How Bed-Stuy Looks From L.A.
The L.A. Times takes a lengthy look at gentrification in Bed-Stuy in a piece that focuses on how (or whether) the opening of the Mynt, the luxury rental on Nostrand and Myrtle, is changing the area. One side of the story, via Mama Ruth, an 87-year-old grandmother and neighborhood fixture who pays $200 a month…
The L.A. Times takes a lengthy look at gentrification in Bed-Stuy in a piece that focuses on how (or whether) the opening of the Mynt, the luxury rental on Nostrand and Myrtle, is changing the area.
One side of the story, via Mama Ruth, an 87-year-old grandmother and neighborhood fixture who pays $200 a month for her one-bedroom at the Marcy Projects, where she’s lived for 55 years:
Lately, though, a new crop of folks has been moving into the neighborhood, and they don’t talk to Mama Ruth the same. She might pass them at the corner store, or near the subway stop. They’ll nod and smile, and she’ll do the same. But for the most part, Mama Ruth gets out of their way, and they get out of hers.
Another side, focusing on one of the Mynt’s renters:
Everyone outside stared when Randolph Ambroise moved into the second-floor three-bedroom corner apartment at the Mynt. Ballplayers, cops, loiterers, corner store patrons. “Everybody was watching us, like we were celebrities,” he says. Ambroise, 29, a Manhattan real estate agent, and his two roommates were among the first tenants. They got a deal: $3,100 a month. One of the first nights, Ambrose watched five police cars with sirens blaring and lights flashing pull up to the corner. Officers jumped out and ran down the street alongside Marcy. Hoping to block the drama and gawkers outside, the roommates went to Home Depot and bought bundles of window shades…Ambroise had a car, but he didn’t want to pay to park it in the Mynt’s garage, and donated it to charity after it got broken into twice on the street. When he goes to work in a suit, people ask for change.
Manhattan Skyline Views, Brooklyn Projects Below [LA Times]
bxgrl (Biff): why are you still here? You obviously have an inferiority complex since you live in your friends house in Crown Heights and work for a non-profit and don’t make enough money to rent in the Mynt let alone buy anything. Assuming what you say about yourself is true – and that is highly questionably since you have been caught lying before – spend what little money you have on therapy to get over your issues and stop posting on this site.
first time this dude gets robbed, he’s back to the suburbs. good riddance. this whole complex is housing future conservatives (= a liberal who has been robbed). wow, let’s not make ourselves easy targets or anything. we’ll live in a holed up colony where everyone knows we can afford $3k+ per month. brilliant!
this is such an obvious strategy by the RE complex. divide and conquer. if they can show some “progress” from the changed scenery that these rentals bring, it is an easy step up to peddle mccondos to the $100-200k manhattan refuge “creative” set.
These changes have been a long time in coming. If you are surprised by the changes in the neighborhood – whether it is the prices of the homes or the costs for rentals – you have been hiding under a rock. This area is no longer ghetto, unlike what some like to say repeatedly. An economic slow down is not going to stop it. Complain about the changes won’t stop it. Too many on this site are out of touch with the reality in the market. Get a grip. The war is over.
3BR apartments are rare and will always command a premium. run a search for 3BR/2 bath apartments in doorman buildings with views and you will find virtually nothing in brooklyn. there are places in manhattan, but those will run at least $6,000-$7,000.
11:54- Most people who live here were born and raised here, or came here for opportunities to work. That NYC has become so expensive still doesn’t address the fact that should everyone who you feel doesn’t work hard enough leave the city, who would serve your food, run your office, ring up your food and deliver it, clean your house, watch your children, protect your sorry ass in a fire, and fluff your pillow in a hospital?
You seem to think that every type of job is valued equally but the fact is that many of the jobs most necessary to keep the city running, and the economy going are not valued at the same level as being a lawyer, or a financial trader. Some of those people you look down your nose at put in more hours of hard work per week than you will ever know while you hide under for fancy, over-priced desk. Still feel superior? Just remember your job and $2.00 will get you on the subway.
Actually, the bodega on the corner of Tompkins and Vernon does take credit cards. And debit cards. I’m not sure if they sell loosies.
i know someone who lives in a crappy apartment with some people on Hart st and pays under 500 bucks a month.
cheapes
Whatever the rents are, it’s like it or leave it, and seems people are liking it, so moaning about how wrongheaded they are is pissing into the wind. The current economy will slow things down for awhile, there’ll be more rentals than condos, but it’s fertile ground for residents and merchants escapin higher rents to the west. Some property along good ole Murder Avenue is probably a pretty good long term investment.
11:58 It wasn’t Brownstoner that was quoted in the article. He knows less about Bed Stuy than the reporter of the article.
It was bedstuyblog.com which was actually quoted.