Thursday, April 26, 2007

Inside America's Top 10 Bloggiest Neighborhoods

Since we've been tracking local bloggers in over 3,000 US neighborhoods for the past six months now, we thought it would be fun to run the numbers and finally answer the question that's been on everyone's mind: what exactly are America's bloggiest neighborhoods? The results below are based on a number of variables: total number of posts, total number of local bloggers, number of comments and Technorati ranking for the bloggers. If your neighborhood's not on the list, start a placeblog or let us know about a placeblog we're missing — we'll calculate this list again next year and let you know what's changed.

1. Clinton Hill, Brooklyn
The Neighborhood
The rapidly gentrifying tree-lined blocks of 19th-century townhouses are also home to the Pratt Institute of Art.
Local Blogger
Jonathan Butler, creator of Brownstoner, who quit his Wall Street job earlier this year to run his popular real estate and home renovation blog full-time.
 
Local Obsessions
Will the nearby mega-development Atlantic Yards destroy the neighborhood's quiet charm? Is the still-hot Brooklyn real estate market headed for a crash?


2. Shaw, DC
The Neighborhood
Emerging from a generation of economic decay, these centrally-located 19th-century Victorian row houses and their residents harbor the rich history of this "pre-Harlem center of African-American intellectual and cultural life".
Local Blogger
An undisclosed Shaw resident behind Remaking le Slum Historique and The Shiloh Baptist Church blogs.
 
Local Obsessions
Will H Street's historical significance as the center of the 1968 MLK assassination riots become a fleeting memory in the wake of the multi-million dollar redevelopment plan for the area?


3. Downtown LA
The Neighborhood
After the Adaptive Reuse Ordinance was passed in 1999, developers were able to swiftly convert Downtown LA's vacant commercial buildings into renovated lofts and luxury apartment complexes.
Local Blogger
Eric Richardson, creator of blogdowntown and member of multiple neighborhood council committees.
 
Local Obsessions
The displacement of the homeless population, particularly in the Skid Row area.


4. Newton, Mass
The Neighborhood
Comprised of 13 villages that form a bedroom community of nearby Boston. Home to the various campuses of Boston College, Newton has graced the top of the FBI's annual "Safest City" study for the last five years.
Local Blogger
Kristine Munroe, monitor of The Garden City
 
Local Obsessions
Houses appear to be selling - does this mean that the Newton housing market is picking up? How is the increase of Route 9 traffic from Chestnut Hill Square going to affect the Parker Street area?


5. Rogers Park/North Howard Chicago
The Neighborhood
Located in one of the last remaining pockets of poverty in Chicago's North Side, it's home to a culturally diverse group of residents that have very mixed feelings about the rapid gentrification.
Local Blogger
24/7 North of Howard Watchers
Local Obsessions
Don Gordon and Joe Moore's heated race for Alderman of the 49th Ward.


6. Pearl District ("The Pearl"), Portland
The Neighborhood
Previously known as the "Northwest (Industrial) Triangle", it was dubbed "The Pearl District" in the early nineties when a local compared the newly emerging artist lofts and galleries to pearls hidden within the crusty shells of this former warehouse district. The Pearl is now Portland's largest art district and has notoriously expensive real estate.
Local Blogger
Lynnette Fusilier (aka PearlGirl), the woman behind Neighborhood Notes
 
Local Obsessions
New neighborhood restaurant watch! Get Bento, Park Kitchen and Bay 13 are all on the radar this month.


7. Watertown, Mass
The Neighborhood
An affordable alternative to its rival Boston suburbs, noted for its citizen involvement in community issues and local politics.
Local Blogger
Lisa Williams, vocal advocate of citizen journalism, author of H2otown, and co-founder of the newly-launched Placeblogger.com
 
Local Obsessions
A lack of interest led to the cancellation of the Watertown High School's 2007 Girl's Softball season - will someone start a youth softball league to seed the passion of softball to a younger generation?


8. Harlem, NY
The Neighborhood
Residents of this legendary cultural epicenter saw gentrification catalyzed in the 1990s by new federal and city policies and the development of the $66 million Harlem USA retail complex on 125th St.
Local Blogger
UPTOWNflavor
 
Local Obsessions
Will buildings such as the Corn Exchange continue to sit vacant and tempt vandals? Or will community leaders and real estate developers finally come to an agreement over the best way to revamp these landmarks while preserving Harlem's history?


9. Potrero Hill, SF
The Neighborhood
While families lived on the hill, flatland manufacturing by firms like U.S. Steel, the Union Iron Works, the Western Sugar Refinery, Bethlehem Shipbuilding Co. and American Can Co., among others, ensured that the area remained largely industrial through most of the 20th century. But a combination of deindustrialization and the late-1990s Internet boom began driving the conversion of factories and warehouses into housing or offices.
Local Obsessions
Will the new Whole Foods, San Francisco's largest, be a foodie's dream come true or a commuter's traffic nightmare? Can the Good Life Grocery, a staple in Potrero Hill since 1974, survive the competition?


10. Coconut Grove ("The Grove"), FL
The Neighborhood
Originally an independent community that was annexed by Miami in 1925, The Grove is home to enough restaurants and open air malls to have earned it the nickname, "Miami's Food Court". An active boating contingent takes advantage of the southern border along Biscayne Bay.
Local Obsessions
Will city officials go through with the rezoning of Mercy Hospital to allow for the development of three new condominiums? Coconut Grove residents protest this "Mercy Land Rape" for fear that it will destroy their scenic vista of the historic Vizcaya house and gardens.

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