Throughout my time of attending Citytech, it was a great chance to explore the area  and get to know it more. There are different areas around citytech that show many different New Yorks and how they overlap/juxtapost each other. I would say Brooklyn have many old & new sites that makes the “adventure” worth it.

Before I went off on my journey to walk 15 mins away from CityTech, I didn’t want to go alone, so, my very close friend came along. First, I chose to start our walk in front of the first train station point on the opposite side of Citytech’s sidewalk. But to make it short, it was at Metrotech. We were 3 mins away from the building, so, we started the watch and started walking.

We kept walking straight up Jay Street to the second corner that’s in front of Duane Reade. That street was busy with people walking or on bikes at the time. You can hear a lot of conversation, some with laughter and some with anger around us. You had to be careful with not getting hit by bikers mostly on this street. But you can hear the cars beeping in the distance. Then we made a right on Fulton Street  towards the highway. We pass two small streets, Pearl St. & Red Hook Ln., on Fulton. You can smell the burgers from Burger King and spot the reddest bank which is obliviously Bank of America. Surprisingly you can hear gospel music every time you go up this street, but it’s usually the same song is repeated. There’s always many “interesting” characters/people around as well. But I don’t really focus on them at all. As we made it to the corner next to the highway, we just kept walking straight a crossed it into Joralemon St. We passed the Brooklyn Law School that didn’t look like a school, but a court building which is ironic. Even the students  don’t look like “students”, but lawyers or business workers. Overall this area was filled with people and cars that seem very busy and loud. We passed a huge Sephora at the end of the block and two huge court buildings. Then we made a left on Court St. and seen a majority of fast food restaurants, stores, apartments. We first walked  passed Livingston St. & then Schermerhorn St.. Finally made it to our destination at the corner of Court St. & State St.. We were next to a cinema and loads of trees  near us.

The location I chose was about the movie theater that I heard  was to close down and thought it was a good spot to see up and down the street clearly to find the juxtaposition.

I’ve realized that how the movie theater and the buildings on the same side look older compared to the buildings on the other side of Court St. It looks more modern and new. I find that the old & new New York are looking at each other without even knowing their ages or when they were built. I don’t think they’re overlapping but I found that to be interesting to point out. As I look back up the street, I can see the court building in the middle of court st, which is juxtaposed with a modern business building next to it. In that area is mostly busy with people with suits and ties. Noisy cars driving back and forth. There wasn’t that much nature in the area, but as you turn the corner down Court St., there’s more greenery sights as you pass and look down other streets. There are a lot of restaurants in the area, so, you smell different food in the air. Hamburgers, fries, pizza, etc. I would recommend if your really hunger, you should come here to get a lot of food choices to nimble on. This street doesn’t seem as busy as the other area I spoke about, but the people seem more laid back and having a good time. This area seems to be like a hang out area to go eat or do some shopping.

You would ask why I chose this subject or location in particular because where I stand from where I’m standing in the middle of Court St., on the corner of State St., I can see how the area of where the court buildings and law school and where I stood overlapped in someway that made me more interested. From seeing the other area is busy and in rush compared to the more relaxed one. The people and cars rushes passing through the street to court or work and then on the other side the people are smiling and having a good time as they go to hang out to shop at convenient stores or go to a restaurant. The two areas are their own New York. Both different in many ways. Anyway, there’s a old theater that I stand in front of that people still use. The theater doesn’t seems just “old”, but historical in this area of Brooklyn. I wonder as i look at the modernized buildings surrounding this wise & old one, what other buildings were here before they vanished. It’s a mystery to me. But I know that this building will vanish as well with or without warning even if we walk passed it everyday. Even from Colson Whitehead argues in the reading, “City Limits”, that we won’t get the chance to say out last goodbyes to the buildings we known for so long from the 8th paragraph. But Colson never made his goodbyes either because he thought that those buildings will always be there, but it didn’t stop him from believing they’re existence is still there. The thing that shocks me is that the theater will be relocated and it will change. This building will be different and modernized like the rest. It will disappear from a blink of an eye if new or old people want to visit it. Also, the old liking court building that stand mighty and tall in the beginning of Court St., shows that will be there as long as people use it and acknowledge its existence. It’s outer shell looks reinvented from a far, but it won’t be forgotten. Colson states, “The disappeared pizza parlor is still here because you are here, and when the beauty parlor replaces the travel and agency, the gentleman who still have his vacation and that lady will have her manicure.” If these two old buildings are gone, they still there because you still believe that it never left. “Our old buildings still stand because we saw them, moved in and out of their longshadows lucky enough to know them for a time. They are a part of the city we carry around.”, Colson argues from the second to last paragraph in the reading. The theater and the court building will be there when others see that they vanished but I know they are still there.

I never went inside the theater or the court building because I don’t live around this area or in Brooklyn in general, but I can still include this in my own New York. Even if we see things go away before our eyes, we should never forget what was there in the first place that made the are what it is now.

Bibliography/work cited :

Whitehead, Colson. “City Limits.”  The Colossus Of New York

New York City  has a long and continuous history of different races, classes and cultures. Each individual is unique in their own way. In Colson Whitehead’s ‘City Limits’ he talks about overlapping ‘New York’s or lives these individuals live. He talks of the way these lifestyles co-exist and clash while including his opinion on the New York’s they live and the one he lives. This made me start thinking of the areas of New York I am familiar with and the history behind the certain streets of brooklyn. With this in mind I began observing the juxtaposition of both Fulton and Court street, two streets in downtown brooklyn that highly contrast socially and economically.

When I was fifteen years old my best friend introduced me to the downtown brooklyn area. We would walk down Fulton Street and head to the thrift store next to the McDonalds, and eat at the Burger King across the street. This is an example of my New York, while many of the people of color who spend time on that street have similar stories. Fulton Street has been known for the small businesses and affordable fashion for caribbean women and low-income residents. During my research I walked down Fulton Street and I saw old latina women sitting on the sidewalk benches, discussing gossip with their friends. I saw young black teenagers come out of a Jimmy Jazz with shopping bags and their friends suggesting where to go next. There were men at the corner of the streets trying to sell me cellphone plans and watches. All of this is what I am in familiar with when it comes to Fulton Street.

When I walked up to Court Street I observed the juxtaposition of the streets. Court Street gave more of a lower manhattan-esque impression. There were business women rushing into and out of the train station while business men would engage in heated discussions on their phones. I saw hipsters and frozen yogurt spots among various chain restaurants and stores. There was a starbucks within every two-block radius and for these people this was their New York. The hourly coffee and easy access to multiple train stations was the life that they’re used to as it contrasts completely from Fulton Street.

If I were to ask old residents of the downtown brooklyn area of the two streets, they would give me a detailed story behind the areas and how different they were ten years ago. In ‘City Limits’ Whitehead mentioned the nostalgia behind the buildings we are used to. He mentioned how the ‘Metlife’ building everyone is familiar with will always be the ‘Panam’ building to him. It made me question what the starbucks on Court street will always be to those elderly residents. As the economy of the area seemed to increase over the last few years, new stores arise while others are closed down and turn into those new stores. People who are new to the downtown brooklyn area may see this as always being there and not “This used to be…” as Whitehead expressed in his writing.

In John Berger’s “Ways of Seeing” the impact of what we hear or experience and how it affects us can relate to the two streets. What someone who had just moved into the area was told that there used to never be a starbucks or a sephora in this area? Just like in ‘Ways of Seeing” the viewpoint someone would have of these two streets would change. For a resident of Fulton Street, their New York might be going into their favorite small clothing store and finding cheap, comfortable clothing. They would meet up with a friend or socialize with other regular residents before heading on the train on the corner of Jay Street. For a resident of Court street, their average day might consist of just heading out of their law firm or building and heading out to lunch on some fancy restaurant on the corner of Montague. These New York’s may even overlap and both of these residents would sit on the sidewalk benches on Fulton Street and then head to the Trader Joe’s on Court street for groceries.

In the next two or three years, there may be more chain stores, more business people and hipsters and more Court Street than Fulton Street. It could also be reversed and there’s more small business’s with caribbean-american shoppers and old latina women sitting on the benches at Court Street. The future of these two areas are something only fate and probably some rich company can decide. As Whitehead talked about, New York will change whether “we want it to or not”. The Fulton street that I am used to may become a part of the Court street someone else is used to. As more big businesses and companies move in, many small businesses are pushed out. With this comes gentrification and a loss of certain demographics. What this also brings is a repair of certain roads and buildings, parks, as well as an abundance of people all over the city coming to these areas for these new stores and features. I personally don’t favor seeing these small businesses being replaced with big ones and the property value of certain areas dramatically increasing. Nevertheless, the New York that I was used to is being replaced with someone else’s New York. Their experience with Fulton and Court Street will be just as valid as mine and the next person’s as this is what keeps New York City as a whole thriving.

Works Cited:

Colson Whitehead “City Limits”

John Berger “Ways of Seeing”

Everyone has an opinion and therefore everyone sees the world in a different way. Everyone has their own New York and will vary from person to person, for someit may be the towering buildings of Manhattan or the beautiful walls of what used to be the 5 Pointz building, whatever it may be they all have one thing in common it’s someone’s New York. Colson Whitehead author of “The Colossus of New York” explains what his New York is and the experiences behind them, Whitehead explains that the moment you start to remember fondly about an old establishment in New York. By Whitehead saying this he implies that everyone’s New York is constantly overlapping one another and that no “New York” is the real “New York”. By walking around the Jay Street area we are able to slowly discover our New York and at the same time discover a little about the many neighborhoods that juxtapose one another and the variety that it creates.

When beginning my journey I had an easy time finding things that juxtapose one another but my main issue was finding experiences that actually meant something to me because of this I was able to find the location but not the meaning or feeling that such a walk should have. After a couple of days it clicked to me my New York was my friends that I’ve made here in college but my friends aren’t a location rather the places we went to are the locations that make up my New York and will continue to do so as I spend time with them here in City Tech. The location of these places are pretty simple to follow, one must first start off by exiting out of the Johnson side of City Tech upon doing so you should be greeted by sounds of construction and the sight of a yet unfinished project, make a left and keep on going straight you should cross a train station with connections to the A,C and R trains. As you walk for a minute or two you will see a concession stand with people at times however there is another train with connection to the number lines, head over there but do not go in the train instead head straight through the trail with trees. Once you encounter the Five Guy’s restaurant make a left and walk. Upon walking the Juxtaposition should start to become evident with the buildings starting to look a little more run down and less new than they are in Jay Street.  Continue walking straight and a few things you will see are the Asa Learning Center, a blood donation center if you walk even further you will eventually come across the Fulton Mall. My original journey was slightly longer but had no real attachment to the area since I had no memories that were particularly important to me, however once I made a few friends and went around making a few friends I see that my New York is slowly but surely becoming evident.

My location lies between Fulton mall and Lawrence Street to me this a rather unique juxtaposition it shows a small section that in a sense is slowly being consumed by it’s surroundings, the name of this place is Willoughby street. Change is always constantly happening and Whitehead experiences this with many of the buildings he never got to say goodbye to “I never got to say goodbye to some of the old buildings. Some I lived in… I thought they would always be there.” Willoughby Street looks rather old compared to the scenery around it, everyone here was mostly casually dressed and seemed to be of a somewhat normal income with the occasional professional who is by making their way to work. The Willoughby area is saturated with small stores like 99c stores, corner stores and raggedy looking restaurants however there is also some chain restaurants like Tio Pio here and there but oddly enough no franchises such as  Mcdonalds, at least where I walked through. As for the sounds I heard it ranges from voices to car noises with the occasional construction here and there which in a way serves to remind that Wiloughby street is slowly disappearing. As it begins to be consumed by it’s surrounding it makes me wonder is it really such a good thing? Will I, just like Whitehead not be able to say goodbye to my New York?

On the other side of the spectrum in the Fulton Mall is much more varied with people of all walks of life, age and cultures . Unlike Willoughby street Fulton mall is full of franchises that are otherwise not found in Willoughby street. The way one feels upon entering Fulton mall is like entering a whole new world with such the drastic change in scenery. As far as noise goes it  buses are now thrown into the mix and are constantly making noises as they pick up passengers, not to mention the many people shopping and chatting as they walk. When I look at the Fulton Mall I can’t help but wonder what this place looked like before and whose New York did it used to belong to? Such as how Whitehead remarked on how the Pan Am building and how others who refer to it as the Met Life building are wrong ” I still call it the Pan Am building…that titan squatting over grand central is the Met life building….She is wrong of course” which is contradictory to what Whitehead implied about no New York being the real one. The way this juxtaposes with Willoughby is really evident not only in the way it looks but how it feel as you walk through what seems to be this new world, Willoughby feels old and in a sense a step back in time while the Fulton Mall seems more progressive in the way it looks, yet this experience could be the complete opposite of what someone else feels.

The surroundings we live in change constantly change and shape our ideals, the same applies to our own New York. By being able to see the juxtaposition in every neighborhood one can see the difference in lifestyles for each person, someone in a suit in the Jay Street Metro-tech area could be an intern or a student off to college level classes while those in the Fulton Mall area could be anyone that is simply looking to shop. Many things affect the way a person see something from the experiences they have to what they deal with on a daily basis. Everyone has their own New York and no one New York is truly correct, the only thing everyone can all agree on is that their New York belongs to them.

At the last street before the reach the east river stands a building, old and worn, but at the bottom of this building is a newly installed Shake-Shack. With it bright lights glancing from its over sized windows, it looks so modern and chic. Everything looks so clean. On the second floor, it isn’t as modern and bright. The red brick walls look like they have began to deteriorate. The red bricks looks like they are turning green and the fire escape looks like its on its last leg and waiting to fall. Its windows are dark, basic apartment windows that look like they have been untouched by time. You can hear construction happening everywhere , along with the horns and passing vehicles. Construction working eating in the shake-shack that they probably built months ago.

The appearance of the juxtaposed building was what was striking to me. It looked perfectly un-perfect. The old top level of the building looks so old and the new restaurant beneath so new. The building seems so perfectly juxtaposed. It tells the story of recreating what was already there. Transforming it into something new and up to date. The entire block was filled with juxtaposed buildings. Old building turned into new restaurants. The old, what looked abandoned building have been turning into new lively hot-spots.  This area in downtown Brooklyn looks untouched by the modernization happening around it. The streets are still cobble stones instead of the flat pavement that we are used to. Strangely enough the old and new in the area works, giving the area a different feel than the rest of Brooklyn. However , surely enough in time all those old worn down buildings will be gone and replaced with something new.

In Colson Whitehead’s “City Limit” , Whitehead says “Thousand of people pass that storefront everyday, each one haunting the streets of his or her own New York, not one of them seeing the same thing”. What about was there before that Shake-shack. People walk pass it everyday, some people never notice that it is even there, while others can’t help but to feel nostalgic every time they walk by.  New Yorkers, or people in general, have a hard time dealing with the fact that something that they loved , something that was a part of them, is now gone and they never got a chance to say goodbye.  When you walk into your favorite store , you never think that one day it might be gone, you simply think it will be there as long as your are.

For some people, this new location of Shake-shack is now a part of their New York, a new building in their skyline, on top of the rubble of what it used to be. Even though what used to be there is gone, someone else’s New York is now there. A building in one person skyline has fallen and another has risen in that very same spot belonging to someone else. However, the memory of what once stand there is forever with you. You experienced what was there and because of that it will still be there to you.

Who knows what was there before or what will be there after , but with each new store that is built in replace of the old, a new persons New York is created and another destroyed. As whitehead stated “You say, it happened overnight. But of course it didn’t.” The plans were set all before anyone was aware that their favorite store was days away from closing it’s doors forever.

Works Cited

Whitehead, Colson. “City Limits.” Introduction. Colossus of New York. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Print.