Backlash Against Bed Stuy Hype Grows

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    As the hype about Bed Stuy grows, the backlash is growing too. That’s fine with us. But we take issue with the accuracy of the latest example in this genre, Brick Underground’s “Why I’m Leaving Bed Stuy for Good,” a list of nine reasons to leave the neighborhood. First, the anonymous author mentions the good things about Bed Stuy: Friendly neighbors and beautiful architecture. Agreed. Now for the list of reasons to move:

    1. “911 is a joke.”
    The author says 911 is unresponsive, but the only evidence given is that it ignores noise complaints. Yes, this is true, but it is true all over the city. All noise complaints are redirected to 311, which, indeed, is very slow or unresponsive, at least on weekends. We agree this is a huge problem. But it has nothing do to with 911 or Bed Stuy. Maybe this author should have just mentioned noise, which in our experience is a problem in Bed Stuy (and, to be fair, other areas of Brooklyn as well, such as Bushwick).

    2. Hipster neighbors supported by parents.
    This isn’t a problem in the part of Bed Stuy where we live. And aren’t you just as likely to encounter this in, say, Bushwick, Williamsburg, the Upper West Side, or near NYU? Also, this is really just another complaint about noise (see #1, above).

    3. Only one park, Herbert Von King.
    Patently false. Bed Stuy has many parks.

    4. Transportation problems.
    Um, except for the G train, not really. You could say the same for any number of other neighborhoods in the city. It comes down to your particular location and commute. The author seems to be implicitly comparing Bed Stuy to Fort Greene, which along with Brooklyn Heights, is one of the biggest transportation hubs in Brooklyn.

    5. Bad service in restaurants. 
    True!

    6. “Grocery stores are lacking.”
    Lacking relative to what? Bed Stuy has better grocery stores than many other neighborhoods where we have lived in New York City, including Carroll Gardens, Bushwick, and Jackson Heights. However, it is our considered opinion that grocery store options are better in Park Slope and Williamsburg and the two other Brooklyn neighborhoods with which the author is familiar, Fort Greene and Clinton Hill.

    7. Dirty sidewalks.
    Depends on where you live in Bed Stuy. Sidewalks are clean where we live.

    8. High crime.
    This is a huge topic. One “wanted” poster and a sentence from a cop does not cover it. Also, the author “was mugged, robbed and threatened on multiple occasions” in Clinton Hill but apparently not in Bed Stuy?

    9. “It’s not all brownstones.”
    This section doesn’t even make sense. We’re not sure what the complaint is here. Also, Stuy Heights is not the only “fancy” part of Bed Stuy.

    But if we may paraphrase, the author seems to be saying Bed Stuy doesn’t live up to the hype — or the rent — because it’s not yet gentrified enough. What do you think?

    Why I’m Leaving Bed Stuy for Good [BU]

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