Left Bank of the Hudson: Jersey City and the Artists of 111 1st Street - Softcover

Goodwin, David J.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0823278034 ISBN 13: 9780823278039

Publisher: Empire State Editions, 2017

Synopsis

In the late 1980s, a handful of artists priced out of Manhattan and desperately needing affordable studio space discovered 111 1st Street, a former P. Lorillard Tobacco Company warehouse. Over the next two decades, an eclectic collection of painters, sculptors, musicians, photographers, filmmakers, and writers dreamt and toiled within the building’s labyrinthine halls. The local arts scene flourished, igniting hope that Jersey City would emerge as the next grassroots center of the art world. However, a rising real estate market coupled with a provincial political establishment threatened the community at 111 1st Street. The artists found themselves entangled in a long, complicated, and vicious fight for their place in the building and for the physical survival of 111 1st Street itself, a site that held so much potential, so much promise for Jersey City.

Left Bank of the Hudson offers a window into the demographic, political, and socio-economic changes experienced by Jersey City during the last thirty years. Documenting the narrative of 111 1st Street as an act of cultural preservation, author David J. Goodwin’s well-researched and significant contribution addresses the question of the role of artists in economically improving cities. As a Jersey City resident, Goodwin applies his knowledge of the city’s rich history of political malfeasance and corruption, including how auspicious plans for a waterfront arts enclave were repeatedly bungled by a provincial-minded city administration. In writing this story, Goodwin interviewed thirteen artists and residents, two businesses, three government officials, and five non-profits, civic organizations, and community activists. The book chronologically explores the history and business of the P. Lorillard Tobacco Company, its evolution into a bustling arts community, the battle to preserve the warehouse as a historic structure, and the lessons to be drawn from the loss and ultimate demolition of the building in 2007, as well as the present state of the neighborhood.

Setting the facts straight for future generations, Left Bank of the Hudson provides an illustrative lesson to government officials, scholars, students, activists, and everyday citizens attempting to navigate the “rediscovery” of American cities.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

"Goodwin tells the interesting story of 111 First Street, where a bunch of ragtag artists decided to take over an old tobacco factory on the industrial outskirts of the New York region in Jersey City, New Jersey. These same artists soon found themselves caught amid a changing and gentrifying city. This in-depth exploration of the varied people, politics, and economic forces serves as a fascinating discourse on how gentrification in urban areas can happen and all the drama that unfolds as a result." (Jonathan LeVine, Jonathan LeVine Projects) 

About the Author:

David J. Goodwin is an urban historian and historic preservation advocate and currently the Assistant Director of the Center on Religion and Culture at Fordham University. A resident of Jersey City, Goodwin has served as a member and chairman of the Jersey City Historic Preservation Commission and he is a current board member of the Jersey City Landmarks Conservancy.

About this edition

• Publisher: Empire State Editions
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 0823278034
• ISBN 13: 9780823278039
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 176