I recently wound up on the wrong side of the argument about the plans for the waterfront here in Williamsburg. You'd think--since I'm your classic bleeding heart liberal/champion for the little guy--that I would be outraged at the notion of filling a half mile of park-friendly waterfront with skyscrapers for rich folks. And I am. But I also admit to feeling something else. Something like, "Oh well!" or "Now you know how it feels!"
Because it would suck if the waterfront is turned into the next Battery Park City, it would. Not for the people who can afford to buy a two million dollar studio loft in one of the new view-blotters of course--but for the selfish, narrow-visioned, ex-pats of the middle class who overpopulated and claimed a pre-existing neighborhood as their own, whose presence quadrupled the market value of shit-bag apartments and much-needed manufacturing/shop/small business space, who went to all the trouble to alienate and force out the families and businesses who had been there before them. It'll be a shame when they can't afford their digs anymore.
I don't blame the late eighties/early nineties first-wavers. Poverty has made me the unwilling gentrifier on more than one occasion. I'm quite familiar with the Oh shit here come the white people/youngsters/artists/non-whatever we are glare; and the frustration in being unable to explain that you are not a threat, you're just a fellow poor person who's trying to get by like everyone else. Moving to a neighborhood because of it's affordable housing, studio space, or doable small business locales--there's nothing wrong with that in and of itself. I have a problem with the greed and inaction that follows.
People should have been worrying about affordable housing in Williamsburg years ago, unifying with their existing neighbors, building a strong community. So the second and third wave who were willing and able to pay outrageous rents for sub-standard housing with daddy's shiny credit card (no matter who it displaced) wouldn't have swooped in and littered the place with clothing stores and restaurants--a fucking mall even--no struggling family or actual starving artist could ever afford to patronize. I sure can't afford to eat or shop or drink over there. But it draws people who can. And you know what? They like a view.
Real estate Darwinism doesn't end when you ascend on an impoverished neighborhood and remake it in a white upper class image--it begins there. Build it and they will come, motherfucker.
yeah, but- oh wait, I just remembered I have no opinion on this subject. Carry on.
Posted by: monk at August 5, 2005 04:05 PMi actually want to comment on the previous post but there is no comment box for me. hm.
anyway, yeah, we had a thing here because i decided that This Year i would see FRIENDS and not just family which resulted in like meeting my cousin's feral children in las vegas and also some weird random bits that i could write a whole essay about. but basically, yes: we speak your language in these parts, too. and i wish i had a lanugage more useful, like maybe ancient latin would be more likely to come in handy. and less painful.
Posted by: anne at August 8, 2005 10:51 PManne--
re: closed comments--due to spammers my blog is set up to close the comments after "x" days. I'm not being vague for a purpose, I don't remember how many I set it to. And yeah, it sucks. I could be pissed at the spammers for taking away my freedom of choice, but I choose to think the time constraint adds an exciting element of urgency.
Get your comments while their hot! Last chance on comments! Comment before midnight tonight!
Wow. That's just plain annoying innit? Sorry.
Posted by: antigeist at August 9, 2005 07:55 AM