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Comment by dakial1

9 hours ago

This low cost -> artist -> rich people movement of neighborhoods is something I observed happening in some cities I’ve lived in and it amazes me that there isn’t much lecture/research on the theme. From what I’ve observed is that artists will search for cheaper neighborhoods where they can rent space for their art, this attracts young people (students) usually the progressive type, then comes the bars and restaurants after these people, then artists became more known, the bars/restaurants became better (as the young/students start the gain buying power) and finally the rich arrive and with them, the real state speculation that ultimately makes the land price too expensive for anything other than art galleries. The artist scene then moves to another neighborhood starting the cycle again….

There is a lot of material on this theme. One place to start is a book like "The Last Bohemia" or a general search for books about Williamsburg (the Brooklyn neighbourhood) at the library. Lots of first-hand stories about how that pattern of gentrification plays out.