Is a Culture Clash Inevitable in Dumbo?

dumbo
What's it going to be like for the artists and bankers who call Dumbo home when the four towers are built at 85 Jay Street and 1,600 or so Jehovah's Witnesses move in? Hard to say. For one thing, they won't have to worry about a spike in crime: "You're going to know for a fact that you're going to have good neighbors who are going to be honest, they're not going to try to break into where you are or start a petition against you," says the group's national spokesman. "But we're going to pursue our mission." Of course, the Witnesses were there first, but at that time there weren't really any other residents to speak of. The Times points to the group's insularity and lack of integration into the community as a negative. The fact that none of the new buildings will have any commercial/retail space in an area that's in the process of becoming the new Soho is also ticking off some people in the area. One Witness doesn't think the influx of religious types will make a dent: "By the time the Witnesses get down here," Jamie Jared said, "there's already going to have been a cultural shift that's going to have happened, from all the Manhattanites moving in."
Side by Side [NY Times]

Comments

I'm personally not convinced that the towers are going up; the space is a parking lot at the moment. They are making it even more into a parking lot even as I write this email. If you ask me, they're gunna sell the property in a few years to another developer, after many of the residents in this area that fought the project 2 yrs ago move away (the prop was rezoned so that they could build higher than the existing zoning permitted). Did you know that that lot used to have Historic District buildings on it? The Witnesses demolished a beautiful block of 19th C. buildings which included an old school house, about ten years ago. It's outrageous that the 'rezoning' was granted to them, but as we all know, money talks. And they own a ton of money and property for sure.

Posted by: gidget at May 22, 2006 10:13 AM

I like them and think they are pretty good neighbors. Frankly, anyone standing in the way of the SoHo-ization of dumbo is okay with me.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 22, 2006 10:48 AM

Thank you gidget for reminding everyone of the wonderful buildings that were destroyed to create the present parking lot.The 19th cent.victorian brick school building,the civil war era loft buildings and all the others.The Jehovas went in with thier deep(tax free)pockets and bought every single building on that block and leveled them.Those buildings housed buisnesses(including the Bourum and Pease co.,up to then the oldest company in Brooklyn)and employed people and paid taxes.

Posted by: crafty at May 22, 2006 10:55 AM

I'm a new Dumbo resident with deep historical roots in the neighborhood -- my ancestors lived in the area from the 1830s through the 1860s. With almost nothing left of early 19th Century working class Brooklyn, particularly in what were then known as the Navy Yard neighborhoods, it is distressing to learn that there were indeed some remaining structures until as recently as 10 years ago. The JW presence in the nabe is a mixed blessing; it would be nice if they could embrace the new appreciation of their area history. I also agree with 10:13 -- the less like SoHo the better.

Posted by: Russell at May 22, 2006 12:39 PM

I don't mind living with the JW's as long as they don't come knocking on my door! At least they will be "good" neighbors. If Jews and hipsters can co-exist in Williamsburg... no reason why the same melting pot situation can't occur in dumbo. If they do eventually build, I do wish that they would reconsider and have retail space at least along the Jay street corridor.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 22, 2006 12:44 PM

They've been good neighbors in Brooklyn Heights for years

Posted by: Anonymous at May 22, 2006 12:51 PM

I am a resident that will be greatly affected by this project. I don't mind the JWs as neighbors but am concerned about the volume of traffic that they bring while not contributing to the community. No public spaces, no retail spaces, no taxes to help deal with the physical impact their presence will have on the nabe.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 22, 2006 9:30 PM

When they build everyone who bought at 70 Washington will lose their views.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 22, 2006 10:05 PM

10:05 what are you talking about? This lot does not affect the views of 70 Washington at all.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 22, 2006 10:42 PM

They do own the lot between 70 Washington and the Brooklyn Bridge too, though. But they say they don't have any plans to build on it.

Posted by: jmz at May 23, 2006 1:48 AM

Everything that the Watchtower corporation aka Jehovah's Witnesses don't want you to know about them is here:http://www.dannyhaszard.com

Posted by: Danny Haszard at May 23, 2006 9:46 AM

« Monday Links Record Price For Historic Harlem Home »

May 22, 2006

Is a Culture Clash Inevitable in Dumbo?

Comments

Post a comment

Get Brownstoner on your Mobile Phone

Latest Restaurant Additions