Author Archives: Julissa Soriano

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The battle between South Slope and Park Slope’s borderlines

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South Slope has been overshadowed by Park Slope’s prestigious culture, small businesses and real estate properties. A neighborhood once considered Green-wood Heights was rezoned within South Slope’s fifty-block stretch eleven years ago.

It is not clear whether people are not aware of South Slope’s name and blurred boundary lines because of favoritism towards Park Slope, misinformation, or misleading real estate properties.

In July 1973 the Slope was given boundaries by a Historic District Designation Report created by the City of New York, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Administration, and Landmarks Preservation Commission. In 1981 Gail Collins wrote an article for the New York Times marking the first division between North Slope and South Slope.

New Yorkers will mostly be familiar with North Slope rather than South Slope.

“I tend to call this neighborhood Park Slope most of the time. I feel like a lot of people don’t know what South Slope is. It doesn’t seem like a part of Park Slope. I didn’t even know that it was considered South Slope until I moved here. I live on 17th Street and found out it was South Slope through Google Maps,” said Brittney Alvarez, 23-years-old, a South Slope resident of four years.

Unlike Park Slope, classified as number one in New York City for nightlife, Green Space, Restaurants, and safety amongst other categories by New York Magazine, it is no secret that Park Slope is a luxury neighborhood. Could it be that people prefer telling others they live in Park Slope, because of its prestige and higher status?

“Well I used to say it was Park Slope, until I was corrected by the principle at the school I work at. He also lives here and said it was South Slope. I still say I live in Park Slope because it sounds nicer and it’s more expensive. I would’ve always said Park Slope if he didn’t correct me,” said Pat Rademaker, 47-years-old.

South Slope has been recognized by a recent surge of town houses, co-ops and condominiums. An influx of apartment buildings in South Slope relatively cheaper than those in Park Slope has caused an increase in new residents.

“It use to be a lot of New Yorkers, now its people from other states, ” said Sam Sarsour, 48-years-old, owner of South Slope’s Subs and Stuff located on at 624 5th Avenue between 17th and 18th Street.

One block away from Subs and Stuff locates South Slope’s trendiest coffee shop, Roots Cafe, located on 639 5th Avenue between 18th and 19th Street. Roots Cafe has seen the growing changes in the community and was featured on The New York Times titled A Cozy Living Room With a Barista: Roots Cafe in the South Slope last February.

Cafe Shop owner Amanda Neill believes that people are aware of the neighborhood name. She believes the South Slope neighborhood is a slow fade between 15th and Prospect Avenue. Neill

Feels like South Slope is changing its tone, but not mirroring Park Slope’s identity.

“I wouldn’t want to change it, but would hope to preserve the small-town feel that it now has. I fear that change will take away from the quiet beauty of this place that attracts so many,” said Neill when asked what she would change about South Slope.

South Slope is beginning to receive recognition by both the New York Times and locals for artsy bars and coffee shops. New Local businesses are driving young professionals to the community who are informed on the South Slope name and margins.

According to the New York City Department of City Planning official website, South Park Slope was approved for rezoning in August of 2005. South Park Slope’s area boundary is between 15th Street and 24th Street and between Fourth Avenue and Prospect Park West.

Those who don’t know the neighborhoods designation are either uninformed or do not have access to the web. Currently the only source that distinguishes South Slope’s name and rezoning is the New York City Department of City Planning, Google Maps, and the KickMap application.

Those that are unaware of South Slope’s borders can be misled by businesses and properties marketing themselves located in Park Slope to maximize its value, but are technically located in South Slope. One example of this is Park Slope Christian Center, located on 269 Prospect Park West between Prospect Avenue and 17th Street.

Those that are unaware of South Slope’s borders can be misled by businesses and properties marketing themselves located in Park Slope to maximize its value, but are technically located in South Slope. One example of this is Park Slope Christian Center, ran by part-time real estate agent and full-time Pastor Alexander Rivera, 48-years-old.

 

American Girl

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What is the theme of Ta Nehisi-Coates”s profile?

The theme of Ta Nehisi- Coates’s profile represents Michelle Obama’s early years growing up in South Side and how that has shaped her as an American.

Is there an overarching narrative?

Yes. The overarching narrative addresses black separatism.

What surprises Coates about Michelle Obama?

Coates was surprised because instead of Obama building her speech on slave narratives or oppression, she spoke about her life as a child and how America has changed since then.

How does Coates contextualize Michelle in the context of his own background growing up in Baltimore?

Coates grew up in a segregated neighborhood whereas Obama grew up in an all black community; even though they lived in two different social cultures they both understood blackness as a minority in their adult life because they both stepped out of their community borders and experienced a world that was unrecognizable from the world they grew up in.

Conflict Story Pitch- South Slope

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My pitch is about two bars that are right next door to each other and how they deal with competing on the same street. South Slope is definitely  heavily saturated with bars and liquor stores. I want to write about how the businesses deal with literally being side-by-side from each other. I also want to interview the neighbors who live right above the bars and what they think about the bars, that nearly take over the entire street (5th Avenue between 17th and 18th street). Another possible interview will be the Editor of South Slope News. I want him to shed some light on the neighborhood residents and how it has influenced the growing night-life in South Slope.

South Slope’s First Caribbean Restaurant

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An upside down glass cup rests on a Caribbean beer cork coaster. The music playing is a Soca tune, a genre of Caribbean music–also known as the sound of calypso–originating from Trinidad and Tobago, Shake Up You Bum Bum by Timaya.

Roosters Caribbean Tapas, a restaurant combining fusions of traditional islander dishes in South Slope, focuses on maintaining the quality of their food and customer experience in order to survive the neighborhood’s gentrification.

“South Slope is desolate because if you really look around there’s nothing. We’re waiting for gentrification to take place,” said employee Michael Von Hagen, 19-years-old.

Businesses either improve to accommodate the neighborhoods transition or close down and remain vacant for months or years. The neighborhood’s 5th Avenue stretch is updating and businesses are hopeful that South Slope becomes the new Park Slope, North of the not so subtle Prospect Avenue borderline.

Roosters was founded in January 2015, by Trinidadian storeowner Cris Achong. Achong wanted to share his food journey around the world through Roosters.

During their grand opening in January Roosters served free samplers from the menu to over 100 people, including Hip Hop artist Nicki Minaj’s mother Carol Miraj and her entourage, according to head manager Yeni Mata, 48-years-old.

Achong’s knack for cooking and passion for traveling resulted in him opening his own restaurant filled with his favorite dishes and personal style.

The 800 Sq. Ft. restaurant is located on 651 5th Avenue between 18th and 19th streets and can hold about forty-three customers at a time.

Roosters, the only of its kind amongst the neighborhoods handful of storefronts­–mostly Mexican and Italian restaurants–are boldly diversifying the community. Because Roosters is the only restaurant serving traditional Caribbean food there is no competition, adding exclusivity to the restaurant.

“A lot of individuals, when we first decided to open the restaurant said we should do Mexican or Italian, that’s what sells around here. I said food is food. People enjoy food regardless of the neighborhood,” said Mata.

Fresh businesses have a clear vision of the neighborhood’s future, comprising of much younger families and individuals moving in with higher incomes.

As stated by the 2007/09 American Community Surveys in district 7, where South Slope, Windsor Terrace and Sunset Park are located, about 100,013 of the population were between the ages of eighteen and sixty-four. Compared to the total population of 152,227 people.

Most of the locals are young professionals who come home in the evening after a workday. In order to best accommodate the neighborhood and restaurant Roosters is open six days a week from 3 p.m. until nighttime. “I’ve talked to other neighborhood businesses and they say 80% is from takeout,” said Mata, when referring to the restaurants income. The restaurant can be servicing the 80% of people ordering takeout who may be of older age and don’t have the means to physically walk to the restaurant, or the young professionals who come home in the evening after a long workday.

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In order to maintain the restaurants Caribbean identity Achong has tried to include traditional islander qualities, giving the restaurant a resemblance of those from the tropics. Including long wooden benches featured in most Caribbean restaurants, allowing both locals and foreigners to sit together in a relaxed family setting.

The restaurant also serves Red Stripe, a beer brewed in Jamaica, and Shandy Carib, a carbonated soft drink to keep the authentic Caribbean restaurant theme going for Brooklyn locals.

The platters are fusions between traditional Dominican, Haitian, Trinidadian Tobagonian, Jamaican and other Caribbean cuisines. Customary to those countries and their large proportioned platters, Roosters serves nouvelle style– a modern style of cooking emphasizing the foods freshness and presentation–served in tapa style; a style of eating originating from Spain meant for appetizers or snacking a variety of foods in small portions.

The most popular dish is the Haitian black rice, at $9, and the Caribbean Experience, a dish giving you the option n picking three tapas from anywhere but the entrée’s at $23. The average cost of a menu item is about $11.

“It’s not just a Caribbean restaurant, where you throw food on a plate and go. We’ve got a little more flare,” said Mata.

 Roosters platters avoid heaps of food. They focus on the foods taste and quality. Mata describes the food as mouth bursting, and mentioned the neighborhood demographics impacting the restaurants choice of smaller serving sizes.

 Although Rooster’s serves customers of all ethnic backgrounds the number of Black or African American non-Latino’s is 53,939 compared to the district total population of 717,708.

While the neighborhood continues to gentrify both culturally and economically, 5th avenue storefronts are becoming more and more popular. Both the storeowner and managers are mindful of the new condominium opening down the street on 19th street and 4th avenue, holding 96 units, and aim to see an expansion in costumers and income.

“We picked a time where we saw what was going on here; a lot of renovations, a lot of projects. Things are happening,” said Mata.

The store is hopeful about the new upcoming renovation, projects and things happening in the neighborhood. If business thrives, they plan to open another location either in Williamsburg or Dumbo.

 

Where I Came From- A.J Liebling

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I agree with Philip Hamburger. Liebling’s Back Where I Came From is like a double edged sword. Bittersweet yet tangy, honest yet jokey, lovely yet dreadful. He does not hold back and pushes the envelope and includes  pain with a mixture of sarcasm and wit. Liebling loves his city, but he isn’t afraid to call problems out. He isn’t afraid to expose the agony that comes with living in such a big city. I love how Leibling compares the city to a “complicated Renaissance clock” or when he says “A man lives on a street until the mayoralty grows over him like patina.” These statements  are examples of how fast and forgetful NYC can really be.

 

South Slope’s transformation according to Subs “n” Stuff storeowner

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IMG_6955-1South Slope News

Everyday there are South Slope, Brooklyn residents who walk to the subway for their commute. While walking down 5th Ave. to the local Prospect Avenue R train station on 4th Ave., they are likely to pass by the newly opened deli as of last February.

Sam Sarsour, 48, owner of Subs “n” Stuff deli, located in South Slope at 624 5th Ave. moved to the neighborhood from Palestine at 10 months old with his family. He’s witnessed the rapid changes in South Slope, a neighborhood within the outskirts of 15th St. and 24th St. and Fourth Ave. through Prospect Park West.

At first, Sarsour lived on 24th St. between Third and Fourth Ave. with his parents and four brothers. “It’s the block where lady liberty looks right at you, my Mom still lives there until this day,” said Sarsour.

As a child, Sarsour remembers South Slope being called Gowanus. He described Gowanus as a grim place with stray pit bulls in packs roaming the streets freely. Neighbors were terrified of leaving their homes because of the large number of stray dogs.

“Back in the day. There was no animal control,” Sarsour said.

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“Do we have more Times?” asks Sam’s brother and co-owner of Subs “n” Stuff, Mike Sarsour, 38.

“Yeah, you do.” The man noticed another person being handed their iced coffee and said, “You have coffee too! You guys have everything I need!”

“Yeap. That’s why we’re called Subs and Stuff.”

The man was middle aged. His glasses were circular with gold frames a long beard and long silver hair pulled back into a low ponytail.

“Just making sure my favorite section is in here. Yeap, it’s here,” he said while shuffling through the Times in an Australian accent.

“There’s too much honking here, after four days, I can’t handle it anymore,” said the man while grabbing his iced coffee and heading out. He had what appeared to be a stamp on his right hand. The kinds you get when you go out clubbing the night before. It seemed like he was on a business trip.

In fact the average customer according to Sam and Mike are in their mid 20’s, Caucasian, single, male or female.

Sarsour’s dad, David, was the first to purchase property in Park Slope and started his own local business as a grocery store owner of General Market and Deli, on 201 Eighth Ave. David retired after being diagnosed with lung cancer and heart disease.

Many neighbors loved David and threw him a block party the day he closed down his store. Sarsour’s father told him and his brothers that everyone has two legs and can walk to any grocery store they wanted to. He assured them that people would walk to the store where they are treated best. “They made my dad a certificate of appreciation,” said Sarsour while his eyes gleamed.

The Sarsour brothers live by their father’s business and moral principles and are appreciative of his choice of location when investing in residential and small business properties.

The neighborhood has been referred to as Sunset Park and Greenwood, and was rezoned in 2005 as South Park Slope according to the New York Department of City Planning.

South Slope continues to have a large population of senior citizens, however, young single professionals and students are making their way in and they are here to stay. Local businesses are making the necessary changes to accommodate the younger crowd. Now there are macaroon shops, wineries, sports bars, thrift stores, bike shops and plenty of restaurants.

Sarsour believes that the neighborhood flipped and real estate rose in prices because of public schools. He went to Public School 172, the Beacon School of Excellence. P.S 172 was given a Blue Ribbon Award by the U.S Educational Department, according to the Daily News and has been considered one of the leading schools in the neighborhood for years. He also remembers the influx of people moving to South Slope after 9/11. In 2000 District 7, where South Slope is located had a total population of 120,063. In 2012 the total population was 148,990.

In 2007, Sarsour and his brothers purchased their first store on 23rd Street and 4th Avenue. Sarsour gave up his career as a chef and split the costs with his brothers for Subs “n” Stuff and their other supermarket down the street called Earths Basket.

“We wanted to be our own bosses,” said Sarsour.

They wanted to be their own bosses and make their own money. Sarsour and his siblings regret not having purchased more storefronts before 2001, when South Slope property was much lower in price.

Suki Sushi, a retail storefront at 631 5th Ave., across the street from Subs “n” Stuff was vacant for about a year and was recently purchased. The storefront is being advertised on showcase.com and leased for an asking price of five thousand dollars a month.

Sarsour, is currently renting his storefront for over 3,500 a month, according to Mike.

 

 

 

 

Dasani Commentary and Critiques

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I think It is ethical to leave out Dasani’s last name. Leaving her last name out just shows the delicacy Andre Elliot has for Dasani and her family. Yes, there is a good chance people can find out what her given name is, however I do think given her circumstances and given how graphic and personal this five part series is, excluding her last name is giving Dasani and her family the right to privacy in the only way possible. We already know about every other aspect of her life, so I don’t think a last name included in the story gives or takes away from the article.

The story to me is fine in length. In fact, I think Dasani’s story could be a great autobiography or nonfiction book. When reading this article, there is not one section or part of the article that is not engaging. Elliot adds so much description and detail that as a reader you can see what she is describing. Every aspect is covered, from Dasani’s living circumstance, her family, the projects she lives nearby, McKinney middle and high school, Dasani’s classmates and demographics. Elliot leaves no room for questioning. Everything is answered in details.

Policies and politics on homelessness is very relevant to the topic, however, this stories main focus in humanizing Dasani rather than categorizing her and shaping her into a girl that is a product of the problems faced by homelessness in NYC. The story is more focused on Dasani not being a product of her living circumstances. Dasani says it clearly.

“That’s not gonna be me,” she says. “Nuh-uh. Nope.”