The Upstate Brooklyn
And here we thought Portland was the new Brooklyn! It turns out that an upstate town called Rosendale is the new Brooklyn. “This depressed former cement manufacturing town of 6,400 has lately had a steady influx of creative freelancers with 917, 718 and 646 area-code cellphones,” writes the New York Times this morning. “Some hop…
And here we thought Portland was the new Brooklyn! It turns out that an upstate town called Rosendale is the new Brooklyn. “This depressed former cement manufacturing town of 6,400 has lately had a steady influx of creative freelancers with 917, 718 and 646 area-code cellphones,” writes the New York Times this morning. “Some hop on the bus for the hour-and-forty-five-minute ride to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, others telecommute, and many have traded in their office jobs for less psychically demanding ones in landscaping or food service while they pursue their music or art on the side.” If you’ve ever driven through Rosendale’s main street, though, it’s not hard to see why it’s been attracting Williamsburg types, especially at a time when the urban woodsman look is sweeping Kings County. The average house price of $201,797 clearly doesn’t hurt either.
90 Miles Upstate, a Brooklyn Feel [NY Times]
Photo by emptyhighway
PS – no one commented on Mr. B’s quip about the “urban woodsman” look that is sweeping Kings County. What is the deal with that look?
‘With the feel of a rough-and-tumble new frontier — not unlike Williamsburg or Red Hook a decade ago …”
Seriously – this article is laughable. Rosendale is nothing like Williamsburg or Red Hook 10 years ago.
And, Williamburg was hardly a “frontier” a decade ago in the year 2000, except maybe to the NY Times which finally discovered Brooklyn in about 2005.
Also, I love how they say, like New Paltz before it. Um, New Paltz is just, you know, like 10 miles down the road.
the new Brooklyn! sounds so exotic and peaceful doesn’t it? it’s so great that the brand is being imported.
Like any other community of any size, Poughkeepsie is no different. Rougher areas and also beautiful neighborhoods.
Small city, so not a bucolic refuge a weekender is looking for, but just a city with same problems as tons of others.
Having grown up farther upstate than this, so far, most New Yorkers get nosebleeds, I can understand the animosity of many upstaters. It’s the same animosity one finds anywhere when a generally wealthier population “discovers” an existing community, moves in, brags about the architecture, housing stock, cheap prices, natural beauty, whatever, and then complains that there are no amenities, or too little of this, too much of that, wrong kind of people, whatever.
I find the best (new) neighbors in any neighborhood or town are those who can fit in by being friendly, open, and non-judgemental. That doesn’t mean you can’t open a business, or encourage new business to come in, you just don’t have to be a snob. Most communities, rural or urban, welcome new sources of income, and possible jobs, but no one wants to hear that these newcomers are here to “fix” everything.
Sorry too quick to post, Beacon’s mentioned in the article.
I can’t conceive of such a commute, I don’t care how much house you get for your money. It would be nice as a telecommuter though.
I thought Beacon was the upstate Brooklyn.
Architerrorist — my sister gave birth at Vassar Hospital and raved about it. Said they had a breakfast buffet and described the experience as spa-like. When my kids were born in Manhattan, the post-partum unit was wretched, and the nurses all missed their calling as corrections officers. So, lucky you. You’re right about Poughkeepsie, though. Awful place.
this place looks nice – what stop off the L is it?