Gentrification Down the Shore

by Molly Vollman Makris, Mary Gatta

Makris and Gatta engage in a rich ethnographic investigation of Asbury Park to better understand the connection between jobs and seasonal gentrification and the experiences of longtime residents in this beach-community city. They demonstrate how the racial inequality in the founding of Asbury Park is reverberating a century later. This book tells an important and nuanced tale of gentrification using an intersectional lens to examine the history of race relations, the too often overlooked history of the postindustrial city, the role of the LGBTQ population, barriers to employment and access to amenities, and the role of developers as the city rapidly changes. Makris and Gatta draw on in-depth interviews, focus groups, ethnographic observation, as well as data analysis to tell the reader a story of life on the West Side of Asbury Park as the East Side prospers and to point to a potential path forward.

Genres: History

227 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 13, 2020

Reviews

[Allium · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceedingly well written and researched study of the seasonal gentrification of Asbury Park with a pointed analysis of East side development along with ideas of solutions to create a more equitable city without leaving long-term residents behind.

[Alec · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a bit of a mixed bag. It provides some interesting history of Asbury Park and the gentrification that has taken place there. If you have read/studied issues surrounding gentrification previously, you probably won’t take away any new insights.
I was quite intrigued by the premise of shore town gentrification having its own specific set of problems (“seasonal gentrification”). Unfortunately, what ends up being reported on isn’t really as unique as the authors would have you think. One of the people interviewed sums it up best when they describe Asbury as a microcosm of a larger city. Asbury’s relatively small population and geographic footprint makes it analogous to one of the many “hip” neighborhoods in big cities that have experienced rapid change (think Fishtown in Philadelphia).
Despite this, I still found it fairly interesting. I just would not recommend it to someone with a background in an adjacent field.

[Rebecca Snyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

An important read for anyone who considers themselves a local in Monmouth County. Born and raised in Long Branch and see if happening there…spent a lot of time in AP and have seen the gentrification happen in both areas.

[Ietrio · Rating 1 out of 5]

When the plural of data is anecdotes or brats playing science on tax money, because flipping burgers at McDonald's is for minorities.

[Darren · Rating 3 out of 5]

its on libgen

[Lionheart Words · Rating 5 out of 5]

This little city by the sea is near to my heart but we couldn’t stay because the politics, gentrification, and systems surrounding us made it clear that by paying rent we were contributing to large social justice disparities and that just isn’t our cup of tea. This is a book about that. About a small city that is quite literally split down its own center by a set of railroad tracks and “wrong side” “right side” mentality that perpetuates racism. The gentrification here is a special brand - seasonal - which creates an even larger gap of resources than in other cities that have experienced it.

During the 5 years that I lived in Asbury, I saw neighbors displaced due to high rent prices, buildings quickly renovated and stripped of BIPOC folks, and the last black owned business on the boardwalk driven out. It’s true that this community is a haven for my LGBTQ+ family, but it is also true that some of the LGBTQ+ community has contributed to the problem - and now the rainbow flags are starting to disappear as well.

We volunteered at the soup kitchen, we donated and marched and gave a social justice training. We tell every friend we bring to the restaurants and shops the stories that aren’t told. But none of that is enough. We will keep doing these things because this community will always matter to us, but much more change is needed.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in social justice. I especially recommend it to anyone who works, lives, or plays in Asbury Park.

“…’There’s nothing to do.’ He continues, ‘You know, God bless you if you’re sober. Like there’s nothing to do on the boardwalk besides eat or drink, and there may or may not be the one shop that’s there if you want to buy, you know, an $80 pair of shorts.’”