The Times of London Singing Bed Stuy's Praises
It sounds like London Times writer James Doran got quite a deal on his Bedford Stuyvesant brownstone. Given how well-preserved all the details were, $600,000 sounds undermarket to us. And what a great provenance! The story he tells of the former owner, a brewery heiress, is great stuff. The Heath Ledger angle might be a…
It sounds like London Times writer James Doran got quite a deal on his Bedford Stuyvesant brownstone. Given how well-preserved all the details were, $600,000 sounds undermarket to us. And what a great provenance! The story he tells of the former owner, a brewery heiress, is great stuff. The Heath Ledger angle might be a bit of a stretch but, hey, Doran’s at least setting the newspaper-reading public straight about the neighborhood which has caught more than its share of bad press over the years:
Bed-Stuy is more than just an incredible investment opportunity for an adventurous property speculator: it is one of the most fascinating neighbourhoods of New York, steeped in history and close to Manhattan’s sleepless streets, yet no tourist ever sets foot here.
Local blog Bed Stuy Gateway had this to say about the article: Is The Times doing a Lenten penance for the smackdown of an article it published on June 25, 2005 in which reporter Dominic Rushe called Bed-Stuy “a horrible and inconvenient area of Brooklyn with some lovely buildings and a nasty crack habit”?
Big Apple’s Core Appeal [London Times]
The Brits Are Coming [Bed Stuy Gateway]
CHP While off topic I must seriously disagree with this comment:
“Frankly, I think that the reason so many Europeans move to our neighborhoods and have no problems is because they weren’t raised with the preconceptions that Americans have about race. Sorry, but that is our history.”
While our history is real bad – and I have no idea why Europeans (more than any other group) would move to Bed-Stuy; I dont think Europeans (generally) have any better history (or present) than we do when it comes to race; some (including me) would say there history (and present) is actually worse.
Some of these comments are really backyards, arrogant, and ignorant. I hope some of you people will stay out of Bed Stuy. I think residents should put a cross and bones sign on every street that leads into Bed Stuy. Bed Stuy needs to stay “a chocolate city.”
It doesn’t need anymore ignorant people; it has enough problems already. Thank God you guys can live in Park Slope, Carroll Gardens, Boreum Hill and Brooklyn Heights. Very sad that some of you have taken over parts of Ft. Green.
judging from all of his “flirt with death” living accomplishments, james doran is clearly the toughest dude in the room! i like how he uses them to show how nice and friendly bed stuy is. but then i guess it takes a tough guy like james to live there these days, or at least to defend his puff piece (and real estate investment) to the brownstoner crowd.
This is a good thread. I think BrownBomber is correct in his analysis of risks/reward and comfort level. The only comment(s) I read above that I take exception to are those that refer to drug dealers or prostitutes as “characters” that give the neighborhood its flavor. Yes they are people and should not be written off; however, if the “characters” are engaging in criminal activity, I don’t think they are really helping the community. I can sympathize with their plight and I’m sure that if you looked at their past you’d find some horrible things that drove them to crime, but I don’t think that is a reason to tolerate such activity. Ultimately, criminal activity destabilizes a neighborhood, so I don’t think wishes for the return of the “characters” is necessarilly a good idea.
I am NOT talking about eccentric people or those who are simply unemployed or weird, I’m referring to posts above that wax nostalgic about the local guy who repeatedly burgals houses or breaks into cars but gets caught all the time. Why would you defend that sort of thing?
Is this discussion still ongoing? I really must get back to work! Anyhow, seems that people are jumping to defend JD’s right to write about his personal experience, but others who convey crime as part of their experience living in BS are somehow not allowed to relate that. “We’re bashing the neighborhood.” Look, I live there and will continue to live there quite happily. I see the good and bad. Maybe I’m upset because my attack happened fairly recently, but I think if we ignore the crime it will get worse. The detective handling my case who has been on the beat 11 years says while property prices have gone up and new people have moved in, he hasn’t seen any real reduction in crime. He went on to say that Brooklyn is the worst borough for crime. Dunno. Take it for what it’s worth.
Another facet of the discussion that went unmentioned is our pathetic local politicians who keep allowing more and more homeless shelters to be built in BS. And how about that lovely halfway house for ex convicts they put in next to a school? And do you know how many sex offenders live in Bed Stuy? Check that one web site and you will be blown away. It’s time for some real change for the residents of BS and it might have to start with voting out the local politicians.
To whomever said that Bed Stuy residents are “happy with our problems” should wake up. We are not.
As an aside, I love different kinds of food far too much to live somewhere without a plethora of restaurant choices.
If l wanted to live in a townhouse in an up and coming area of Brooklyn, I’d choose Sunset Park. The Chinese and Mexican food around there is excellent and cheap — my two main criteria. The housing stock isn’t as nice as Bed Stuy, but the prices are more or less the same, and you can always renovate — at least I can.
My wife is a good cook, but when I need a burrito, falafal, roti canai, or whatever, nothing beats putting on your shoes and just walking a couple blocks. It’s more important to me than a huge house with crown molding and intricate iron fireplaces — though I love those too.
As an aside, I love different kinds of food far too much to live somewhere without a plethora of restaurant choices.
If l wanted to live in a townhouse in an up and coming area of Brooklyn, I’d choose Sunset Park. The Chinese and Mexican food around there is excellent and cheap — my two main criteria. The housing stock isn’t as nice as Bed Stuy, but the prices are more or less the same, and you can always renovate — at least I can.
My wife is a good cook, but when I need a burrito, falafal, roti canai, or whatever, nothing beats putting on your shoes and just walking a couple blocks. It’s more important to me than a huge house with crown molding and intricate iron fireplaces — though I love those too.
Last comment (8:15AM was me)
I suppose I’d have to let her go out, but I’d worry. Not that it makes any difference, but she’s asian, not white. Her walking alone in any high crime area after dark would make me nervous. I should rephrase my earlier assertion. I’m not “sure” that she’d be attacked, but the probability in Bed Stuy is too high to risk as far as I’m concerned.
I’m nervous about her walking home alone late at night in Manhattan too, but at least the streets of Manhattan are pretty active at night. Muggers and rapists obviously tend to attack when no one’s around and as the Policeman posted earlier, Bed Stuy is a high crime area.
To be clear, I prefer to live in a racially mixed area. That’s one of the reasons I like NYC. I just want to live somewhere safe. Stupid jerks obviously come in all colors. I wouldn’t want to live in redneck country either.