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Hell's Kitchen Goes To Hell In A Handbasket
By
Jamie Feldmar
Published Jan 19, 2012
Modified Jan 19, 2012
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By
Jamie Feldmar
Published Jan 19, 2012
Modified Jan 19, 2012
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Hell's Kitchen residents are up in arms over the decline of their neighborhood, which, despite its roots as a gang-and-hooker filled, ahem, hellhole, has been a perfectly nice place to raise your kids for the past few years. Until now, because dastardly legions of drunk twentysomethings are getting drunk and being loud and puking up mango-flavored vodka all over the sidewalk.
"People are urinating, throwing all kinds of bottles, walking away with cups of liquor that I assume they sneak out of the bar, and vomit on the ground," said Steve Belida, co-chairman of the Hell's Kitchen 50-51st Street Block Association. Civilized adults have already been battling Boxers, a gay club that wants to open near PS 111, and more and more bars are applying for liquor licenses in the area (there are currently 699 of them approved). A meeting is scheduled tonight for residents, police, elected officials and bar owners to talk it out, which presumably will result in nasty insults and giveaway condoms being hurtled across the room.
Fortunately, some heavy hitters are on the anti-gentrification side: "[Hell's Kitchen] is filled with gritty buildings, has a rough texture and all of the amenities, which make it attractive for night life," said Mitchell Moss, a NYU urban planning professor. "Hell's Kitchen should not, will not and cannot become a West Side version of Gramercy Park."
Tagged
alcohol
bars
boxers
gentrification
hell's kitchen
nightlife
Jamie Feldmar
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