A Starter Kit For Transformations: Gentrification In A Box

Colson Whitehead laments the latest death of Brooklyn at the hands of developers.

1 minute read

May 18, 2004, 1:00 PM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"But the current Fort Greene was the death of the one before it. Eminent domain approaches in many guises. It comes in sledgehammers, bulldozers, pieces of paper that declare in legalese, 'This building condemned.' .. Soon enough, you’ll be able to go to Amazon and order a starter kit for these transformations: Gentrification in a Box. The contents include: one economically depressed neighborhood, a bargain compared with other places in the city; one wave of artists looking for a place to hang their easels and sleeping bags; one handful of the young and priced-out; one dozen lucky landowners and real-estate speculators rolling dice; one gaggle of new businesses looking for a foothold. If you can afford it, the Deluxe Edition comes with a branch of Corcoran, for that extra-fine, glossy finish."

Thanks to Chris Steins

Monday, May 3, 2004 in New York Metro

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