Brooklyn chic

My family has lived in and around New York City for several generations. The city has changed drastically during this time, and the city that my grandparents were familiar with has few similarities to the city of today. In a recent discussion with my grandfather, the differences between his childhood and today are clear. He grew up mainly in Chelsea, but for a time he lived in Brooklyn. To him, this was a source of shame, and he would never dream of telling anyone at the time that he lived in Brooklyn of all places. Today however, Brooklyn is chic. Its hip to be from Brooklyn, and people from all over the world now associate it with its music and art scenes.

Brooklyn for many years was seen as a “rough” neighborhood, with most of its population working class. But many of these communities are long gone, and the artist communities that replaced them have also since been replaced. Brooklyn as a brand is a relatively new development, and in some areas the high costs of living associated with this change have caused further movement. The new construction along the water, with its scenic views of Manhattan, is some of the most expensive real estate in the city, and as the process of gentrification continue to raise rents, the holdouts of old Brooklyn may be replaced with high end apartments and condos

Jon Baumann