West Philadelphia artist fights city for his studio
“In 2005, West Philadelphia artist and School of Design graduate James Dupree purchased a dilapidated warehouse at 36th Street and Haverford Avenue for $200,000.
He has since worked to transform the 8,600-square-foot property into a unique space with 10 rooms, one of which was recently named by Philly Curbed as among the “Five Amazing Spaces You’d Never See If Not For Airbnb.”
“Everything I own is invested in this building,” Dupree said. “From the roof to the plumbing to the electrical, it’s all new, and I have renovated it to become my dream studio.”
But in 2012, Dupree’s ownership of his home and workspace came under threat when City Council approved the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority’s plan to pave the way for a supermarket along Haverford Avenue, which PRA spokesman Paul Chrystie explained would address the neighborhood’s lack of healthy, affordable food.
The PRA condemned Dupree’s studio and other surrounding parcels through eminent domain, a legal process that enables the government to take private property, compensate the owner and redevelop the land for public use.”
Witte, Sophia. The Daily Pennsylvanian 3 September 2014.