The constant spread of expensive, gleaming high rises is undeniable in the city. New Yorkers are okay with this downtown and in midtown, but many locals hate to see it in neighborhoods such as the LES, Chelsea and even in my Kips Bay area. Well there is one group of fashionistas that want to see the Fashion District saved from gentrification.
From AM New York:
Even as fabric and trim suppliers, cut-and-sew contractors and fashion company showrooms lose their leases, the city is considering rezoning to allow offices, the coalition said.The center of fashion in America will always be here in New York, but keeping the district intact is crucial to keeping our dominance. Those new offices drive up rental prices which put long time businesses out of commission.
The garment district today is a shadow of what it used to be 50 years ago, when the streets were clogged with European immigrants pulling racks cloaked with fabrics, embroideries and finished garments. Before the influx of offices and hotels, cheap imports and outsourcing to China and other countries had already significantly scaled back business.
But a small nucleus of fabric and button sellers, fashion studios and contracted sewing workers remain, Geffner said.
"It's about saving the community that exists," said Geffner. "It's the backbone of the fashion capital of the world. Without it the whole thing will come tumbling down."
The identity of New York is always changing, but there are many parts that need saving. This is definitely one of them.
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