Brooklyn's Progress
June 2004

By Enrico Cullen

Neighborhood development comes in many forms, from dazzling hype, to staid efforts like increased school funding, affordable housing, and a decent job market.

Bushwick has that creepy and exciting development feeling, much of it focused on the attraction-repulsion of gentrification. But what’s going on for current residents?

Monique Darrisaw, principal at the Academy of Urban Planning on the Bushwick High School Campus and a life-long resident of Bedford-Stuyvesant, creates events that involve the community in the life of the school. “The Bushwick Campus Field Day is meant to promote unity… We want to show the students and the community that being separate schools does not mean being divided. We can work together so that all students have an equal opportunity to be successful and the community can feel proud of the school.”

The Academy is part of New Visions for Public Schools, an initiative to provide better and personalized educational experiences with smaller student populations and theme-based learning.

“The word hasn’t really gotten out yet,” said Junior Rodriguez, a 35-year Bushwick resident and fireman at the Fire Department’s headquarters at MetroTech Center. His nephew attends the school. “I think a lot of people are still concerned about what’s going on [at Bushwick High School].”

Mr. Rodriguez was equally circumspect about Bushwick’s housing situation. “Private contractors buy vacant lots and sell at the highest price. Some housing is reserved for residents, like the Rheingold development, but it’s hard to say how much will benefit the people who live in Bushwick now.”

Carol Abrams, spokesperson for New York City Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), spoke to me about the Rheingold Brewery. HPD developed 156 homes for moderate-income families and a 93-unit rental building for low-income families. All of the homes sold and 50 percent were reserved for Bushwick residents. 

“The rationale behind the 50 percent preference is that there are local residents who stuck with the neighborhood when it was distressed,” said Ms. Abrams. “We want those families to have a better than average opportunity to stay in the neighborhood and improve their housing conditions.”  Ms. Abrams was unable to tell me the actual percentage of Bushwick residents who purchased homes at the site. 
Carl Camilucci, chief of staff for City Councilmember Diana Reyna, concurred on the importance of housing development. “The irony is that what most people attribute to gentrification has, in Bushwick’s case, been an element of real economic development.” Mr. Camilucci cited HPD projects after the 1960’s riots. “HPD owner-disposition programs fueled a private market,” Mr. Camilucci said. “Property values have increased in large part due to these affordable housing programs.”

Mr. Rodriguez ended our conversation, saying, “Yes, there’s a lot of development in Bushwick, but how many jobs will be given to people in the neighborhood?” Bushwick appears to be on the cusp of a great return; quietly putting together a package of education and housing that benefits local residents and increases the standard of living.  If jobs can be thrown in, we may see a different kind of development hype, one that benefits Brooklynites who’ve weathered the storms.

Enrico Cullen is the Director of Development & Public Affairs at Brooklyn Center for the Urban Environment.