Little Italy in the Bronx, Arthur Avenue
If
reporting by NBC is true, the rapidly gathering Hillary Clinton presidential campaign is close to selecting New York as their headquarters, eyeing Brooklyn and Queens specifically:
While Clinton and her advisers had previously eyed the Westchester County city of White Plains, about 25 miles north of Manhattan, Clinton has now more or less decided on a location in New York City, likely either Brooklyn or Queens, according to three knowledgeable Democrats, who spoke on the condition of anonymity since they were not authorized to discuss the matter with the press.
A base in gentrifying Brooklyn or Queens could help give Clinton’s campaign a youthful feel, and would likely be a relief for Democratic operatives dreading a relocation to the suburb, or a daily commute from New York City. White Plains is about an hour from Manhattan by public transit.
“White Plains is not conducive for the mainly younger generation of political staff that is going to make up the majority of her headquarters,” said one Democrat familiar with the planning discussions. A more central location “will be more inviting for the long hours a campaign will expect of them.”
Okay, there is an entire borough between Westchester County and Manhattan and if you want a youthful feel, The Bronx would be the place to go. The Bronx is where all the hip and innovative kids are going now, as Brooklyn (the parts Clinton people would know about, not REAL Brooklyn) has become just another expensive cliche.
Best thing about the Bronx is that it is, a) the most Democratic borough, b) the most hip borough for young people, c) you've got your crucial Democratic constituencies right there up close. Not to to mention it being halfway between Chappaqua and Midtown Manhattan. There's also apartments young staffers can actually afford, which is most certainly not the case in Brooklyn.
Recently I've been spending time a little time in The Bronx, and let me tell you, it is an awesome borough. There is great food, great neighborhoods, and and bustling youth culture that is trying its best to avoid the notice of real estate developers. They will fail. They will fail because people are taking notice of all The Bronx has to offer. And by people, I mean tourists from Europe and Asia.
As for Queens, sure why not.
But Clinton folks shouldn't think they have the pulse of the youth by moving to Brooklyn. The parts they would know of are already a high end, gentrified mess. It will evolve into a suburban shopping mall atmosphere just like Manhattan fairly soon. The youthful choice would be The Bronx!