Running head: NEW YORK CITYS ADAPTION TO CHANGE

New York Citys Adaption to Change: Gentrification Shannon OConnor Molloy College

NEW YORK CITYS ADAPTION TO CHANGE Abstract By dictionary definition, gentrification refers to the restoration and upgrading of deteriorated urban property by middle-class or affluent people, often resulting in displacement of lowerincome people. Throughout New York City and its five boroughs, gentrification is constantly affecting the communities, cultures, and traditions that most people are familiar with, and it is ultimately changing what many people believe New York City represents. While this may be true, it is important to examine the effects of gentrification from a variety of angles, and it is necessary to analyze all of the positive outcomes gentrification can have on an area and not just focus on the negatives.

NEW YORK CITYS ADAPTION TO CHANGE New York Citys Adaption to Change: Gentrification As New York City and its surrounding boroughs continue to prosper and develop, it is

inevitable that the culture and traditions of particular areas will be subject to change. While many parts of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and more uphold a specific legacy and reflect a particular lifestyle, with the on going issue of gentrification, one can be almost certain that what we once knew these places to represent may eventually become drastically different. While gentrification is essentially a result of a redevelopment process, it is important to explore the effects it has on a community and how it can be positive or negative. While New York City and its character are so significant in the lives of many, one must question how gentrification could ultimately change what it stands for. Gentrification is a process common in poor, under developed areas where plans for urbanization ultimately increase housing costs and the desire to live there. As a result, lower class community members who could once afford to live there find themselves displaced and uncertain of where to go being that the cost of living in their once affordable neighborhood becomes too high. While this rapid growth is happening all throughout New York and its boroughs, it is especially obvious in places such as Long Island City, Brooklyn, and Harlem. LIC is a prime example of NYC gentrification: since 2001, there has been a 64% increase in the neighborhoods population, aided by sprawling housing developments, an influx of restaurants, and a flourishing art scene (Goldschein, 2011, p.1). While it is important to understand that gentrification will benefit Long Island City by bringing in more revenue and opportunity, part of the process is seemingly hurting the communitys artists. Wright (2008) explains that although Long Island City is a primarily industrial neighborhood, it has become a

NEW YORK CITYS ADAPTION TO CHANGE landmark for contemporary art since its architecture provides the space for displaying large works of art. However, the pressure to develop is actually removing many of the sites where artists go to express themselves. Particularly, The 5 Pointz museum located in Long Island City is an old cluster of warehouses where graffiti artists are permitted to display their work. As we

learned on our tour of the museum, this site is actually going to be removed in a few months time in order for the city to build a new housing complex with the hopes of further developing the area. In this case, gentrification proves to have a negative affect on the area because it is almost completely diminishing what the city stands for; art. In my opinion, the 5 Pointz museum is a remarkable place that allows artists to express themselves freely, and it is unfortunate that urbanization is taking away what artists once had as a common ground for expression and life. As a result of the destruction, a pressing issue seems to be the concern over where these graffiti artists will now do their work, and I have to wonder if it will cause them to start painting on the walls of buildings, subways, and roads. In this case, based upon our experience as a class I believe that gentrification in this area of Long Island City may prove to have a negative effect. Although gentrification is often viewed negatively, in some neighborhoods it is actually welcomed by residents and viewed as a helping hand. Harlem often receives a negative connotation about being dangerous, crowded, and primarily for poor, black individuals. However, David Varady (2007) explains that in many cases, particularly for the black middle class who reside in areas such as Harlem, gentrification is viewed positively because of the way it helps them expand their opportunities. Disadvantaged residents are just as appreciative of improvements as affluent residents, e.g. improved shopping, physical and aesthetic

NEW YORK CITYS ADAPTION TO CHANGE improvements, higher property values, improved public services and a reduction in crime (Varady, 2007, p. 54). For residents who currently reside in an area like Harlem, these changes are considered significantly helpful because it allows them to escape the negative stereotypes that many surrounding communities label them with and it provides the opportunity for them to obtain a higher class standing. Although some may disagree and say that gentrification leads to the demise of a culture in Harlem, it can ultimately be viewed as a beneficial change by making the community a safer and more desirable place for individuals to visit and reside. Brooklyn is another example on the list of many whose parks and residential neighborhoods are undergoing rapid development and growth. Particularly, Shepard (2013) explains that neighborhoods such as Carroll Gardens, Williamsburg, Fortt Greene and DUMBO are rising to success as young professional artists settle within them. Although long time residents of Brooklyn are concerned that the culture of traditional Brooklyn neighborhoods will

soon vanish, gentrification in these particular areas is actually quite beneficial to the community. On our tour of DUMBO, it was obvious that the surrounding area had been recently re-furbished and re-constructed, which made it appear less like a city and more like a residential, waterfront neighborhood. Being that this area has become a place where artists turn to for settlement, I think this change is extremely positive since it is bringing a new light, new culture and new perspective to the borough. Additionally, although Brooklyn natives may feel that traditional artistic traditions are being removed as a result of gentrification, it is important to analyze the situation and realize that it is not completely gone, just simply relocated. Gentrification has also slowly but surely made its mark on Coney Island. When focusing on an area like Coney Island, Shepard (2013) explains that many natives would argue that the

NEW YORK CITYS ADAPTION TO CHANGE original honky tonk feel and culture of the boardwalk and amusements has been lost. As Wright (2008) explains in the Blue Guide, similarly to what we discussed on our tour of the island, the frayed amusement strip along the boardwalk has been shrinking for decades, and its future is uncertain (p. 491). After experiencing Coney Islands demise for myself throughout this class, I believe that gentrification in this area should be viewed positively because new developments could bring back the excitement and desire to visit the area which would ultimately bring back the revenue that has recently been lost. Although writers like Shepard (2013) argue that as Brooklyn is being remade, the traditions and touchstones of historic Brooklyn are in danger of being buried and obscured from site and memory, it is important to realize that gentrification in DUMBO and Coney Island is actually bringing back some of the culture that Brooklyn once knew, such as art and entertainment, just in very subtle and discrete ways. In addition to analyzing the ways gentrification is beneficial to these particular places, it is also important to note the long term effects that gentrification is expected to have, especially

on the young children and young adults that will soon reside in these areas as well as on the kids who currently do. Unfortunately, areas that are classified as poor and underdeveloped often have a struggling school system. By developing an area and having affluent neighbors come in, there will often be a change in the resources available to families such as school, childcare, and recreational activities: Affluent neighbors, relative to low-income residents, may be better able to secure highquality services for neighborhood children. Affluent households are more likely to complain about suboptimal public services, and local governments may assign their

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complaints a higher priority than those of lower-income households (Atkins, Formoso, et al., 2010, p. 398) Though some low-income families may be pushed out of an area due to gentrification, it is important to recognize how they could actually benefit from having new community residents if they are able to hold on. On our trip to DUMBO, we experienced a beautiful boardwalk scene that was flourishing with little shops, restaurants, and more importantly a diverse group of people. As a result of gentrification and a new group of residents, it is possible that more parks and areas like this will be created, which will only better the community as a whole and ultimately add to the areas culture. Lastly, as Atkins, Formoso, and Weber (2010) state, having gentrification occur is also likely to change the way schooling is carried out, which greatly benefits the future of the children living in those areas. After taking this class and experiencing these sites for myself, I feel that gentrification should primarily be viewed as a positive process. While it is unfortunate that groups of residents are displaced from their original dwellings as a result of increased costs, and while I do agree that it is important to preserve the culture and traditions of one of the worlds most beloved cities, I think it is more important to focus on how the societal changes are going to better the communities. As a result of gentrification, cities like Harlem may become safer and more desirable, places like Coney Island may regenerate the revenue that has slowly been declining, and areas in Brooklyn may actually develop a new sense of culture that brings in even more diversity and cultural experiences. After visiting some of these places, I think the positive effects of gentrification will greatly outweigh the negative effects, and in cases like these, I think it is necessary to bring in new opportunities and growth in order to prosper.

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References Formoso, D., N Weber, Rachel, & S Atkins, Marc. (2010). Gentrification and Urban Children's Well-Being: Tipping the Scales From Problems to Promise. American Journal of Community Psychology, 46 (3-4), 395-412. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10464-0109348-3 Goldschein, Eric. (2011). Gentrification Cant Come Fast Enough For the New Residents of Queens. Business Insider. Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/gentrificationcant-come-fast-enough-for-the-new-residents-of-queens-2011-11 Shepard, B. (2013). The Battle of Brooklyn: World City and Space of Neighborhoods. Theory in Action, 6 (2), 15-51. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1349389993?accountid=28076 Varady, D. P. (2007). There Goes The Hood: Views of Gentrification From the Ground up. The Town Planning Review, 78 (4), 543-544. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/232850301?accountid=28076 Wright, C.V.P. (2008). Blue Guide New York. New York, NY: Blue Guides Limited