Personally, as someone who has not lived in one particular place all their life, it could be difficult to witness the gentrification or urbanization of a location that I stay in. However, that doesn’t mean that I haven’t seen it happen in areas that I frequently visit.
Being a resident of the Bronx has allowed me to first-hand witness the gentrification of the area I used to live in and to go to high school in, Co-op City. Over the years, public areas in Co-op City have been taken over by corporations and become a spot that welcomes people with deeper pockets. For example, the fast-food restaurants around Co-op City 4 years ago included, but weren’t limited to, McDonald’s, Burger King, and Popeyes. This was fitting for the majority of the residents of Co-op as they could access cheap fast food with ease. However, now in Co-op, you can find new restaurants that have taken over the public spaces such as Shake Shack, Chipotle, and Starbucks.
To make matters worse, the segregation in the area is so blatant that it is almost vexatious. For example, there are two main places to get coffee in Co-op, Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks. With the prices, you are more likely to find the white residents of Co-op in Starbucks and the black residents in Dunkin. Same with Shack Shack versus McDonald’s, respectively. All of this is a result of the influx of white families that have been entering Co-op City in recent years. It diversifies the area that has been minority populated for a while. However, it also gives small businesses the chance to jack up prices unnecessarily and large corporations a chance to step in and privatize public spaces. I am not necessarily the type to not support diversification, however, I see no need for small businesses to jack up their prices for the customers who have been shopping with them for years.
I agree with you Dave because people who can afford these kind of food places like Starbucks or chipotle would be hard for them to find something decent to eat. Due to the fact that these restaurants are changing people may have to waste a little more than they have to get a meal. Adding to the fact that supermarket groceries are going higher as well.