As the city continues to undergo its seemingly unstoppable transformation, bringing change to farther and farther neighborhoods, one question remains: Why are so many basic services near-non-existent in places where housing prices have already shot through the roof?
For instance, it's no secret that many of New York's so-called "emerging" neighborhoods are food deserts, where residents have limited to no access to quality groceries or fresh produce. And with markets shutting down all over the city, the problem's only getting worse. The same is also often true of other day-to-day necessities, such as drug stores, pharmacies, and banks, as well as city services like street-sweeping or snow-plowing. (As one friend in Bed-Stuy put it, "There are five new coffee shops near my apartment, but nowhere to pick up a prescription or buy fresh fruit.")
In many cases, the reason for the disparity depends on the particulars of a given neighborhood, from the zoning to the physical size of the buildings to outright political and institutional neglect. "There are two types of neighborhoods that gentrify," says Corcoran agent Karen Kemp. "There are areas that already have a residential population, and businesses that cater to that demographic, and neighborhoods like Williamsburg that were primarily industrial, so didn't have any existing services for a residential population."
"Every neighborhood is kind of different," concurs David Maundrell, executive vice president of new development for Brooklyn and Queens at Citi Habitats. "For instance, for a long time 4th Avenue in Brooklyn wasn't zoned for any retail, and neither was Long Island City when new developments first started coming in." All of which meant that neighborhoods seeing floods of new residents didn't have space for businesses that would serve them.
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For instance, it's no secret that many of New York's so-called "emerging" neighborhoods are food deserts, where residents have limited to no access to quality groceries or fresh produce...
Didn't you hear? "White people don't eat like we do". And don't you ever forget that nasty little slip of the "truth".
Too many 99 cent stores and nail salons. You do not see a decent fruit store or even a hardware store.
Look how people buy fruit on street corners? Here one day and gone the other.
Yep, 99 cent stores (sometimes 3-4 on a block in Queens), dirty little stocked bodegas (few with fruit or veggies), nail salons galore, massage places everywhere, beauty supply stores (Jamaica has over 15 just on Jamaica Ave alone), Dunkin Donuts on every corner, Pizza Huts, Basin Robins, god awful Taco Bells everywhere, just one crap retail and unhealthy food places. What a fucking mess this so called richest city in the country. When I think progressive city, I certainly don't think NYC, far from it. Just one big mess of chain stores and crap.
You nailed it, Joe Moretti! But, when will ANY of our purported public servants (please, stop laughing!), start reloading their automatic nailguns, to finally start nabbing the scourges from their breeding points who created this vile loop of 'Noise & Sight' pollution in the first place?
Oh, that's right——filthy-and-corrupt politicians like Joe Addabbo (fat hamster-face just got reelected to yet another cradle-to-grave term of friendly robbing), Eric Ulrich (an amoeba has more brain function!), and let's not forget Queens County's patronage mill darling, 'Dizzy Lizzy' whose copycat, mob rule protection is as insidious as it gets!
Welcome to Queens, y'all: The official gateway to the 'FOURTH WORLD' all politically corrupt privilege, power, unjust enrichment and PRIVATE SPLENDOR——versus, PUBLIC SQUALOR, adversity, beggary, obscurity and quiet desperation for everyone who pays a soul-crushing price!
Alas, even Hollywood couldn't make this raw sewage up!
Joe Moretti said: "Yep, 99 cent stores ... dirty little stocked bodegas, ... nail salons, ... massage places, ... beauty supply stores ... Dunkin Donuts,... Pizza Huts, Basin Robins, ... Taco Bells, ... crap retail and unhealthy food places.... Just one big mess of chain stores and crap."
I, too, have noticed this all over Queens. Thirty-five years ago we had decent retail. We also had a saying: "What do you make for dinner? Answer was "reservations". The variety of restaurants -- all thriving -- was as good as Manhattan.
Now, as Joe says, we have nothing of value. It has to do with people not having enough money to spend on unnecessary entertainment as well as the explosion of diverse cultures in this borough.
My feeling is that this situation began when landlords began to charge higher and higher rents (because they couldd) not only in retail stores but in available apartments, while co-op ownership became outrageously expensive.
The influx of massive amounts of immigrants opening small businesses (with loans from the government) created a supply and demand situation for available storefronts. Now, due to unbelievable rents, the only retail that can make it has to sell volume in order to stay in business.
The tide has turned and it will remain so until those of us who remember when neighborhoods had neighbors, everyone watched out for and knew who lived in their immediate area, who the yentas were, what every kid in the neighborhood
did, good or bad, who got married, who moved and who died. In fact, we have lost more than neighborhoods, we have lost our identity. We are seen in form but are not known as neighbors, only inhabitants in a zip code. Sad but true.
Prime example...FLUSHING!
Yet Peter Koo thinks that all is OK.
And why not?
Doesn't Councilman Koo really live in Port Washington?
That's what everybody has been saying.
Let's not completely bash gentrification. It has rescued many a dangerous crime ridden neighborhood.
Crown Heighs, etc.
"Thirty-five years ago we had decent retail. We also had a saying: "What do you make for dinner? Answer was "reservations". The variety of restaurants -- all thriving -- was as good as Manhattan"
During that period I, too, have noticed a difference between Manhattan and Queens.
Queens retail was easier to shop with less traffic, cheaper prices, and better service than Manhattan. Now its ghetto goods. Check out a Duane-Reade in the city - then one in Queens. Same store but a different vibe.
Queens medical facilities were just as good as Manhattan. Now crowded waiting rooms with NY1 TV blasting away, with assembly line medicine rules the day. Emergency rooms with 90 year olds waiting for a bed. Manhattan far more professional and safe.
The borough of Queens is 3rd world.
No, last Anonymous, Queens is not the 'Third World,' but rather the 'FOURTH WORLD!'
So, say a big, deserving 'F**K YOU' you to all of those filthy, corrupt, cradle-to-grave Queens politicians (not public servants), who played every resident (whether they voted or not), like a $2 guitar.
It's gotten to the point that my Queens neighborhood is looking less like an American city and more like a Moroccan street bazaar (minus the high quality merchandise), and only getting more filthy and ghetto-like by the hour!
So, where is hamster face (and ventriloquist) Joe Addabbo, and his lap dummy, and 'Master' graffiti cleaning expert, Eric Ulrich ('Derelict Dullrich)? Alas, no one can find either of these empowered idiots (unless they are campaigning for their next publicly funded paycheck!), underneath the compounded layers of so much graffiti that is now so rampant, that it now has its own zip code (and coming soon, all graffiti itself will be taxed)!
There is Amazon Fresh and Fresh Direct. If you live in an area without fresh fruit and vegetables you can still have it delivered.
My feeling is that this situation began when landlords began to charge higher and higher rents (because they couldd) not only in retail stores but in available apartments, while co-op ownership became outrageously expensive.
NAILED IT. And did you know there is a bill sitting in City Council called the SMALL BIZ JOBS SURVIVAL ACT - that would give rights in commercial lease renewal process -our real estate beholden City Council won't allow to have a hearing and vote? Talk about a rigged system. Julissa Ferreras sponsorored the SBJSA in 2008 & 2010 then withdrew her name from the bill when small biz crisis is getting worse in Queens. Elizabeth Crowley also sponsored SBJSA previously and withdrew her name.
Since the public is lazy and apathetic the politicians can do anything they want.
The new development has no infrastucture and no one, particularly the hipshits who will live most of their pointless lives with this mess, and seem to be focused on important shit like Thai noodles and little Fluffy and Fido, bitches but suffers in silence.
So if everyone is pleased with a falling quality of life this is a non-issue.
As to the hipshits, all I can hope to see is for them to bike to work in February aged 60 on their Citibikes.
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