It is widely believed that immigrants from the former Soviet Union who settled in Brighton Beach contributed positively to this oceanside neighborhood in Southern Brooklyn, which quickly earned the unofficial name of “Little Odessa.” From its dilapidated state in the late 1960s, in just a few decades the area transformed itself into a blossoming neighborhood with its own Russian movie theatre, dozens of Russian shops and restaurants, as well as all public services, from doctors and attorneys to car services and Laundromats.
As the standard of living in Brighton Beach improves and life there becomes more enjoyable, it also has become more expensive. As well, some neighborhood people have come into money. Until recently, our immigrant community considered moving to Staten Island, Long Island and even to Manhattan as a sign of prosperity. Now every rich Manhattanite is attempting to move into the “Oceana” apartment complex, located on the corner of Brighton Beach Avenue and 12th Street, where prices on apartments range from $540,000 to over $2 million.
Pat Keller, who has sold real estate in this neighborhood for three decades, claims that she has never seen a real estate boom of this kind. According to her, in the last two years prices on houses and apartments in this neighborhood doubled and the neighborhood itself has “turned into gold.” Pat Kessler, who writes a Sunday column titled “Russian Patrol,” told Daily News reporter Veronica Belenka, “When Oceana announced it was selling its condominiums for $1 million, I could not believe my eyes.” She added, “And they sold them all. All of them! The luxury condominium complex opened its doors in 2000, offering apartments that were not big, but which had unusual floor plans, ocean views, a garage, plus access to the gym, pool and sauna. Originally, a two bedroom apartment cost $300,000. Now the price is over $600,000. Oceana is now officially called “Oceana Condominium and Club.”
Local politicians and community leaders are not thrilled with the new apartment complex, which lends a sense of wealth, serenity and well-being to the surrounding area – even thought the garbage pickup along its gates on Brighton and 12th Street is often negligent.
New York City Councilman Domenic M. Recchia Jr. believes that the Oceana Condominium and Club has revitalized the neighborhood, because new people with attractive lifestyles reside in the apartment complex.
Elena Mahnina, head of Brighton Beach District Management Association, is of the same opinion. She says that the new wealthy residents feed the neighborhood’s economy because they stimulate the growth of new businesses to serve the needs of the more affluent customers.
Brighton’s less well-off population feels differently. Rather, they believe that more people only translates into more crowding. Home attendant Anna Sargisan complained to Veronika Belenka about the high prices of fruit and vegetables, noting that tomatoes on Brighton Beach, which now cost $3.39 per pound, were much less expensive in the past. Sargisan is convinced that the soaring prices of tomatoes are a direct result of the rich residents at the new Oceana, and not the consequence of the Californian locust and the droughts in Florida, which caused the tomatoes prices to rise all over New York City. Another home attendant, Ida Mirnarskaya, who has lived next to Oceana for 15 years, is worried that due to the inflation of apartment prices she will be charged more rent, as is already the case with new residents in her building.
“Our beautiful New York is becoming even lovelier,” journalist and writer Petr Vail said to me about 15 years ago. Back then, he would escort me home after heavy drinking and partying at his house in Washington Heights. This phrase jumped from his lips when he saw an impoverished Latino across the street in his neighborhood pushing his belongings in a shopping cart. Brighton Beach is not like that.
