Actually, it is amazing how rapidly gentrification can happen in the right circumstances. Harlem has one of the prime prerequisites, a lot of nice architecture in those brownstones that were once the estates of the wealthy back before the "Rich Man's Panic" of 1907 that brought us the Federal Reserve.
A classic example is Georgetown in Washington, D.C. It is now widely forgotten that for over a century, being the oldest part of the city (having predated the city's existence), it was the most rundown and was the main black ghetto. That changed in the 1930s when the incoming FDR New Dealers thought the colonial architecture was cute and began moving in and gentrifying. I understand that there are still nine black families who own houses in now very upscale Georgetown who did so prior to the 1930s gentrification wave.
We are talking discontinuous social dynamics, the kind discussed in my book (first edition, chapter 10), the one that Yoshie does not think much of. Barkley Rosser -----Original Message----- From: Doug Henwood <dhenwood at panix.com> To: lbo-talk at lists.panix.com <lbo-talk at lists.panix.com> Date: Tuesday, February 13, 2001 3:32 PM Subject: Re: Slick Willie heads uptown
>J. Barkley Rosser, Jr. wrote:
>
>> Hey, I'm teaching Urban Economics right now.
>>I am aware that Harlem has a long way to go in
>>terms of gentrification. But, I have no doubt that
>>Slick Willie will end up in one of the gentrifying
>>sections, if not already fully gentrified.
>
>Well, yeah, it's in the empowerment zone he helped create. Starbucks,
>Disney - and earlier, the Cuomo/Dinkins attempts to use the Apollo
>Theater as a gentry magnet. Word is that some adventurous white gay
>male couples are moving into some other upscaling areas. But like I
>said, it's got a long long way to go.
>
>Neil Smith has done some fine work on the planned gentrification of
>Harlem (a further reminder of how the bourgeoisie really plans for
>the long term). It's going to take quite a few more real estate
>cycles, if it's ever going to work, though.
>
>Doug
>