Rust Belt Resurgence: Camden, N.J. photos

View photos of Camden, N.J., shot by Times staff photographer, Jonathan Miano.

August 05, 2012 12:00 am

RUST BELT RESURGENCE: Institutions reviving city from life support

CAMDEN, N.J. | Nearly three decades ago, the city's waterfront land largely was an amalgamation of old industrial buildings and sites with environmental hazards.

Camden N.J. trying to shed struggling image amid structural challenges

CAMDEN, N.J. | While sitting on the stairs outside her two-story row house, Kathy Soto puts her friend's baby in her lap as if the baby were her own.

RUST BELT RESURGENCE: Camden, N.J.

Views of the Philadelphia skyline from docks at the South Jersey Port Corp. in Camden, N.J., in June.

RUST BELT RESURGENCE: Camden, N.J.

Kathy Soto of the North Camden neighborhood of Camden, N.J., smokes a cigarette on her front steps in June.

RUST BELT RESURGENCE: Camden, N.J.

Giselle Murphy, 40, a heroin addict and prostitute, works a corner in downtown Camden, N.J., in June. Murphy, originally from Chicago, said she started using drugs when she was 15. She turned to prostitution three years ago after she became homeless.

RUST BELT RESURGENCE: Camden, N.J.

From left, Edwin Roman, Jhovany Rivera, and Elie'ja Mitil play in an open fire hydrant in the North Camden neighborhood in Camden, N.J.

RUST BELT RESURGENCE: Camden, N.J.

Police respond to a shooting in the East Camden neighborhood of Camden, N.J., in June.

RUST BELT RESURGENCE: Camden, N.J.

Camden, N.J., police question a man for stealing a cell phone in June near a transportation terminal.

RUST BELT RESURGENCE: Camden, N.J.

Nadeem Sarwar, 24, shoots heroin into his neck in June. Sarwar moved to Camden., N.J., seven years ago from his home in Brooklyn to help open a new retail store for his father. He became addicted to heroin three years ago and uses multiple times a day.

RUST BELT RESURGENCE: Camden., N.J.

A Camden, N.J., police officer waves to Lailani Mitil as she and her family play in an open fire hydrant in North Camden. The neighborhood has a reputation for being one of the most dangerous in the city.

RUST BELT RESURGENCE: Camden, N.J.

Jose "Bolo" Gonzalez poses in front of his house in the North Camden neighborhood of Camden, N.J. After getting out of prison, Gonzalez built a gym in his living room that he keeps open to the neighborhood 24 hours a day. He does not charge any fees and views the gym as his way to give back …

RUST BELT RESURGENCE: Camden, N.J.

A portrait of community activist Rasheeda Moton in Camden, N.J., in June.

RUST BELT RESURGENCE: Camden, N.J.

Dominic Petulla takes a phone call at his store, Gold-Star Shoe Repair and Hat Cleaning, in Camden., N.J., in June.

RUST BELT RESURGENCE: Camden, N.J.

Camden, N.J., police respond to a shooting at a convenient store in East Camden in June.

RUST BELT RESURGENCE: Camden, N.J.

Kathy Soto, of the North Camden neighborhood of Camden., N.J., smokes a cigarette on her front steps in June.

RUST BELT RESURGENCE: Camden, N.J.

Sam Delvalle carries Ashley Petrucelli through an open fire hydrant in the North Camden neighborhood of Camden, N.J., in June. North Camden has a reputation for being one of the most dangerous in the city.

RUST BELT RESURGENCE: Camden, N.J.

Kaitlyn Antoniewicz, left, and Jayla Ortiz march in the San Juan Bautista, or St. John the Baptist, parade in in June in Camden., N.J.. At least one-third of the city's population is Latino.

RUST BELT RESURGENCE: Camden, N.J.

From left, Timothy Dawson, Richard P. Thomas, and Taylor Cone, all from Camden, N.J., hang out on the Delaware River waterfront in June. The waterfront district has been redeveloped in recent year as a tourist attraction in Camden. "This is the only place in Camden where we can find some pea…