Comments on: South of 125th

By: Park Slope Live » Blog Archive » On Harlem’s Accelerating SoHa/C-Ha/E-Ha Divides

Wed, 02 May 2007 16:05:30 +0000

[...] babble in the listing prose for East Harlem development The Nina (above). Sophiscated, non? · South of 125th [Uptown Flavor] · Map No. 14: South Harlem [New York] · The New East Harlem [Uptown [...]

By: Michèle

Michèle — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 18:16:23 +0000

just a simple question : does any of you know the proportion of white people who have settled in Harlem lately .

By: Justin

Justin — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 05:15:35 +0000

It should be noted the 125th Corridor Rezoning is separate from Columbia’s expansion plans.

see: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/125th/index.shtml

It also should be noted that the ‘SoHa’ redevelopment is by no accident result of a zoning change in 2003, in the areas south of 125th between ACP & Morningside. These changes are now being realized making the ‘difference’ between the two development zones (really three) of central Harlem more distinct:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/fdb/fdb1.shtml

By: Hugo

Hugo — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 20:39:39 +0000

btw, that line should read “discontent not directed at the new residents”

By: Hugo

Hugo — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 20:38:05 +0000

i think this post has suffered a little miscommunication.and knowing that this is now being fed into curbed i should clarify two things.there are “racists” on all sides of the coin.i suppose some of my comments could be somehow molded into a racist framework.however, i should make a couple things clear.i think no one will dispute that a significant influx of new residents in the “new harlem” has been primarily white, caucasian americans.that in of itself is not a racist action on their behalf.it should be noted that our discontent is directed at the new residents. it is directed at the machine that allowing such has inadvertently (or dare i say advertently) has caused some undesirable effects to the matrix of our community.the point is that if all of a sudden a lot of black/hispanic folks moved to say…Lake Placid, New York this would have no effect on property value or on redevelopment incentives for retail businesses (just a few examples).What’s happened in Harlem’s case is that in attracting a broader investor base it simply hitched on the surging New York trend of offering luxury housing which is a New York-as-a-whole phenomenon. This crave for luxury housing has hemorraged into our neighborhood.We’ve seen the good…quality businesses, safer streets, an increase(although this is a tricky term in terms of it definition) in affordable housing.The bad…building owners opting out of affordable housing contracts with the city in the advent of more affluent investors, retail space per sq. foot exponentially increased, and aggressive investors getting an expedited green light on some projects that don’t account for the community make-up. The point is that for those of us here it seems that the ground is shifting below us and Harlem does not seem as secure for our families as it once seemed. So that’s our concern (at least mine). I couldn’t care less if our neighborhood was a microcosm of the United Nations in our diversity. It’s the impact that it’s having. With this “gold rush” no one has really studied the longterm implications of not building the “new harlem” from the inside-out…building from the community within and empowering them to make it flourish so that we have a piece of the responsibility and share in fruits of new development. I hope this sheds a bit more light on the discussion.

By: ac

ac — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 18:28:43 +0000

im not disputing what you’re saying joe. all i am saying is that if you hate black people, and are a horrible white person, you are not going to be swayed by broker speak. you will come up here, you will open your eyes, you will see lots of black people and you will go home.

the only white people buying up here are those with at least somewhat open minds.

meanawhile this article has now been linked to by curbed, and the commenters are now calling for race riots. nothing spoils and decent conversation like a curbed link. im out.

By: joe

joe — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 18:16:41 +0000

Beg to differ, some folks who would never venture in Harlem now are not phased by it.

For example, a black cab driver recently drove me to Harlem, telling me that a few years ago he would never drive anyone to Harlem, now he does.

Similarly, some moneyed buyers who where once intimidated by Harlem are now looking at “the new Harlem” when they read these articles.

By: ac

ac — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 17:23:00 +0000

#7 anon, im not suggesting they are by any stretch of the imagination. i was saying that other posts seemed to be implying that the spin was making all the difference and “uninterested” parties were now interested. i was pointing out that i find it very hard to believe that if someone is not interested in living in harlem because they secretly hate/fear black people that’s not going to suddenly change due to some website calling out “the new harlem”

By: NAT

NAT — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 17:11:26 +0000

Did you guys know that in the 1920’s through the 1930’s Harlem started at 135th street and Negroes could not shop on 125th street and if you did shop on 125 the stores did not allow you to try on articles in the store. Blumstein allowed only Women to try on hats,only if their hair was in a “Hair net”,Scarf, or “Stocking Cap”aka Doo Rag.
This is why the activity of the “Harlem Renaissance was centered around 135th Street.

By: Anon

Anon — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 16:48:15 +0000

ac, not all white people are racist, most likely if they have 1mil to spend, they are acomplished, educated and not likely racist.