….Though there seems no right answer, maybe life is not meant to be that simple.

… and notsoeloquent you went in extra hard for jugular (with your comment). Ouch, lol, Take it easy!

If you are black which I am assuming you are since you state you grew up in Harlem, it seems as though you hate yourself and the people you were raised around.

There are plenty of good hard working people in “black” Harlem. However, as you said, they were not provided with the same opportunities as the rest of NYC. They only recently started caring about Harlem when white people began to take interest in it.

People don’t choose to be poor, it is a circumstance that is a reality.

I make six figures and can’t even afford any of the new apartments going up in Harlem. This is rediculous. When they say they provide affordable housing within the new projects that are going up they make the income requirements so low that you can’t actually afford the lower price. So my income is too high to qualify for special lotteries and the lower priced apartments.

this is all a big political game. I am all for more stores and different cultures moving into Harlem. However, that is not what is happening.

Harlem will soon be filled with all rich non-black people and all of its heritage and history will be revamped into somthing unrecognizable by any person who originated from there.

Instead of bashing the people that are there why not work to help find a solution to some of the issues?

Where do you work? Do you have the power to hire someone from Harlem?

If your not part of the solution you are a part of the problem. You are the worst kind also because you are a halemite. Think about it.

are you kidding me?: “there’s plenty of space to throw up condos, the midtown west side area between 10th and 12 avenues is just one area but yet they want to focus on stripping harlems ethnicity, and culture, “deghettofying” the hood. all of this has been purposely planned.”

What are you – a conspiracy theorist? Harlem is hot because it is a beautiful area full of rich architecture, 2 well known instituions of higher education (Columbia and City College), an arts scene, and convenience to midtown.

They are throwing condos up everywhere in Manhattan. Developers certainly aren’t picking on Harlem to move black people out. In fact, the majority of developments are built on abandoned lots. THAT is not displacing people.

WAKE UP!

Like many people on this post agree – Gentrification is GOOD for Harlem, especially if you have been here through the rough times.

No, it’s not. I’m Black, born and raised here. Only went away for college, returned and built a career. Since the mid 60’s Harlem’s been a marginalized & lesser quality place to live. 90% of Black Harlem has been content living a marginalized life. 90% did not mind not having a bank anywhere close, not having a CVS or Duane Reade or a grocery store.

90% of Harlem is institutionalized with a “Bodega” mentality. They’ve never been anywhere, they’re under educated and under informed, 90% of Black Harlem has no clue as to how marginalized their existence was, and is.

99% of those living in Public Housing in Harlem are fine & comfortable with that existence and don’t aspire for anything beyond that. 99% of those in harlem on Welfare – Foodstamps are comfortable and fine with that hand out.

A very large % of Black (and Hispanic) Harlem does not want or aspire for “change”. They want the status quo of their “Ghetto/Welfare Existence” and are resistant to anything that threatens that.

Let’s be honest. Harlem of the 1970’s, 1980’s, and up through ‘97 or so was a marginalized community on every parameter. Change began with Guiliani, bless his heart, when he cleaned up the ZOO 125th St. was and ended the merchants lining up and selling everything they wanted on 125th St. and created that African Market that was placed on 116th and Lenox (now the Renaissance Bldg).

The Fairway arrived on the far West Edge, the parking lot that stood where CVS now was developed and Harlem finally started to improve. Decent life starting taking root in Harlem with a Bank, Duane Reade, etc. Up until 10 year ago, WE NEVER HAD THESE BASICS.

Harlem was TOTAL GHETTO, 1 half-ass bank (that nearly went under), and NOTHING. Is that the Harlem you Nellie Bailey wing nuts want to roll back to?

That’s the funny thing about the anti-gentrification Crowd. They never quite define what version of Harlem the miss, long for, and don’t want to change. Harlem was a mess by any measure, hell the police did not even care.

Now? We have visible policing, community policing, there is a measure of safety when walking at night, etc. Harlem 2008 is 100 TIMES BETTER than Harlem 1992, 1000X BETTER than Harlem 1984.

NO THANKS TO THE LAZY, COMPLACENT, NOT HARDWORKING MAJORITY of BLACK HARLEM. Sorry, you show me one single hard working Black Harlemite, and I will show you TWENTY or THIRTY Black Harlemites that are comfortable and fine doing NOTHING.

You know it’s true.

Now, I don’t begrudge Manna’s any of the above, but c’mon people! It ain’t a landmark. Leases expire (they are just an agreement to use a space for a specified period of time). Buildings are torn down – especially shitty ones – and new buildings go up. That’s business.

I should also mention that the other businesses made out pretty well in the settlement – I think the article said that they were all relocating within the neighborhood.