Future of Fulton Mall Crystalizes Race Issues
NY Observer writer Matthew Schuerman, who also contributes much of The Real Estate, had a piece in the paper last week that spoke with unusual frankness about the issue of race in the borough’s process of gentrification and commercial revitalization. The future of the Fulton Mall, he points out, is forcing these issues out on…
NY Observer writer Matthew Schuerman, who also contributes much of The Real Estate, had a piece in the paper last week that spoke with unusual frankness about the issue of race in the borough’s process of gentrification and commercial revitalization. The future of the Fulton Mall, he points out, is forcing these issues out on the table. There is a lot of pressure from business leaders and residents of neighboring Brownstone Brooklyn to “improve” the mall–despite the fact that it commands some of the highest retail rents in the city and draws heavy foot traffic in its current state. At the same time, however, side streets are deserted and the upper floors of many of the historic buildings are underutilized as well. Community planners and landlords are confronting the reality that it’s going to be hard to attract cute cafes to those side streets and young professionals to buy lofts in an area whose anchor tenants include a “forlorn Macy’s, a Conway, three Payless Shoe Sources, two Foot Lockers and a Kids Foot Locker.” And forget about Class A office tenants: “It’s hard to lure Fortune 500 companies to downtown Brooklyn with people selling penis-engraved tooth caps next door,” writes Schuerman. Indeed. What to do?
Fulton Mall Fights for Existence [NY Observer]
Upscale Lofts in Mall’s Future [Brownstoner]
why not just let the free market decide?
The Fulton Mall should move to the eastern stretches of Fulton.
There’s no such thing as an ole-fashioned gentrification. Maybe you mean, ole-fashioned segregation
Downtown Brooklyn is the reason why people still won’t move from Manhattan.
GENTRIFY ME, GENTRIFY ME!
i agree with bolletje. i certainly have nothing against upscale neighborhoods, they’re fine, but i just feel like brooklyn would just become that much more boring if the fulton mall changed. it creates variety, supposedly the reason we like cities like nyc.
My names is The Cowboy. I wore my penis-engraved toothcaps (one on each incisor) and went to the club. The women just couldn’t keep their hands off the cowboy.
I like the Fulton mall the way it is now. Why does everything have to be so organized, regulated, standardized and sanitized these days?
The Fulton Mall (and that whole area of downtown Brooklyn) is in dire need of a good ole fashioned gentrification.
Exactly my thoughts upon reading this. Do those things really exist? And, yes, are they bought by men or women? And what exactly do they signify? And how close do you have to get to someone to recognize the engraving on his/her tooth cap? Does anyone really look that closely at someone else’s teeth?
I definitely see the birth of a new, ironic hipster trend here — sure to be the “must” this summer in Billyburg…as Fulton Mall gentrifies itself.