Now home to fifty-one residents, this former source of blight is transformed to a beacon of hope. These boundaries have since shifted so that a large area north of Lehigh Avenue is now considered part of Kensington, while Fishtown is no longer considered part of the neighborhood. A silver Toyota pulls up to the curb and a heavy-set blonde hops out. The Columbia Works, 155-59 Cecil B. Moore Avenue, Kensington, Philadelphia, PA. Opioid abuse has skyrocketed over the last two decades in the United States and Philadelphia is no exception. If BP helped inform you, join as a member today! This area is the aortic valve of the regions opioid crisis, where an estimated billion dollar drug trade draws thousands from all over the region into the post-industrial neighborhood. 'Savage Sisters' care for those with addiction in Kensington, Philly firefighters rescue dog from house fire in Kensington, A group in recovery helps those battling the same addictions, Kensington teacher-turned-baker makes school sweeter, Man, woman in critical condition after being rescued from rowhome fire, Police searching for suspect after deadly Kensington hit-and-run, Man stabbed to death in Kensington, attacker seen running away, Police: Man dead after shooting in Kensington, 2 people shot in separate incidents in Philadelphia overnight, Police seek suspects who attacked, robbed mechanic inside repair shop, 3 shot outside Kensington elementary school; dozens of rounds fired, 2 men found shot in the head inside Kensington home, Police: Woman shot by boyfriend in Kensington, 2 men shot after confrontation turns violent in Kensington, Crime Fighters: Man gunned down while washing car; killer at large, Suspect in custody after baby wounded in shooting, Suspect identified in shooting that left baby wounded. He once lived in the infamous Emerald Street encampment in Kensington, and saw how its closure in 2019 just shuffled people to other areas. [15][16][17], Listed on the National Register of Historic Places:[18], Kensington has a population of approximately 42,000 people according to data from ASC 2020 survey. Between 2013 and 2015, the number of drug overdose deaths in the city increased by 50%, with more than twice as many deaths from overdoses as homicides. I cant just arrest someone for hanging out on a stoop looking like theyre high on drugs., Even if Philadelphia hasnt officially decriminalized drug use in Kensington, the citys addicts are well aware that this is a place where they can get high without police harassment. Just before 5 p.m. the following day, in the 2100 block of North 20th Street, police found Dawson Johnson . Philadelphia Kensington Avenue, What happened.. 14 19 . 4 2023 , ! The generally accepted boundaries of the neighborhood[citation needed] are Front Street and 5th Street to the West, the Amtrak train tracks to the North, Trenton Avenue, the Trenton Avenue train tracks, and Frankford Avenue to the East, and Cecil B. Moore Avenue to the South. Philadelphia Police Investigating Kensington Double Shooting That The city has a higher rate of violent crime than the national average and other similarly sized metropolitan areas. Since Mayor Jim Kenney took office in 2015, encampment closures in the name of public health and safety have been a near constant in Kensington. There is no hands-free zone' in the city of Philadelphia, and there never will be, says public-affairs officer Lt. Ray Evers. Arrest made after deadly crash in Kensington, Philadelphia police say The incident happened at the intersection of G and Tioga Streets around 4:40 p.m. Nov 13, 2022 00:17 Arrest made after. Welcome Van Life Wanderer! However, sensationalizing poverty, fetishizing small businesses, and minimizing the collective efforts of a community on the rise are the cheap tactics of bad journalists. Postal Service designates Kensington as ZIP codes 19125 (Kensington Station). NKCDC is working on the redevelopment of the Orinoka Civic House. At least four hurt in eight-vehicle pileup on Kensington Avenue in However, the drug market remained decentralized, running through small groups of dealers that were harder to prosecute than, say, a crime syndicate. It has one of the largest rates of shootings in the city and is the scene of many murders. Police confirmed that a total of eight vehicles became involved in a messy collision in the [] Along with its teeming trade in illicit materials, Kensington is also a highly dangerous neighborhood. Crack, meth, heroin, oxycodone, weed, percocet, PCP these are all the usual suspects around Kensington Ave. Well probably have a detail stationed [there], Alexander said. Philadelphia Kensington Avenue, What happened on Monday, June 28 2021. Additionally, there is a large population of homeless individuals. The city sees hope in this kind of intervention. Kensington's river ward identity puts it in contrast with the neighborhoods to its west. Kensington Ave - Everything You Want To Know About Philadelphia's Skid Row Written by Mariska Lee in Pennsylvania Close to the I-95, and a stone's throw away from the scenic Delaware river, Kensington is a neighborhood in northern Philly with quite the reputation. These 4 nieborhoods are very simialer as far as their economic situations. ", "Philly, Conrail near deal on cleanup of Kensington drug encampment", "Mother Jones leading a protest, circa 1903", "Today in labor history: Mother Jones leads march of miners' children", "Kensington: A Lot Of Heart Has Gone Into Revitalizing A Community", "Kensington: Rise and Fall of the Housing Market", "Kensington: Artists Make New Homes Amongst Longtime Residents", "Philadelphia Register of Historic Places Nomination: Clifton Mills, 1833 N. Howard Street, Kensington, Philadelphia, PA", "Philadelphia Register of Historic Places Nomination: Clifton Mills, 1809-11 N. Howard Street, Kensington, Philadelphia, PA", "Philadelphia Register of Historic Places Nomination: The Columbia Works, 155-59 Cecil B. Moore Avenue, Kensington, Philadelphia, PA", "Philadelphia Register of Historic Places Nomination: The Decorating Plant of Gillinder & Sons' Franklin Flint Glass Works, 1700-06 N. Howard Street, Kensington, Philadelphia, PA", "Philadelphia Register of Historic Places Nomination: Frankford Avenue Baptist Church, 2437-49 Frankford Avenue, Kensington, Philadelphia, PA", "Philadelphia Register of Historic Places Nomination: Harbisons' Dairies, 2041-55 Coral Street, Kensington, Philadelphia, PA", "Kensington's historic milk bottle flashing refurbished look", "Kensington's giant milk bottle gets historic designation", "Philadelphia Register of Historic Places Nomination: Kensington Hospital for Women, 128-40 Diamond Street, Kensington, Philadelphia, PA", "Philadelphia Register of Historic Places Nomination: Peter Woll & Sons, Curled Hair & Bristles, 173 W. Berks Street, Kensington, Philadelphia, PA", "Philadelphia Register of Historic Places: Second Associate Presbyterian Church, 1527 N. Front Street, Kensington, Philadelphia, PA", "Philadelphia Register of Historic Places Nomination: The Star Carpet Mills, 1801-03 N. Howard Street, Kensington, Philadelphia, PA", "Philadelphia Register of Historic Places Nomination: Weisbrod & Hess' Loading Room, Condenser & Storage/Boiler & Wash House, 2117 E. York Street, Kensington, Philadelphia, PA", "Gentrification disproportionately affects minorities", "How Fishtown, Philadelphia Became America's Hottest New Neighborhood", "Philly residents in areas affected by overdoses want a say in talks over a supervised injection site", "SEPTA To Indefinitely Close Somerset Station In Kensington To Develop Safety & Security Strategy, Repairs", "Kensington protests closing of SEPTA's Somerset El station, a lifeline for a battered neighborhood", "SEPTA closing Somerset Station temporarily to fix elevators, confront safety concerns", "SEPTA to Reopen Somerset Station on Monday, April 5 | SEPTA", "Safehouse drops South Philly plans, looks to Kensington after judge suspends launch", "Safehouse vows to take more community input on supervised injection site plans", "Kensington neighbors dismayed by ruling on supervised injection site", "Who We Are - NKCDC - Community development should benefit residents", "Three Catholic schools closing in Bucks County", "As the pandemic surges, 'no one deserves what's brewing in Kensington. Subs and Xany bars, subs and Xany bars, chant men in cockeyed baseball caps while pacing the corner, searching the crowd for potential customers. Ever since the strangler, addict Will Sims says, we do everything out in the open and the cops are cool with it. Several other addicts out here concur: The reason for all the bustle is that Kensington Avenue has become a drug-bust-free zone. [Meta] Sticky Comment. While most of the large manufacturers have left, the area has many small shops and large renovated factories and warehouses for newer artisans to set up shop. As it is just north of Fishtown, higher income residents have been moving further up, increasing property values and rents. Kensington has many playgrounds within or adjacent to its boundaries including Nelson Playground, Waterloo Playground, Hissey Playground, McPherson Square Playground, Heitzman Recreation Center, McKinley Playground / McVeigh Recreation Center, Scanlon Playground and Ice Rink, Harrowgate Park Playground, Fairhill Square Park Playground, Eric Casiano Field, Mascher Park / Maguire Playground, Black Coyle and McBride Playground, Pop's Playground, Pop's Skatepark, Hagert Street Playground, Shissler Recreation Center, and Towey Playground. [37] The station was reopened on April 5 with increased police presence. The City of Philadelphia, Police and social services are along Kensington Avenue near Willard Street on Wednesday morning August 18, 2021, clearing the streets of homeless in the center of the opioid epidemic in the city. As of right now, I dont think anyone is confident that theres any sort of larger plan that can account for each person.. The drugs are just too cheap and too accessible. Upwards of 100 people camp out there every night and its not for stargazing. Kim Gary shared a video drive-through of Kensington that will leave you speechless that city Democrats are ignoring the real problems in their city. McKinney says the city could use regional support in creating a long-term solution for Kensington. Billy Joel & Stevie Nicks floor seat tickets. Safehouse, a nonprofit founded in 2018 with the purpose of opening the first supervised injection site in the country, sought a location in Kensington after their proposed South Philly location ran into opposition from neighbors of the site. On Wednesday, Steve, a 30-year-old fentanyl user who declined to give his last name, said he sympathized with the residents plight. The city of Philadelphia has set a deadline of Aug. 18 for encampments of people living homeless on the sidewalks of Kensington to be cleared. But Gladstein said many people remain shelter resistant for various reasons and the number of emergency beds near Kensington where people actively use drugs is limited. While the moniker Killadelphia implies gangland warfare, Kensington is plagued by another culprit: the drug trade.