I too have lived here for the past 20 years also. It has changed tremendously!! Everywhere in the US has changed a LOT. I lived in San Fran before. Huge HUGE changes. NOT the same city as the 80's and 90's era. SF has been ruined by over development, homelessness and home prices astronomically priced. The middle class cannot survive in SF. To say NYC has not changed is laughable. All the cities everywhere are changing.
Crime is not crazy here. It exists but I am never afraid and have never encountered a problem and I live in Harlem, Hamilton Heights and work in Tribeca.
What has changed are big major retailers who have moved in and replaced mom and pop stores. We never before had, Bed Bath and Beyond, Crate and Barrel and so on. The building of the Time Warner Building in Columbus Circle is a shopping mall for the rich and solid middle class. That created huge HUGE changes in that area adding three entertainment areas, multiple retail space including Whole Foods, restaurants, bars and health clubs. All right at the foot of Central Park.
The Harlem area, Washington Heights neighborhood and Inwood have totally changed and gentrified in the past 20 years. These areas are now the go to areas to live for young arrivals and yes many young couples starting families. White folk never NEVER moved up here and now they are the primary people moving in because its the last affordable area, couples are looking to buy not rent so its affordable and incredibly charming, authentic and friendly. Each area is like its own small town.
Other changes the High Line was built. A huge draw to visit. The Whitey museum relocated from the upper east side to a magnificent location by the High Line. The meet packing district has been totally transformed. Sorry but you must have been living behind 4 walls and never ventured out to say something so ridiculous that NYC has not changed.
Other changes, finding affordable housing is challenging. Instead of 1 roommate people have 2, 3 or 4 and with 1 bathroom. Salaries have gone down since 2008. Most jobs are contracts offering no health insurance, no paid vacation no benefits at all and that's even for those with great degrees and experience. I worked at Citi Bank in the Ventures area. Of course right now with the virus we are all impacted.
Big picture after 20 years weighing all the options, and I have lived in San Fran, Colorado, Delaware, NYC, Italy, Paris and Japan, I feel NYC offers the best opportunities IF you can afford to get settled here which is challenging now because of the housing costs and limited good paying jobs.
Laurie |
New York, NY |
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