Patricia Morrisroe, "Yuppies - The New Class" (1985)
Patricia Morrisroe is an author who is best known for her biography of controversial artist Robert Mapplethorpe and her articles for New York Magazine. In this 1985 selection, Morrisroe describes the movement of young urban professionals, or yuppies, into New York's Upper West Side neighborhoods. Yuppies as a group are typically identified with the consumerist excesses of the 1980s, and they are generally derided as shallow people interested only in money and status symbols.
It's a Saturday night at 96th and Broadway. Inside the new Caramba!!! everybody's drinking frozen maragaritas and talking real estate, while outside on the traffic strip, a derelict swigs Wild Turkey and shouts obscenities. By 11 P.M., he's sound asleep on the bench, but the crowd at Caramba!!! is still going strong.
"These are the most lethal maragaritas in Manhattan," says a man in a blue pinstriped suit by Polo. He staggers out of the restaurant and into David's Cookies next door. "Get the double-chunk chocolate chip," says his girlfriend, who is window-shopping at Pildes Optical. At the newsstand across the street, a middle-aged woman buys the Sunday Times and looks at the dozens of young professionals spilling out of Caramba!!! "Yuppies," she shouts. "Go home!"
But they are home. Ads in the Times tout the Upper West Side as "Yuppie Country," and Amsterdam is being called "Cinderella Avenue." According to a study of the years 1970 through 1980 by New York's Department of City Planning, 7,500 people between the ages of 25 and 44 flooded the area between West 70th and 86th Streets. That age-group now makes up 47 percent of the population there. At the same time, the number of singles went up by 31 percent, while the number of families dropped 24 percent. "You want to know who's moving into the West Side?" says a woman who owns an antiques store on Amsterdam Avenue. "It's the young, the rich, and the restless."
Some older West Siders blame the newcomers for the skyrocketing rents and the uprooting of local merchants. They deplore the cuteness of Columbus Avenue and the hordes of tourists who congest the sidewalks. They worry that the neighborhood's solid middle class values will be replaced by the yuppie version of the West Side Dream: a pre-war apartment with a Food Emporium around the corner.
They can't relate to the 30-year-old on Central Park West who takes her husband's shirts to the East Side because she can't find a "quality" laundry in the neighborhood. Or to the tenants at the Sofia on West 61st Street, 50 percent of whom bought their apartments after seeing a model of the bathroom. ("They're big and very Deco," says Richard Zinn, the building's director of sales.)
The Columbia, a condominium on West 96th Street, has been called the "Yuppie Housing Project" by locals who can't believe anyone would pay to live on Broadway. "Didn't anyone tell these people it's a commercial street?" says an elderly man who is buying Rice Krispies at the Red Apple on the corner. "If I had the money for a condo, I'd move to Florida."
One third of the Columbia's units were bought by lawyers; the average income per apartment is $100,000. "It's a nice first home for couples on their way up," says developer Arthur Zeckendorf, who worked with his father, William, to build the Columbia. Once they've made it, they can move to the Park Belvedere, a condominium on West 79th Street also built by the Zeckendorfs. Sold for an average of $400 per square foot, it has attracted a better-off buyer. "I looked at the Columbia," says a 27-year-old Wall Street bond trader, "but the neighborhood was just too borderline for me." So he bought an apartment in one of the Belvedere's towers and persuaded a friend to buy one, too. "It's a great deal," he says of his $400,000 one-bedroom.
Many West Side co-ops are besieged by Wall Street financiers who use their bonuses to make down payments. "The last five apartments in my building went to investment bankers," says a woman who owns a co-op on West End Avenue. "I want to protect my property, so it's good to have people with money move in. But I worry about the population in the next ten years. Are you going to need an MBA to get into Zabar's?" . . .
Yet for all the money being poured into the neighborhood, some of the new West Siders have a decidedly old-fashioned point of view. For every yuppie who dreams about moving from Broadway to Central Park West there are others who chose the West Side because it seemed unpretentious. "I always hated everything the East Side represented," says 33-year-old Joe Powers in between feeding mashed carrots to his five-month-old son, Mark. "The West Side always seemed to have less airs about it. To me, it's Zabar's and Fairway. Not Relles and Pasta & Cheese." . . .
Ten blocks uptown, 31-year-old Richard Conway is setting up his VCR to tape Jacqueline Bisset in Anna Karenina. A vice-president at a Wall Street investment firm, Conway recently bought a twelfth-floor five-room co-op at 106th Street and Riverside Drive. In the past fifteen years, Conway has moved from Greenwich to Harvard to Third Avenue to Yale to Chelsea, and now to Duke Ellington Boulevard.
"This is not a yuppie neighborhood," says Conway, uncorking a bottle of white wine. "That's what I like about it. In my building, we have a wonderful mix of people. The head of the co-op board is a musical director, and we've got artists and writers and movie producers."
When Conway decided to buy a co-op, he wanted to look only north of West 96th Street. "I think a lot of the glamour is gone from the East Side," he says. "Besides, I considered it boring and staid, too much like Greenwich. I like living in a neighborhood that's ethnically diverse. Broadway has a lot of bodegas and mom-and-pop stores. To me, that's nice."
From his living room, Conway has a spectacular view of the Hudson. From the opposite end of the apartment, in the dining room, he can see a cityscape of charming turn-of-the-century brownstones. "I wonder how long they'll last," he says. "It's ironic, but everything I like about the neighborhood will probably disappear. And unfortunately, the reason is that people like me are moving into it." . . .
[Lawyer Jay] Zamansky, who grew up in Philadelphia, now makes his home in a renovated SRO next door to the Salvation Army senior citizen's home on West 95th Street. "I really wanted a place where I could establish roots," he says. Constructed around the turn of the century, the building has 30 apartments, most of which are inhabited by young professionals. "We're a real unique building," he explains. "In the summer, we have barbecues, and when our first co-op baby was born, everybody was thrilled."
Zamansky bought this apartment, a duplex with a roof garden, for a little over $100,000. "I'm real proud of it," he says. "It's the consummate bachelor pad." The ceiling is painted black, with lots of track lighting. "I met an interior designer at the Vertical Club," he explains, "and she helped me with the overall concept."
But Zamansky says he doesn't want to be the kind of person who does nothing but "work, eat at restaurants, and go to a health club. I really want to be a part of this neighborhood," he says. "I attend community-board meetings, and I registered voters in front of Zabar's. I even went into the Salvation Army's old people's home and registered senior citizens. They were just so glad to see a young face that I don't think they cared how they voted. By the way, I'm a Republican. I think it's important to put that in the article.
"I'm also very pro-development," he adds. "It makes me angry when people criticize a lot of the changes. The displacement is unfortunate, but where are we supposed to live? We have rights. We pay taxes. Whether people realize it or not, we're real assets to this community."
Twenty-nine-year-old Paula Handler, who lives with her husband in a three-bedroom apartment in the Eldorado on Central Park West between 90th and 91st Streets agrees. "These big pre-war buildings need young blood," she says. "The old people can't maintain their apartments. They resist everything, from redoing the lobby to putting in new windows. The problem is they can't switch their rental mentalities into a co-op mode."
The Handlers moved from the East Side to the Eldorado a year ago. "Frankly, I didn't know anything about Central Park West," says Paula. "I mean, I knew the Dakota, but the Eldorado? What? All I knew was that I wanted space, and I wanted old. Old is chic."
"Originally, I said no to the West Side," says Scott, a quiet man who is involved in commercial real estate. "That's right, he did," Paula says. "He didn't like it because it was dirty and nobody we knew lived there. But I fell in love with this apartment. It was a total wreck, but it was me. We gave them an offer the minute we saw it. We even offered more than they asked because we wanted it so much."
The Handlers put in two new bathrooms and a new kitchen, and redid the plumbing and wiring. Today, the apartment, which faces the park, is completely renovated. "See what I mean about new blood?" Paula says. "It doesn't take money. It just takes creativity."
Six floors above the Handlers, Linda and Mark Reiner also had to redo their apartment completely. "It was considered the worst disaster in the building," Linda says. "The walls, which were painted magenta, royal blue, and orange, were falling down. But we really wanted to live here. We recognized how the West Side was growing, and we wanted to be a part of that."
Two years ago, they moved from a house in Hewlett Harbor, where Mark Reiner had a medical practice. "It was a risk giving up everything," he says, "but Hewlett Harbor was very sterile and uniform." "That's why we didn't want the East Side," adds Linda, who until recently was a practicing psychologist. "Now I sell real estate," she says. "I became addicted to it while we were looking for this apartment." The au pair brings their two-year-old son into the living room to say good night. "You wouldn't believe the children's playground in the park," Linda says. "You can barely get a place for your kid in the sandbox."
"Everybody wants to come here," says Mark. "There's nothing more exciting than living in a neighborhood in transition. It's sad, because a lot of people who live here can't afford to shop in the stores. But they're being pushed out of Manhattan, not just the West Side."
"The West Side makes you feel the difference between the haves and the have-nots," says Linda, who is dressed in a silk Chanel shirt, black pants, and pumps. "Right in our building, there's a real schism between the pre-conversion and post-conversion people. A new breed is taking over, and there's a lot of hostility. People are separated by age and economic class. The senior citizens got insider prices so low that there's a lot of resentment on all sides. At a recent meeting, one elderly person shouted, 'Well, I'm not rich like you.' But what can you do?"
"Basically, we're very optimistic," Mark says. "We feel good about the changes. The neighborhood is going to continue to improve." Linda nods. "Definitely," she says. "For the West Side, there's no turning back."
Document Analysis
With whom does Morrisroe seem to sympathize in this article?
Has the trend toward gentrification continued in the nation's large cities? What are the major arguments in support of gentrification? What arguments do its opponents use? Which do you find more convincing? Why?
Do yuppies still exist? If so, where? If not, then what happened to this phenomenon?
With whom does Morrisroe seem to sympathize in this article?
Morrisroe seems to sympathize with the people being forced out of Manhattan by the people who have money. In a quote a person says you feel the difference between the haves and the have-nots and People are separated by age and economic class. The yuppies with new money coming into the area seem to be pushing the Pre-conversionist residents out of the area and creating tension.
Has the trend toward gentrification continued in the nation's large cities? What are the major arguments in support of gentrification? What arguments do its opponents use? Which do you find more convincing? Why?
Generally today gentrification has slowed drastically in major cities as many opponents may argue that it is too risky to invest any large amount of money in realist ate in a lower class area. Today the housing market seems to be concentrated on building a lot of houses in suburban areas. The realestate market in large cities is generally split between outrageously expensive housing that only the rich can afford or the less attractive section which is generally poor slums that most people find very unattractive.
Do yuppies still exist? If so, where? If not, then what happened to this phenomenon?
Yuppies still exist today however perhaps not as prevalent as they were during the 70s and 80s. The new money of the yuppies is probably most concentrated in large suburban area where there is still room for improvement
1. With whom does Morrisroe seem to sympathize in this article?
Morrisroe seems to feel for the people who were living in Manhattan before and are now being pushed out slowly by the yuppies who have a lot of money. She interviewed a lot of people who didnt have a lot of money and were living in the Upper West Side. They told her how the yuppies were invading the Upper West Side and were building new condos and co-ops and expensive stores that average people couldnt shop in so they just end up moving out.
2. Has the trend toward gentrification continued in the nation's large cities? What are the major arguments in support of gentrification? What arguments do its opponents use? Which do you find more convincing? Why?
I feel gentrification is still apparent in our nations large cities. In defense of gentrification, development in the larger cities has increased and is helping out the nations economy. The building of businesses and corporations is helping our country get ahead in this fast paced world. In opposition of gentrification, if f you dont have a good paying job then its hard to keep up with the high prices on the necessities of life. If you cant keep up with the high prices to live in the rich parts of the city, then youll get pushed to either the poor parts of the city or dumpy towns. I feel that they opposition if gentrification is more convincing because having a stable economy is good but poverty is a quickly developing problem in this country that is more important to deal with. Our country could head downwards very quickly if poverty increased to a certain level. A rise in poverty would also bring down the nations economy.
3. Do yuppies still exist? If so, where? If not, then what happened to this phenomenon?
I feel that yuppies do still exist in this world very much so. They can be found everywhere from large cities to small suburbs outside of cities.
With whom does Morrisroe seem to sympathize in this article?
Morrisoe seems to sympathize with the people who are dealing with the issues of poverty. These people are getting kicked out of their homes, because the wealthy are taking over. They are coming in flocks and changing things to make them more sophisticated.
Has the trend toward gentrification continued in the nation's large cities? What are the major arguments in support of gentrification? What arguments do its opponents use? Which do you find more convincing? Why?
I think the trend has continued but not as rapidly. The major arguments in favor of the yuppies supporting gentrification is that it is essentially cleaning up the cities by kicking the riffraff out. The opponents argue that the yuppies party to much and cause more problems than before. I find the yuppies argument more convincing. I think they arugment will win most of the time because no one wants homeless people roaming around. They rather have drunk rich people waltzing around.
Do yuppies still exist? If so, where? If not, then what happened to this phenomenon?
Yes, I believe yuppies still exist. The young, the rich and the restless are still thriving and controlling things in America even to this day. I would say that those in Hollywood or some other type of spot light who are very wealthy do cause gentrification today. Places such as Beverly Hills, New York, Miami, Las Vegas, these young adults are taking over one high class place at a time.
With whom does Morrisroe seem to sympathize in this article?
She seems to be sympathizing with the older generations of people and impoverished people living in the West Side being radically affected, and sometimes uprooted, by all the yuppies moving in and changing the neighborhoods.
Has the trend toward gentrification continued in the nation's large cities? What are the major arguments in support of gentrification? What arguments do its opponents use? Which do you find more convincing? Why?
In the rich part of the cities gentrification has continued as more people with money want to live lavishly and around where all the big names are.The major arguments in support of it are that the yuppies are bringing new life and blood into these old neighborhoods with new stores and whatnot and are renovating the buildings which are in need of it.The major arguments against it are that people that are living there are being displaced and pushed out by the higher prices as well as local merchants and that the neighborhood's solid middle class values will be replaced by the yuppie version of the West Side Dream.
Do yuppies still exist? If so, where? If not, then what happened to this phenomenon?
Yes they still do exist but do not appear as much in the open public view for they are mainly moving from the cities into the suburbs where all the rich people gather and thus less conflict is brought up when moving in with people of their own crowd.
With whom does Morrisroe seem to sympathize in the article?
Morrisroe seems to be sympathizing with the pre-conversion people.The people who were living on the West Side before the new group of yuppies moved in and changed the neighborhood.It seems as though many of the pre-conversion people are elderly and they cannot accept the new culture of the neighborhood.Someone even remarks that the elderly are not able to maintain their apartments andare unable to accept the co-op philosophy.She also seems to sympathize with the pre-conversion local merchants who have been uprooted because of the escalating rents that the conversion has caused.
Has the trend toward gentrification continued in the nations large cities?What are the major arguments in support of gentrification?What arguments do its opponents use?Which do you find more convincing?Why?
I believe that gentrification is alive in our nations large cities.Although many people have opted for the suburbs and they commute into the city there are many still that prefer to live in lavish condominiums and apartments within the city limits.The arguments for gentrification is that run down buildings and neighborhoods are being renovated to accommodate people who will breathe new life into the city bring with them money to spend at the local merchants and also the area will be inviting to tourists.The gentrification will also boost the citys economy.The arguments against are that many people who lived in the dilapidated neighborhoods and buildings are being put out and forced to relocate and that middle class values are being replaced with Yuppie values.I find the argument for to be more convincing.I do sympathize with the people who are being displaced but I think that there is a need to improve many areas of large cities that have fallen to decay.I think that as part of the gentrification process that some alternatives should be available for the pre-conversion people.
Do yuppies still exist?If so, where?If not, then what happened to this phenomenon?
Yes, I believe that yuppies exit throughout the United States.They are not necessarily only present in the cities though they have also moved into the suburbs. I think that this phenomenon can be seen in many areas across the country definitely all of the large metropolitan cities and in many suburbs throughout the country.
1. Morrisroe seems to sympathize with both sides. She is sympathetic to those who are being forced from their homes because of the new co-ops. But at the same time she is showing the lives of the new people that are moving in and showing that they are good people with lives that are trying to make it in a new community. 2. It has appeared that gentrification has seemed to increase in the cities as people became more and more attracted to material things and material wealth. Today however it has declined dramatically. People do not move into bad apartments to make them look better, they simply buy good-looking places in the first place. For gentrification people could say the increases the wealth in certain areas and how it makes the community better. Against it one could say that it is forcing out the old community and forcing others out of their homes. 3. Yes yuppies still exist, but not as prominently as they once were. There are those people who live for material wealth, mostly in cities, so these people are still around.
With whom does Morrisroe seem to sympathize in this article?
Has the trend toward gentrification continued in the nation's large cities? What are the major arguments in support of gentrification? What arguments do its opponents use? Which do you find more convincing? Why?
Do yuppies still exist? If so, where? If not, then what happened to this phenomenon?
1. Morrisroe seems to sympathize with the people who are older and dealing with being poor. Morrisroe is feeling sorry for the people who are being pushed out of their houses by the Yuppies with their large amounts of money.
2. Gentrification has continued in the country's really big cities, such a New York and Boston. People are attracted to the middle of cities, where apartments and big and the city is always moving. They feel that they can fix places up and make them more modern to suit their needs. An argument against it would be that older people are no longer living in large cities by themselves and usually settle in suburbs or quiet areas if they are retired.
3. Yes, Yuppies still exist. I feel that they mainly exist in these large scale cities.
1. With whom does Morrisroe seem to sympathize in this article?
- Morrisroe sympathizes with those who are being pushed around by the new yuppie class. The people living there before were in most cases not as well off as the new generation and were having problems adjusting to the new society now present in Manhattans Upper West Side.
2. Has the trend toward gentrification continued in the nation's large cities? What are the major arguments in support of gentrification? What arguments do its opponents use? Which do you find more convincing? Why?
- I think that the trend exhibited in Manhattan has occurred in many large cities in the United States. Take San Francisco for example, everything in San Francisco is much more costly and it seems to be because the people living around there have the means to pay the prices distributers want, and are driving the market up. People who support this kind of change use arguments of economic growth and change while its opponents use arguments of even greater income gaps and changes to the neighborhoods market system therefore changing the price of living in that area.
3. Do yuppies still exist? If so, where? If not, then what happened to this phenomenon?
- I do think that yuppies still exist, but that they are not generally all in one area but that they are equally distributed nearly everywhere in the United States.
