Moved to Twitter

I found that most of the stories relevant to this blog can be tweeted rather than posted, which is why I am moving all  the new content to my twitter feed at @ninthstreetwatc [no h is not a typo]. The posts on this blog will serve as an archive.You can see the   latest tweets on the right hand side of this page.

                                                       Thank you.

City to Stabilize Ellerbee Creek Culvert on W. Knox Street

It looks like the City is finally getting to work on a much needed stabilization project to repair and reinforce the culvert that carries Ellerbee Creek under W. Knox Street. For more detailed information, please see the public works page devoted to this project. According to the bid documents, the project will entail soil stabilization by means of high density polyurethane system. The estimated date of construction is mid-September.


View Larger Map

The the image detailing the precise location of the project and the work expected to be performed is after the break.

Hurry-up to sign up for the Durham Home Energy Savings Program

According to the press-release reprinted after the break, there are still some spots left for homeowners to sign-up for the Durham's Energy Savings Program -an EPA funded initiative that provides homeowners with up to $1600 in funds to weatherize their homes for free or at greatly reduced price.

To qualify, your home must be:
• Located in Durham
• 2,300 square feet or less of heated space
• No unvented gas, propane, oil, or wood appliances in the living space
• No major structural, moisture, or hazardous materials issues
• Rental property must have approval from the landlord and tenants
• Occupants must agree to allow access to energy use data for one year prior and two years after the retrofits
• Occupants or landlords must provide the contractor with the $400 payment at the time of the initial home assessment with the Durham Home Energy Savings Program paying up to an additional $1,600 per house
• Occupants must be available to be home when contractors come to do the work (estimated two visits)
• Occupants must remove contents of attics and/or crawlspaces to allow contractor access to those spaces
• Occupants and landlords must be current on all local taxes

There are about 50 slots left,so hurry and sign-up online. 

Durham is named America's #1 Creative Class Metro

If you are a regular reader my blog (thank you!), you probably know that I am not a big fan of rankings of various sorts because so few of them use metrics that shed light on anything other than the publishers motivation to increase click-through rate on their websites. Every now and then, however, there is a ranking that is both methodologically  rigorous and eye-opening.

The latest ranking compiled by the Martin Prosperity Institute and featured on the Atlantic Cities Blog (required daily reading), is of this rarer variety, using the data from the Bureau of Labor Statics to take a look at metro areas with the largest concentrations of the "creative class," defined as professionals in the fields of science and technology, design and architecture, arts, entertainment and media, and healthcare, law, management and education.

 Durham came out on top with 48.4% of its workforce employed as the creative class. This bodes well for our future, as the creative class has been the only meaningful long-term driver of stable middle-class jobs in the U.S. economy in the past decade, and there is little evidence of this trend changing anytime soon. For a much more thorough and in-depth treatment of the creative class and what role it will play in our economic well being, I direct you to the excellent book by Richard Florida, The Rise of the Creative Class.

The full article from the Atlantic is reprinted after the break.

Fourth of July Parade in Watts Hillandale

Despite the sweltering heat and unpredictable weather, the city and the neighborhoods adjacent to the Ninth Street Shopping District will be out in force on Wednesday, July 4th to celebrate the annual Independence Day Parade (now in its 63 year!).

Among the highlights: the parade is led by kids and features flags from all  50 states and many countries and lemonade is generously served, compliments of Watts Grocery.

The parade will start at 10:30 a.m. at the intersection of Club Boulevard and Oakland Avenue (see map below) and will last for approximately an hour and a half. The route will take the revelers and the onlookers from the Center of Club toward Oval Park on Alabama and Woodrow streets

 
View Larger Map . 

To learn more about  the history of this wonderful neighborhood tradition and much more background, read on after the break.