Harlem is Getting its Groove Back
The actual title associated with the following video is “Harlem is getting its groove back – 5th on the Park stands out as the beacon of Harlem.” The video is part of a press packet that is being used to sell the remaining units at 5th on the Park. Thoughts?
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anon, Hicksville is actually the name of a town on Long Island (which is increasingly diverse with lots of Asian and Latino immigrants moving in)
As a relatively new (white) resident of Harlem (and NYC), this entire line of postings gives me much to think about (much of which I already have, but appreciate some other perspectives.)
My wife (also white) and I moved here a few months ago from HIcksville and it’s surrounding areas. We have been generally welcomed into the Harlem community. I can safely say that a Harlemite (esp. if black) would NOT experience the same welcome in Hicksville, and, in surrounding, “more culturally aware” areas, would likely be treated as a sort of social proving ground for an “enlightened” world view.
Honestly, I was a bit concerned about how we would be viewed as new Harlem residents, especially with the knowledge that there is a definite trend towards the gentrification of this area. And, honestly, there have been a handful of disdainful glances and cold shoulders. Absolutely understandable, I’d say. For the most part, however, we have felt very welcome. We’ve yet to make friends in the neighborhood, but already have a number of friendly acquaintences.
All in all, we look forward to integrating into the community over time and there are some great restaurants/services available right here in the neighborhood, so I don’t understand that complaint whatsoever. And, for the record, if you can afford to take a cab all over town, you can damn well take that cab to a Thai restaurant elsewhere.
Read the new post “The Cost of Good Intentions” and the pdf
“The Institution for Children and Poverty released a report about the cost of gentrification in Harlem”
Sure puts “welcome packs” and “generalizations” in perspective when were talking about homelessness. Waiting to hear the posts complaining about the “whining” of those are us who are concerned about how people will make out. While these changes to Harlem are sooo good. While some are complaining that they can’t find a Thai restaurant on Lenox Avenue, some folks are looking for a place to live. Please respond so the truth can be seen. “Some” of you, again “some” of you don’t care.
Anon, I think you’re smart enough to know that it fits for those it truthfully applies to. This whole board is generalizations. Sounds like to me your conscience may be bothering you
I would myself fit in with the people that are looked on as “garbage”. And not only hicks would make me unwelcome in Hicksville. Or Melville or rural Indiana… You get the point. Don’t get it twisted.
Question: Do some newcomers to Harlem look at the people there as garbage or beneath them? If the answer is yes you would be correct.. And proving my point.
I’m okay with the video, but what I do find offensive are comments like those of “iloveharlem”. In one breath he makes a sweeping and unsubstantiated generalization that it is the fault of newcomers in Harlem who don’t feel welcome because they “look at the folks like they are garbage.” In the next breath he goes on to say that he wouldn’t be welcome in “Hicksville.” It sounds like he is the condescending one looking at others as “garbage”, or as “hicks” as he offensively refers to people from small towns. Prejudice works both ways.
Hi all! I can assure you that these people aren’t actors. I can even tell you which unit they bought – but I won’t. (smile) By the way, I am African American and have lived in Harlem for a number of years now. I love it and wouldn’t want to live in any other neighborhood! I do lots of things in Harlem but it took some time to feel establishments out. However, I also love the fact that it is a cab ride away from restaurants and establishments that I also enjoy in midtown and other Manhattan neighborhoods. Let’s be honest, Harlem still has some ways to go in terms of things like restaurants, etc. and don’t even get me started on decent nail salons (I go to Soho to get pedicures)! I still do all of my food shopping at Whole Foods in Columbus Circle…sure I could order from Fresh Direct but I prefer to see and smell my produce and meats. There are a couple of great new restaurants along 12th Ave. but one of the best things about living in Manhattan is that you have the whole of it at your disposal. I’m sure once they move in, they will discover all of the wonderful establishments already in the neighborhood.
As far as panhandling goes as others have pointed out, there’s way more of that downtown and by the way – you can’t hear the drumming on the southernmost end of the park. (smile).
Everyone can live where they want to live. Everyone has the responsibility to add to their community. Especially if they have complaints about it. If people re panhandling speak to the community board or the elected officials in your area. Make a neighborhood association. Something besides crying and complaining. And like someone else stated “if you don’t like it so much, leave”
And it is just an ad. But it impacts on the way people see Harlem and their intentions in living there.
Also how can I make you be made to feel welcome if you look at the folks like they are garbage and you’re so much better than them.
And would I as a black man get the same welcome mat in Hicksville?
kirk, i have no issue with what you write in your most recent post. what i am disagreeing with this idea that the two people in the video are somehow unworthy of living here or worse yet UNWELCOME because of what was edited into this video makes it seem like they plan not to spend time in the area outside of sleeping.
you wrote: “These are people that have no intention of being part of the neighborhood. everything they do is somewhere else. harlem is just a place to sleep for them.”
this insane litmus test for living in harlem is so over the top.
alice, everyone understands it’s a marketing video. but that doesn’t mean we can’t criticize it or question its motives as to what it intends to bring to the area. 5th on the park is a major development. physically, it’s a monster and dominates its immediate area and the skyline as well. the hundreds, maybe thousands of residents it will bring will also have an effect. another factor is that it’s a new development working with a local church, which throws something else into the mix. anyone concerned about the future of the neighborhood would have to question the intentions of this kind of advertising and the audience it’s trying to appeal to.
Alice – I couldn’t agree more. People are reading WAY too much into this.
Let’s be somewhat resonable here. This video was produced by those selling the building to try to make it seem apealing to buyers who currently do not live in harlem. so they make it seem like “it’s only a cab ride away” from down town so those living downtown think “you know what, it’s not so far from where i live now, where my friends live, where i work”. this is not a balanced reflection on where this couple plans to spend their time when they move to harlem nor is it some kind of statement about gentrification.
IT”S A MARKETING VIDEO!!! A COMMERCIAL!!!! jesus people. grow up.
I am sorry, but what bothers me more than anything else is the title, “Harlem is Getting its Groove Back”. First of all, I am trying to get an understanding of exactly when Harlem “lost its groove”? Secondly, why is this PR company using a “hip” phrase that is more typically associated with the African-American and Hispanic dynamic in the neighborhood, while displaying an ad with a young white professional couple?
And one more thing. I somewhat agree with the statement that you don’t have to embrace all aspects of living uptown. But I do think you should educate yourself about the area that you live in and try to explore and “embrace” some of the cultural aspects. Maybe what you learn will change some of the ways you originally looked at the area in which you reside and lay your head each night. If I decided to move to Chinatown, Brighton Beach, or some other part of the NY that is known for having a large population of a group other than Christian white americans , I would be very interested in learning more about the culture and their way of life. But hey, maybe I’m a little more open-minded than most.
I do think they are actors. But I can’t understand why it’s so wrong for the pr machine to talk about how convenient it is to live here. The majority of us work downtown, so the unbelievable amount of centralized transportation is a huge plus. Better than any other neighborhood in Manhattan. When people move to a new place, sometimes it makes them feel good to know they can get to their old haunts quickly, while they develop new ones. We are transplants and we explore the new and sometimes hop a cab to the old. New York is New York and it’s all up for exploration. Water seeks it’s own level and as Manhattanites we all know that your world is usually within 10 blocks of your apartment once you finally get used to a new place. As far as the decent restaurants etc. let’s be honest, some of it is great (Covo, Dino, Piatto, Les Ambes) and some of it stinks. And you still need to go out of the neighborhood for a decent bagel or diner. It’s a great place to live with great people and amenities that get better all the time, but no where is perfect and we should all just let each other enjoy what we enjoy about it.
wow.
There really needs to be a website called, “Harlem Survival Tips” that points out how to survive dwelling in Harlem if you’re a bit more upscale than than the average Harlem household (average household incomes of $32K/year, etc).
I’m Black and I needed to create my own survival tactics when I moved here in ’90. Since there were NO restaurants my wife and I became terrific chefs. We bought wonderful cookware, espresso machines, etc. and on Weekends ventured to Chinatown & Fairway on 74th & Bway for foodstuffs for the week. We made cultural lemonade where we found nothing but lemons.
We brought a fun and wonderful new dimension to our daily life. We made a self contained existence. You can live in Harlem, but Harlem DOES NOT have to live in you. Yes, I said that! Let’s be honest, to this day I still characterize Harlem as a wreck, a mess. However now there are a few jewels and pearls here and there, but they are far and few between.
You still to this day need a survival kit & strategy. The vast majority of Black Harlem is comfortable with a “Bodega World” with no restaurants, amenities, etc. They’re collectively institutionalized on many levels. Their numbers are huge, their density tremendous, gentrification will always be spotty and NEVER pervasive. The welfare class is too entrenched with lifetime social welfare benefits and programs rooting them in Harlem destroying in hope of broad scale gentrification. You can’t gentrify blocks where the average income is $32K/year and for every person making $100K+, there are a couple thousand making less than $32K. Welfare Density in Harlem is huge.
Funny for me though. I moved in, bought in the bad times of 1990. I bought my Brownstone with cash in ’90 for almost nothing. I will be selling for upwards of $2M. I’m one Black person that will be moving from Harlem to the UWS and buying an apartment on CPW in ythe 70′s.
You can have Harlem, the kids riding MotorCycles and Popping Wheelies, all the crap that is firmly entrenched here and never going anywhere. I will not miss Harlem. However I will say, thanks to Harlem, I am getting “Priced into the UWS”. My survival kit will not be needed.
Maybe if Harlem had more decent restaurants and bars they wouldn’t have to take a cab everywhere. Please don’t go and list the handful of okay places that are spread out all over Harlem 20 blocks from each other. I’ve seen the list a million times and probably been to all of them.
Also, I’m sure they are not exactly made to feel welcome as the “newcomer” in the neighborhood either. Everyone needs “a place to sleep” and there really isn’t anything wrong with that. Many people move to Harlem because they are priced out of other neighborhoods. Doesn’t mean they have to embrace all aspects of living uptown. Just being realistic.
James, sorry but I know plenty of old timers that would not view this couple with hostility and some Harlemites who may wish to interact with them. I do hope they are open to being part of Harlem, they seem educated, he is an immigrant so has a world view, maybe they are not completely evil.
(1) I also get asked for handouts more in Harlem than anywhere else. Of course, most of the people are repeat offenders. I particularly like the big guy with glasses that asks for a quarter as I walk into CVS and again as I walk out five minutes later. The other old standby is asking for some beans & rice and then when we get to the deli another person appears and they get angry when I refuse to feed them both or to get them chips and a drink. Still, the most annoying is getting it as I’m sitting on the stoop. Jeez, I’m relaxing– give me a break. Of course, this has decreased significantly over the past two years.
(2) As far as the cab ride statements and subway statements, I wouldn’t expect anything different from someone moving from Downtown to the UES or UWS. Most people work Downtown, and Downtown has the most bars and clubs. It doesn’t mean that they won’t eat at Pattio D’oro or Native sometimes. Also, there are significantly more stores here than when I arrived, but there’s still a significantly larger selection Downtown and that probably won’t change.
if you dont like it here than dont move here, everyone who has recently come complains… why???
i get hit up for money, beer, swipes of the monthly Metrocard, etc. more in Harlem than anywhere else in the city by far. the only thing that comes close is the “hey you gotta second for ___ rights” people on 23rd St. Man they are annoying!
Maybe if they would step out of their luxury condo instead of hopping in an air conditioned yellow cab they might actually explore the neighborhood and know there are plenty of decent (actually above average) businesses operating in Harlem. Can’t use that one anymore. All the old businesses have been driven out.
Maybe if there were some decent services in the area there wouldn’t be the issue of taking a cab out of the neighborhood.
my first notion is that these are actors. anyone else get that vibe?
I thnk there is more panhandling right here in midtown/Clinton — West 57th Street is full of beggars.
Too bad a unit is being wasted on this couple. They have nothing to say about Harlem — only that it’s in Manhattan and a train or cab ride away from all that they want to do.
They can have all those amenities in a house in the suburbs — perhaps they will move on in the future.
Panhandling? First of all I can recall never being panhandled in Harlem as opposed to say, Times Square. And as others have already pointed out, part of the fabric of a community is for people to commune. That means not hopping in a yellow cab to spend their dollars in other parts of the city and turning their noses up to the residents in the “slums” around them.
They seem like nice people. Cant fault them for wanting what they want, but they may have a tough time “adjusting” to the culture in Harlem…ie Circle Drumming, pan-handling and all around mistrust of fair skin. Im not sure I can fault them for not wanting to interact with a Harlem that will view them with hostility.
totally soporific. the most telling comment was “we can go out an a Saturday night and we’re just a cab ride away.” These are people that have no intention of being part of the neighborhood. everything they do is somewhere else. harlem is just a place to sleep for them.