Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Dumbo Muffins


Dumbo Muffins
Originally uploaded by madabandon.

I wonder if muffins are actually made in this scary building. Dumbo is strange. One block is filled with glittering new condos and fancy little shops to cater to the wealthy Manhattanites who have flocked to the area in the last few years. But turn a corner, and you might stumble across a building like this one.

I had friends, artists, who lived in Dumbo in the old days. It was like a sort of urban no-man's land, but the lofts were big and cheap with great light. As usual, once the artists are there, gentrification is following right behind and the artists are the first to get the boot. Most of my friends who lived there gave up and left the city, retreating upstate to Columbia and Ulster and Sullivan counties.

1 comment:

SHE said...

big, cheap, loft w/great light...

a dream of mine among others.

and, thank you.. looked up and can add -gentrification- to my vocabulary. embarrassing how many words i don't know, loving reading and writing so much.

there is such a fascinating blend here for me too.. for my children especially. play date at a million+ dollar custom castle one day; birthday at a 2200 sq foot two story; team homework project in a 900 sq ft duplex. they are witness to such a variety of lifestyles

and i'm happy to report that our town, our area, is making art and artists an important part of the growth here. new theatres going up, new museums, new programs for young/old, novice, seasoned/professional artists

people seem excited again.

rumor had it for a while we were lacking "culture"

people were starving for artists, and so the "do not feed" signs have come down now, and the welcome $sign$ are up.

lots of talk here about "affordable housing"

-very relative isn't it.