New York has long been subject to the ebb and flow of gentrification. Most sections of this historically layered metropolis have changed identity and status multiple times. Brooklyn used to be much more affordable than Manhattan but that dichotomy has since been turned on its head, with demand and the cost of real estate surging in formerly ‘derelict’ neighbourhoods like Williamsburg and Dumbo. With so many people flocking to the borough in the past two to three decades, there’s been a wind of change in the air. In response, the city’s epicentre of culture and commerce has shifted southward.
Significantly closer to highly sought-after Brooklyn pockets such as Fort Greene and Cobble Hill than Midtown or even Chelsea, Tribeca – a once industrial, then creative, and eventually affluent neighbourhood – has recently emerged as a major hub for galleries and high-end showrooms. Owing to the combined factors of great connectivity – most New York subway lines run through here – an ample stock of large, post-industrial retail space and, of course, a captive audience of well-heeled connoisseur residents, major players in fine art, collectible design, and high-end furnishing have taken up shop in the tightly packed district over the past three years. This development is reaching fever pitch this September, as a series of important shows opens, and the Collectible design fair – originating in Brussels, where we reviewed Collectible 2024 in March – makes its New York debut.
