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February 2, 2009

Quote of the Day

quotation-icon.jpgAs both a resident and landlord in Bushwick, I would like to add a few thoughts. Yes, the neighborhood is mostly latino, south and central American. I find these folks are hard working, friendly and make excellent tenants. The new hipsters (young, white, skinny jeans) generally keep to themselves and generally live in Bushwick for the same reason as the Latinos - its cheap, has good services, and is reasonably close to Manhattan (especially if you are near the L). Certainly things are changing - buildings are being renovated and a few new bars and restaurants have come in but by and large, I find that the two groups tend to co-exist fairly peacefully and I don't see rapid gentrification driving folks out of the area. One last note: Bushwick is a big neighborhood - on the west end it is mostly industrial and has a number of loft buildings inhabited by artists. Along Broadway, under the train, the area has much more in common with Bed-Stuy. Along the L train, it is mostly Latin, solidly working class with a sprinkling of young folks looking for cheap rent and in the East, near Broadway Junction, it is pretty rough with more in common with East NY. This area also has great brick rowhouses that can be had for less than $500K. Bushwick is a real Brooklyn neighborhood with thriving retail and solid residential blocks. I encourage Brownstoner readers to come and explore my neighborhood.

— by JoeBushwick in Bushwick Goes National




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Comments

bushwick is the swiss to williamburg's provolone.

both neighborhoods are stock full of hardcore wannabe cheeseballs.

*rob*

Posted by: PitbullNYC at February 2, 2009 3:32 PM

Was he scared to say that the eastern part of Bushwick is majority black, or is it just me?

Posted by: Troy McClure at February 2, 2009 3:34 PM

great write-up, JoeBushwick. Thanks for sharing

Posted by: kickassidy at February 2, 2009 3:35 PM

Troy, since much of the population of East New York and Cypress Hills, near the Junction, is both Hispanic and black, I don't think he meant anything of the kind. His description matches the neighborhood as I've seen it. Bushwick is a large neighborhood.

Posted by: Montrose Morris at February 2, 2009 3:43 PM

Thanks MM, wasn't trying to stir anything up. Just seemed odd that he described certain parts of the hood by the residents' ethnicities and then only described eastern bushwick as just like East New York.

Posted by: Troy McClure at February 2, 2009 3:55 PM

Taking his last line to heart, has anyone ever done these?
http://www.bcue.org/?go=cmn.49

I've been on three, they're really fun to do on weekends.

Posted by: infinitejester at February 2, 2009 4:28 PM

Yeah, I've been on the bcue tours for South Bushwick and Crown Heights. Highly recommend.

Posted by: mopar at February 2, 2009 4:43 PM

My sense of East NY (I ride my bike through the neighborhood occassionally) is that is seems grittier and poorer than Bushwick. I do see more black people but there is still a significant hispanic contingent. I would make a distinction between ENY and Bed-Stuy, both neighborhoods with large black populations. Bed-Stuy is older, has nicer brownstone housing stock and seems to be more affluent, some areas (Stuyvesant Heights) seem pretty fancy. ENY seems like it was built as working class housing and is by no means fancy. That said, I have found some lovely, tree lined streets with well cared-for homes, but many areas look like they are struggling.

Posted by: JoeBushwick at February 2, 2009 6:19 PM

Very nice post, joebushwick.

And rob- can you please make an effort to sound like adult instead of a brat? Your latest contribtion to the discussion really does nothing for you.

Posted by: bxgrl at February 2, 2009 8:02 PM

Very nice post, joebushwick.

And rob- can you please make an effort to sound like adult instead of a brat? Your latest contribtion to the discussion really does nothing for you.

Posted by: bxgrl at February 2, 2009 8:02 PM

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