The 1500 block of Ellsworth Street reflects the time-tested look of Newbold/Point Breeze.
Photo by Tina Garceau
“Alex, can I have ‘Name That Civic Association’ for $800?”
“This South Philadelphia-based civic group was previously known as the Newbold Neighbors Association.”
Do you find yourself suddenly scratching your head trying to figure out the answer?
Well, on Aug. 24, the aforementioned entity will provide the solution in addressing this hot topic of South Philly conversation, as members will gather to give their entity a new name — one its constituents expect to encourage unity and acknowledge diversity within their group’s borders.
Over the body’s nine-year existence, the neighborhood designation has seemingly drawn more head scratches than compliments. The Newbold Neighbors Association has dealt with discord over its environs’ existence since most of its turf also sits within Point Breeze, the first recorded mentions of which date back to 1895.
“There’s a lot of passion in the neighborhood,” Miguel Garces said of the turf representing the area west of Broad Street to 18th Street and south of Washington Avenue to West Passyunk Avenue that he has overseen as civic president since February. “That definitely means respecting what makes people feel uncomfortable and what they want to do to change those feelings.”
Come 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, board members, having voted late last month 18–5, will unite at the Reed Street Presbyterian Apartments, 1401 S. 16th St., for a general meeting that will work to yield a different name.
No matter what they will christen themselves, Garces knows that making their stretch a true space for community engagement will not suffer; rather, he expects the change to champion a call for more involvement.
“Our organization knows the importance of connecting people to one another and being a voice for them,” the resident of the 1600 block of Manton Street said. “We want this to be their association, and we want to be that advocate for issues that are important to them.”
The South Philly Review has devoted considerable space over the years, notably a Dec. 2010 cover story, to specifying the spat that many Point Breeze inhabitants have had with Newbold denizens. The former have contended that Newbold, which developer John Longacre coined as an homage to the original name for Hicks Street, reeks of an infatuation with gentrification. Garces stated that debate has died down immensely and that he and his peers have gone about their business as community enhancers.
“That’s not to say we’re ever going to be opposed to having a more inclusive makeup,” the leader said, noting the desire to add more voices, especially those belonging to African Americans and Indonesians, to their throng.
Garces acknowledged that the July 27 voting result made even more apparent the frustration that the name “Newbold” engenders and stated that next week’s open-to-the-public meeting will dwindle down suggestions for a name, a move that he hopes will work to create an association that is as diverse as the neighborhood.
“There’s always an element of exclusion to a civic association because of boundaries,” he noted. “With us, however, we don’t want that sense of being an outsider ever to be felt by the people within our designated area.”
Six years ago, the South Philly Review made it a point to start to include neighborhood explanations in either headlines or subheads to give readers an immediate awareness of where news had transpired or which sections our newsmakers call home. Those distinctions have often met with bewilderment, as many residents had not known of the individual territories or preferred to refer them as a whole, simply South Philly. As the Newbold Neighbors Association’s website states, the City of Philadelphia does not officially name neighborhoods, meaning “anyone can choose to call where they live Newbold, or choose not to if they desire.” Since this publication spotlighted the rising use of the term Newbold, it has occasionally heard gripes and has often asked subjects if they wish to identify as a Newbold or Point Breeze resident.
“I’m within the Newbold space, but I somewhat prefer to say Point Breeze,” Eliot Braden, of the 1600 block of Tasker Street, said. “I’m all for carving out a new identity, which is what I have read the powers that be wanted to give to the community by coming up with the name Newbold, but I guess I’m a traditionalist even though I’ve not been here long and the tendency is for the less tenured residents to say they live in Newbold.”
“The main objection to the use of Newbold that I’ve heard is that it’s giving another name to places that they have always referred to as being in Point Breeze,” Maggie Arvidsson, who grew up on the 2000 block of Dickinson Street, clearly a Point Breeze location, and now calls the 1700 block of Moore Street, a destination that both groups can claim, said. “I’m not going to balk if someone says I’m a Point Breezer, but I prefer to tab myself a Newbold resident.”
Arvidsson’s native area is undeniably mammoth, with boundaries running from Broad to 25th Street and from Mifflin Street to Washington Avenue. Longacre has stated he dubbed a huge portion of those demarcations “Newbold” in part to boost the West Passyunk Avenue commercial corridor.
“Our goal is to strengthen the fabric of South Philadelphia through volunteer and civic engagement,” the association’s website reveals, adding “We are not interested in renaming neighborhoods.” Garces touched on that, stating that though his civic body will remove Newbold from its title, the name “Newbold” will not become defunct, especially because of the existence of the Newbold Community Development Corp., which is bounded by Tasker Street to the north and Wolf Street to the south, Broad Street to the east, and 18th Street to the west. With six days until he and other locals unite, the recent appointee to Mayor Jim Kenney’s community schools initiative, which includes Southwark Elementary and South Philadelphia High School, stressed that though residents in the Newbold/Point Breeze nexus have disagreed over even having an alternate neighborhood name exist, the key is continuing to see discourse as a primary helper in strengthening the overall community.
“We’ve been here before,” Garces said, referring to a ’13 referendum to alter the civic’s name. “We’ve been collecting names, and we’ll choose one and proudly continue to serve everyone as best as we can.”
Contact Editor Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
The 1800 block of Federal Street has proven an especially popular spot in Newbold/Point Breeze thanks to American Sardine Bar.
Photo by Tina Garceau
