Gentrification

4 articles

An 11-story student housing complex overshadowing a historic street, symbolizing the negative impact of unchecked university expansion on local culture and community identity.

Student housing expansion erodes local culture and community identity

An 11-story private student housing project near Westhaven threatens to block sunlight and neighborhood access from West Main Street, fundamentally altering a historic streetscape.

Elise Marrow·September 13, 2026

Diverse artists creating in a bright, communal studio space, symbolizing the preservation of grassroots arts against urban development.

Culture

Cultural land trusts fight to save grassroots arts from gentrification.

A 1920s house, once owned by an SFU professor and valued at $2.

Elise Marrow·August 18, 2026

A modern cultural district building casting a shadow over a small, colorful grassroots art studio, symbolizing exclusion.

Culture

What Are Cultural Districts and Why Do They Exclude Grassroots Arts?

In the vibrant heart of what were once thriving artistic communities, I've observed a troubling pattern: the promise of new cultural hubs, intended to foster community engagement and preserve heritage

Elise Marrow·August 16, 2026

A striking street art mural on a building in Ljubljana, Slovenia, featuring abstract designs intertwined with subtle corporate branding.

Culture

The Co-option of Street Art in the Neoliberal City

In Ljubljana, Slovenia, vibrant street art now adorns public spaces, transforming once-plain walls and forgotten corners into dynamic canvases that catch the eye of every passerby.

Elise Marrow·July 18, 2026