Is the Brooklyn Flea in trouble?
Here’s an article from NY Magazine’s Daily Intelligencer discussing the community’s opposition to the weekly flea market on Lafayette. For the record I’m not a big fan of it but that is primarily due to it’s location. Brooklyn could use a good flea market but put it somewhere that needs the foot traffic. I’m sure the Navy Yard or Columbia Street in Red Hook would be happy to have it. Those are areas which would benefit from the increased foot traffic and consumer interest. We just don’t need it in the middle of a thriving neighborhood (yes that’s a NIMBY argument but I do think other areas would benefit more).
Categories: Gentrification, Retail
Why do you have the “not in my backyard” feeling about the flea market? That’s what makes the neighborhood unique and allows independent business owners to thrive.
This event gives the residents of Fort Greene the opportunity to bond and therefore builds unity in a world so full of division.
So what’s your problem?
Here’s my problem… I don’t like the foot traffic. The area isn’t zoned for this type of operation. It’s not a commercial zone. I can’t argue with you about independent business owners but again, it’s not an area zoned for business so I don’t really need to.
And you really think the “Flea” is what makes the neighborhood unique? We became a unique area in the 4 or 5 months it’s been open? Really? That’s what made Fort Greene cool? Wow… You’re definitely giving the “Flea” a little too much credit. This has been a cool, diverse community for far longer than the flea market’s been in existence.
If that’s all we need to create a cool neighborhood and build unity we definitely need to get this idea in front of Obama asap. Instead of speeches and rallies he can have a traveling “Flea”. Maybe now he can get all those low income, blue collar white votes.
For the record, I don’t have a problem with it being in the neighborhood. I just don’t like that particular location.
It’s one of the events that make Fort Greene unique. One not the only thing. Fort Greene as you know is probably one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Brooklyn.
However I feel that Fort Greene is in danger of losing that distinction of diversity through gentrification.
I never wrote that the Flea market is what makes Fort Greene “cool”. You wrote that!
It seems to me that because you oppose “foot traffic” in your neighborhood, of which I didn’t know you were sole proprietary owner, then any event is a disturbance and should be banned.
What next, Soul Summit?