Pros And Cons Of Gentrification

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Gentrification is a burgeoning topic of discussion in cities around the world, and the answer to its efficacy is not as simple as good or bad. Gentrification is the revitalization of a city, caused by the restoration of inner city homes by immigrating middle or high class citizens and urban development projects run by the government. Eco gentrification or environmental gentrification, a specific type or focus of gentrification, attempts to rejuvenate the city through “green” projects of sustainable development. There are obvious benefits of this, but a much darker side generally remains unseen. As eco gentrification manifests itself in revitalization of the environment in a city, the quality of life is improved for some at the cost of the displacement …show more content…
In New York City, an environmental project known as the “High Line” has become extremely popular and have improved the condition of the surrounding area greatly, receiving more than five million visitors a year (Haffner). Environmental gentrification, although it usually springs from a “green” idea, has its greatest effects on the surrounding neighborhoods and businesses, giving life back to a run down area. Environmental science researcher Isabelle Anguelovski cites an increase in urban farms and community gardens in Boston and the reconstruction of parks in Los Angeles. Eco gentrification in Greenpoint, Brooklyn showed the steady cleanup of decades of pollution from oil refineries dumping excess fuels and toxic chemicals into the water (Prud’homme). Part of what has made eco gentrification in Greenpoint so successful is that it, “makes room for continued industrial use and blue-collar work, where cleanup does not ... exclusively lead to the ‘parks, cafes, and a riverwalk’ model” (Curran and Hamilton p.1028). This avoids the negative results of gentrification which are generally present in environmental gentrification. The positive effects of environmental gentrification are clearly evident in the
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