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Does gentrification = loss of community?
Josh Guttman | August 6, 2007
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Since I moved from Manhattan in 2005, I’ve been enamored by the quaint, small-town community feel that Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens offer. I speak with my next-door neighbors regularly and know at least someone on each block surrounding my apartment. Tony of Tony’s Hardware on Smith was one of my first trusted advisors in Brooklyn and I rely on Gavin at Chicory for regular gastronomic consultations. By comparison, I can’t imagine a place much more friendly or neighborhoody than the cold Manhattan I knew. But when I speak to longtime residents, I get a different story.
Former beacons of community involvement - bake sales, neighborhood dinners and the annual Christmas tree lighting - no longer get the support and participation they once did. A friend on my block told me last week “these CEOs and hedge fund managers moving in are happy to write a check to support the event, but when you ask for their time, it’s a different story.” What does this say about the state of the neighborhood and the people living here? As communities try to strike a balance between fighting gentrification to preserve the authentic character of a neighborhood while, at the same time, enjoying the benefits of new boutiques and gourmet restaurants, it’s more important than ever to remain actively involved. That balance is a tough one to preserve and one where the pendulum can easily swing out of control. A community is a reflection of the people living in it, but when the type of people change, the reflection and image that drew those people grows in jeopardy. If new residents of a neighborhood don’t care enough to invest their time in its future, that neighborhood will reflect that apathy and be swallowed by the highest bidder. And money doesn’t haven’t much personality. So as rumors of McDonald’s, Lucky Jeans and Starbucks opening on Smith Street fly, I can’t help but wonder if I will still be proud to call Cobble Hill my home in a few years. I hope the answer is yes.
This is the first article in a new series on community involvement in our neighborhood.
Episode 2 of Ask Mario
Sobeit Union | August 1, 2007
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We have a special treat today…episode 2 of Ask Mario. In episode 2, Mario waxes philosophic about hedge fund managers invading the neighborhood, overpriced muffins and Governor Corzine (huh?). The podcast is available here. And in case you missed it…here is episode one.
If you have questions that you’d like Mario to answer, send them to askmario [at] bergencarroll [dot] com.
