City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 5-2018 There’s Nothing Here: Tenure, Attachment, and Changing Perceptions in Gentrifying Williamsburg, Brooklyn Sara Martucci The Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/2642 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] THERE’S NOTHING HERE: TENURE, ATTACHMENT, AND CHANGING PERCEPTIONS OF GENTRIFYING WILLIAMSBURG, BROOKLYN by SARA MARTUCCI A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Sociology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, The City University of New York 2018 © 2018 SARA MARTUCCI All Rights Reserved ii There’s Nothing Here: Tenure, Attachment, and Changing Perceptions in Gentrifying Williamsburg, Brooklyn by Sara Martucci This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in Sociology in satisfaction of the dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Date Professor Philip Kasinitz Chair of Examining Committee Date Professor Lynn Chancer Executive Officer Supervisory Committee: Professor John Mollenkopf Professor Jason Patch Professor Sharon Zukin THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK iii Abstract There’s Nothing Here: Tenure, Attachment, and Changing Perceptions in Gentrifying Williamsburg, Brooklyn by Sara Martucci Depending on the audience, the term “gentrification” conjures images of pristine condos, fancy restaurants, dive bars full of hipsters, or eviction notices. This qualitative study examines the divergent perspectives of existing and former residents in a gentrifying neighborhood. For most of the twentieth century Williamsburg, Brooklyn was a working class neighborhood and it served as an ethnic enclave to several waves of (im)migrants. The neighborhood struggled through a period of deindustrialization, divestment, and high crime through the 1980s, when it began to gentrify. Initially networks of artists and students started moving into the area, but it soon became a destination for nightlife. In 2005 the neighborhood was rezoned among protests from residents. Since then, the gentrification has intensified with high-rise luxury condos on the waterfront and upscale, corporate retail outlets. This research is based on fifty interviews with residents, supplemented with an additional ten interviews with local business owners, census records, and archival retail data. The residents in this sample are divided into tenure cohorts based on how long they have lived in the neighborhood: Long Term, Medium Term, New and Former. A theory of neighborhood attachment styles is proposed, suggesting that members of each cohort (excluding Former) have a specific attachment to Williamsburg depending on their motivations for moving to the neighborhood and the conditions of the neighborhood at iv that time. Throughout the dissertation we hear from members of each cohort about crime, community activism, and shifting retail as gentrification has progressed. Both Long Term and Medium Term residents have experienced cultural displacement as a result of advanced gentrification. Members of both tenure cohorts feel out of place at times, and that their own cultures or identities are being erased. Most New residents were initially unenthusiastic about moving to Williamsburg, thinking of it as a good investment rather than an attraction on its own. In the process of “upgrading” the neighborhood, New residents employ various strategies to gain symbolic ownership over the neighborhood. These efforts often end up excluding existing residents and increasing their feelings of cultural displacement. This work illustrates that length of tenure and neighborhood attachment style are important predictors for experiences of cultural displacement and strategies for ownership in the neighborhood. In order to mediate the negative effects of gentrification for existing residents, we must first deeply understand the lived experiences of cultural displacement and the methods through which existing residents are excluded. v Dedicated to my Grandmother and friend, Theresa Martucci (December 24, 1930-August 19, 2017) vi Acknowledgements: This work began as a Masters Thesis at Brooklyn College many years ago. At that point I was convinced I would someday write a dissertation comparing participation in Feminist movements between Italian and Italian-American women. That Fall I took two courses, one with Jerry Krase and another with Timothy Shortell. Both professors encouraged me to immerse myself in my surroundings and, after nearly a decade, I cannot imagine a life without urban sociology. During my second year at the Graduate Center I joined the “Local Shops Project” led by Phil Kasinitz and Sharon Zukin. While on the team I learned invaluable lessons about urban ethnography and it intensified my growing interest in studying gentrification. I know that the methods and discussions from that project will continue to influence my work beyond this dissertation. I was also lucky to acquire two committee members in the process. Being a first-generation college student in a PhD program can be intimidating, as many of my CUNY colleagues will attest. I am grateful to have had Phil Kasinitz as my chair, his ability to dole out humor and patience along with insightful critique made this whole process more fun. Sharon Zukin has shown enthusiasm for my project as it has evolved over the years and I have appreciated the encouragement and the very useful comments on this dissertation. One of the first urban sociology articles I ever read was written by Jason Patch—I couldn’t believe someone had written about the strange neighborhood I had just moved into! His work continues to be an inspiration and I am thankful for his presence on this committee. John Mollenkopf has supported this research from its inception, but beyond that he has been encouraging of my professional development as a scholar, for which I am especially appreciative. I have always said that my fellow students have been the best part about graduate school. I must thank my writing group from back in the day- David Monaghan, Pete Ikeler, and Calvin John Smiley –you all provided thoughtful feedback and many fun times. Simone Kolysh’s unwavering passion for thoughtful and precise teaching has been a source of motivation. It has been my great fortune to meet so many strong, brilliant women with whom I’ve formed close friendships throughout this process. Pilar Ortiz, Bronwyn Dobchuck-Land, Erin Michaels, Anna Gijka, Deshonay Dozier, Dominique Nisperos, Marnie Brady, Chrissy Nadler, Abigail Kolker, and Fang Xu. They have all made my time in grad school fabulous—from the writing retreats to the dance parties and the many conversations about life, they have had my back. I am especially grateful to Melanie Lorek, it has been an absolute pleasure to ride out this journey together and I look forward to more adventures in friendship with you. Dennis Farr and I had countless conversations about Williamsburg over the years, a topic he will always know far more about. His insights have informed my analysis of gentrification and for that I must thank him. Lukasz Chelminski has read nearly every word that I have written over the past decade and always provided enough scathing review to get it into shape. Without his insistence and connections I would have never moved to Williamsburg in the first place and I would have missed out on this entire project. My far-flung crew has helped keep things light over the years. Andrew and Abigail Thompson, Daniel London, Remi Gurak, Michael Maggiore, Franklin Horn, Leo vii Gomez, Andy Cai, Ali Athanasiou, Yeashea Braddock, Samara McCourt, and the Ciavarella family are all lifelong friends who I will forever hold dear. My parents have been a constant source of encouragement and motivation over the years. My father, Michael Martucci, worked incredibly hard so that I could have all of life’s opportunities, I’m not sure I would have gotten through grad school without his model of persistence. I will be forever in debt to my mother and friend Christine Martucci, my first teacher in life who nurtured my curiosity from the very beginning and who does not shy away from my ‘enthusiasm’ during our sociological debates. My sister Chelsea has provided humor and humility along the way. My grandmother, to whom this work is dedicated, was so influential in making me the person I am today. While she did not always understand what I was doing in “college” all these years, she was fiercely proud of it. Finally, I have an immense amount of love, gratitude, and respect for my partner Kevin Andrus. He has made significant contributions to this work—from critical conversations and editing, to emotional support and encouragement, and way more than his share of domestic responsibilities as this work was nearing completion. You have made this a joyful process, and for that I will be forever grateful. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE: WELCOME TO WILLIAMSBURG ............................................................................ 1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................................... 1 CULTURAL DISPLACEMENT