Williamsburg in Flux

In the NYC vs X-Mas contest, Williamsburg is waaay ahead. Thanks to ye olde heat-island effect, it’s practically t-shirt weather, without a snowflake in sight. Of course, nobody who lives in this neighbourhood is actually from Williamsburg and anybody who is hung up on Christmas traidtions is likely home for the holidays.

Centered around the Bedford L station, Williamsburg is the hipster haven of New York (and quite possibly the universe). Bedford Avenue is lined with classy, Norman Rockwellesque shops, indie bookstores, cafes and clothing boutiques, Thai restaurants and a few favourite dive bars. Heading East, the quaint village feel quickly dissipates and stark, brightly-colored warehouses and factories squat along the blocks by the river.

There are construction sites everywhere, forming great midnight playgournds, and plenty of galleries, funky lofts and art-mart style boutiques tucked into the converted industrial buildings. I’m guessing we’re about a decade past Williamsburg’s true underground artsy heyday, and another decade shy of of the eventual glut of gentrification that is bound to overtake it.

Here are a few pics from my wanderings today.

(Left) Williamsburg Under Construction: The Manhattan skyline peeks out behind a massive condominium construction site along the East River.

(Right) Gentrification This Way Please: nothing tells it like a condo ad.

(above) Dec 24th is no holiday: construction workers knock down part of an old brick building on Wythe ave.

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Art on the Streets:
(Left) “Monster Garden”: that’s what it says on a sign behind the tree. It’s nice to see people making use of public space, even if there’s nobody enjoying this little sidewalk garden on a December morning.

(Center) Nobody Lives Here… Doorway to an abandoned factory along the East River.

(Right) Is it art? The astroturf under this would-be mailbox makes me think so.

(above) Signs of Christmas: An assembled crèche on Wythe ave, and a tongue-in-cheek bar sign (I personally dig the 2 for $4 pints til 9 pm at Cyn. Whoever said NYC was expensive just didn’t know where to drink.)