what s missing in bedstuy and how could we improve it
Comments
-
annoyed wrote: [quote=queencallipygos][quote=annoyed]Anyway this is all the fault of one particular group of people. Nuff said.
...I'm not so sure that that's "'nuff said." What particular group of people would you be referring to?
the idiots who flocked here in droves willing to pay whatever exorbitant price that nobody was willing to pay before thus pricing everyone but them out of the neighborhood. if they wouldn't have been willing to pay it, people wouldn't have been able to charge it. these people destroyed the community.
But that community was made by people who were willing to rent apartments that nobody else was willing to take. Why is this different? -
annoyed wrote: Yes but DeKalb used to have a butcher, a hardware store, a shoe repair guy, a sporting goods store, a liquor store and a bunch of needed and useful neighborhood businesses. Not anymore. The 7 corners hardware store is gone now too. The health food store on fulton is gone. All because of this stupid gentrification.
the idiots who flocked here in droves willing to pay whatever exorbitant price that nobody was willing to pay before thus pricing everyone but them out of the neighborhood. if they wouldn't have been willing to pay it, people wouldn't have been able to charge it. these people destroyed the community.
...
Anyway this is all the fault of one particular group of people. Nuff said.
[quote=queencallipygos]...I'm not so sure that that's "'nuff said." What particular group of people would you be referring to?
wait, businesses closed because more money came into the neighborhood? sure seems like a business that knew what it was doing would have done better given a population of people "willing to pay whatever exorbitant price", not worse. -
wait, businesses closed because more money came into the neighborhood? sure seems like a business that knew what it was doing would have done better given a population of people "willing to pay whatever exorbitant price", not worse.
local businesses DO close when neighborhoods gentrify. commercial rents go up just like residential rents. family businesses can't simply double or triple prices on the same goods to make up the difference. the hardware store on the corner of fulton & hanson place is a perfect example. great store with lots of business but was forced to leave when the landlord wanted to find a commercial tenant who could pay more rent. local businesses can't afford to pay the same rent that an american apparel or starbucks can. you don't have to be from brooklyn to understand that. small businesses don't have the same financial resources as national or regional chains. a family that's been in the hardware business can't just switch to selling $600 baby strollers or organic dog food. Things aren't quite that simple. -
Carlton, what is missing in Bed Stuy? 8)
-
i don't think there's anything "missing" in bed stuy. as the community changes the services, stores, etc. will change to match it. luckily it's a much larger area than ft greene so the change will be a little more gradual. as a business person i'm always conflicted by the "price" of capitalism but as i said earlier it's all function of supply and demand...
-
Carlton, there are things missing all over Bed Stuy, New York and the United States; things need fixing. We need a good faxing/copying/notary/posting place, a greater variety of food choices, better sanitation/policing, cildren/teen activities and Nostrand ave must be repaved and the A train must open on the Bedford ave. end to ease congestion on Nostrand and revitalize Bedford. The stores have to correct their fronts and signs along with quality of service and products.
-
Subject: the corner
Seriously, what IS it with the dudes in front of the bodega? I recently moved next door to one (and I knew it'd be a drawback going in), but tonight coming home from work was the worst yet--about six brothas, one even in a wheelchair, all lined up in front of my gate, hanging on them like they were monkey bars. Some even have the nerve to pull up a milk crate to cop a squat. I had to push the stroller right through them to get to my gate. I can't speak for the other 5 lollygaggers, but I can tell you that the one main dude, that corner IS his job, if you catch my drift.
Now the older cats at the other corner bodega, I don't mind; in fact, I look forward to saying good morning and good evening to them. They're like characters in an August Wilson play--the town griots, if you will, who look after me and my daughter in an unobstrusive way. But the young guns? I only make eye contact and keep it moving. They're completely disrespectful, leaning on whatever car happens to be parked there (including my dad's one day). I feel like if I report them, they'll know it's me, since I'm the newbie. And that could prove more problems than it's worth. I loathe this "don't snitch" mentality, but seriously, I'm talking safety of my daughter here. Any advice?
Sorry for hijacking this post without formally introducing myself first on this Board. I'm originally from the Crown Heights board, but just moved across the Atlantic (Ave). But this bodega part of the thread really touched a nerve with me tonight. -
I don't even know where to begin with your post...
Did you actually refer to the black men who were hanging in front of your gate as "brothas" and then describe the way they were leaning on your gate as "hanging on MONKEY bars"? But, thats okay right because you balanced it out by adding that the "okay" black men remind you of "characters" in an August Wilson play?
Do you realize that it is 2007 and that black people ARE humans and maybe likening them to "animals" and "characters" sound like sweeping generalizations of an ethnic group who are not even people in your mind? Or does it not matter because you have to whine?
Let me guess, you're obviously not black and you recently moved to the neighborhood and are somewhat "concerned" about living in such close proximity to black people. Who are you venting to? Are you not aware that black people read blogs and get offended? What if you were black and read what you wrote?
I have white friends that live here whom I love dearly, like family, but you are making it difficult to want to welcome you here. Maybe, I'm being sensitive, and I know you were extremely frustrated, but surely if you reread your statement you understand my reaction.
We have to respect and recognize each other as EQUALS first before we can even attempt to live in or build a community together. Or is that not part of the plan or even a mild concern?
I also want to add that as a woman I can relate to and empathize with the situation, and it did suck. But as a black person your choice of words to describe other human beings was completely out of line... -
Ummm... eberri... Chillax. When you assume, and make a serious ass of yourself. I am FAR from white. I'm quite brown, actually. And my daughter is half African American. I'm puerto-rican/black dominican so don't presume that I am a bewildered caucasian deer caught in headlights at all the "black people." So yes, I have every right to call brothas brothas, my sistah.
And monkey bars, are just that. I'm the mother of a toddler, so excuse my liberal use of playground metaphors. Would you have preferred jungle gym? Oh wait, that's derogatory, too. If you read it as an ethnic slur, that's your hypersensitive hackles going up.
I'm perfectly fine with 'hood life, as I said, I came from Crown Heights, but within reason. I want to be a part of this community, just as I was on my beloved Dean St. For that reason, I want to work to improve it. Every HUMAN BEING has a right to privacy and safety. And dealing drugs and loitering in front of my front door is not something I'm willing to just look the other way with. Nor should anyone.
I already apologized for not introducing myself formally on this board, but anyone knows me from the Crown Heights board, knows that I'm about uplifting the community, not disparaging it for its lack of XYZ bougie amenties. And yes, they know I'm a woman of color. Maybe you should've done a background check on my previous posts before you saw fit to flame me. That's where YOU'RE out of line. -
What bodega part of the thread? The word is spelled and pronounced brother and the other is sister, you have a child need I say more. Snitching is something you don't do to your friends and family the code ends there you have no allegiance to the miscreants on the block who disrespect you, send them to hell if you choose.
-
guru = guest = troll.
Thank you for being my pedagogical and spell-check guru, guru, and for reminding me I have a child *smacks forehead* ... which is precisely why I don't want to misstep and risk retaliation of any sort. (This is/was Blood territory, duh.)
If you want to come on here and promote your web site (promoting local businesses I already support, BTW, and befriended the owners) why don't you register and gain a modicum of credibility? Or you just want to anonymously flame at will?*
*these are rhetorical questions, so don't bother answering. I don't wish to feed the troll any further, but you mentioned my child, and questioned my parenting skills--a vitriolic combo, no matter how or where you slice it. -
I mentioned your child because other children are reading it and they might think incorrect spelling is a cool thing; I am not at all concerned with how you parent. Calling me a troll because guests are trolls is neither here nor there with me; and that web site has over twenty businesses so how is it mine, it was created for your convenience. My credibility within this community pre-dates the internet and I am to old to be influenced by memberships or registrations or titles; suffice it to say you would not be living here if it were not for the work I did in this community for many years. 8)
-
OK then, I stand corrected, somewhat: Thank you for allowing myself and my daughter to live in this community. I called it "your site," because you were the person who posted, "here it is, it's still under construction," so I simply imagined you had something to do with its nascent stage.
I still don't understand why you would continue to frequent this site, post regularly and wouldn't register, though... say what you will, credibility does matter on "this series of tubes." (tm* shout-out to Queencallipygos!)
But all this back-and-forth still doesn't solve my challenge of expunging the miscreants in the most positive, friction-free way possible. -
I expunged much bigger miscreants, and that is what allowed you to consider living here a possibility. I like your childish attempt to put words in my mouth, but you should try that on your contemporaries you might have better luck. Don't waste your time trying to figure why people do things, try to clean up your front door, and there is no friction free way to do it.
-
Hrm...
Guru != troll.
Guru == the ghost of Dr. Peter Mark Roget himself.
That explains alot. -
Ah, darnit.
Forgot to add obligatory smilies:
-
guru wrote: I expunged much bigger miscreants, and that is what allowed you to consider living here a possibility. I like your childish attempt to put words in my mouth, but you should try that on your contemporaries you might have better luck. Don't waste your time trying to figure why people do things, try to clean up your front door, and there is no friction free way to do it.
Since you have taken the time to use the ten-dollar words, and have also taken the time to register your displeasure with the profusion of shooting threads and have taken the time to register your suggestion that they be consolidated, might I suggest that you take the time to...register, period? -
The bias of the overseers prohibit me from doing that, i.e why consolidate multiple threads on one subject and allow it on others, why censor certain statements and let equal statements uncensored, why referee a "ghetto kids" argument thirty posts in when the 1st post was inflammatory? Explain, please.
-
guru wrote: The bias of the overseers prohibit me from doing that, i.e why consolidate multiple threads on one subject and allow it on others, why censor certain statements and let equal statements uncensored, why referee a "ghetto kids" argument thirty posts in when the 1st post was inflammatory? Explain, please.
the bias of the overseers? this is your argument for not registering? -
guru wrote: The bias of the overseers prohibit me from doing that, i.e why consolidate multiple threads on one subject and allow it on others, why censor certain statements and let equal statements uncensored, why referee a "ghetto kids" argument thirty posts in when the 1st post was inflammatory? Explain, please.
I can't speak for the mods, but I do know that if you register you can send them private messages and ask them directly. -
Queencallipygos, I have nothing to hide and I don't think bias should be supported I think it should be "abolished and abandoned totally destroyed, and until that day the dream of lasting peace world citizenship shall be a dream to be persued and never attained".
-
guru wrote: Queencallipygos, I have nothing to hide and I don't think bias should be supported I think it should be "abolished and abandoned totally destroyed, and until that day the dream of lasting peace world citizenship shall be a dream to be persued and never attained".
Well, frankly, I only know you from here, and because you've not registered, then I have no way of finding out whatever these stellar services to the community are that you're claiming to have done, so all I have to go on is the fact that you've been boasting about some prior services but not stating what they are, you've refused to fully join this online community, you half-heartedly accuse the mods of "bias" but have chosen not to elaborate, and you've harrangued a member of the community you profess to work for and have critiqued her parenting. All of which, quite honestly, actually makes you sound like you've got rather a bias yourself, as opposed to making you sound like someone who's trying to eradicate bias in others.
You may wish to consider just how it is you are presenting yourself to others in here. -
I am independent enough and old enough and wise enough not to be distracted or affected by how individuals other than my grandson think about me. Like many others you twist words and ignore facts and exaggerate comments and put words into the mouths of others which makes me see clearly who you are. I never claimed nor do I desire to work for anyone. The bias I pointed out can be identified by researching many of the threads on this site; I gave an example of "ghetto kids" as stated by guvna as the second post in the thread and then the moderator chimes in thirty posts later and says we started off well, without hostility, so can we get back to that, to which I responded we started off at ghetto kids and that is were you want to go back. Queen elaborate on my crtique of the parenting.
-
To all of you I invite you to pass by Brooks Valley at 8:00pm tonight, you don't have to come inside just look into the window, but the best way to change an area is by supporting the good businesses and people in the area. Help promote a good business; they provide employment and opportunity.
located at 415 Tompkins ave cor. Hancock
I don't work there or at any of the several other areas I've been shilling or spamming or trolling as you kids like to call it but their success is my business and it will provide for some of what is missing in Bed Stuy. 8) -
guru wrote: Carlton, there are things missing all over Bed Stuy, New York and the United States; things need fixing. We need a good faxing/copying/notary/posting place, a greater variety of food choices, better sanitation/policing, cildren/teen activities and Nostrand ave must be repaved and the A train must open on the Bedford ave. end to ease congestion on Nostrand and revitalize Bedford. The stores have to correct their fronts and signs along with quality of service and products.
The funny thing is, most everyone would agree that any neighborhood that doesnt have these kinds of things sorted out should get them sorted out. However, when a newbie raises these issues, they are attacked as being naive gentrifying hipsters who shouldve done their homework before moving to "da hood". Its all rather ironic and sort of circular at the same time. Frankly, its a shame and needs to stop.
I may get on people for complaining about infrequent loud music from a neighbor's party (CH thread), or walking around with headphones oblivious to the fact that they may be targeted for a robbery (FG/CH thread), but it doesnt give me license to belittle them. Afterall, in the end, they are really complaining about things that we both agree should be changed for the better, i.e. loud music and crime. The common ground is there folks. You dont have to look too far to find it.
The real disconnect may actually be between the owners and the renters. I can see why BS and CH owners would have a very different appreciation for gentrification than renters. Although they may agree on certain ideals, ultimately the economic factors cause divisions hard to reconcile. Sure gentrifiers renting presumably pay more than the existing renters, and eventually replace them. However, existing owners benefit immensely by charging higher rents, or by selling at insane profits. The owners that stay may actually be happy to have one less nail salon/liquor store/chinese food place and one more good food option in its place. -
guru wrote: To all of you I invite you to pass by Brooks Valley at 8:00pm tonight, you don't have to come inside just look into the window, but the best way to change an area is by supporting the good businesses and people in the area. Help promote a good business; they provide employment and opportunity.
Sounds like you are totally pro BS. That is good. BS needs people to champion its revitalization. Dont spoil it with baseless accusations though. At the heart, most people only want good things for BS, even if they are not from there.
located at 415 Tompkins ave cor. Hancock
I don't work there or at any of the several other areas I've been shilling or spamming or trolling as you kids like to call it but their success is my business and it will provide for some of what is missing in Bed Stuy. 8) -
Guvna wrote:
There's a difference between wanting to improve quality of life for residents, and taking a condescending tone twoards the natives.
The funny thing is, most everyone would agree that any neighborhood that doesnt have these kinds of things sorted out should get them sorted out. However, when a newbie raises these issues, they are attacked as being naive gentrifying hipsters who shouldve done their homework before moving to "da hood". Its all rather ironic and sort of circular at the same time. Frankly, its a shame and needs to stop.
When you say that nail salons or bodegas are unecessary and unwanted, and should be replaced, then the people who frequent those nail salons and bodegas are not going to like it. Same with storefront churches.
If a store remains in business, and has customers, then it is a business that's fufilling a need of residents. Foreign concept, apparently, to some posters here. -
BedStuyDoOrDie wrote: [quote=Guvna]
There's a difference between wanting to improve quality of life for residents, and taking a condescending tone twoards the natives.
The funny thing is, most everyone would agree that any neighborhood that doesnt have these kinds of things sorted out should get them sorted out. However, when a newbie raises these issues, they are attacked as being naive gentrifying hipsters who shouldve done their homework before moving to "da hood". Its all rather ironic and sort of circular at the same time. Frankly, its a shame and needs to stop.
When you say that nail salons or bodegas are unecessary and unwanted, and should be replaced, then the people who frequent those nail salons and bodegas are not going to like it. Same with storefront churches.
If a store remains in business, and has customers, then it is a business that's fufilling a need of residents. Foreign concept, apparently, to some posters here.
I wouldnt get too upset about those remarks. They hardly represent the majority view. Certainly not all newcomers see things that way.
Anyone strolling through east flatbush would wonder whether they need so many jamican/west indian restaurants, and hair salons, lol. But, like you said, if they have customers to sustain the business they must be in demand. I dont think people would starve if a few of them became book stores, bakeries, or flower shops though, but that is beside the point. -
BTW, I did stop by Brooks Valley tonight--and not at guest guru's snide behest (I'm just now reading this post)--simply on my own volition, because: 1) I support local business; 2) the food is good; 3) the owners and staff are sweet, and 4) since I'm becoming a semi-regular there, I wanted to personally wish them a happy 1st anniversary, meet more of my neighbors... and snag a piece of German chocolate cake. Mmmm!
Isn't this the jist of community building? Guvna summed up my newbie intentions best:At the heart, most people only want good things for BS, even if they are not from there.
Gracias, guvna. (though isn't it spelled governor?
) -
madeline wrote: Get rid of all of these store front churches. They do not improve the community,and are not politically aware of the needs of the community most times. We need services that benefit the whole community. Also the over abundance of churches creates further division in the community. Some strips have 4 or 5 churches next to each other.
Lyn
First of all Brooklyn it is known for its churches big and small. We are a praying people no matter what. You should have did your homework to undersatnd the history and culture before u moved in. All u newby have great ideas but no action. All u have is an opinion.
Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
- 40K All Categories
- 27.1K Neighborhoods
- 5.1K Crown Heights/Prospect Lefferts Gardens
- 7.1K Prospect Heights
- 2.3K Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Bed-Stuy
- 8K Park Slope
- 549 Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Bushwick
- 442 Flatbush/Midwood/Ditmas Park
- 657 BoCoCa (Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens)
- 151 Red Hook
- 104 Gowanus
- 304 Bay Ridge/Bensonhurst
- 130 Coney Island, Brighton Beach, Sheepshead Bay
- 270 Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO and Downtown
- 598 Windsor Terrace / Kensington
- 673 Greenwood Heights and Sunset Park
- 749 Brooklyn and Beyond
- 6.3K Stuff
- 86 Brooklyn Back When
- 1.2K Brooklyn Pets
- 257 Brooklyn Kids
- 241 Brooklyn Eats
- 51 Brooklyn Booze
- 3.6K The Lounge / Random Stuff
- 611 Brooklyn Politics
- 122 Brooklyn Sports and Fitness
- 111 Brooklyn Photos
- 339 Site Issues
- 8 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- 6.2K Listings
- 1.1K APARTMENTS and REAL ESTATE
- 1.3K Sales Openings Events
- 2.3K The Classifieds