The Only Problem With Gentrifiers?
There’s a post on Brooklynian this morning by a handle you might recognize (Armchair Warrior) on everyone’s favorite topic: “My only problem with gentrifiers is…The ones who want to bring suburbia to NYC. They hate high density always trying to block new zoning to bring in more tall buildings etc…High density is good for the…
There’s a post on Brooklynian this morning by a handle you might recognize (Armchair Warrior) on everyone’s favorite topic: “My only problem with gentrifiers is…The ones who want to bring suburbia to NYC. They hate high density always trying to block new zoning to bring in more tall buildings etc…High density is good for the environment and good for business.” Grammatical problems aside, this statement seems kinda silly. Sure, many “gentrifiers” tend to lean towards preserving the village-like densities that attracted them to Brooklyn in the first place (as do many long-time residents!) but that doesn’t mean they are against all tall buildings as a rule. It’s more about context. And while it’s true that in general density is environmentally friendly and good for businesses, that statement ignores the reality of the infrastructure needed to support such density and the problems that can ensue if it’s not in place. The other problem with the rant is that poster seems to want new buildings but not suburban culture. But, more often than not, it’s the big chain stores that end up renting the retail space in the tall new buildings and what’s more suburban than a Walgreen’s? Hard to have your cake and eat it too! Agree?
The silly part of this discussion (and almost all on this topic) is the idea that there is some “definable” group of people like “gentrifiers” that have some monolithic agenda.
You cant even define “gentrifiers” for the most part anyway (sure there are a some very rich people from Manhattan that just 1 day move to a relatively poor neighborhood in Brooklyn – but that aint the rule) – if I grew up in Cobble Hill and then buy in Clinton Hill, am I a gentrifier?? If I move from Prospect Heights to Crown Heights am I a gentrifier? How long do I have to live in a neighborhood before the next group are “outsiders” to me….
The city is a dynamic place, things change – live with it.
It’s Brooklyn. Everyone has a right to be pissed off at everyone else.
Yeah, there’s no need to bring Brooklynian trolling to Brownstoner.
I am not sure why you think that the inhabitants of Park Slope circa 1960s and 1970s get to be called the “original inhabitants.” of the neighborhood
But I am glad that I am not the only one who noticed what seems to be an abnormally large number of Asian women/white man couples that have moved in over the last 10years. (not that I have an issue – just an interesting demographic pattern)
“Freeman concluded, isn’t displacement but succession. When people move away as part of normal neighborhood turnover, the people who move in are generally more affluent.” I find this VERY hard to believe. “Normal neighborhood turnover” is greatly accelerated for renters when their landlords see market rents rising and hike theirs substantially upon renewal. And in many of the brownstone Brooklyn nabes we like to talk about, most renters are in small buildings without rent stabilization.