Life in New York City moves fast, and change is part of the city's soul. But when a unique neighbourhood starts being moulded into something it's not, New Yorkers are quick to fight back.
Take the Lower East Side. Bordering the East Village and Alphabet City to the north, Chinatown to the south and Little Italy to the west, this jostling downtown neighbourhood epitomises the best things about NYC. Here a bubbling and fragrant melting pot of cultures and nationalities live side by side, working hard at their small thriving businesses, be it a bustling Chinese restaurant or an off-beat Eastern European cafe. The Lower East Side is steeped in New York history, being the first settling point for many immigrants.
Today, however, it's a neighbourhood in conflict. The old and soulful is being nudged and prodded by the glossy and new. Slick bars are springing up alongside old-time family-run hotels; frosty boutiques are replacing local convenience stores. And a particularly 'revolutionary' hotel is changing the skyline for ever.
The Hotel Rivington: for some a crazy, creative addition to the 'hood, for others an eyesore which should never have been built. It towers over its neighbouring buildings, and while it's the unparalleled views of lower Manhattan that appeal to guests, it's that jarring scale that has generated the most heated debate.
The tenements of Orchard Street house sleek and exclusive clothing boutiques in one block and bargain basement stores in another. Back alleys are dotted with bargain restaurants offering standout fare to those in the know, while on the main streets grungy laundrettes and larger-than-life barbers continue to ply their trade.
For a taste of the old order, grab a matzo ball soup or a salami and pickle sandwich at Katz's Deli, a well-loved and well-worn institution made famous by Meg Ryan's faked orgasm in When Harry Met Sally. Then do a back flip and take yourself in search of wd~50, for fine-dining, some VIPs and an introduction to gentrification in full-throttle.
Local responses to this change vary from the extreme (glue in the locks of new bars - could there be a cooler welcome?) to the cautiously optimistic. But all are relieved that the Lower East Side has not yet been 'Starbucked'. It's one thing to have local businesses replaced by entrepreneurs who can see a niche, but quite another to have a bland global giant move in. Opinionated, passionate and vocal, but most importantly local - it's these voices that make a visit to the Lower East Side a fascinating experience.
