Study hopes to improve living conditions in Spartanburg areas with condemned, abandoned parcels
A team of Wofford College researchers and students has visited 500 homes and spoken to 80 residents in the past four months to determine the impact of dozens of condemned and abandoned properties in the Una, Saxon and Arcadia neighborhoods.
Alysa Handelsman, associate professor of anthropology at Wofford, told Spartanburg County Council Monday evening the aim of the study is to determine how rundown conditions affect residents' lives and what could be done to improve living conditions.
She said final findings will be presented at a future Council meeting.
"There's a lot we've learned and are continuing to learn," she said. "We are analyzing data to put forth community initiatives."
Since March, Handelsman said door-to-door surveys have been conducted, along with community meetings and a summer camp for children 5 to 14 years old.
She said many residents mentioned the need for a community center and a grocery store. Also, she noted the need to improve communication with Spanish-speaking residents.
"There's emphasis on sidewalks, on dangerous roads, on the persistence of drugs, the persistence of prostitution, houses that everyone knows are associated with both," she said.
"There's a lot of discussion on the desire for green spaces and playgrounds and after-school opportunities for youth."
Jennifer Bradham, assistant professor of environmental studies at Wofford, said she has been plotting locations and owners of condemned parcels.
The eastern portion of Saxon is located in the City of Spartanburg, and the rest of Saxon and adjacent Una and Arcadia communities are located in the county, Bradham said.
Councilman David Britt said Una, Saxton and Arcadia used to be thriving communities decades ago when textile mills were thriving.
Then by the 1980s, "the textile community evaporated right before our very eyes," he said.
What was left of that area was a community with no jobs, no stores and no places for youngsters, he said.
Britt said the Northside Initiative spearheaded by former Mayor Bill Barnet has made great strides to revitalize northern Spartanburg, and that the former Mayfair and Arcadia mills have been renovated into apartments.
Britt said part of the goal of attracting economic growth to the county is to bring prosperity to all areas, including Arcadia, Una and Saxon.
"This work that we've been doing is paying off," Britt said. "I am glad Wofford helps give that message that somebody's listening, somebody cares."
Contact Bob Montgomery at bob.montgomery@shj.com. Please support our coverage of Spartanburg County with a digital subscription.
This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Study hopes to improve living conditions in certain Spartanburg areas
