Last month Crain's published an article titled, Welcome to Jacobsville, which tracked the takeover of Bleecker Street by designer Marc Jacobs (he has six stores within a three-block radius). Local Gary Stern, who lives on Abingdon Square, was outraged, and tracked down Mike Joyce—the graphic designer who created the “More Jane Jacobs, Less Marc Jacobs” t-shirts years ago. According to the Villager, he wants to start a new movement.
Stern told the paper, “This was something that had been brewing inside me. I read Jane Jacobs as an undergraduate. I think you could put provisions to limit certain kinds of stores in a certain area.” He spoke of the neighborhood in the 1980s, saying, “There used to be a candy store. There was a bodega—the guy’s name was Andy. I used to talk to him.” Well Gary, now the guys name is Marc. A Community Board 2 chairperson told the paper that without commercial rent regulation, nothing can be done. [via Curbed]
