Fear (of Condos) and Self-Loathing in Williamsburg
What happens when you mix the snide aspects of hipster culture with the gleaming new developments that have popped up in Williamsburg, Greenpoint, and Fort Greene? Condo shame, says the Observer. The hipsters who once scoffed at new developments like The Edge or nV are now—ironically, perhaps—experiencing a desire to buy units in these buildings…
What happens when you mix the snide aspects of hipster culture with the gleaming new developments that have popped up in Williamsburg, Greenpoint, and Fort Greene? Condo shame, says the Observer. The hipsters who once scoffed at new developments like The Edge or nV are now—ironically, perhaps—experiencing a desire to buy units in these buildings (gasp!). In the current market, it’s the modern units that are suddenly in the price range of 20- and 30-something new buyers, while the common brownstone fantasy still costs over $1 million. The article chronicles several 20-somethings such as Kendall Turner, 23, who bought a $449,000 one-bedroom in the Ikon building on McCarren Park in Greenpoint, or Nicole Ferejohn, 27, who refused to give in to her condo urges and continues to rent. Those profiled in the article make excuses and apologies; they feel guilt for their un-Brooklyn-y purchases; but in the end, perhaps the point is that if you price it low enough, they will (begrudgingly) come.
Condo Shame [NY Observer]
Well, anyway, at least we know who’s buying these condos now. I always thought it was parents of NYU students. NYT claims it’s French families, but since most of the apartments are studios and one bedrooms, it seems unlikely.
Heather – ok that sounds scary about your house. While I don’t know the street you lived on, I can recall that area well – sooo pretty over there. I loved that little park right on the water.
I do miss JC sometimes
I completely agree with DH post at 12:06. I too have first hand experience with friends who get money each month from their parents and then would go out wildly spending on clothes and nights out. I think we are setting up a generation that won’t be savers because the Parental Fountain will be turned on forever.
leaving should read living. lo sciento.
Great Observer story, love all the comments about the supposed meaning of this architectural style or that and what it means to live there, but what I really don’t get is this idea that these condos are cheap. True, on square footage basis, condos in Williamsburg are slightly less expensive than property in other “prime” areas. (Or at least it used to be — they used to be $500 a square foot — I don’t know what they are now.) But the absolute prices — $500,000 etc. — are insanely expensive for a one bedroom for one person. Outrageous! These people pining away for a brownstone could just buy a pre-war starter apt. I don’t understand this at all. They secretly must like their hideous 600 feet of drywall and fancy fridge, as Heather so aptly described it.
I moved from brownstone bk to Williamsburg (DH, we’re neighbors) and my thought is, dammit, why must these buildings all have tacky names and finishes? They’d be even cheaper if they didn’t, and they’d sell much better. Plenty of creative professionals of middle income would love to buy in the neighborhood if there was anything remotely acceptable to buy.
A normal, contextually appropriate brick condo building in Williamsburg with no name, just an address, no 18-foot lobby–that’s something I might consider buying into. Or a tasteful modern building of residential scale or even better, how about CONVERSIONS of all of those factories that were torn down? The building at Driggs and Grand was beautiful, and now it’s going to be a 25-story middle finger to out middle-finger the middle finger.
The Evry on Manhattan near Ainslie, to name one, isn’t half bad. But then I saw the listings. Must they all be duplexes with bathrooms that look straight out of Minority Report?
Some of these also have Domino-circa-2006 black chandeliers and neo-romantic wallpaper in their 20-foot-high lobbies. Also, why are grey and mauve metallic brick so trendy among these developers? Anyone? Bueller?
It’s not just the market–it’s developers’ garish bad taste and pandering to a no-longer-relevant sense of entitlement. That’s why I’d have condo shame were I even considering one, and that’s why I duck my head every time I visit my friend who lives in the (not actually all that bad) Loftology in Greenpoint, in mortal fear that someone I know will be eating at Enid’s.
“Some of my most fun time spent in this city has been the times I’ve spent little to no money at all.”
Definitely – it’s what sets this city apart. There are countless free shows, concerts, parks, museums, not to mention cheap (but still good!) food. You really don’t need to spend a whole lot to get by, and pretty well at that, beyond housing costs.
We were on Steuben, which is a really tiny street between Columbus and Morgan down by Harborside. I loved it when we first moved in, but then they started pile-driving a 30-story luxury tower across the street and half the houses on our block were condemned and ours would sway like a ship in the wind… and it made me worry.
I still sort of like Jersey City, but moving back to Brooklyn made me feel a little like a fresh air child or something — like suddenly there were so many options! So many places to go! Beer at delis! Pharmacies open on Sunday! Etc.
Dixon Mills is gorgeous, I always wondered what it would be like to live over there 🙂
“That term implicitly implies that money is transferred from one generation to the next. ”
Parental help doesn’t bother me – heck my parents still buy me toilet paper from costco 😉
It bothers me that these parents obviously have good intentions by doing this, taking care of their kid’s housing so they can save money for the future in a city where it is very hard to save.
And instead (i say this from first hand experience) they end up buying expensive clothes, vacations and drugs – which isn’t what I think their parents had in mind when freeing up some income for their children with their own hard earned money.
How is a young adult supposed to learn to budget and be a responsible adult when you have taken away their biggest expense?
Brownie…
Seriously, this is America. The land of puritan work ethics and “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” — there is a deep-seated hatred and distrust for old money (even if that’s just your parents’ money)
And I completely disagree with other comments above… I actually DO think there’s something wrong with parents supplementing a kid’s income after college-age (and I mean undergrad). I didn’t even have that help, but to still have hundreds of dollars (maybe even thousands) given to you by your parents at 23, 25 or 30. That’s farking ridiculous. I think.
You can go to war at 17, and drink at 21… you should be able to pay your own rent at 24.