They noted their increased feeling of safety as they walked to and from school thanks to the rehabilitation of previously vacant rowhouses and the exciting new diversity of individuals living in their neighborhoods. But they also missed the friends whose families were forced to move out of the neighborhood when it became too expensive to stay.
They were saddened by the loss of some of the smaller shops that will be replaced by larger retailers. In the end, the girls concluded that gentrification is a complicated issue, and its results are "not always bad and not always good." I would have to agree that gentrification is complicated and requires thorough thought and planning as neighborhood revitalization strategies are developed.