BY OSCAR BUITRAGO
Dyckman
is predominately a Latino neighborhood within the Washington Heights area. During1960s
and early 1970s, Dyckman was an Irish dominated neighborhood; home to many
Irish Bars, café’s and diners. During this time most residents were financially
stable, the neighborhood was seen as culturally inviting and an ideal place to
raise a family. Furthermore, both the Catholic and Public education systems
were held in high standards. In the mid 1970s Latinos began moving into the
Dyckman and Inwood area and quickly became the dominant group. From an economic
perspective, Latinos were not as financially secure as the previous Irish
population. Claiming this new territory meant a chance for opportunity and
change. The changes I am referring to are known as “gentefication”. The New
York Times defines gentefication is the process in which economic capital is
brought to a community through cultural awareness and traditions.
For
most neighborhoods that see a growth in Latino presence, businesses such as
bodegas and barbershops opened up, however this was not the case in the Dyckman
and Inwood area. Instead, developing businesses opened up to cater the incoming
community. Many businesses owner’s were former residents of the community and
claimed they understood what changes had to be made in order to give the
neighborhood a positive reputation. Gentefication is the reason why former
community residents became entrepreneurs and started a nightlife trend within the
community. New venues such as restaurants, lounges and clubs were all added more
or less five years quickly gaining wanted and unwanted attention.
Currently, the Dyckman and
Inwood area is most famous for its recent addition known as La Marina. La
Marina has established its reputation throughout the New York City and Northern
New Jersey area creating many unwanted attention for local residents. This new
addition has received multiple complaints from local residents because of
traffic jams and noise complaints. When Latinos first started moving to the
Dyckman and Inwood area, it was seen as a positive thing. Unfortunately, the
neighborhoods reputation is no longer the same and is now seen as business
opportunity. Entrepreneurs now have an understanding how profitable they can be
in an area like this, and are seeking further interest in leasing spaces. The
community is now seen as an investment as opposed to a place where you can
raise a family and send your children to school. Most local residents they are
now starting to struggle with rent payments due to inflation.
An Article by Timothy William
titled “Cities Mobilized to Help Those Threatened by Gentrification” addresses
ways on how to protect working and lower middle class homeowners. Similarly to
residents of the Dyckman and Inwood area, these residents who have been living
in the area for years are now facing competition with wealthier individuals. Darrell L. Clarke,
president of the Philadelphia City Council has argued for these local residents
and has demanded new alternatives on how to protect them and their homes.
Gentrification is being applied throughout the country and local residents
should all be defended when it comes to their communities and homes.
Thank you for your blog about Washington Heights, Oscar! Gentrification is a very interesting subject and it seems to be a growing trend in a lot of Metropolitan areas. It’s unfortunate that one of the negative outcomes of this growth is the inability for current residents, like the ones you speak about in your blog, to afford to live in these neighborhoods anymore. It seems like the market for profit becomes paramount to cultural representation and social ties as a place becomes more gentrified. The displacement of these people who cannot make enough money to stay where they live should be a topic that political leaders should confront with compassion and humanity or else our society as a whole will continue to segregate themselves based on economic wealth.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your post and believe you pose a good argument. In recent years Dyckman has been one of the fastest gentrifying locations I have seen. With the increase of the Dyckman night life and what is known as the ”Dyckman stripe”, I can’t help but to think about the amount of people that have been displaced because of this growing phenomenon. Five blocks are now lined up with lounges, bars and fancy restaurants. Although this attention is good for businesses, we have to keep in mind how it negatively affect local residents and local businesses.
ReplyDeleteOscar,
ReplyDeleteI like how you used the example of Washington Heights to be specific as well as relate to many other similar situations that have, are, and continue to be, taking place. I have been unfamiliar with the word "gentefication" and from the definition you provided and from some further research, it seems to (vaguely) resemble that of the "Black Bourgeois" that our Mary Pattillo reading, "Black on the Block" addresses, although slightly different in that Latinos are permeating an area dominated by people of Irish descent rather than their lower-class Latino/as. As we have discussed in class there are two sides to gentrification: one being that it seems to be a positive change and the other being that it eventually displaces these long-time residents because of what you mentioned on how rent payments have increased to a point where they are no longer affordable. This is absolutely a problem that needs to be addressed, as Nicole mentioned, by political leaders.
Oscar,
ReplyDeleteyour blog presents many interesting points to the questions of gentrification. It is very interesting how the racial diversity of washington heights has changed through gentrification, and wonder for what particular reasons did the irish community that was first there decided to leave. I really like how you have a first hand experience to the issues that gentrification create for long time residents in metropolitan area. We particularly see this example in Mary Patillos, Black on the Block: The Politics of Race and Class in the City when the area becomes filled with african american bourgeoisie. You present the question throughout whether community standards are even a concern to policy makers, and in contrary i think that residents needs are put to the side because the area has shown to be of economic interest to entrepreneurs. I would be interested to hear why you think the area became of particular interest and how it all began. The displacement of homes is a big concern that i feel is not emphasized enough to policy makers, and have became to concern with turning metropolitan areas into major global cities. In many ways i see the correlation between Washington heights and Miami. In class you have presented the point that gentrification has had a negative impact on the growing generations, and has lead many of them to be caught up with the concept of presenting one to be of high class. I think the segregation within your community will remain until community members take control of their land and remind entrepreneurs that the area belongs to the people !
Latinos gentrifying their own communities. I have been in these parts many times in my life. The now predominantly Latino community strives off of the Latino-based foods, clothing and entertainment. Along "La Marina", there are multiple clubs and bars on the Dyckman Strip. It brings in business from all over NYC, mainly Latino. I am a person who has attend these bars/clubs and know what the environment in them are. The successes of the clubs/bar causes ambitious Latinos to open their own. Many open and close or change owners and names of the locations. This is because many Latino owners cannot afford to pay for the unsuccessful events they've held, forcing them to sell what they had assumed would work. But cycle is though, that other Latinos buy the clubs and fail again. So on and so fourth. The local community suffers from the high prices imposed due to all of the people who come for a night to enjoy the nightlife. Latinos gentrifying latinos...
ReplyDeleteOscar, this is an excellent example of gentefication. Former residents of the community in which the business is being established are ideal business owners because know what is good for the community and genuinely want to improve it. It is not all about turning a profit or making a name for themselves; they want to contribute to their local community and build it up. Not only does this provide economic benefits, but also moral benefits as well. People coming from the same background as the business owners can relate to them and become inspired to become successful too. Seeing someone from a similar background who is succeeding prompts the age old question "If they can do it, why can't I?"
ReplyDeleteOscar I agree with this post and all that is taking place in Washington Heights. What I found interesting was the difference in venues when the Latino community moved into the area. When it was predominately Irish it was home to “Irish Bars, Cafes and diners, and these business have been traded in for a night life a space where families may not want to necessarily raise their children. The gentrification poses a threat to the Latino community because for some it attracts unwanted attention. But for others having a place to gather such as La Marina is exactly what they may want because it represents their culture through the music and dances. These venues such as La Marina attract individuals from all over the city who for one spend money at this venue and also support the other business in the area. The gentrification has both its pros and cons one pro being that more attention and revenue is being brought into the area and a con is that this is at the expense of the local residents having to deal with the nightlife. –KEVIN S.
ReplyDelete