Brewed Fresh Daily

Can you turn around a place whose name is synonymous with urban blight? Surprisingly, yes. Example: Camden, N.J., the played-out factory town across the river from Philadelphia. Camden always had more assets than most people, including those who lived there, gave it credit for. It was an easy commute to downtown Philadelphia and was served by a decent public transit system. There was a branch of Rutgers University near the city center. And it had a promising riverfront location, with wonderful views of Philadelphia. But over the years, Camden became best known for three things: blight, corruption and mass exodus... But the biggest reason: confidence. "Camden has promised and promised things, and they've never come through," said one new homeowner. But now, she added, "we're surrounded by high investment. Every day you see something new."