Tipping Point: Greenport, New York

Closed, but still awesome.

The winter of 2021 started a series of cross-country drives, trying to make some sense of the state of an America I didn’t recognize. Seems almost quaint now.

Then, the purpose of travelling the small roads, stopping at small towns, eating at diners, talking to the hardware store owners, the bait shop clerk, the BBQ pitmasters, etc.

Since then, a series of these trips has yeilded more questions than answers. Why are some places dying, some thriving, some mid-ressurection? What is the upward, downward tipping point?

Memorable stops included:

Alma OK: Canned Spinach Capital of the World

McLean TX: Crossroads

Easton PA: Townies vs Students

Lumpkin GA: Environmental disaster turned tourist location

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Home this year, the drive cancelled, I am looking around at my own village. Greenport NY, for a sense of direction.

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Greenport, NY

The population of Greenport has hovered around 2500 people for almost 150 years. It is a one square mile incorporated village with an urban-style grid layout, designed as a center of commerce since its founding. It has been a freight port, a small scale whaling port, shellfish cannery, recreational fishing center, and vacation location during some or all of thoise years.

It saw a boom post 9/11, post 2008 economic collapse and more recently post Covid with NYC diaspora.

Intermodal transport options include bus, rail, and ferries.

The commercial district has gone through multiple significant boom and bust cycles. For almost a decade, there has been a push to reign in the commercial activity as the population ages.

Where is it now?

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Currently, almost 20% of the linear feet of the commercial storefronts are empty. Some of these are quite large and persistent, some seasonal flux. Counts waver by the day, but between 12-18 storefronts are empty, with a casual poll indicating almost a half-dozen more on the bubble.

The Arcade- It is practically a fever dream for many, a long empty five and dime general store. Practical economics forbid its practical return, but it is a stand in for the boogeyman of change.

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Generational change: “Toppy’s Salon” is empty for the first time in generations.

Political prisoners: Multiple properties are engaged in a political streetfight and locked in Village meetings.

Persistant vacancies: Even during the 2 year boom cycle, many of these have stayed empty as landlords sought unsustainable rents.

Icons: The vital but decaying shipyard needs direction, Federal funding, and a plan. It is the most armchair-quarterbacked property in the Village with every resident deciding they know what the owners should do.

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So- how many properties are needed to be empty, and for how long, until luxury vacancies (high priced empty properties) will come back to earth for entrepreurs or give themselves up for corporate vanity projects? Are we resetting from a post-covid boom cycle? How far does a pendulum swing?

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Strong Towns

Strong Towns is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit media advocacy organization. They produce content that analyzes the failures of the post-war North American development pattern while giving citizens the knowledge and tools to start making our places better today.

Our Mission

We seek to replace America’s post-war pattern of development, the Suburban Experiment, with a pattern of development that is financially strong and resilient. We advocate for cities of all sizes to be safe, livable, and inviting. We work to elevate local government to be the highest level of collaboration for people working together in a place, not merely the lowest level in a hierarchy of governments.

Read the Strong Towns Strategic Plan here:

https://www.strongtowns.org/s/Strong-Towns-Strategic-Plan-WEB.pdf

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