The Death and Life of Harlem
Race, class, power and the politics of gentrification — a special multimedia three-part report.
1) Hello Gentrification: Central Harlem’s Biggest and Baddest New Resident
By Kema Carwin, Taylor Jo Gillen, Nicolette Nanton, Ashley Newell, Demi Rodriguez, Laura Taveras.
From the days of rampant drug trade to now, Central Harlem has evolved dramatically into a highly-sought after community. But it comes at a price. According to the Community Service Center, Central Harlem’s rent prices have risen 90 percent in the last decade and a half.
2) Columbia’s Land Grab
By Jazmin Rosa, Jeffrey Tam and Johnathan Thompson.
For over a decade and counting, Columbia University has rapidly expanded, acquiring large parts of the Morningside and Hamilton Heights neighborhoods. While the main campus sits on West 116th Street and Broadway, Columbia’s influence on the surrounding area has saturated a much larger radius. Where local mom and pop shops once stood, popular chain establishments such as Starbucks and Chipotle have proliferated. A check that would pay for two months’ rent might not cover one today.
3) 125th and Lex: Harlem’s Most Resilient Corner
By Gregory Cagle, Ashley Kalstek, Ania Ortiz and Dashana Vailes.
As much of Harlem has become gentrified and rising housing costs have sent previous residents and business owners outside of the community, pockets of East Harlem have resisted change. Mingling with shiny new buildings and new residents, junkies and homeless folks populate the corner of 125th and Lexington, also known as “The Walking Dead.”
