Select Talk
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Friends Select School
Select Talk
Select Talk
Select Talk
Select Talk draws upon the vast experience and expertise of our Friends Select alumni/ae and parent community in education, business, science, technology, and the arts to discuss and explore topics of a local, national, and global importance.
Redeveloping a City: What Is the Price of Gentrification?
May 4, 2019, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Location: Blauvelt Theatre
This event is free, but RSVP is required.
Can gentrification be good for everyone? This panel, comprised of members of the Friends Select community, will discuss approaching redevelopment from a thoughtful place in order to positively impact new and old neighbors. Moderated by Friends Select Board member Cathryn Coate, this panel will feature Eric Blumenfeld ’81, Kyle Shenandoah ’04, and John Chin '83.
Eric Blumenfeld
Eric Blumenfeld ’81 has been committed to the redevelopment of the North Broad Street corridor in Philadelphia. His recent projects include the renovations of the Divine Lorraine Hotel, restoring a building once slated for demolition, and the Metropolitan Opera House, which has become a state-of-the-art entertainment venue. His next project will be a 33-story tower that could become one of the tallest buildings in the city.
Kyle Shenandoah
Kyle Shenandoah ’04 is a community leader, organizer, and innovator in Grays Ferry. As the vice president of the Grays Ferry Civic Association, he has been instrumental in the rise of revitalization and urban reinvestment in South Philadelphia. Kyle adapts a three-pronged approach toward reducing poverty through the advocacy of accessible housing, responsible urban development, and equitable transit. To ensure proper communication to the community and representation from his neighbors, Kyle co-founded the Tasker-Morris Neighbors Association, where he regularly organizes community meetings with developers and community leaders. His most recent achievement was his successful advocacy of the SEPTA 49 route.
John Chin
John Chin '83 is the executive director of the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, a non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve, protect, and promote Chinatown as a viable, ethnic, residential, and business community. He oversees all programming in the areas of neighborhood planning and advocacy, affordable housing and related services, economic development, neighborhood beautification and real estate development, and Chinatown family support services. Presently, he is leading the development of Eastern Tower Community Center project, expected to complete in 2019, which will offer Chinatown’s first center for wellness and recreation. John is also a parent of two alumni/ae (P'15, P'18), as well as a former chair of Friends Select’s Board of Trustees.
Cathy Coate
Cathy Coate has been a commercial real estate broker for 22 years, providing comprehensive real estate services to a diverse base of local and national organizations. With a particular focus on nonprofit organizations, she applies her expertise and knowledge of Philadelphia's neighborhoods and resources to help clients achieve their strategic, operational, and financial goals. She started her real estate career Seligsohn Soens Hess Real Estate, and after stints with Colliers International and Smith Mack, she returned to SSH several years ago. Cathy also serves as a member of Friends Select’s Board of Trustees.