Landmarking = Community Power Tool

What influence does the landmark status of a neighborhood have on the gentrification of a neighborhood? Well, any involved restoration project needs a power tool.   And in my opinion, landmark status is the ultimate power tool that Bed Stuy residents can use to manage the effects of gentrification and preserve community history.

Gentrification is a hot button issue in our borough.  Real estate values in previously undesireable areas continue to rise, and longtime residents and businesses are forced to look for homes elsewhere.  At the same time, those who can afford to stay are able to enjoy a revitalized neighborhood, usually with an increase in services that encourage residents to stay, invest, and grow. 

Before the recent economic downturn, Bed Stuy was facing some of the consequences of rapid development and gentrification.  During the spring of 2009, when my husband and I were just beginning to look at apartments in Bed Stuy, one developer wanted $500,000 for a less than 1,000 square foot apartment on Dekalb and Throop.  Seemed like every week, new condos were taking the place of abandoned lots and new cafes were opening faster than you could sample their authentic Brooklyn fare.  And the architecture of these new developments?  Not exactly in keeping with the Beaux Arts tradition of the brownstowns Bed Stuy has always been known for, that is for sure. 

Then the bottom fell out of the market.  Within about two months of when we saw the half a million dollar condo, developers were defaulting on loans and  working with local politicians to fill hundreds of completely empty units at much lower prices.  Now, Bed Stuy has one of the highest foreclosure rates in New York. 

Recovery has started in the last six months.  However, developers are not ripping down and building up with same gusto as before.  And now, with the possibility of landmark status, there is a real chance that Bedford Stuyvesant residents will be able to manage the speed and quality of growth in the neighborhood. 

Tomorrow at Restoration Plaza, at 6pm, the New York Landmark Preservation Commission will host a community information meeting on the possible landmarking of four historic districts within Bedford Stuyvesant.  Those four districts are Bedford Corners, The Stuyvesant Heights extension, Stuyvesant East, and Stuyvesant North.  Representatives from the LPC have stated that Bed Stuy resident attendance at this meeting, more than any petition or postcard campaign, will provide evidence of community support of the landmarking effort. 

Life is busy, and this week in particular at our house is a killer.  But I am asking the babysitter to stay late, because Bed Stuy has become my home in the last year as no other placed in NYC has and I want to show the love. I don't want gentrification to be a foregone conclusion, since we are bordered by Park Slope, Fort Greene/Clinton Hill, and Williamsburg.  We have a second chance to keep our neighborhood reflective of its storied history, instead of a bunch of soulless brick and mortar boxes.  As active Bed Stuy residents, we can manage the revitalization of our neighborhood, actively ensuring that new and old residents alike can enjoy the benefits of gentrification.   Come join me.