Gentrification and redevelopment in Beirut...

....might be destroying the soul of Beirut. I was Beirut in 2002 and was stunned by the beauty of the rugged city. The only part that didn't impress me was the Solidere, the refurbished old town of Beirut. The city was in ruins after the war, and of course needed to be rebuilt, but the way that Solidere was rebuilt felt fake. In this article in Newsweek http://www.newsweek.com/2010/10/29/the-battle-over-turning-beirut-into-the-next-dubai.html# the author expressed a concern that Beirut was planning on becoming the Dubai of the Mediterranean, tearing down the remaining historical buildings of the city. The refurbishment of old run-down buildings is called gentrification (or urban renewal). It has been proven to be a delicate task to refurbish old areas so that it keeps it original status. There are both social and economic issues that needs to be adressed, one of these is the relocation of the low class/poorer population that can't pay for the higher rents in the neighbourhood. Should poor people be able to live anywhere?