Tuesday, February 26, 2008
NYT Change In Harlem
Hotmail appears to be down completely for the time being so I'll offer this recent story from the New York Times on the transformation of Harlem. The particular focus is on the impact of more affluent Blacks who have moved to the area. The article is well written and, I think, significantly more nuanced than what the Post seems to turn out on the topic of gentrification. It also addresses an aspect of the topic that too many people somehow miss.
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12 comments:
What is the name of this article? The link to the NYTimes is not working and there are a few recent articles regarding Harlem in the Times. Thanks -Lucci
Sorry, that was a typo on my end. It is working now. The article is Harlem Pas de Deux.
Fascinating story. So many parallels to our community...
I've always viewed gentrification as an economics issue, not a race issue.
Anon 7:32, agree, but in DC we have the Post which never writes anything with any depth or real understanding of the issue(I hate the Post).
great article by NYT! I was in Busboys and Poets recently, and said to my lunch partner- "Oh yeah, I forgot about the black middle class in DC."
I don't see it much around H Street. It would be great if more middle class people of color moved into the neighborhood!
There is a pretty decent representation of the black middle class in our Trinidad/H Street hood. However, they may not be as recognizable as their white counterparts. Much like the stay at home mom in the NYT article....those representing the black middle class could be overlooked due to the ability to blend in w/o being recognized quite as easily. However, I will agree more "buppies" are found in and around the U Street area vs. the H Street NE area. The Wall Street Journal did an article several years ago when Bowie, MD was going through a similar transformation. The residents were mostly white and working class and before many black upper middle class residents began to move there. Gentrification is definately more about economics than race.
What about the part about the long standing residents being resilient to non black businesses opening in Harlem? Sounds like a paralel to our little neighborhood. I don't know if non-black stores are getting robbing in the area. There was the burgluary of Sidamo (black owned), and the armed robbery of Mac's Tires (also black owned, if I'm not mistaken). Another parallel to the plight of the coffee shop in Harlem.
Yeah, it's economics, but I don't think the race factor should be ignored. I'm the only black man on my block under 30 that owns his house. Just about every black professional I know would rather live in PG. There is a huge black middle class population in this region, but why won't they live in DC?
8th and El:
Why do the professional blacks you know prefer PG?
Hillman,
I wish I knew. Maybe because they see more familiar faces there? Out of all my co-workers and friends in the area, the only black person I know that lives in DC only lives there because she inherited a house. I think she's plannig to move too:(
Traveling to hang out with my friends suck, but they love doing things in DC. When I ask why not live here, they complain about prices. I always give the arguement that commuting to DC for work and play not only wastes resources in time and money, but puts stress on you in the long run. But, I just think for many, PG i just more recognizable.
8th and El,
other new businesses have been robbed, [Sidamo, Palace of Wonders [ok, that was a homeless guy who broke in for the booze], the Argonaut, Urban Legendz, ect.]. But I also know that some of the businesses that have been here a while have also been hit before. It just may be that what's happening there is less noticible than the Argo's tv walking off, or the glass having to be replaced at Sidamo. If the store getting burglarized is Euro Designs, and you don't shop there, and there is no broken glass out front, would you know they were burgled? Because I think I'd be unlikely to hear about it. They WERE hit a couple of years back, by the way. And it isn't uncommon for thieves to come in through the roof, so the visible damage thing is not so out there.
I have black friends in PG and DC. It's very interesting to engage in dialogue with the black middle class who choose DC and those who choose PG. There are a myriad of reasons ranging from what is considered as signs of success to background. Many black middle class people are not willing to pay $400K for a 1100 sq foot dwelling. Instead they expect a garage and a lot more space hence the choice to move to Upper Marlboro or Bowie, MD. Many residents also enjoy the quiet offered to those living outside the beltway of PG county. There is a stark difference inside the beltway (Suitland, Forestville) and outside the beltway (Mitchellville, Upper Marlboro, Bowie). In general black middle class people are not big fans of a small amt of space for a lot more money. In addition many black people grew up in the city and place a higher value on the suburbs in general. However, the main factor is $$$ and the amt one can get for their money in PG. Overall, black middle class residents in the DC metro area just don't place the same value of short commutes and the ability to walk to various businesses that their white middle class DC residents counterparts value. The choice to live in PG over Mont. County, and No. VA suburbs is also rooted in the amt of space one can get their money and many black middle and upper middle class residents enjoy living around people who look like them and share they share cultural commonalities. This is also what makes DC and Atlanta so very popular for the professional African-American crowd. The PG over DC discussion is one that occurs often among Black proffs in this area and I am sure that discussion will continue. If you polled black people who choose Mont. County and NOVA suburbs you would find education and lower crime rates tops on their list of must haves. Like DC residents some PG county residents also opt for private schools vs. PG county public schools. PG county schools are also suffering much like DCPS.
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