Andria Santos
Engl 1100
Professor Young
September 26, 2014
I was born and raised in Long Branch, New
Jersey. In 2005 eminent domain took place, which caused gentrification to
happen two blocks away from my home. People were forced out of their homes from
eminent domain, and had to move elsewhere. Eminent domain is the right of a government or its agent to expropriate
private property for public use, with payment of compensation. After
people were forced out of their homes and businesses had to move from eminent
domain, our city built a vacation place on the beach called Pier Village. Pier
village is a shopping center that has five star clothing shops and restaurants.
Pier village attracts people from all over the country and gives our town great
business, but it has destroyed families and taken away the history that was
once there.
Growing up my family and I use to
eat dinner at a little Portuguese restaurant called pearl of Lisbon, where pier
village is now located. My family and I would go to Pearl of Lisbon at the end
of each weak and bond over the mouthwatering food. This place was more than
just a restaurant that served delicious food; it was a part of my identity.
Eating at this restaurant once a week as a child helped me understand a little
more about my culture, such as the food and language. It also helped my family
communicate and created long lasting memories. I remember one night my family
and I going to eat and the owner telling my parents that eminent domain has
been taken into place and the city is forcing him to move. My parents were in
shock and in utter disbelief because they knew it would upset my sister and me.
Now that the restaurant is gone, a part of my identity is gone. Not only
do I not get to enjoy the delicious food but I will also no longer be able to
feel that sense of comfort that I once have.
Since pier village is a vacation
place and many famous people visit during the year everything has increased
from the property value, to the property taxes. Long Branch even charges for
parking near the beach. Due to the increase in taxes, it has caused many
residents in Long Branch to no longer be able to afford the cost of living,
which has forced them to relocate elsewhere. If the residents of Long Branch
weren’t relocating because of the increase in property taxes, they were
relocating because of eminent domain. As a resident of Long Branch, I was able
to see firsthand how raising property taxes and eminent domain affected
residents, such as my family and friends. My best friend Emily lived a block
over from my favorite restaurant Pearl of Lisbon and was also forced to move
because of eminent domain. Her house was passed down from generation to generation,
and due to eminent domain, her family had to move their lives and leave all of
the memories they have invested in over the years,
behind.
Before Pier village was
established, Long Branch was a quiet local beach. The families who went to the
beach usually knew each other and the children were friends. Parents were able
to let their children play without constantly supervising them, because they
knew that the children were under good care of the lifeguards. Now that Pier
village has been established, the quiet local beach days have turned into loud
over populated beach days. As a resident of Long Branch and life guard of Long
Branch beaches, I have seen a change in scenery. Parents have to constantly be
aware of their children and lifeguards have to be more aware of the people who
did not grow up in the area and know little about the beach and rip currents.
As a local we call these people “Bennys”. People no longer go to the beach to
hear the sound of the waves crashing or the touch of the sand, but go as a
social event and blast loud music. Due to pier village, residents will no
longer be able to enjoy a quiet day at the beach.
In the essay, written by Valerie
Kinloch “Harlem, Art, and Literacy and Documenting “Harlem is Art”/”Harlem as
Art”. She talks about gentrification in Harlem and how it is changing the
community. She emphasizes on how old mom and pop shops are being replaced with
new stores such as old navy and mac. She states “see, the hard part of this
project on Harlem and art is facing them new people who aint from Harlem and
think this community is all about new things popping up(Kinlcoh 152).” I am
able to relate with Kinloch because the mom and pop shops in my town are also
being replaced with newer stores. Also, people who come to vacation overlook what
was once there and just see the new.
Most
people who come to visit pier village have no idea what pain it has caused the
residents of Long Branch. I believe a way to inform the nonresidents of what
was once there is by the city adding pictures around pier village to show the
nonresidents or “bennys”, what Long Branch once was. Not only would this help
people understand what the residents have been through, but it will also gives
the residents of Long Branch a little piece of mind, knowing that the city
cares about the people who have been hurt by this.
