Today I moved (read: put my bags) into my new apartment on Myrtle and Nostrand. I had been scheduled to move in at 8 am, but there was an issue with the keys which had me waiting around a bit (although not too long). I met some of my other fellow Mynters and on my way to work had an interesting conversation relating to the topic of gentrification.
What follows is paraphrased. Emphasis added.
Nice lady on the sidewalk: Do you live there?
Me: Yes, I just moved in.
Nice: I’ve been watching this project for four years.
Me: Wow, I didn’t hear about it since last month.
Nice: When I first heard about it, they said it would be ready in 2006.
[Apparently delays are the norm for this project, see below.]
Nice: How much are they asking for?
Me: [I told her.]
Nice: In this neighborhood?! That’s the going rate, but I’m surprised they could get anyone to go for it here. It used to be really nasty. There were shanties and a building of flat’s here (next to the building) where they [homeless?] would keep dogs on the roof. I have seen the neighborhood change so much since in the last few years.
If you’re reading this nice lady, you really did sound like a normal person and not crazy. I admit my paraphrasing is a little awkward.
I wasn’t able to get a clear picture of exactly how she felt about the whole neighborhood changing before her eyes, but she seemed more pleased than displeased. It appears to me that however gentrification affects people residing nearby, that the homeless are the first to leave. I would like to know if this has been addressed in any studies on the subject.
As to the status of the building, it’s not entirely finished yet. There seems to be a lot of work left and most of the ground floor retail space was empty. The street is also undergoing a major operation, which could be part of the delays.
I met some people from the third floor who were picking up their keys. They happened to also be from Texas (it should be interesting to find out how many Texans end up at this place), but they had been told they would be able to move in September 1st. They clearly got on the chuckwagon before I did, as October 1st has been my move in date for a while.
Stepped on the G train at 9:19, at work by 9:50.
Monday was great! We’ll see what happens in the next 24 hours.