Brighton Beach & W. Brighton

History/Background of Brighton Beach/West Brighton

West Brighton and Brighton Beach, as of the year 2014, is known as a hub for Russian/Ukrainian immigrants that came to the United States around the 1990s. It is also known for its proximity to the waterfront, and the Coney Island amusements. Due to this proximity, the area has been experiencing a change in the past years. Around 10-15 years ago, The Oceana–a multi million-dollar development–was built by Muss Development, and stands as the most expensive piece of real estate Brighton Beach has ever seen.

In Nancy Foner’s text, From Ellis Island to JFK: New York’s Two Great Waves of Immigration, it is stated that the new residents (those Russians and Ukrainians that came in the ‘90s) turned the neighborhood into a commercial center, as currently visible by the long blocks with nothing but stores.

As Brooklyn borough historian Ron Schweiger put it, “the collapse of the Soviet Union saved Brighton Beach.” By 1995, Brighton Beach had the world’s largest concentration of Soviet emigres according to Nancy Foner.

On New Luxury in Brighton Beach

Neighborhood resident, Lisa Gavaletz, comments that there is an attempt being made to “force cram” luxury into a neighborhood that does not warrant it.

New Luxury Development in Brighton Beach