Chapter 15

In chapter 15 Jane Jacobs talk about sluming and unsluming of the neighborhoods. According to Jacobs it is not so easy to unslum the area, because it needs greater amount of public money, but since the area is already undesirable and unattractive, no investments are flowing in. She gives an example of the present urban renewal laws, how government tried to wipe out slums by building new projects intended to get bigger tax yields, but the plan was a complete failure. They just moved the slum and its community from one place to another. Another crucial factor for a slum to unslum is security feeling. If people living there will not be able to walk safely on the streets of their neighborhood and will be scared to get out of their house, the slum will never unslum.

Chapter 13

In this chapter Jane Jacobs talk about how the diversity can destroy the city in not maintained well. Author gives an example how it is done. Everything starts with “outstanding success” and afterwards usually goes downward, because if the area becomes very popular and everybody wants to live there, work there, hang out there… Over some period of time it becomes overcrowded. If one type of business becomes very successful, since people most of the time look at other peoples actions and successes, more such type businesses will be established up to the level, then nobody is going to make profits. The same example can be used for increasing population of that area. If the area became very popular, more people tend to move in, which eventually will lead to overcrowding.

Introduction

Briarwood was long a part of the Jamaica, where English settlers arrived in 1656. In 1905, Herbert A. O’Brien launched a development in the area now known as Briarwood. His wife, Adeline, coined the name because of the briars stuck to her husband’s clothing when he returned from forays to wooden site. The neighborhood was well established in 1936. Since I live in this area I decided to take a better look into the surroundings of this lovely neighborhood. It took me a long time to decide what my interests were about this place, because it is housing area and there is nothing much going on around here and not too many interesting places to write about. But one night, when I was coming home from Manhattan, at a big intersection of Queens Boulevard and 82nd. Street I saw a huge white building. It was the NYC Courthouse. I thought to my self how the it affects the neighborhood? After a bit of thinking and putting the facts together I new that the existence of the courthouse in Briarwood affects the real estate prices and the crime rate in the area.

Thesis statement

The crime in Briarwood has dropped because the of the appearance of the courthouse in the neighborhood.

Supporting arguments:

The rise in real estate prices.

Statistics.

More police reinforcement.

Neighborhoods: Briarwood Reassures Black Family

Neighborhoods: Briarwood Reassures Black Family

By MURRAY SCHUMACH

New York Times (1857-Current file); Nov 12, 1971; ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2004)

pg. 42

The article “Neighborhoods: Briarwood Reassures Black Family” talks about the racial issues of briarwood in early seventies. It gives you a story how some vandals burned, a newly moved in, black families two story brick house. In early seventies you could still see some racist habits in the population if the area. I would not even want to imagine how it would be to lose everything that was dear and precious to you in a couple of hours. Just the thought of that drives me crazy. But as they say “There are good people in the world” the poor black family received a call from a white woman from the neighborhood saying that she is going to help them and give them a shelter until they going to find a new roof over there heads. This show that the community’s appreciation towards the “Blacks” is growing. “He paused, looking at the black and white schoolchildren walking together in the street. ”The people are warming up to us” he said”.

http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=44&did=79164505&SrchMode=1&sid=14&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1204183129&clientId=13031

Where Cultural Diversity Is an Old Habit

Where Cultural Diversity Is an Old Habit

Briarwood, QueensBy JOHN RATHER

New York Times (1857-Current file); May 5, 1996; ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2004)

pg. RNJ5

The article “Where cultural diversity is an old habit” by John Rather talks about the cultural diversity of the area that I live in called Briarwood. First author gives a couple of facts about the geographical position and the types of the buildings that were built there: “Briarwood is bordered by four major roadways, the rectangular neighborhood is a predominately middle-income, multi-ethnic community of one- two-family houses interspersed with five-, six- seven-story apartment buildings, nearly all now co-ops.” The major roadways are: south border is UNION Turnpike, north border is Hillside avenue, east is Queens Boulevard and west, Parsons Boulevard.

Next John Rather talks about the cultural diversity of the neighborhood, gives some statistics on the census, ethnic groups and multicultural businesses.

http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=56&did=117250355&SrchMode=1&sid=14&Fmt=10&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=HNP&TS=1204182913&clientId=13031

Interwiew Answers

1. What is your name?

Jomo Clarke

2. What is your background?

I was born here, but my parents are originally from Jamaica

3. For how long do you live here?

I live here for past 7 years.

4. Do you rent or own?

I rent

5. Why did you move here?

I moved here because I went to college nearby. Saint John’s. You know it right. And it was really inconvenient for me to drive from Long beach (That is where his parent live) every morning. I just took too much time.

6. How the prices of real estate changed in this neighborhood since you moved here?

When I moved in the rent was around 1300 dollars, can’t remember precisely, and now it is 1650 dollars a month. Do the math.

7. What do you think about the safety in this neighborhood?

I think it is safe to live here. In past 7 years I barely herd a police siren around here, plus it’s a calm neighborhood, mostly old folks live around here so I don’t hear any loud music or parties at night.

8. How is the public transportation in this area?

Sorry I cannot answer this question, because I do not use it, my car takes me wherever I need to go. I know there is a subway not far but I have no idea what trains go there.

9. What kind of businesses are nearby?

There is a shopping plaza about 10 blocks away from my house. It has a Laundromat, dry cleaners, pizza place, Chinese food restaurant and a blockbuster. Also there are a few gas stations; I think its “GETTY” and “EXXON”. There

10. What are the recreation sites around here?

None that I would go to, I know there are a couple of bars around here and that is it I guess.