An Open Letter To The Gentrifiers Of This Neighborhood
Listen up hipsters!
My roommates and I have just about had it with your recent invasion of our treasured community. As you pour into these blocks in droves, you fail to recognize the impact of your sudden inundation. We should know — we’ve been residents of this neighborhood for over fourteen months.
This is not some slab of asphalt with cheap rent and quick train access for you to suddenly call your own. You did not discover this neighborhood. We did. And before you arrived, there was a vibrant community of immigrants from a country in Eastern Europe whose name is unfortunately escaping me at the moment. They had these great knish like pastries we’d get on the way home from the bars. The point is, there were families here just trying to make a life and get by.
It’s strange to think back to what this place was like when we first arrived. I remember a simpler time, when you couldn’t get fancy artisanal cheese at “Brioche” on Franklin Ave. You had to walk across Nostrand until you hit the indoor farmer’s market to get any aged gouda at all. Frankly, we liked it better that way.
And for that matter, when we moved into our building, we did not have any luxury rooftop pools to swim laps in every morning. Instead, we’d take the elevator to the gym on the 18th floor and exercise a bit more humbly. I guess you could say we’re a little old fashioned.
All this, mind you, fails to address the ramifications of having more and more young professionals coming in and driving up rent for working class families. We were the first to begin doing that more than one year ago, but when we did it, it was to provide an economic stimulus to the existing residents.
Put simply, your recent arrival has totally changed the landscape of our community.
This neighborhood was not awaiting your cultural renaissance. We don’t need your Dr. Martens stomping around our beloved streets.
Also, you probably got them from the thrift store we sold our old ones to anyway.
With both disgust and nostalgia,
The residents of 83 Elm Blvd.
