In the previous essay, each student briefly compared and contrasted the past Downtown Brooklyn with the current. Here we will navigate Downtown Brooklyn now, focusing on the urban redevelopment plans that have attracted high-income families and individuals who can afford luxury housing and upscale stores, while pushing out lower-income and working class residents, and small merchants.

In this essay, you will write about three issues. First, 1) research about the Downtown Brooklyn Development Plan during the Bloomberg administration and explain how it has changed the urban landscape in Brooklyn. Second, discuss the role of and relationship between the real estate market and the local government that has driven the urban transformation in Downtown Brooklyn through the public-private partnership. Read suggested articles in order to understand what the public-private partnership means and visit the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership’s website (http://downtownbrooklyn.com/) for a clear example of the partnership in Downtown Brooklyn. I also strongly encourage you to research the New York City Economic Development Corporation (https://edc.nyc/) and their role in urban redevelopment plans across the city. Lastly, briefly compare and contrast Downtown Brooklyn in the past with the current Downtown Brooklyn. What is the main difference?

1.5-2 pages!

Here are some reading suggestions for this essay.

• • • Sharon Zukin’s “Chapter 2- How Brooklyn Became Cool” and “Chapter 4 – Union Square and the paradox of public space” in Naked city: The death and life of authentic urban places.
    • Benediktsson, Mike Owen, Brian Lamberta, and Erika Larsen. 2016. “Taming a “chaotic concept”: Gentrification and segmented consumption in Brooklyn, 2002–2012.” Urban Geography 37(4): 590-610.
    • Chronopoulos, Themis. 2016. “African Americans, gentrification, and neoliberal urbanization: The case of Fort Greene, Brooklyn.” Journal of African American Studies 20(3): 294-322.
    • Halasz, Judith R.2018. “The super-gentrification of park slope, Brooklyn.” Urban Geography 39(9): 1366-1390.

Cite at least one article. 

This assignment is due by 4/21.

How will this assignment be graded?

• This essay consists of 8% of your total grade; and will be graded on the following elements. Note: do not forget to properly cite any references.
• Note: Do not include more than one direct quote (less than 50 words). 
  • Content: the questions in the prompt are properly addressed – total 75 pts (see below)
    • Downtown Brooklyn Develpoment Plan explained (25 pts)
    • The definition and examples of the public-private partnership are explained (25 pts)
    • The comparison and contrast between the past and the present of Downtown Brooklyn (25 pts)
  • References
    • If the student read suggested articles and incorporated them into their writing & properly cite them (10pts)
    • Presentation
      • If 1.5-2 page criteria is adhered (5 pts).
      • If font and spacing are correct (5 pts).
      • Appropriate grammar and punctuation for the project and demonstrate extensive proofreading (5 pts).

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