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]
If they want to truly create a mall that caters to the aforementioned “element,” they need create one that only sells chicken, cigarettes and liquor…and put in smack dab in the middle of Brownsville.
Would Frasier shop there? No, no, no, a resounding NO! We want Frasiers moving to Brooklyn, not the “element” that Fulton Mall caters to.
If it’s not up to Frasier standards, I ain’t interested. And neither are Manhattanites.
Anon 12:32 PM brought up a good point. I still don’t understand why, in this day and age, with real-estate values sky-rocketing, there are still under-utilized office/residential spaces in downtown brooklyn. Most of the upper floors of these architecturally magnificent buildings that are boarded up, vacant, or seemingly abandoned. It just seems to me like there are a lot of greedy real-estate horders out there that would rather keep their buildings decrepit instead of improving them. I think the city or the business improvement district should enforce new laws that forces these commercial property owners to do something useful with their buildings rather than let it lay waste. The same can be said of ‘eastern fulton street’. If manhattan can pass legislation forcing skyscrapers to maintain a certain percentage of ‘lighting’ at nights, I don’t see why brooklyn law makers can’t do something similar with fulton street.
i agree above- if you walk through the area you see a really amazing “downtown” through all the clutter- the clutter being crazy signs which do nothing but make everything looked crowded and confused. Some sign regulation- don’t they already do that in Manhattan? wouldn’t hurt and then let the market go where it might- i hate to reduce this discussion to something so simple but everytime i go there i get a headache because of the signs everywhere… it’s like bedford falls if george hadn’t met clarence…
Who said anything about black people not wanting to preserve anything? The vast, vast majority of landlords, developers, and LPC members are white. If anything, the opinions of the people who shop here are not being considered at all – which is a funny thing in itself, but again characteristic of the socio-economic makeup of most of those who have the leisure to read and post to this board…
pietro,
this discussion is based on the article and the issues it raises.
i’m all for improvement of fulton mall: cleaner stores, more cashiers, more eating option, etc.
but that doesn’t seem to be the primary desired outcome.
what i’m seeing is a request to “attract a white clientele” (c) Ursula Hahn via the NY Observer
Most shopping districts in brooklyn are dirty. They all need to be maintained better. People either dont use the trash cans provided or the trash cans are over flowing. Either way I am all for improving the cleanliness.
I love how (white) people here demonstrate their progressive views – by assuming that Black people wouldnt want to preserve historic buildings, remove honky-tonk atmosphere and attract diversified buisnesses so as to offer more choices than sneakers, fast food and gold.
The baseline assumptions here are truly revealing
Hear, hear mhamil — preservation of these buildings is a must. Unfortunately, “gentrification” of the area is part of the process. Landlords, developers, and, yes, members of the LPC need to be convinced of the economic viability of an area in order to proceed with such an action. If landlords think they’re getting the best tenants they can in a less-desirable area, they will have no desire for landmarking of their properties, which would imply the destruction of certain of their tenant’s non-compliant signage, etc. If developers belieive that the highest and best use of the space is construction of eyesore office buildings and suburban-style shops, instead of restoration of historic structures, they’ll be opposing any landmarking actions. And finally, if the LPC members feel that this is a less-desirable area, and thus not “worthy” of preservation, they’ll decide to choose their battles elsewhere.