The core issue with gentrification is the loss of a community’s essence. When a community is changed fundamentally by means of either economic or residential factors, the loss of key pillars in identification results. A loss of culture, a loss of heritage, a loss of community pride, and a loss of history, are all part of that.

There is an interesting article that was published recently about the “food boom” in Pittsburgh’s trendier neighborhoods, and how these restaurants are creating a new vibrant culinary scene. The otherwise optimistic article goes on to lament the possibilities of older eateries being priced out of the market in favor of newer, in-fashion places. Food is just one example of this; gentrification is a multi-faceted concept that affects the lives of residents and business owners alike. When considering this part of gentrification, allowing people in the area to have a proper forum is a good goal, but constructing a place for them while allowing for people no longer in the area but with strong bonds, to continue to communicate. The dispersal of a group into a diaspora with regards to gentrification is a hard thing to tackle here, but that is the most pressing matter here, and one that aligns with the rest of my groupmates.

With that in mind, my proposal is for a media sharing site/forum that would run as a set of imageboards.. These specific sites would provide people with the ability to post pictures, short video clips, or even text, about neighborhood events. The goal would be to capture the essence of the neighborhood and provide a place for sharing within a small-focused area. Each section of the city would have its own sub-form/board, breaking the site into multiple parts. This would allow topics specific to certain populations within the city neighborhoods to be presented to their target demographics.