Days ago I wrote about computers replacing people in some of the publishing jobs back in the late ’80s. What a shame. I still think back to those days and the people let go from their jobs. For a while I kept in contact with some of them. Some of the people were able to get other jobs right away. Others received some training so they could be marketable in the “new” world of publishing. And then there were those who were unable to find anything. I truly felt bad for them.
After showing so much loyalty to a company for so many years, it’s unfortunate when people get thrown away, as if they were nothing.
That leads me to what happened to the “real” New York. Yes, things change and cities grow. Parts of cities get revitalized. “Bad” sections of a city get gentrified. This can be great in many ways. Old, dilapidated buildings receive much-needed improvements. Boarded up businesses get bought and spring to life once again. Parks are improved. Or places where there are junkyards become parks. Trees are planted, fountains erected, dog walks set down.
To improve old neighborhoods is a great idea and, oftentimes, brings money into an area that once lacked funds. There also is the downside. To the extend that gentrification happened in New York, and still is happening, you find that the lower-income and poor were pushed out and still are being pushed out.
There were many areas in downtown New York that were considered artsy. I am not talking about all the expensive art galleries existing now. There were “starving” artists who lived downtown in lofts. Many of these artists had no option but to leave after genrification. An area would be revitalized and named the “latest hot spot.” The more affluent would want to live there and then poof! It becomes the “in” place to be. There’s no room for low-income or poor in the “in” place.
Many of the low-income and poor also have been pushed out because expensive co-ops and condos replaced their homes. New York City never has been more expensive. Yes, it’s true, this is happening throughout the country. But New York City once had a “coolness” to it that just doesn’t exist any longer. It has become a city for the rich.
Towering glass structures are going up in many downtown areas where once stood picturesque architecture. Many see these new buildings as monstrosities that do not add to the character of New York. But it doesn’t matter. Pieces of land in New York go to the highest bidder. And there are tons of high bidders out there building what they think should stand tall, no matter its ulginess.
The prices in New York City have skyrocketed so high that it has been hitting the middle class as well. If you cannot afford at least $2,000 a month for a studio apartment, then you surely can’t afford $2 million to buy a two-bedroom co-op or condo. Yep, those are the prices. And those prices include about 1,000 square feet of space. If you’re lucky maybe 1,200 square feet.
Soon the only thing left of the old New York City will be the memories of those of us who were there before all this gentrification took place.
