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Stepping above ground at 125th Street and Saint Nicholas Avenue in Harlem, James Brown’s hit, Payback plays loudly on a vendor’s neon green stereo, African women dressed in brightly patterned garments persistently chirping, “hair braiding, we braid hair,” and a brand new Starbucks bustles with folks craving a caffeine high.
Harlem’s 125th Street is set to undergo major reconstruction within the next 10 years. The Department of City Planning has outlined a plan to provide street scape improvement, encourage and support new retail/commercial/art entertainment development and to develop income-targeted affordable housing. All of these plans were designed to attract tourists and serve Harlemites.
The election of Barack Obama, with his compelling campaign slogan promoting CHANGE excited the community, but to many in Harlem, change still means the possibility of losing a business or a home. With the presidential election now over, some people say that change will come sooner rather than later. But, many residents are skeptical, arguing that reconstruction has been in progress for years with nothing substantial to show for it.
Mart 125, a closed shopping center for African vendors hasn’t been open in six years. Instead, the building remains empty with a discolored store front sign. Further down the street an abandoned movie theater stands alone, boarded up, only four doors down from the world famous Apollo.
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Sharon has been an usher at the Apollo for 17 years and says that business hasn’t been the same for the last few years. She explains that she knew something was, “different” on 125th Street once Mart 125 closed. Former business owners at Mart 125 believe that they were pushed out to accommodate the city’s plan to rezone.
Former business owner, Muhammad B., now has his former clothing business set up only a few yards from the Apollo Theater’s well-recognized street front. Muhammad once owned space at Mart 125, but after the closing he was forced to take his business to the streets.
The city’s plans for reconstructing 125th Street are outlined in the 2008 approved, “125th Rezoning Project.” In 2003, the Economic Development Corporation, the Department of Housing and Development, the Department of Small Business Services, the Department of Transportation and other city agencies put together a study of 125th Street.
“The purpose of this study was to propose a strategic planning and development framework for 125th Street,” says Jennifer Torres of the Department of City Planning. Local community organizations like the 125th Business Improvement District, Harlem Chamber of Commerce, 100 Harlem businesses and other major stakeholders participated in the 125th street project.
The 125th Business Improvement District is recommending to the Department of City Planning, that their project should include the elimination of all vendors in order to make room for sidewalk traffic. Muhammad scoffs at the BID’s goals for his business and other vendors. The various vendors set up wooden tables to sell a range of items including Shea butter, books by African-American writers, clothing by private designers, and President Obama memorabilia.
“I go to 125th Street because it’s where I can get unique items, like clothes and jewelry that I can’t find anywhere else. My grandmother reminds me before I go back home to visit family in Florida to pick her up some incense, because they comes from Africa,” says a young girl as she scans through a table covered with colorful t-shirts branded with President Obama’s face.
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Steve J., who stands behind his table of brightly colored shirts, has been selling these t-shirts for almost a year. The designs for his shirts are his own, as well as those of his friends. He chose to sell t-shirts with the likeness of Obama because there’s a demand for it. On 125th Street, it’s almost impossible not to see some sort of Obama inspired product.
“Obama was hot awhile ago, and he’s somewhat decent now,” says Steve J. He also associates the drop in Obama’s popularity to his election as president of the United States, and this sort of campaigning is no longer required as a result.
However, the economic decline has turned his business into that of a scary rollercoaster ride. “It’s up and down. These are hard times. I’ve seen better days.” Steven J. goes on to add that the recession is damaging the once booming business of vendors. Furthermore, vendors are becoming competitive. He says that if one vendor notices another vendor doing well selling a certain product, they too will start selling that product.
The 125th BID’s recommendation for the removal of vendors doesn’t makes sense to Steven J., because the presence of vendors is an important aspect of many communities in New York.
“People want to see vendors. Street vendors are the heart of New York,” he says.
The 125th Rezoning Project is something that deeply bothers Steven J. “It hurts me. I want to make money. I’ve been doing this for years.” He believes that jealousy and the fact that store owners believe that they control the wealth of 125th Street is damaging the neighborhood.
“I would bet every dime, there’s jealousy and racism,” he says.
President Obama’s campaign for “change” has helped many vendors to stay afloat because there’s a demand for goods like buttons, bags, t-shirts and other well-crafted pieces that are sold to residents and tourist of Harlem.
The New York Department of City Planning doesn’t believe that President’s Obama’s election has had any effect on their rezoning plan for Harlem’s 125th Street.
“The rezoning plan was approved by the City Council in April 2008, prior to the elections of President Obama. Moreover, most of the planning work and public outreach effort for the rezoning plan occurred before President Obama’s candidacy, “says Torres. (DCP’s overview of rezoning plan)
The DCP will continue their focus on Harlem’s rezoning, which is part of the Mayor Bloomberg’s Five Borough Economic Opportunity Plan (Plan Homepage) that is working in each community to better manage them through the troubling economic times.
Steve J. doesn’t see anything or expect much to change on 125th Street, just because Obama is president.
“Obama doesn’t run 125th Street. Local politicians do. He did help make more money by helping sales.” In trying to imagine how vendors would be surviving now without Obama’s hype which resulted in a demand for memorabilia, Steve J. adds that, “they would be crying and starving without him.”
Local politicians and city service groups are projecting that within the next ten years that support will come for struggling residents of Harlem. The Department of City Planning is reporting that, “the rezoning plan would incentivize the creation of more than one million square feet of commercial office space and approximately 6,600 jobs.”
Jennifer Torres of the DCP says that the growth of jobs in Harlem will come from the newly developed businesses. These same businesses will be within the Empowerment Zone and NY State Empire Zone that will receive tax benefits that will encourage companies to hire low-income populations in the local community. The point of these benefits will be to promote employers to hire locals.
But, another main focus for Harlem residents is affordable housing. The Department of Housing Preservation and Development has organized a new program which will provide residents with the opportunity of home ownership.
“I’ve lived in Harlem for almost my whole life. Now that I’m older and I have a family of my own to raise, the chance to own property here would be amazing. Harlem is my home,” says one Harlem resident.
The rezoning project isn’t moving full speed to make any of these dreams a reality for the people of Harlem. The project also isn’t set to change despite the disapproval of local activist groups like Vote People, who are speaking against it on the local radio stations.As reported by City Blog, Vote People is bashing the plan for not protecting the history and community relations of Harlem.
The current status of the economy is keeping investors from helping the DCP to move forward.
“We project potential development that could take place over a ten year period. While the city is supporting marketing efforts for the 125th corridor, the market will determine when the area is ripe for private investment,” says Jennifer Torres. She goes on to add that, “We (DCP) believe that changes, when they occur, will benefit the residents of Harlem and the city as a whole, and we will continue to work close with local officials to ensure this.”
For now, the people of Harlem will have to wait and see whether the place they call home will continue to keep the same essence that it’s kept for so long. Change can possibly improve their lives for the better, but individuals are being asked by local activist and residents to band together for what they believe in.
Steven J. believes that his community is in a sad state and points out how people will complain about what is wrong and do nothing to change it. When they wait it becomes too late and all they are left with is anger.
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He advises that those who want change or care to preserve the community should, “get off their (expletive), make things happen and stop lying down and complaining.”
President Obama still promises change in the months following his election. The Department of City Planning is creating a plan for change. The people of Harlem are now realizing it’s their turn to either sit down and shut up, or stand up and be an important instrument in the rebuilding process.