Yes…it’s true. My city is changing and I don’t like it. Was it being away for almost five months that made me so aware? Empty stores…more generic looking high-rises replacing beautiful old buildings. In the Upper West Side – my neighborhood – just strolling along Broadway, Amsterdam and Columbus Avenue you see many empty storefronts. Why? Because rents are rising to the point that no individual can afford to pay such outrageous prices.
Yes, my city is still amazing…the diversity, the food, the events, the art galleries, the museums…but what attracted me from the very beginning were the small boutiques, the local bakeries, intimate restaurants…the mom and pop stores. The owners just can’t make enough to pay these outrageous high rents. The ornate buildings filled with artifacts? Family owned businesses that have been around forever? Disappearing…and it saddens me to no end.
Take Lee’s Art Shop on W.57th in Midtown…closing it’s doors after 60 years in business…a destination for art and craft supplies, gifts, light fixtures and furniture. Or Streit’s Matzo factory in the Lower East Side…making matzo for 90 years! I’ll never forget a few years ago when I peeked into one of the factory windows. Before I knew it a nice man was handing me a piece of flatbread (matzo) out the open window for me to taste. Or Pearl Paint Art Shop on Canal Street…the art supply mecca for artists for over 50 years. Or Pearl River Mart in Soho…omg…thousands of items from paper lanterns to incense burners to ceramic plates and spoons. How does a business go from paying $100,000 a month to $500,000 and make it? How does a business start over when a developer has purchased their building and will tear it down to build some ordinary generic looking high-rise? This is just a handful of large businesses…the list goes on and on and on for small ones. There’s a blog that showcases on a daily basis the sold buildings and closed businesses within New York City. It was so depressing, I quit following it.
Recently The New York Times published an article about rescued New York City artifacts. Back in 2012 I wrote about finding amazing artifacts at a store in Harlem…called Demolition Depot. I was so enamored by the collection of 19th century door knobs, wrought iron gates, carved oak fireplace mantels, clawfoot bathtubs, stained glass doors…you name it…rescued from demolished or renovated buildings…just waiting to be a part of a new renovation project somewhere. Fast forward four years…little did I know that the inventory in that store is just a small part of a larger home of architectural remnants outside the city that has grown to such a point that it’s unable to house the volume of artifacts becoming available. The owner states that his collection of architectural ornaments is the largest in the country and it’s growing faster than ever because New York City’s construction boom yields more artifacts than he can save. “They’re taking down and gutting buildings faster than we can keep up with right now. I have 25 churches to do before the end of the year.” That’s heartbreaking.
I’m sure most visitors wouldn’t see the difference, but for someone who has seven plus years of living here…let’s just say it’s really changing…and I don’t like it. And then you have the Orlando massacre, the gun issues, the political craziness…I can not even find a hair system salon. So for now I’ll continue to walk the streets, bury my head in my camera, take advantage of exploring the unknown and let the dice roll. Who knows what another year may bring…
On a more positive note…I came across this painting by Leidy Churchman at the Whitney Museum this past week. Love!
Gosh….that amount of change in only 7 years is pretty scary! Maybe you need to document it in some way….
It is so scary! I’m sure there’s plenty of writers and photographers documenting…but I do plan to do a little of my own on empty store fronts. Thanks Suz!
The same thing seems to be happening everywhere. I was just in writing class with someone who, along with many artists, was being kicked out of an apartment building so it could be torn down to build expensive condos. Money rules and that’s sad. The people and buildings that give a city character are disappearing.
Money rules…so true and so very very sad. Thanks Maery for visiting!
Oh I am sad about this. Another change of so many that we seem to have no control over, but the almighty dollar does.
Well said Ruth…well said. Thank you!
This brings tears to my eyes, Robin, because it seems to have become the way of The World. It’s not just NYC. And it’s actually been happening a long time, since Big Box stores started taking over the land/cityscape. My sense is that it can’t turn back because it IS all about money. In England they have National Trust Monuments. The Dutch have National Monuments, which are somehow “saved” from this demolition trend. In Holland, a National Monument CAN’T be changed. If you do any renovation, it has to fit the exact design and color of the original. What does America have to ensure this??? I don’t know but let’s hope there will always be Friends Of…fill in the blank…to keep some of these treasures. I ache for you because I know how much you love your city. WE have learned to love it because of you. (sigh) Let’s not give up all hope…yet!
You are so right…it is happening everywhere. Living in Arizona (Scottsdale/Phoenix) where everything is so new…it never even crosses your mind. There’s so many areas that still provide opportunity for mom and pop stores to thrive…but we never have to worry about removal of the old because there’s so little of it. I think because I “live it” here in the city that it has such a greater impact on me. I’ve started thinking that perhaps if I was more of a “visitor” it would keep me from being so down about it. It has certainly given me thought on how I want to “live” over the next ten years! So we’ll see! Thank you…always look forward to your comments!
First, I am totally in love with this image! It just blows my mind! Second, and on a much smaller scale, I know what you’re talking about with a place you have loved for many years being taken over and changed and rents becoming so crazy that you and all the old timers are forced to move away. I’m not just referring to stores but homes, too, which when raised so high changes the fabric of a place…. it can no longer reflect the history but just who has enough bucks to afford to live there.
I remember your post about the rescued artifacts and how it reminded you of your daddy and the work he did, can you imagine his reaction to all this?
And, yes, combined with all the troubles and sadness of the world today it can either be depressing or really piss you off or make you think hard about how you want to be living in ten years! No answers here, yet, but a lot of love and hope.
xoxo
I so love this image too! It just talks to me so much! Love reading your thoughts…and so agree, this was focused on businesses and there’s equal concern for housing as well. I loved that my daddy was into preserving the past…he had so many farm artifacts as well as keeping the building he purchased the way it was….keeping the ornate tiles, light fixtures etc. So yes, he would be so concerned with it all…
You are so correct…everything that is happening is really making me think hard about the next ten years for sure. Thank you!!! xoxox
Oh my GG, I just hate this for you too because I also know how much you LOVE “your city” and how much it means to you. And, I so agree with Ginnie’s comment that “WE have learned to LOVE it (your city) because of you.” Perhaps if you spend a couple months in Oregon next summer (hopefully when we are there too), in addition to your time at the farm with mom…, and your time in Arizona…, when you get back to your beloved NYC it will look better to you and you won’t feel so down about it. Since Bro and I retired, and started our full-time RV life, I have come to realize without a doubt that life is way too short to feel down about anything…Now my mantra is if one thing no longer works for you…. try something completely different… Hey, GG, you taught me that and look where Bro and I are today… ! XoXO
So true…I’ve taught you well, ha ha! Yes, lots to contemplate for sure. XOXOX
My heart goes out to you!! When I visited NYC last September as a visitor I was smitten, fell in love with your city much like I love our London town, the city vibe does something for the spirit. My favourite of your treasures was Ellis island where you could still feel the nervous anticipation of those who would be setting off on a new journey… Unwelcome change can be very scary so I empathize with you. An unwelcome change for me happened only last night as our country went to a public referendum as to whether or not to stay in the European Union. I don’t engage in politics as a rule but on this occasion I decided to vote to stay in on the principle of unity but the vote was to leave so this is a scary move for our country but I must accept this change and keep doing my bit for what I believe, keeping the faith for global unity…
I know you will continue to find the hidden treasures of your city no matter how it changes bringing them here for us to appreciate, thank you.
Loving the image, at first glimpse I thought it was one of your photographs with a little editing! :~)
I know how I felt when I woke up to the news this morning…and how we could be experiencing the same come November…and I thought of you. Thanks for leaving a note on your take. I so agree, we have to keep the faith!! Thank you so much!
As we walked around your city, the summer that VK,Shantel and I were given the opportunity to see NYC,this is one of the things that I thought was so neat was to look into these mom and pop stores just to see what they had to offer,so sad greed is taking over.
Perhaps it was growing up in a mom and pop business that makes it so special to me…but you are so correct…sadly greed takes over. Thanks so much for your thoughts Bro! xoxo
Our whole country is changing. I think we’ve all been away for too long.
Small businesses are being squeezed out at a rate that makes my heart wobble.
Our small business struggles to maintain it’s identity. It’s an unfair match, for sure.
Bests and love and brave bounty to your city…..to all of ours.
May this be the beginning of a great awakening.
Big hug,
Jennifer
So true Jennifer…and I also hope for that awakening! Hugs back at you…
Robin one thing I really notice is that those little local eating places and diners are very sparse? I actually hate those big chain store coffee places, and there is one on every corner? I think it’s called globalisation and it is felt everywhere. Eventually it will all collapse and we will have to start over…..sorry…..feeling a bit bleak today after the turmoil on our side of the pond xx
I’m with you…it’s really hard to not feel a little bleak with everything going on around us! I know you were just recently in my city…and I see that you too noticed what I’m seeing. Thanks for checking in and sharing your thoughts! xo
Where is the dislike button!!! I watched that happen in Wayzata and it broke my heart. Very sad indeed.
Oh gosh, you’re right! I forgot about Wayzata! So sad! Thanks my sweet…for checking in on my little space. xo
I think there are two things going on here. One, like it or not we are of a certain age so we have many years under our belt, decades to compare. Second, we are being forced fed a Cotten candy consumer culture (all fluff and no substance) that does not support the small business.
I have given up moaning about franchised businesses, I simply will not walk into one.
Stop the world I want to get off!
So true Abby!
I totally missed this post. It is sad that nobody protects the family stores. And you know what ‘we’ are the ones that make it happen. How many buy ‘on the internet’… nobody can compete with that. I hardly ever buy on the internet. I want to see what I buy. I want to have that resource of personal information. To have the interaction between buyer and seller.
It is sad that buildings are torn down. What do people think, new is better… There should be a kind of protection we have in the Netherlands, Ginnie told you about it.
I see shops closing here were we live… good shops, but indeed who can afford the high prices and the multinationals.
However to end with a great story about Eric-Jan is now 26, is Master-butcher and is leading a butcher-shop in Arkel, the town were I used to live. I know Eric-Jan and his twin brother since he was born, across from a large convenience store WITH a butcher ‘in the house’ somebody started a butcher-store. Everybody knows Eric-Jan, he knows what he is doing and people come to HIM!!! Sometimes my son and his friends, from the group Eric-Jan belongs too want to make a last minute BBQ…. you can imagine it is big party time. The boy has a stutter, but on the FB page of the butcher he advises people with the specialties.. Nobody makes fun of him for he is ‘Eric-Jan’…It is booming business. I wished more young people would have the gut and opportunity to do this and fight the big money. http://www.theobarten.keurslager.nl/keurslager-theo-barten-arkel
Eric-Jan is the one on the right…..
Love and hugs. (and I love the painting)
There are certain areas that do receive some protection…but I understand to get the historically status is something that takes a lot of time and money as well as having to be very very diligent over a long period of time. I’m sure there are so many requirements that it makes it almost impossible. Thanks for sharing the link! Always good to finish on a feel good story! Thank you!! xoxo
Those unfortunate changes seem to be everywhere. I don’t like it either.
I know!! Crazy!!!
Love the name “Gotham Girl” I am originally from the city, now living in Virginia in suburbia, miss it terribly. Found you through Terri at bone sigh arts. Love your blog! Blessings.
Thanks Christian for dropping in! Love Terri and her beautiful art and words! I grew up in Roanoke and visit my elderly mom often!