Winnie A. Felix March 26, 2015Observational Assignment Professor Deborah Padgett

I chose to observe the accessibility of social spaces within the changing dynamics of

gentrification within the downtown Brooklyn area. I completed my observation in 2 locations

within the same city block of Dekalb Ave between Fulton Street and Flatbush Ave - McDonalds

(as mapped in Photo #1) and Starbucks from 3pm to 4:30pm, a high traffic time period during

the middle of the work week. This location is a heavily commercialized area (Photo #2) with a

great deal of foot traffic compounded by numerous schools, a university, public hospital and

construction.

The McDonalds (Photo #3) serves as both a large central dining establishment in the downtown

Brooklyn community, frequented mainly by long time residents of the area, many coming from

working class socio-economic groups. The racial demographics at McDonalds were primarily

African American, Latino and to a lesser extent, Asian with a split gender ratio. The age range

spanned from young children with their parents to the elderly with a significant percentage of

adolescent customers. During my observation, there were strong evidence of close-knit

communal interactions amongst the employees and customers alike. The employees engaged in

frequent side conversations with colleagues and customers suggesting familiarity, customers

engaged in conversations with one another and remained seated long after consumption of food.

Noticeable was the absence of communication devices such as cell phones, laptops and/or tablets

for the vast majority of the customers. The environment was active as evidenced by loud music

playing in the background, machinery from the back of the store, orders being placed and

individual discussion among customers (Photo #4). Despite that, a significant number of people

(~10-15%) sat at the farther end of the restaurant, away from the crowd and dined alone,

frequently looking out the window and appeared deep in though while taking their time to eat

their meals. Employees constantly tended to the cleanliness of the environment by frequently

wiping down tables, sweeping the floor and throwing out the trash. I had an impromptu

conversation with an employee (initiated by the employee after we made brief eye contact)

revealed that McDonalds inspectors visited the restaurant daily to ensure the restaurant was kept

clean and up to code.

The Starbucks located 4 doors down, differed greatly in its environment. The racial

demographic was majority Caucasian and Asian with a smaller percentage of African

Americans. The age range was split between high school aged student and men/women in their

20-30s. The space was significantly smaller than McDonalds, with a total of 5 tables available

for customers to use. The furniture was newer and trendier, the music playing in the background

was mellower than at McDonalds and the lighting was dim. Employees did not engage with

customers outside of standard customer service. Customers engaging in conversations were

quieter and many people did not interact with others at all with a significant number of customers

utilizing communication devices in the establishment (Photo #5).

The downtown Brooklyn has undergone significant changes within the socioeconomic and racial

demographic population of its residents. The long time working class, mainly minority residents,

is now increasingly sharing spaces with more affluent Caucasian and Asian residents.

Consequently, the business and the local environment are rapidly changing to meet the needs of

the new makeup of the area. The highly commercial environment makes it so that limited options

are available for people to engage in targeted social interactions and/or find respites from the

busy surroundings. The rationale for choosing McDonalds and Starbucks was to highlight how

each serves as a social space in addition to its primary business motives, the sociodemographic

makeup of its customers, their interactions within their respective spaces and what this may

mean for the local players, both old and new, as the community continues to undergo the process

of gentrification. The establishments, though located in close proximity to one another, differ

greatly in the manner in which its customers utilize the respective space for social purposes.

McDonalds has served as a central location within this area for over 20 years while Starbucks, in

business for about 10 years, is one of many recent additions to this area amidst its commercial

revival. The social behavior exhibited in McDonalds reveals that how it is being used

(presumably) by long term residents for more than just a dining establishment but rather an

integral social setting where social networking is actively maintained. The low food prices

coupled with the large space in an area that has increasingly less similar available options,

continues to attract this population. Conversely, the social utilization of Starbucks by its

customer base highlights how different the space is used by the newer and more affluent

demographic of local players.

With respect to public health, it is imperative to understand and respect the social behavioral

norms of all local players within a given spacial area when undergoing changing dynamics such

as with gentrification. Traditionally, dictating financial capacity has favored groups with greater

economic access and modeled urban planning accordingly. This observation provides a means of

highlighting the social norms and needs of older, often times economically disempowered

residents, which differs from behavior norms of newer residents. Thus, future planning should

include these considerations when planning social options suitable and conducive to the norms

and traditions of this population.

Photo #1

Photo #2

Photo #3

Photo #4

Photo #5