YinYin Li
English 1101-D381
Prof. Rosen
10/2/13
Project #2: Overlapping New York
My high school teacher always said the life in city universities is like the high school, go to school and go home. And this is my life now; I never explore the neighborhood near the City College of Technology, because I think Downtown Brooklyn just is a college town. However, everything is change after I cross the line, and found the Fulton Mall, the center of the Downtown Brooklyn. Fulton Street not just a street full of department store, it proves the changing of the New York and how it also overlapping New York.
How to arrive the Fulton Street? Starting at the entrance of General building, turn left and walk straight down to the Fulton Street, approximately four blocks away; when you pass the Willoughby Plaza, make a left turn to the Fulton Mall. That is where I begin my adventure, to explore that street.
When I first got there, the first thing I capture in my eyes is people. Even that was the weekday; people were still walking through the street, and shopping in retail stores unstoppably. I like frame a photographs from the view of my eyes, as I walking on the street, I take new things and interest things in my photographs
My eyes follow the waling people and I start to focus on the stores on the Fulton Street. There was some famous brand chain store I knew well, such as Modell, Starbucks and Gaps, etc. however, there was also many unknown local retail stores that I never heard of, most of them are the clothes store, and they were selling very unique and stylish clothes, very different with the brand store. I suddenly understand why people concentrate at here; unlike all brand stores in Soho, New York, Fulton Mall gives people more options, more creative products and ideas, always flesh the customers’ minds.
I kept walking and stop on the corner of the street, then I look up, I found out it was so interesting that the buildings along the Fulton Street is shorter than the buildings around in downtown Brooklyn. I guess because the buildings on the Fulton Street were older than the buildings around that street, since they are not replaceable, people kept moving in and joined this economy, the street keep its look for the businesses.
I chose this place for the project because as a teenage girl, I am curious at many things and when I explore the Downtown Brooklyn, I lost my self at there. I almost give up and try to find station on Jay Street and go home, then, I found the Fulton Street. I still remember how impressive it is when I saw that shoppers rushing on the street carried shopping bags on their both hands. I always thinks Brooklyn is quiet neighborhood, boring and historical; however, Fulton street is totally different; it is fashionable, and lively. This is the new Brooklyn I never knew.
From Whitehead’s “City Limited”, it said, “You didn’t know that each time you passed the threshold you were saying goodbye.” The changing along the Fulton Mall is similar to that Chinese restaurant; someday, this store opens, someday, that store closed. People never know what happen tomorrow especially the fashion business. After a month, when you come back and shop in Fulton Street, you will find out your “old friend” was gone and a “new friend” came. Like the author Whitehead said you never know when to say goodbye to your New York.
“Our old building still stand because we saw them, moved in and out of their long shadows…They are part of city we carry around. It is hard to imagine that something will take their place.” It is disappointed when you coming for something and after you get there, it is gone. And you can only put the old memories put inside your heart. Thus, you have to treasure every time you meet it. For the people, Fulton Street might just a street for shoppers to shop, for customers to eat, and a nice place for people to relax and enjoy the simple pleasure. However, from the past to present, along on the Fulton Street, especially the Fulton mall area, the street changes as the time move on. We always come back because it is the Fulton Street, the part of city we carry, the old place the full of many happy memories.
After visiting along the Fulton Street, I want to know more about the history of this amazing street, when did it developed, why it developed at the center of the Fulton Street, the center of Downtown Brooklyn.
Downtown Brooklyn is a cluster of extraordinary neighborhood, you never know if you not explore it. Like Fulton Mall, one of the busiest shopping districts in Brooklyn, it just a simple neighborhood, but it show the New York overlapping, from the past to present, from National to local department stores. By compare and contract every detail on that street, I was more understand the author of “City Limited”, your own New York is create by yourself, you never knew a New York by hearing other people said.
