2013 Theses Master's

Changing Retail Dynamics in Greenpoint, Brooklyn

Greenberger, Norabelle

This study examines the impacts of gentrification on retail activity through a case study of Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Since 2000 Greenpoint has undergone rapid neighborhood changes that have affected both the sociodemographics of the residents and the types of businesses that line the streets. Retail changes at the street level have significant implications for neighborhood character that merit attention. To examine the relationship between gentrification and retail change, this paper looks at two questions: how has Greenpoint retail changed since 2000, and what are the underlying causes of these changes? Quantitative analyses supported by interviews with local retailers serve as the methodological framework for the study with change indicated by three determinants: business closures, business openings, and changes in establishment types. The aim of the research is to gain a better understanding of the reasons underlying retail change as it relates to gentrification, thereby serving as foundation for future efforts to preserve certain defining elements of neighborhood character.