Acknowledgments

This research project would not have been possible without the encouragement and assistance of my husband, Rob Litchfield. I extend my loving thanks to him for collaborating with me on this endeavor, as with everything. He indulged me in my daydreams about embarking on a project like this and urged me to dive in and get started. He was my companion in travel, my trusted listener and reader, and my dutiful editor. Of course, he is also so much more. I would also like to thank my parents, Myra and Paul Segal, for sparking my interest in neighborhoods at a young age by raising me in the city. Thanks also to my late grandmother, Estelle Zeldin.

This work was supported by a grant from West Virginia University. I would like to thank Fred King and my colleagues in the Division of Sociology and Anthropology at West Virginia University for their assistance and support. I am also grateful for the effort and interest of my research assistants, who helped me to transcribe many hours of interviews: Larisha Campbell, Katelyn Casten, Seth Cox, Katie Davis, Jamie Farren, Loren Friend, Christina Kress, Katasha Leggett, Dawn Lozzi, Victoria Marra, Jennifer Mitchell, Robyn Popper, Teresa Sparklin, and Melissa Tressler. Thanks also to Andrew Cognard-Black and Sarah Woldoff-Kern, whose careful readings of chapters yielded significant improvements.

I extend thanks to the following colleagues from other institutions, who were very helpful throughout the process, offering encouragement, providing comments, engaging in insightful discussions, and sharing their support during the writing of the book: Elijah Anderson, Korrie Edwards, Herbert Gans, Seth Ovadia, and Mary Pattillo. I am thankful to have colleagues who share my passion for neighborhood and urban research and who boost my efforts at quality work.

I especially want to thank my editors from Cornell University Press. Peter Wissoker listened to my ideas at an early stage in the process, and Peter Potter provided guidance toward the end. Their interest, dedication, support, and advice have been invaluable. Ange Romeo-Hall managed the editing and production of the book, John Raymond copyedited the manuscript, and Victoria Baker carefully and thoughtfully indexed the content.

Above all, I wish to express my deepest gratitude to the residents of Parkmont for generously sharing their precious time and trusting me with their stories.