bed-stuy-stoops-012414

Hot on the heels of the New York Times’ story about real estate and gentrification in Crown Heights comes a look at Bed Stuy, where whites have become a noticeable presence and prices of town houses have soared in the last year.

The story notes that gentrification started at least as far back as the 1990s, when a wave of African-American professionals started moving into the area. (It doesn’t mention residents and community groups such as Brownstoners of Bed Stuy, who have been working on improving the area since at least the 1970s.) It also quotes the now-familiar census numbers, which show whites moving in and blacks moving out, although it doesn’t mention that a significant portion of the whites, at least when the numbers were collected, are Hasids, not hipsters or yuppies.

We have a few quibbles: Prices quoted by agents, especially for rentals, seem high. (The story says one-bedroom apartments rent for $1,800 to $2,500 a month.) And we’re wondering if this is a mistake: “Until recently, most of the townhouse buyers have been investors.” As in other neighborhoods, the vast majority of row houses are owned by occupants who also rent out a floor or two.

Of course, the main draw is the architecture. What do you think of the story?

Bedford-Stuyvesant: Diverse and Changing [NY Times]


What's Your Take? Leave a Comment

1 2 3 4