Recent Comments
Re: “Gut Renovation: Williamsburg Becomes Condoburg”
Henry, I think this is overly harsh. Yes, the film is entirely told from the viewpoint of a particular group of folks who moved to Northside Williamsburg around 1990 and have since been mostly gentrified out. Yes, it is narrow in its perspective and does not attempt to tell the socio-economic or cultural history of Williamsburg, or the political economy of gentrification. But I still thought it a valuable contribution to the conversation on gentrification. The entire neighborhood that Su Friedrich came to love over 15+ years was demolished around her and replaced by a nightmare of hideous cheaply built condominiums. A compelling personal look at the front lines of gentrification.
Re: “Shady Greenpoint Loft Proves Gentrification Really Can Ruin Brooklyn”
Loft colonization of the remaining industrial zones in Greenpoint, Williamsburg, and Bushwick is a loss for everyone except the landlords and wealthy transient tenants. The long-time residents of the area lose the blue-collar jobs that pay $40,000 to $50,000 a year (much more than retail) and the "creatives" lose their studio space. A mix of people and uses is what made the area such an attractive place for people to live in the first place. It's now being homogenized into a mix of dorm-room style residences like the one above and "luxury" condominiums. If you don't like it, get involved and hold the community board, city council, state assembly, and state senate representative, as well as the mayoral candidates, accountable to this foolish shortsightedness.
