Williamsburg is a diverse neighborhood in Brooklyn. Approximately 125,000 people live in Williamsburg. The residents of Williamsburg have easy access to public transportation. Three subway lines ride across the neighborhood including several bus lines. There is also the Williamsburg Bridge that provides commuters access to the city, whether they cross it by train, foot or car.
There you can find variety of restaurants, bars, churches and retail shops to catch the attention of any type of person. There is a place for everyone. Many landmarks fill the streets of Williamsburg such as the Continental Army Plaza, the Domino Sugar Refinery and The Kings County Savings Institution.
I decided to write about Williamsburg because it is a neighborhood I visit frequently. I am a member of a church there. I also spend leisure time in East River Park. In the summer, this park was filled with people on picnics, sunbathing, reading books or taking advantage of the city skyline as the back drop for their photos.
Williamsburg is going through gentrification. New condos and office buildings are bringing in residents with higher income. Ms. Friedrich, a film professor at Princeton, made a film called Gut Renovation that described how gentrification has destroyed this neighborhood. This is a controversial topic because although rent and other prices are being increased, the crime rate has decreased.
Williamsburg is the “spot to be.” I think some of the most interesting aspects of the neighborhood are some of the more obscure businesses around there. I think there is a place that only sells meatball sandwiches. Pretty cool! I knew an EMT who used to work in the area, and he complained about hipsters always getting jumped by people from poorer surrounding neighborhoods– just an idea.
Margarita, This is a good start but try to be more specific. Much has been written about gentrification so you need to find a new angle and/or a new idea. Who has been pushed out and why? How do the oldtimers deal with the newcomers? I do not quite understand your point that there is a controversy because rent has gone up and crime decreased. Don’t people who can afford the higher rent want less crime? Please clarify.
It is clear, that you have done your research. Gentrification is a great topic, and a awesome way to help find your way around other issues that people are facing. Maybe, finding out what is causing the changes and how are the residents who currently live there feel about such changes. Good luck!
Been hearing a lot about Williamsburg for what feels like the past 3 years, but I have yet to visit. I hear its a great place to hang out, and I’m always looking for new cool places around NYC to enjoy. Looking forward to your overall coverage of the neighborhood. Great choice, Margarita!
Hello Margarita,
Earlier this year, I remember the New York Senate voting on a bill that (if I remember correctly) would prevent the landlords from raising loft tenants their rent to market levels when their units were not considered or zoned for residential occupancy. I don’t remember the outcome. What I do remember is hearing many stories from locals about how they have moved into these rental loft spaces that were completely empty, renovated the unit (with their own money) to install a kitchen, bathroom(s) and bedroom(s), and have been living there some for decades. Now, the landlords found a loophole in the system that was allowing them to raise the rent to normal market level (for some, over four times their current rent) but did not require the landlord to cover any maintenance issues to the unit because again, it was originally just an empty space. I may have some of the details wrong.
It would be nice to know what happened to that law? Did it pass both the Assembly and Senate? Was it enforced? And if so, how has it affected the neighborhood?
Hope this helps you.
I’ve noticed in Williamsburg’s that many condos are being built and prices are going up. I feel in the next couple of years it will be a whole new place. To me Williamsburg has been a place where hipsters go to hang out. There is a lot of cool graffiti there also, maybe there’s a story behind that.