Archive for the ‘Gentrification’ Category
In which The Gay Recluse wins an Oscar. Recently we learned from US Magazine that “[a] few weeks after signing the lease on a $60 million Long Island mansion, [Angelina Jolie], 33, was spotted checking out a nice building in Manhattan’s uptown Washington Heights neighborhood Tuesday afternoon.” It makes us wonder how it came about […]
Filed under: Capitalism, Communism, Conspiracy, Decay, Film, Gentrification, Resignation, Ruins, Search, Washington Heights | 25 Comments
Tags: Anjelina Jolie, Ghosts, Real Estate, Shopping, US Magazine
On the Search for Relevance
In which The Gay Recluse questions his brand. When we started blogging, we didn’t really know anything about the internet, much less “bloggable memes.” Until then, like most people in our demographic, we had spent our time on nytimes.com and our “Yahoo home page.” But we quickly discovered internet traffic, and modified the blog to […]
Filed under: Addiction, Dissonance, Gay, Gentrification, Infrastructure, Longing, Search, Traffic | 4 Comments
Tags: Bloggable Memes, David Beckham, Google Ads, Identity Crisis, The Guy Recluse
On the Wahi Knockbusters Report: Why Did the City Tear Down Our Only Luxury Condominium Development?
In which The Gay Recluse remembers 2k6. In this weekend’s City Section of The Times, we learned that the city recently tore down the only luxury condominium development in Washington Heights, located on an undeveloped patch of land under the George Washington Bridge overpass. Nestled in the trees and rock formations, the site had promised […]
Filed under: Architecture, Capitalism, Conspiracy, Gentrification, Infrastructure, Knockbusters, Landscape, The Times, Washington Heights | 4 Comments
Tags: City Section, Columbia Medical, Hooverville, Luxury Condominiums, The George Washington Bridge
In which The Gay Recluse finds remnants of the 1860s 1960s. It’s difficult to write about a city of the past without succumbing to nostalgia, given the grandeur of the dead monuments that have survived and the (philosophical) certainty that no time is worse to be alive than the present. Some friends of ours came […]
Filed under: Capitalism, City Pattern Project, Communism, Gentrification, History, Nostalgia, Travel | 1 Comment
In which The Gay Recluse finds a silver lining. We’ve already written about our bad karma at the 34th Street Station, which is filled with ungainly chrome columns and awkward ramps. But just the other day, we noticed an infinite wall of gold tile. We’re not sure why it took us two years to find. […]
Filed under: Architecture, Capitalism, City Pattern Project, Communism, Dissonance, Gentrification, New York City, Subway, The Gay Recluse | 2 Comments
Tags: 34th Street, Berlin, Chrome Columns, D-Train, Karma, MTA, Ramps
In which The Gay Recluse gets servicey. Reader Russell writes: I know that it’s a little our of your way but on June 8th, the Mount Morris Park Community Improvement Association will hold the 19th annual historic house tour. Each year, the MMPCIA organizes a tour of ten or so historic homes in and around […]
Filed under: Architecture, Gentrification, Letters | Leave a Comment
Tags: Activities, Harlem, History, Mansions, Uptown
In which The Gay Recluse rejoices over the end of gentrification in Washington Heights. Rejoice, kind and courageous foes of gentrification! For those many of you who have added your voice to the cause — i.e., our allies in lower Manhattan, Brooklyn and other gentrified neighborhoods around the city who have never ceased to warn us […]
Filed under: Capitalism, Communism, Drivel, Gentrification, Infrastructure, Longing, Memory, Nostalgia, The Gay Recluse, Washington Heights | 6 Comments
Tags: Coffee, Deaths, Patries, The OC Bakery and Cafe
On Washington Heights Monopoly: Condominium for 573-575 West 161st, 577-579 a Mystery Excavation
In which The Gay Recluse provides an update on a beehive of activity at 573-579 West 161st Street. So it’s official, if “official” means by way of an unnamed receptionist at the architects’s office: 573-575 West 161st Street is going to be a 6-story condominium. We’re trying to scrounge up a rendering, but in the […]
Filed under: Architecture, Capitalism, Gentrification, Government, Knockbusters, Monopoly, The Gay Recluse, Washington Heights | Leave a Comment
Tags: Church, Condominiums, construction, Doctors, Excavation, Permits
In which The Gay Recluse is small. Time/Location of Pictures: 35th Street between Madison and Fifth Avenue, some night last week. It’s not exactly a revelation to say that the city is filled with infinite borders, many of which are strictly maintained. But there’s something comforting in the utility of a nicely designed fence. As […]
Filed under: Architecture, City Pattern Project, Gentrification, Memory, New York City, Obsession, Photography, Search, The Gay Recluse | Leave a Comment
Tags: Borders, Fences, Madison Avenue, Midtown, Wrought Iron
In which The Gay Recluse lives in an alternate reality. For a long time we’ve kept an eye on the triple vacant lot at 573-577 West 161st Street, which we walk by every day on our way to the 163rd Street subway station. In January, we were pleasantly surprised to see two of the three […]
Filed under: Architecture, Gentrification, Government, Knockbusters, Longing, Monopoly, New York City, The Gay Recluse, Washington Heights | 5 Comments
Tags: Alternate Realities, Apartment Buildings, Bulldozers, Department of Buildings, Development, Monopoly, Recession, Uptown Real Estate
In which The Gay Recluse leaves New York. Last month we went to Pittsburgh for a few days. Even though we “grew up” there, it was almost like visiting a new (as in unfamiliar) city. We always lived in the suburbs, and almost never went into the city except to see the Penguins! This time […]
Filed under: Architecture, Capitalism, Communism, Decay, Dissonance, Gay, Gentrification, Infrastructure, Landscape, Language, Memory, Nostalgia, Television, The Gay Recluse, Travel | 7 Comments
Tags: Altar, Bridges, Chuck Noll, City of Champions, Discos, Gay Clubs, Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh, Primanti's, Queer As Folk, The Penguins, The Pennsylvanian, The Steelers, The Strip, Wholey's
In which The Gay Recluse scores selected opinion pieces in The Times. Paul Krugman/Taming the Beast The Short Version: We need financial reform. So far none of the candidates seem to have noticed. In his words: “But you don’t have to be an economic radical, or even a vocal reformer like Representative Barney Frank… to […]
Filed under: Drivel, Faith, Gentrification, Government, History, Language, Politicians, The Gay Recluse, The Times | Leave a Comment
Tags: Cohen, Death, Financial Markets, Kristol, Krugman, Obama, Race, Reform, The New York Times
In which The Gay Recluse watches the sunset, craves a gin-and-tonic and converses with a higher power. Time and Date of Photographs: 7:15ish, March 20, 2008 Notes: All sunset photos are inherently cheesy — obviously — but sometimes we have to get in touch with our inner tourist. God: Don’t let your youth go to […]
Filed under: Architecture, Capitalism, Conspiracy, Gentrification, New York City, Photography, The Gay Recluse | Leave a Comment
Tags: Birthdays, Gin and Tonic, God, Jonathan Richman, Middle Age, Netflix, New Jersey, Sunsets, Youth
In which The Gay Recluse applauds the news of uptown development. Curbed has reported that the city’s plan to rezone 125th Street — a plan we fully endorse — has passed the important hurdle of the Planning Commission, and will now move to City Council for final approval. Curbed also links to local coverage of […]
Filed under: Architecture, Gentrification, Knockbusters, New York City, Photography, The Gay Recluse | 3 Comments
Tags: 125th Street, City Council, City Planning, Harlem, Record Shack, Settepani, The Daily News, The New York Times, The Post
On the Harlem Watch: Why Doesn’t the Kalahari Mention Its Awesome Next Door Neighbor, The Head Shop?
In which The Gay Recluse poses a question to a condominium development in Harlem. Yesterday Curbed posted an update (via Joe Schumacher) on the Kalahari, a controversial — aesthetically speaking — condominium development on 116th Street in Central Harlem that appears to be nearing completion. We recently observed the Kalahari on a field trip to […]
Filed under: Architecture, Capitalism, Gentrification, Knockbusters, New York City, Photography, Retail, The Gay Recluse | 6 Comments
Tags: Condominiums, Curbed, Harlem, Head Shop, Joe Schumacher, Kalahari, Tribal Motif
In which The Gay Recluse agrees with a reader. As regular readers know, we recently took a field trip to Harlem, which led us to make the case that the city should “aggressively” rezone 125th Street. Of the many responses we received — some of which (as expected) were caustic to the point of incoherence […]
Filed under: Architecture, Capitalism, Communism, Gentrification, Government, Infrastructure, Knockbusters, Landscape, Letters, New York City, Politicians, The Gay Recluse | Leave a Comment
Tags: 125th Street, Amanda Burden, City Council, City Planning, Community Board 10, Community Board 11, Community Board 9, Harlem
In which The Gay Recluse takes a field trip to Harlem and makes the case that the city should rezone the shit out of 125th Street. Lately there has been a lot of press — from Curbed, The Times and others — about the city’s proposal to rezone 125th Street in Harlem. Much of this […]
Filed under: Architecture, Brooklyn, Decay, Disaster Footage, Drivel, Gentrification, Government, Knockbusters, New York City, Photography, Politicians, Retail, Ruins, Stereotypes, The Gay Recluse | Leave a Comment
Tags: 125th Street, City Plan, City Planning, Class, Gentrification, Harlem, Race, Stereotypes, The Times, Theresa
On Washington Heights Monopoly: 577 West 161st Street (or How To Run an Illegal Parking Lot)
In which The Gay Recluse reports on real estate in Washington Heights. A few weeks ago we reported on three vacant lots, two of which seem to be owned by a church and a third by a doctor’s office. Today, in response to reader e-mails, we thought we’d update you on the latest, which is […]
Filed under: Architecture, Bad Rock, Gentrification, Government, Monopoly, The Gay Recluse, Washington Heights | Leave a Comment
Tags: 577 West 161st Street, Curb Cut Denial, Development, Doctors, Fences, Illegal Parking, Monopoly, Parking Lots, Pylons, Vacant Lots
The Gay Recluse 