Fascinating Claim: East New York as the Next Harlem?
Who could’ve predicted this? Some folks—Marty Markowitz, for one—say notoriously downtrodden and crime-ridden East New York is undergoing a renaissance and could become “the new Harlem.” There’s been a lot of demand for home ownership options in the area, most notably at the massive condo conversion MeadowWood at Gateway, where prices range from $110,500 to…
Who could’ve predicted this? Some folks—Marty Markowitz, for one—say notoriously downtrodden and crime-ridden East New York is undergoing a renaissance and could become “the new Harlem.” There’s been a lot of demand for home ownership options in the area, most notably at the massive condo conversion MeadowWood at Gateway, where prices range from $110,500 to $350,000. “There is no question that the neighborhoods with higher rates of home ownership have the greatest stability, schools and community services,” says Markowitz of how ENY is changing. “Brooklynites outside of the ‘Brownstone Belt’ don’t realize that we have an affordability issue in certain neighborhoods and we’re losing families to other areas such as New Jersey. We’re committed to not letting that happen.” Other developments are also boosting the sprawling neighborhood’s profile, including the Related Companies Gateway Center shopping mall, which has a Target, Home Depot, Best Buy, and a supermarket and is going to be expanded in coming years with more big-box retail. Another large ENY home-ownership project, Nehemiah Housing Complex, is also currently being built. The complex will bring more than 2,000 middle-income units to the neighborhoods, with prices starting at $158,000. “Every place has its time,” says Fillmore Real Estate’s John-Paul Ho, who heads the team selling MeadowWood. “Now it’s East New York. It’s like a Cinderella story for the entire area.”
Is East New York the New Harlem? [NY Daily News]
Photo by zachvs.
Well, actually, I did choose the worst blocks in ENY, because that’s the sort of thing that needs documenting. Nice blocks don’t get destroyed, and it’s true, there are some. I only grabbed shots of a couple, though. Cypress Hills, on the other hand, is basically all reasonably nice blocks. I used to live across the park in Ridgewood, but never made it into Highland Park so far.
East New York is currently in contract with many commercial/residential developers and is going to be changing for the better very very soon. There will be lots of new projects taking place up and down Atlantic Ave over the next two years. Many empty lots will be converted into parks for the kids and some will make room for high rise condo’s.
There are a few revitalizing projects going on as we type but Mr. B never covers them so it leaves the new comers believing that nothing good is going on in ENY.
Please to not solely rely on this site as the only resource for info on BK in and out.
I think that a lot of people have it wrong. On the one hand, eny doesn’t need to be “another harlem” to make it successful. it doesn’t need hype and speculation. On the other hand, the people say that it is a dump have never been there, i can pretty much guarantee it, there are some rough parts but people like to talk about things they know nothing about. When I am at the end of eastern parkway or the northern part of penn ave, I don’t need to imagine what it would look like when it is developed, it is already nice. If you are a typical yuppie armchair real estate speculator who thinks that 900k for a bed stuy brownstone is a good deal, then don’t go to eny yet, wait until the ny times give you the go ahead, then you can start talking about it like you know what’s up. Then you can buy from me.
Has anyone read “How East New York Became a Ghetto” by Walter Thabit?
http://www.amazon.com/How-East-York-Became-Ghetto/dp/0814782671/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205516362&sr=8-3
If residents there are saying there are houses and blocks better than this then why would photos be offered up that don’t show this? And yet claim they fairly represent the area’s housing stock?
He purposely chose the worst blocks it does sound like. Like by instruction from above.
East NY needs a stadium. lets build there.
Looked at the photos. You’re right, it’s very spotty and very house by house and block by block. Some nice enough houses but no rows of houses on entire blocks.
Seems Marty’s plan would really be for ENY to be filled with new construction buildings. Which is good, for providing affordable housing.
worst blocks
1.16 – how many illiterate, racist, tribe-mentality, I-was-born-here-so-its-mine WiFi stealing losers in Clinton Hill could there be?