Bed Stuy's Star Continues to Rise
According to The Sun, things got so bad in Bed Stuy back in the 1980s that one local precinct spray-painted (officers tagging?) the words “The Alamo” on the wall of the station house. Two decades later, crime is down and property values are up, though not everyone–including long-time renters and property owners who resent newcomers…
According to The Sun, things got so bad in Bed Stuy back in the 1980s that one local precinct spray-painted (officers tagging?) the words “The Alamo” on the wall of the station house. Two decades later, crime is down and property values are up, though not everyone–including long-time renters and property owners who resent newcomers benefiting from what they see as the fruits of their labors–think the trade is worth it. Crime’s down 70 percent or so since 1990, roughly in line with city-wide trends, while brownstone values have just about doubled since 2003. “People don’t feel quite as safe as the police reports, but they feel a lot safer than five, ten or fifteen years ago,” said Colvin Grannum, head of the Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Project. Change is coming from out as well as within: In addition to the Home Depot that opened last year, spots like Bushbaby, a gourmet coffee shop started by a Bed Stuy native, are starting to replace the nail salons and bodegas.
Renaissance Comes to ‘The Alamo’ [NY Sun]
I understand the “us vs. them” mentality and I do recognize that it has some deep rooted “racial” implications. However, I don’t think you can blanket the situation with that statement. It’s the change of the “feel” of the neighborhood. Some of the “Them” folks aren’t the nicest folks. i.e. Don’t say good morning or barely make eye contact. And who’s to say you have to say anything to anyone. But the fact is… I could very well be considered a “them” being I just purchased my brownstone less than a year ago. However, my race doesn’t happen to match most of “them”. I look like an “us”. And I can say some of the “Us” don’t even say hello to ME, as well as some of the “Thems”.
So what is the ‘REAL’ issue?
Pietro, I hope you will join in efforts to make the neighborhood safer – or maybe you already have. Check out the Yahoo group B-Safe. There have been several meetings of concerned residents over the last few months, and we have met with police officers from the 81st precinct. We are also organizing people to go to the monthly community council and precinct meetings.
America is basically a segregated country, for varied historical reasons. Many black residents see an influx of white home buyers as a threat to their ability to maintain ownership (or a sense of ownership) of their commmunity. I think the desire to keep a neighborhoood black does have some legitimacy. Institutionalized and unspoken racism in society at large drives non-white people to want to live in areas where they feel like they belong. But I hope we as a country can undo alll of these forces. If white people can learn to integrate with more respect and understanding, black people might be more excited to see them come. If there is no desire on the part of white new-comers to join the existing community, then the resentment will continue. When white folks take the time to be friendly to their new neighbors, the majority of them are well received. In turn, if white people are genuine and respectful, black people should recognize the benefits of an integrated neighborhood. The problem is that many people view neighborhoods as “prime real estate” or “good housing stock” rather than families and individuals.
Shahn, what candidates showed up? I was stuck and work and did not make it.
Did the candidates themselves foster an us vs them attitude (i.e. newer vs old residents) or was that from the audience.
What about quality of life and safety issues? Was that discussed at all? If so, did the candidates give it any good lip service, or just say “we’re doing what we can” … the usually fatalistic that’s just the way it is stuff…?
I went to the political forum last night at Brown Memorial Church, and there was a palpable air of “us versus them” in a lot of the things some of the candidates said.
I think Pietro is right about the blame being put on the wrong people. If the neighborhood wanted to take control of the changes it is going through, then the community would rally to stop people from selling their buildings and would find a way to help them fix the properties and get tenants at reasonable rents. It’s much easier to blame the supposed interlopers than place blame in the miror. Since that isn’t going to happen, people either need to accept capitalism, or move to a socialist country.
Almost all of the buildings I’ve rehabbed were abandoned and lay fallow for years before I bought them. Why didn’t these community activists that are so quick to blame “developers” for the changes in their community buy these empty buildings? Lord knows they could have been bought much less expensively then than the prices I had to pay when I bought them. Or was it just not an issue a few years ago, and they were comfortable letting them rot?
yeah i have no hard stats, but based on experience. it’s been crazy lately. i don’t know what’s going on.
To pietro; Interesting. I feel same in Harlem. Probably those two places are following the same pattern. Because of it’s size and population.
so the people buying the buildings are throwing people out of their homes? Makes no sense. How about the people selling their buildings?!!
the article notes that low income housing is built to help people stay in the neighborhood.
interestng article. things are getting really bad in bed stuy. i have noticed more and more diverse people moving in and i’ve noticed more crime lately than in my 3 years living there.
There are will always be some that resent change and any conflict makes better press story. But take with grain of salt.