(no subject)
III.
Greenwich Village today is no longer at the vanguard of the new and provocative. The rising rents and gentrification that has taken place has forced out the artists and writers into less expensive neighborhoods, such as Washington Heights or Williamsburg. As a result, the Village relies on the past to preserve its reputation as alternative and edgy. To an extent, this has succeeded - to mention Greenwich Village conjures images of bohemianism, provocative sexuality, seediness and artistic affiliation. Today, however, the Village is one of the safest neighborhoods around. The increased tourism and patronage of stores and venues in the neighborhood has increased its affluence, all due to the famous history of the Village.
Gentrification has prevented the Village from moving forwards as a cultural hot spot. As part of the nature of the city, this is to be expected. However, there is a sense of loss felt in seeing Starbucks coffeeshops, McDonald fast food restaurants, and Urban Outfitters clothing stores everywhere. The Village has become a consumer paradise, in which visitors can buy a piece of the Village to take home. Like most other tourist hot spots, downtown Manhattan caters to what will sell and keep tourists coming back for more. Greenwich Village is no exception. The few areas that are less commercial are still "ethnic" - in particular, the areas around Carmine Street and the Church of Our Lady of Pompeii. This part of the Village is more like a less tourist filled Little Italy, where residents from decades ago can still manage to live. The opposite end of the neighborhood, around New York University, is completely gentrified and a magnet for rich urban professionals to start a home and family in. Rows of beautiful brownstones line the leafy streets, where well dressed liberal professionals walk their dogs and children. Greenwich Village is residential, commercial, and beginning to look like the rest of New York City.
Greenwich Village is still incredibly beautiful. The rows of townhouses, expensive and gentrified they may be, are elegant and add a genteel atmosphere perhaps left over from the 1800s. The winding side streets add character to concrete - for example, Minetta Lane, which curves between buildings and a small park. The old cafes from the glory days still open their doors, hoping to sell a little piece of their history to those who can afford a cappucino. Performance venues, like Café Wha? and the Cornelia Street Cafe are still alive and jumping, although less adventurous programming is on offer. The unique character of Greenwich Village from the old days is still very much present in the streets, and although it may be exploited for the financial good of the city, its history is very much welcome.
Greenwich Village today is no longer at the vanguard of the new and provocative. The rising rents and gentrification that has taken place has forced out the artists and writers into less expensive neighborhoods, such as Washington Heights or Williamsburg. As a result, the Village relies on the past to preserve its reputation as alternative and edgy. To an extent, this has succeeded - to mention Greenwich Village conjures images of bohemianism, provocative sexuality, seediness and artistic affiliation. Today, however, the Village is one of the safest neighborhoods around. The increased tourism and patronage of stores and venues in the neighborhood has increased its affluence, all due to the famous history of the Village.
Gentrification has prevented the Village from moving forwards as a cultural hot spot. As part of the nature of the city, this is to be expected. However, there is a sense of loss felt in seeing Starbucks coffeeshops, McDonald fast food restaurants, and Urban Outfitters clothing stores everywhere. The Village has become a consumer paradise, in which visitors can buy a piece of the Village to take home. Like most other tourist hot spots, downtown Manhattan caters to what will sell and keep tourists coming back for more. Greenwich Village is no exception. The few areas that are less commercial are still "ethnic" - in particular, the areas around Carmine Street and the Church of Our Lady of Pompeii. This part of the Village is more like a less tourist filled Little Italy, where residents from decades ago can still manage to live. The opposite end of the neighborhood, around New York University, is completely gentrified and a magnet for rich urban professionals to start a home and family in. Rows of beautiful brownstones line the leafy streets, where well dressed liberal professionals walk their dogs and children. Greenwich Village is residential, commercial, and beginning to look like the rest of New York City.
Greenwich Village is still incredibly beautiful. The rows of townhouses, expensive and gentrified they may be, are elegant and add a genteel atmosphere perhaps left over from the 1800s. The winding side streets add character to concrete - for example, Minetta Lane, which curves between buildings and a small park. The old cafes from the glory days still open their doors, hoping to sell a little piece of their history to those who can afford a cappucino. Performance venues, like Café Wha? and the Cornelia Street Cafe are still alive and jumping, although less adventurous programming is on offer. The unique character of Greenwich Village from the old days is still very much present in the streets, and although it may be exploited for the financial good of the city, its history is very much welcome.