Some time in 2015, an abandoned factory located in between Sunset Park and Borough Hall was demolished. The construction went on for about year, and the site is now known as The Hamilton, a five-story luxury apartment building. The Hamilton’s official website showcases the various units available, the apartment amenities, and the perks of living in such a location. Given that I live a few blocks away from The Hamilton, I had to reevaluate my surroundings because it is the first luxury apartment building in my area, and seems like it does not fit in with surrounding businesses. Since some of the readings from this week touch upon the gentrification that occurs due to the development of old factories, I wanted to share my thoughts on the impact The Hamilton could have on my neighborhood.
Upon browsing the “Living Here” section of the website, it seemed like the targeted renters are the higher income, non-Chinese individuals. I say this because The Hamilton sits two blocks away from 8th Avenue, also known as the main street of Brooklyn’s “Chinatown”, yet excludes the existence of it on the website. I found it interesting how the website curated the most unique-sounding eateries in the area because unique names tend to attract the aforementioned targeted renters. Of course, I did not expect the marketers to list all the restaurants and bakeries from 8th Avenue, but I thought it was smart that they tried to make the area seem as diverse and cool as possible. I hope the creation of The Hamilton will not start the gentrification chain in my neighborhood due to this.
What makes me question the successfulness of this development is that although 65% of the apartment units have been rented out, most of the first floor still displays signs advertising its space, which was meant for businesses. Perhaps the rent is too expensive for local businesses. Also, ever since its transformation, I’ve always thought how out-of-place the building looks, considering it is surrounded by: a bodega with faded signs, a 24/7 fruit and vegetable market, and a few dollar stores. Will the higher income individuals be attracted or repelled from the views of these businesses from the apartment windows? However, putting these aside, The Hamilton sits in a great location, as it is one block away from the N train and is surrounded by public schools. Also, the Maimonides Medical Center sits about 12 streets away, so the doctors can always move closer to work.
The website can be found here.
