Artists need to lobby Fulop and their locally elected councilman for zoning legislation that prevents developers squeezing them out.
Maybe developers could be forced to create subsidized studio space within their developments or areas of land designated to the artistic and cultural needs of a community as part of their tax abatements given by city hall ... alternatively one off payments by any new developments to a cultural and artists hub !

I also believe that we have also neglected the artistic needs of our musicians, poets, writers, photographers, dancers etc etc.

Gentrification benefited downtown (like Williamsburg), but displaced bad element residents into other sections of Jersey City that were once more nice, thus creating an unstable environment, i.e. Greenville, Heights, Lincoln Park (but nothing like Weequahic, Vailsburg, Camden). The waterfront zone changed from industrial to residential and allowed for mass immigration (tall residential towers) at market rate rents. The decrease of crime in NYC and eventual gentrification of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Hoboken pushing rents/home buying higher lead to a flood of new residents seeking convenient access to Manhattan to move to downtown Jersey City. PATH access for JSQ, Harrison and downtown Newark will be the next areas for gentrification and light rail stations that feed directly to these stops will benefit also. Gentrification is good. It decreases crime, increases services, and hopefully encourages diversity, which is a challenge and seems to be the concern of gentrification. I have been living in downtown for 11 years and remember the lack of places to go and have a bite to eat and a pint to enjoy, but not anymore. I think government and private enterprise (with the support of residents) need to provide incentive for those communities to benefit from downtown's success. Reduce crime, better education programs, encourage and protect creative arts, and provide stimulus for developers to invest in commercial and residential projects thus leading to property value increase and safer streets. I think the majority of people like gentrification, however, there will be people who just don't like it also. But if gentrification reignites and rejuvenates areas that once stood for blight i.e. downtown JC and downtown Newark, it's good.

Its the greed of developers and a way for them to generate maximum profits without contributing to the infrastructure to a community or city.
Housing estates cost big money that eats into profit margins for developers whereas high rise high density is pure profit - The cost of an apartment is somewhere around 60 - 100K but sell for 500K plus with the beauty that every wall and floor also acts as a roof and wall for the neighboring apartment.

Art/Artists is/are directly affected as cheap rental warehouses and old factories once used as studios are now apartments.

To suggest that art has somehow influenced gentrification to an area with developments following is silly - Location, cheap land, profit margins and rezoning laws / legislation is what dictates gentrification ... and also lobbying and financial campaign support by developers!

There is one side effect of gentrification that people may not realize.

What causes gentrification in urban areas is an area becoming 'artsy', i. e. having qualities being high brow.

That's why there is a direct correlation between art and real estate.

But then as the real estate goes up, it evuentually gets to the point that the only artists who are left in the area are wealthy artists. And artists who tend to be wealthy usually don't have an incentive to make bold art. They follow the institutionalized practical joke, one-trick irony formulas. Because that's what their 50k-200k MFA told them to do...

The art scene then turns into a joke, laziness in the arts ensues, decadence, and then the area slowly loses power.

It happened in NYC. NYC used to be the all-saying-all-knowing tyrant when it comes to the arts. Now, NYC is just one of many cities of the pie.

Decadence is not only exclusive to artists who are wealthy. Poor areas have their decadence too. Graffiti and 'street art'. High or low spectrums in the art world have the decadence-middle-low brow philosophy in common. This is what happens when people try to control artists. Either through a group mentality or institutionalized marketable formulas.

But reading something like that in a news article would be a miracle in itself.

Want to maintain or build an authentic art scene? The only way is to offer many subsidized, very cheap art studios in the area.

Yes.

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I agree, most of the newbies moving into my area are mostly gay couples and singles with no kids. All the straight couples that have moved in within the last few years are also without kids and they like it that way. I have seen straights singles move into some of the larger houses, but most are in a roommate situation..Bayside Park area has seen an increase of newbies, but we have not seen traditional families flocking to the area. I personally prefer it this way.

It will only keep happening and spread to the areas outside of downtown JC if the City, state and BOE take drastic measures to expand and improve the schools. The vast majority of people looking for houses (rather than apartments), and thus interested in parts other than downtown, are those with families. They are not going to move into neighborhoods with crappy schools. This is why it is important that all property owners in JC support dramatic measures to improve our schools - investing in new infrastructure, providing adequate space, green space, and top notch public school programs.

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I wish it would happen a tad faster. I have lived in my neighborhood for the last 50 years & it has gone from a nice working class street to a dump. And yes, I have worked with the police to help rid the streets of drugs & gangs but it is the attitude of renters that is the worst. They just do not care the way renters did years ago.

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Its happening quicker than you think, My entire neighborhood is ex dtjc peeps and old timers. Its just taking the developers longer to realize it.

Funny thing is no one cares about what someone's opinion on gentrification is. It's happening whether you like it or not.

I remember Jersey City in the early 90's. Yes.. it is a very good thing. I remember areas that were no-go zones or looked like a scene from Hiroshima in late 1945. Some of those areas are pretty decent now.

Slowly it will spread out through JC. I moved downtown in 2007, bought in 2011 and am now looking to sell my downtown 1 bedroom apt for a house in the southern section of the heights or journal sq.

When I first got to JC there were like 2 resteraunts that I went to, now there are a bunch. As people move more and more towards walkable living cities like Jersey City will benifit.

Economically, Jersey City will benefit but it will become a new city. The old timers who rent will be pushed out but the ones who own and sell will make bank on their houses.

In the end, a bus ride from a path station is better than taking jersey transit for an hr and paying hundreds of dollars a month for transit.

New exhibit shows what local artists, residents think

By Summer Dawn Hortillosa | The Jersey Journal

Gentrification: It's a hot-button topic in rapidly growing Jersey City.

Downtown JC has seen the most changes, with new high-rises, businesses and restaurants opening almost every month. A few decades ago, people were afraid to walk alone in Newport at night. Today, it's home to shiny luxury condos and a park with its own beach.

Other neighborhoods, however, aren't directly benefiting. MLK Drive, West Side Avenue and Palisade have stretches of empty storefronts and Journal Square, JC's old heart, is a shell of its former self, only recently seeing more development. And in DTJC itself, longtime residents find themselves getting priced out of their homes. This leaves many asking--is this growth good for Jersey City?

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