After years of a consistent arrival of immigrants, the Lower East Side became culturally rich. It was a new home for all the immigrants where they could keep their old traditions, practice their religions, and also try to assimilate into American culture. Their attachment to their new community was so much so that even after some of them moved up and out of the Lower East Side, they still returned on weekends with their families to take part in religious and cultural practices. There was a rich emotional history associated with the Lower East Side as well including sentiments of nostalgia and struggle. It signified everything associated with their beginnings in America.
Thus, when the government and real estate workers wanted to change and modernize the neighborhood the residents were unhappy. Once again there was the recurring idea of others with more power trying to impose their ideas on the immigrants. Previously there were romanticized ideas attached to the Lower East Side. People considered it trendy to go slumming and youth moved into such areas to experience life there. It was characterized as a unique and quirky place. Now, those who weren’t even residents there were once again trying to impose their ideas by transforming the Lower East Side how they saw best. Real estate developers were looking to exploit the area for profit without concern for the people who lived there. The immigrants who lived there tried their best to prevent it but they were powerless economically and socially, especially against the government. Because the immigrants were thought of as lower and as “the other”, there were no qualms about invading their space.
