Smith Street Confronts the Corporate Takeover

Ooh, Cob­ble Hill folks are wor­ried that their neigh­bor­hood is los­ing its charm, as cook­ie-cut­ter shops are open­ing along Smith St.

Good thing our new apart­ment is clos­er to the Gowanus and the BQE…

• Smith Street Con­fronts the Cor­po­rate Takeover — New York Times
  Despite the neighborhood’s predilec­tion for remain­ing under the radar, com­pared with more-famous bor­ough des­ti­na­tions like Park Slope or Williams­burg, the cost of open­ing a store along this stretch of Smith Street can now be twice as high…