This page will contain a compilation of 5 before-and-after photos of major cities across the United States that experienced gentrifications in its neighborhoods. I included this section to exemplify the changes in community culture experienced after gentrification and an adaptation of new residences, retail, and community centers to appeal to the gentry population. Below each photo will be the urban community, major city name, and, if possible, the time lapse to highlight gentrification’s quick progress across major cities in the United States.
1
East Village, New York City, NY, 2011 to 2014. This image shows the change from the Mars Bar in East Village to both a Chase credit car company office and high-end, luxury apartments on the street corner. Within this comparison, you can also see the elimination of graffiti as symbolization as the loss of autonomy of the community after the process of gentrification.
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2
Corner of 16th and Valencia Streets, Mission District, San Francisco, CA. This photo highlights the invasion of middle-to-upper class retail into the culture of the Mission District community. Its inclusion appears almost out of place in comparison to the other shops on the street. Although Muddy Waters could generate additional revenues for the community, it’s incorporation juxtaposes sharply with the vibrant Latinx community on the corner of 16th and Valencia Streets in San Francisco, CA.
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3
St. Roch Market, New Orleans, LA, 2005 to 2015. By photoshopping images of St. Roch Market immediately following Hurricane Katrina and its consequential reconstruction across the city 10 years later, the piece captures how the commodification of Hurricane Katrina generated a tourist economy that not only maintains some of the destruction of the storm as an attraction but the continuation of community displacement a decade later. This attraction for upper-to-middle class individuals perpetuates the loss of community experienced by many low-income households and families of color in New Orleans and gives government officials a reason to try and attract more gentrification into the area as a mechanism of “urban revitalization.”
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4
Washington Heights, District of Columbia, months apart in 2016. In Arleen Santana’s photograph, gentrification is shown replacement of an unoccupied street corner with a 7-Eleven, a convenience store chain, into Washington Heights. The corner has a completely new appearance: the graffiti and shutters initially covering the abandoned storefront is replaced by a brand new business with large windows and a renovated exterior. Although the 7-Eleven could bring new business to the community, it could also take away autonomy and competition once held by small businesses in the area due to the reputation associated with 7-Eleven.
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5
Denver, Co, 2016. This photograph included in a Denver Post article exemplifies the rivalry existing between original inhabitants of the community and the additional influx of new neighborhood members to the urban space. The small, pink home depicted shows what used to be the visual culture of the neighborhood. Now the location of traditional homes appears to be displaced by new modern apartments and townhouses. However, this picture contains another story, too: the push back against displacement in urban communities. Thus, this picture is not only another indicator of the communal transformation experienced after displacement but also of the push back against losing autonomy over the urban homes and communities.
Image References:
1 Lee, P. (2014, April 09). Photographers James and Karla Murray Capture New York City’s Rapidly Gentrifying Storefronts. Retrieved May 10, 2017, from https://www.6sqft.com/photographers-james-and-karla-murray-capture-new-york-citys-rapidly-gentrifying-storefronts/
2 16th & Valencia Streets. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.sfgate.com/neighborhoods/sf/mission_16thstreet/
3 Shaik, F. (2015, August 24). Selling Off New Orleans: Gentrification and the Loss of Community 10 Years After Katrina. Retrieved May 12, 2017, from http://inthesetimes.com/article/18298/the-new-louisiana-purchase
4 Gonzalez, H., & Santana, A. (2015, February 5). Reflections on the Diaspora and Gentrification. Retrieved May 12, 2017, from http://www.lagaleriamag.com/reflections-on-the-diaspora-and-gentrification/
5 Aldo Svaldi | [email protected] | The Denver Post. (2016, July 26). Denver seeks gentrification without displacing residents. Retrieved May 12, 2017, from http://www.denverpost.com/2016/05/18/denver-seeks-gentrification-without-displacing-residents/