest to provide access to the spot from what was at the time Philadelphia proper. Point Breeze Avenue today serves as the major artery for the community now known as Point Breeze.
[edit] Social issues
The Point Breeze neighborhood suffered from abandonment and population decline throughout the mid 20th century. Today it contains some of South Philadelphia's most problematic hotspots for violent crime and poverty. [1] The area is commonly referred to as "Drug Row"[citation needed].
Despite its problems, the northern section of Point Breeze is receiving some attention in the form of renewed development. A great deal of new construction and rehabilitation of existing homes is beginning from around Wharton Street to Washington Avenue, owing to Point Breeze's proximity to Southwest Center City and the Broad Street Line subway.
The bordering area between South St. and Washington Avenue (Grays Ferry or Graduate Hospital) has improved dramatically. The newly completed Naval Square contains upscale housing, and the blocks above Washington have seen a dramatic increase in renovations and home sales.
[edit] Demographics
The racial makeup of the neighborhood is 78% African American, 8% White, 11% Asian, and 1% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race are 2% of the population. About 30 percent of the population is under 18.
[edit] Notable residents
- Black Thought - Hip Hop Artist
- Rasual Butler - Professional basketball player
- Heath Brothers - Jazz musicians
- Beanie Sigel - Hip Hop Artist
- H. Patrick Swygert - President of Howard University
- Joseph Bonaparte - King of Naples (1806-1808) and King of Spain (1808-1814). Self-exiled. Lived in Point Breeze from 1815 to 1832.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Point Breeze Performing Arts Center
- Philadelphia City Paper - article on recent violence
- Point Breeze Revitalization Project
| Neighborhoods of the South Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | |
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Bella Vista - Devil's Pocket - Girard Estate - Greenwich - Grays Ferry - Hawthorne - Italian Market - Marconi Plaza - Moyamensing - Packer Park - Passyunk Square - Pennsport - Point Breeze - Newbold - Queen Village - Schuykill - Southwark - Southwest Center City - Tasker - Wharton - Whitman - Wilson Park - West Passyunk |
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Center City - North Philadelphia - Northwest Philadelphia - The Northeast - South Philadelphia - Southwest Philadelphia - West Philadelphia |
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