Now that Williamsburg's about to be swallowed by the manufactured twee clothing beast, and Gowanus and Bushwick are bending to the cruel will of the Real Estate Developer, it's time for the plaid-wearing masses to infest a new part of New York, yet untouched by latte leaf art and organic grocers. And according to the Wall Street Journal, the hipsters have set their sights on the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
The WSJ says that the Navy Yard's Wallabout "neighborhood" has managed to avoid the rampant gentrification of nearby 'hoods like Dumbo and Williamsburg, in part due to its industrial grit and relative isolation. But it's beginning to see a revitalization thanks to the efforts of non-profit Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corp, which has spent millions of dollars renovating and repurposing industrial buildings in the area. Now, the neighborhood's getting hip amenities like a Brooklyn Roasting Co. outpost, an organic grocer and a day spa, and locals believe this is just the beginning. "Our thinking is that it will change; I'm sure in 10 years it will be a high-class area," Mehrdad Shariati, who owns the building that will soon house Brooklyn Roasting Co. and plans to install a florist and kitchen-design store next door, said.
And there are more changes coming to Wallabout. Two buildings on main thoroughfare Washington Ave are being turned into loft conversions. Townhouses are getting sold to neighborhood newcomers. And, most importantly, a wine shop is coming to the 'hood, proving it's only a matter of time until the streets are filled with idyllic, fancy dog-walking bearded weekend brunchers clinking glasses and starting heated Community Board wars, because isn't that just the circle of neighborhood life?
