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Author Talk: A Conversation with Sara Martucci, Author of “There Was Nothing There”
March 12 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Join us for a conversation with聽Sara Martucci about her recently published book聽There Was Nothing There: Williamsburg, The Gentrification of a Brooklyn Neighborhood.听Martucci will be joined in conversation by聽, Industry Assistant Professor at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering.
Light refreshments will be provided.
DESCRIPTION:
Explores the daily, lived effects of gentrification for neighborhood residents
Williamsburg, Brooklyn, a prominent neighborhood in New York City, has undergone significant transformations through cycles of divestment and gentrification. In 2005, the city鈥檚 decision to rezone the Williamsburg waterfront for high-rise housing led to a profound alteration of the physical, cultural, and social landscape. The result was the rapid influx of thousands of new residents, many of them wealthy, giving rise to luxury buildings, upscale dining, and high-end retail stores alongside new norms and expectations for the neighborhood. These new arrivals coexist with earlier gentrifiers as well as working-class Latinx and white ethnic populations, creating a complex and layered community.
In聽There Was Nothing There, Sara Martucci draws on four decades of residents鈥� memories and experiences, providing insights into the tensions, contradictions, and inequalities brought about by gentrification. Martucci focuses on the individual level, exploring how residents form connections to their neighborhoods and how these attachments shape their daily experiences of public spaces, local consumption, and evaluations of safety. As established residents, bohemians, and newcomers vie for ownership and belonging, their perceptions give rise to conflicting narratives that define the essence of the neighborhood.
While the book鈥檚 primary focus is Williamsburg, it serves as a cautionary tale about the broader impact of state-led gentrification, extending far beyond Brooklyn. The text underscores the potential consequences of such transformations for the future of cities, urging readers to consider the implications of cultural displacement, homogenization, and increased surveillance as gentrification permeates urban landscapes.
Sara Martucci聽is a Lecturer in the Department of Sociology at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York.